What to do in FLL until 6:00 flight?

Any suggestions on something to do while waiting on our 6:00 flight in Ft. Lauderdale? Looking for something cheaper than the $$$ RCC excursions.

1, Rent a car, put the bags in the trunk and then go where you want - Everglades tour, beach, water taxi, boozy lunch, etc.

2. Pay to store your bags at FLL and then taxi/Uber to the water taxi, Las Olas, etc.

3. When do you cruise? Hotel day rates may be an option.

http://www.sunny.org has lots of FLL area tourist info

Wish we would have done something. We got off the ship at 9ish and our flight wasn't till 5:05. We just figured we would wait it out at the airport. We now hate that airport. It's tiny compared to others and there is absolutely NO WHERE to sit. Super crowded when we were there. May have just been a fluke, I don't know. We did actually find two seats at our gate eventually and wouldn't you know it some guy sits down across from us and he takes his shoes off and just spreads out and reads. He had actually crossed is legs at one point and one of his feet was about a foot in front of the elderly lady directly across from him. She tried to get out of her seat and was unable due to not being able to lean forward because of his FOOT in her face. He was clueless or a jerk or both.

Our flight was delayed so they had to move us to a new gate. We go down there and wouldn't you know it, totally packed. No seats again. Yep, not a fan of Fort Lauderdale Airport.

Definitely wish we had planned something.

1, Rent a car, put the bags in the trunk and then go where you want - Everglades tour, beach, water taxi, boozy lunch, etc.

2. Pay to store your bags at FLL and then taxi/Uber to the water taxi, Las Olas, etc.

3. When do you cruise? Hotel day rates may be an option.

 

www.sunny.org has lots of FLL area tourist info

As usual John is giving you great advice. The following websites - in addition to sunny.org where you should start your research - will help:

• airport baggage storage - www.bagstogo.net
  
• water taxi - www.watertaxi.com
  
• sun trolley (which also has a free route from the airport to downtown and back on the weekends) - www.suntrolley.com
  
• Las Olas Blvd - www.lasolasboulevard.com
  

Do not sit in the airport - it is small and crowded. On a busy winter weekend, over 50,000 cruisers can be coming and going to Port Everglades in a single day! Obviously not all of them are transiting through the airport but thousands and thousands are. Some of the airlines also have very strict time restrictions as to when you can check your luggage (frequently 3 hours before the flight).

Wish we would have done something. We got off the ship at 9ish and our flight wasn't till 5:05. We just figured we would wait it out at the airport. We now hate that airport. It's tiny compared to others and there is absolutely NO WHERE to sit. Super crowded when we were there. May have just been a fluke, I don't know. We did actually find two seats at our gate eventually and wouldn't you know it some guy sits down across from us and he takes his shoes off and just spreads out and reads. He had actually crossed is legs at one point and one of his feet was about a foot in front of the elderly lady directly across from him. She tried to get out of her seat and was unable due to not being able to lean forward because of his FOOT in her face. He was clueless or a jerk or both.

 

Our flight was delayed so they had to move us to a new gate. We go down there and wouldn't you know it, totally packed. No seats again. Yep, not a fan of Fort Lauderdale Airport.

 

Definitely wish we had planned something.

I've been through there several times, always busy, sometimes ridiculously busy. On year flying out, the TSA line alone was over 90 minutes. Only time I was ever really glad to need wheelchair assist.

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As usual John is giving you great advice. The following websites - in addition to sunny.org where you should start your research - will help:

 

 

 

• airport baggage storage - www.bagstogo.net
  
• water taxi - www.watertaxi.com
  
• sun trolley (which also has a free route from the airport to downtown and back on the weekends) - www.suntrolley.com
  
• Las Olas Blvd - www.lasolasboulevard.com
  

Do not sit in the airport - it is small and crowded. On a busy winter weekend, over 50,000 cruisers can be coming and going to Port Everglades in a single day! Obviously not all of them are transiting through the airport but thousands and thousands are. Some of the airlines also have very strict time restrictions as to when you can check your luggage (frequently 3 hours before the flight).

And don't forget about port of Miami pax, a lot of them fly out of FLL, too.

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My vote is for the boozy brunch on Las Olas.

There is a hop on-hop off bus that takes you around Miami. You can get off where ever you want. They store your bags for you and you get transportation to FLL when you want.

Last time we had a late flight out of FLL it was mid-March...we stored the bags at the airport and hopped on the Sun Trolley to head downtown. We found a great restaurant (American Social) that was open to the sidewalks...and had unlimited bloody marys and mimosas for $15pp. Had an amazing lunch while watching the tail-end of the St. Patrick's Day parade. We then walked to a park area that was having a huge St. Patrick's Day festival of some sort. Vendors, crafts...it was a beautiful day to walk around! We headed back to grab the trolley to the airport around 3pm, retrieved our bags and checked in for our 6pm flight with no problems.

