Drive from Miami to Port Everglades?

We are considering flights into and out of Miami for a cruise out of FLL (Port Everglades). What is the drive like on the weekends (coming in Saturday, leaving the next Saturday-Thanksgiving weekend) into FLL? Flight lands in Miami at 4:30 PM. Should we just go ahead and drive to FLL that evening (have reservations at Embassy Suites) or plan to stay in Miami and drive to the port Sunday morning? We need to consider road construction and any other obstacles. Thanks for any info!

We are considering flights into and out of Miami for a cruise out of FLL (Port Everglades). What is the drive like on the weekends (coming in Saturday, leaving the next Saturday-Thanksgiving weekend) into FLL? Flight lands in Miami at 4:30 PM. Should we just go ahead and drive to FLL that evening (have reservations at Embassy Suites) or plan to stay in Miami and drive to the port Sunday morning? We need to consider road construction and any other obstacles. Thanks for any info!

The drive is all highway (I-95) and the weekend should be better than on a weekday - at least you won't have to contend with rush hour. I would keep your reservations at Embassy Suites and drive to Fort Lauderdale. Driving on Saturday gets the stressful part of the pre-cruise experience over and done with as opposed to driving up on a Sunday morning and worrying about whether you will run into traffic, have enough time to turn in the rental, catch transportation to the port, etc. Embassy Suites is only 1 mile from the entrance to Port Everglades - you should make it to the entrance in 5 minutes and, depending on the location of your ship, be handing your luggage to the porters in another 2 to 10 minutes.

Take State Road 112 from the airport (there is a toll) to I -95 or take LeJeune Rd (no toll but plenty of traffic lights) to US 1 then go north to Ft Lauderdale (US 1 becomes I-95 just before downtown Miami).

If the weekend traffic is 'normal' which for us who live here, only one or two backups of about 10 minutes each, it should take you between 45 minutes to an hour to drive to Ft Lauderdale and Pt Everglades. We always give ourselves plenty of time on I 95 because the traffic on that road is horrendous any time of the day or night, weekday or weekend but it's the most direct route.

Or Take Tri-Rail from Miami Airport station (leaves hourly on weekends)

to the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Airport station, then cab it to the hotel,

4 miles.

Tri Rail $5 pp.

Taxi $15 approx.

No traffic worries.

No tolls.

We are considering flights into and out of Miami for a cruise out of FLL (Port Everglades). What is the drive like on the weekends (coming in Saturday, leaving the next Saturday-Thanksgiving weekend) into FLL? Flight lands in Miami at 4:30 PM. Should we just go ahead and drive to FLL that evening (have reservations at Embassy Suites) or plan to stay in Miami and drive to the port Sunday morning? We need to consider road construction and any other obstacles. Thanks for any info!

Just drive up to Embassy. You should make it there in time to indulge in Happy Hour.

In general Fort Lauderdale Hotels are more reasonable than Miami Hotels. I would drive to Fort Lauderdale.

Keith

We always give ourselves plenty of time on I 95 because the traffic on that road is horrendous any time of the day or night, weekday or weekend but it's the most direct route.

I agree. It doesn't really matter any more what time of day or night because after rush hour in the evening, they shut down many lanes and do construction until rush hour starts up again the next morning.

It took me 90 minutes a couple of weeks ago at midnight to get from Las Olas to MIA on a Tuesday night because of construction and closures.

At 2:30 Wednesday it took us 70 minutes to get from downtown (Garcia's Seafood) to 17th Street because of rain.

I also agree to head up to Fort Lauderdale after your Miami flight.