Any suggestions on something to do while waiting on our 6:00 flight in Ft. Lauderdale? Looking for something cheaper than the $$$ RCC excursions.

If you rent a car:

Florida Renaissance Festival - Quiet Waters Park - Deerfield Beach...

http://www.ren-fest.com/

Taste of Las Olas - Downtown Ft Lauderdale...

http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/event/las-olas-boulevard-taste-of-las-olas-food-tour-6380868

The tickets are $79, but sometimes you can get a discount on Groupon...

https://www.groupon.com/deals/fort-lauderdale-food-tours

Ranger guided walks at Hugh Taylor State Park...

http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/event/ranger-guided-walks-at-hugh-taylor-birch-state-park-6380807

Jungle Queen Riverboat...

https://www.vacationsmadeeasy.com/FortLauderdaleFL/buyActivity.cfm?keyID=33721&r=64304&listingID=33717&lodgingKey=1C6144C4-01F0-7870-4EDEB7BE50CB2F8F&CFID=16869644&CFTOKEN=71beca636f6e4020-1C5F6E0D-F50B-E9D0-913C45C3E5D07316

River Queen 90 Minute or 3 Hour Tour (A 3 Hour Tour)...

https://www.vacationsmadeeasy.com/FortLauderdaleFL/activity/RiverQueenRiverboatFortLauderdaleSightseeingDinnerCruises.cfm

Two Hour Segway Tour...

https://www.vacationsmadeeasy.com/FortLauderdaleFL/activity/FortLauderdaleSegwayTours.cfm

Sawgrass Recreation Park Everglades Airboat Tour...

https://www.vacationsmadeeasy.com/FortLauderdaleFL/activity/SawgrassRecreationParkEvergladesAirboatTour.cfm

Everglades Holiday Park...

https://www.vacationsmadeeasy.com/FortLauderdaleFL/activity/EvergladesHolidayPark.cfm

Hop On/Hop Off Water Shuttle...

https://www.vacationsmadeeasy.com/FortLauderdaleFL/buyActivity.cfm?keyID=33776&r=55314&listingID=679534&lodgingKey=1C89814A-0717-E581-B5258777E3327DC7&CFID=16894907&CFTOKEN=511a96f17927012c-1C897EF4-EF82-5865-BF523A0C07F63FE7

Ft Lauderdale Duck Tours...

https://www.vacationsmadeeasy.com/FortLauderdaleFL/activity/FortLauderdaleSightseeingDuckTours.cfm

Last time we had a late flight out of FLL it was mid-March...we stored the bags at the airport and hopped on the Sun Trolley to head downtown. We found a great restaurant (American Social) that was open to the sidewalks...and had unlimited bloody marys and mimosas for $15pp. Had an amazing lunch while watching the tail-end of the St. Patrick's Day parade. We then walked to a park area that was having a huge St. Patrick's Day festival of some sort. Vendors, crafts...it was a beautiful day to walk around! We headed back to grab the trolley to the airport around 3pm, retrieved our bags and checked in for our 6pm flight with no problems.

I am not familiar with the Sun Trolley - do you catch it at the airport and do you recall what the price is? Are their multiple stops to catch a return?

I am not familiar with the Sun Trolley - do you catch it at the airport and do you recall what the price is? Are their multiple stops to catch a return?

It was $1 each way...we caught the trolley just outside the terminal building. The airport trolley line drops you off at a Florida Tourist Information Center. Its a short walk to Las Olas Boulevard from there. We returned to the Tourist Information Center to catch the trolley back to the airport.

The trolley runs on the hour from the airport, on the half hour from the Tourist Center.

Just know the airport trolley only runs on the weekends. Our cruise comes back on Monday so we ended up renting a car for about 5 hours. Still better then sitting at the airport all day.

As stated you can't check in your luggage until 3 hours prior to your flight so you can't even go thru security till then. And there is not even a place to sit outside security. Do leave extra time to get thru the TSA lines here if you don't have pre check.

I am not familiar with the Sun Trolley - do you catch it at the airport and do you recall what the price is? Are their multiple stops to catch a return?

Check out the Airport Link on the website (http://www.suntrolley.com). The to/from the airport route on weekends is free. The other routes are $1 per ride or $3 for a day pass.

What to do with luggage is one of the biggest problems confronting cruise passengers. I don't know if RCCL has the luggage valet service or if they ever did. I know that Celebrity did at one time but don't know the status of the program. If so, you can arrange for your luggage to be brought to the airport and then take an Uber from the port ($5) to the water taxi stop under the 17th street bridge and spend the day on that getting off at Las Olas or another point on the intracoastal northern route for lunch, shopping, browsing and then head back to the same stop and catch an Uber from there to the airport. There sometimes are Groupons for reduced fare tickets. It is otherwise pricey (around $30pp unlimited for the day) but it is a lot cheaper than renting a car and dealing with parking, driving in ridiculous Fort Lauderdale traffic sometimes and picking up and returning the car.

The water taxi is a great way to see Fort Lauderdale from the water and it's a relaxing way to end a vacation.

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My vote is for the boozy brunch on Las Olas.

I second that, Las Olas is a wonderful place to be, even just to kill time

It was $1 each way...we caught the trolley just outside the terminal building. The airport trolley line drops you off at a Florida Tourist Information Center. Its a short walk to Las Olas Boulevard from there. We returned to the Tourist Information Center to catch the trolley back to the airport.

 

The trolley runs on the hour from the airport, on the half hour from the Tourist Center.

Great Information - thank you!

Check out the Airport Link on the website (www.suntrolley.com). The to/from the airport route on weekends is free. The other routes are $1 per ride or $3 for a day pass.

This is great. We were going to take a taxi/uber to catch the water taxi but this gives us other options for the day.

Luggage is always the big issue!

“Perfect Day at the Beach”

Reviewed 16 April 2016

Four of us on a cruise ship needed a place to spend the day - but not a night - because our flight out of FLL didn't leave until 8 pm. So we called Christine at Neptune and asked if we could get a day-pass or Day-Room just to change into swim suits and store our luggage. We arrived by taxi from the Port about 11 am and received two keys to room 102 - one half of a sort of efficiency apartment that might be used by a long-stay family or some Spring Breakers. Right by the Boardwalk... it was lovely! Vintage but clean and welcoming. I immediately thought this must have been where Connie Francis hung out in the 1950's film "Where The Boys Are". Had a wonderful day there and at 6 pm asked Christine to call a taxi for us for the ride over to the airport. For a post-cruise day-pass, Neptune Hollywood Beach Hotel gets our recommendation - that's from all four of us.

• Stayed April 2016, travelled with friends
  

This past Nov. we were able to get a day room at the Riverside in Los Olas that was very reasonable, great place to stay.

I'm a bit overwhelmed so I want to make sure my ducks are in a row. We can store our luggage either at the airport for $7 or RCC for $25. If we select the airport I'm assuming we can just hail a taxi to the airport to do so. Once at the airport we can catch the sun trolly and head out. If we would choose to us RCC we can just head out from the port. I don't see where the trolly comes to the port so I'm not sure what to do next. Sorry, just having a plan and knowing what we need to do will make for less :Dchaos!

I'm a bit overwhelmed so I want to make sure my ducks are in a row. We can store our luggage either at the airport for $7 or RCC for $25. If we select the airport I'm assuming we can just hail a taxi to the airport to do so. Once at the airport we can catch the sun trolly and head out. If we would choose to us RCC we can just head out from the port. I don't see where the trolly comes to the port so I'm not sure what to do next. Sorry, just having a plan and knowing what we need to do will make for less :Dchaos!

The Sun Trolley from the airport to Downtown only runs on weekends. To catch the Sun Trolley near Port Everglades you would need to get to 17th Street and catch it going one way or the other, but service does not start anywhere until 9:00 AM. You can download the Sun Trolley app to your phone so you can track the trolleys.

http://www.suntrolley.com/airport-link/

We'll be there over the weekend. We have a 6:00 flight out of Ft. Lauderdale on Saturday the 11th. I also found a Groupon for the Water Shuttle. I"m going to assume Water Taxi is different from Water Shuttle. I'm just not sure how to get from airport to a pick up for either the Water Shuttle or Water Taxi. Does anyone know the difference better/worse between the Water Shuttle and Water Taxi? Thanks all!

We'll be there over the weekend. We have a 6:00 flight out of Ft. Lauderdale on Saturday the 11th. I also found a Groupon for the Water Shuttle. I"m going to assume Water Taxi is different from Water Shuttle. I'm just not sure how to get from airport to a pick up for either the Water Shuttle or Water Taxi. Does anyone know the difference better/worse between the Water Shuttle and Water Taxi? Thanks all!

The water shuttle (www.water-shuttle.com) is relatively new and has fewer stops that the water taxi (www.watertaxi.com). Compare their routes on the websites. If you are storing luggage at FLL at Bags to Go (www.bagstogo.com) on a Saturday (or Sunday) you can take a free sun trolley (www.suntrolley.com check out Airport Link) downtown (and return to the airport) and pick up either of the shuttles there (again look at their routes). If you don't want to wait for the hourly trolley, just grab a taxi or uber and ask to be taken to whichever stop you plan to start at (Hilton Marina is good for the water taxi).

We'll be there over the weekend. We have a 6:00 flight out of Ft. Lauderdale on Saturday the 11th. I also found a Groupon for the Water Shuttle. I"m going to assume Water Taxi is different from Water Shuttle. I'm just not sure how to get from airport to a pick up for either the Water Shuttle or Water Taxi. Does anyone know the difference better/worse between the Water Shuttle and Water Taxi? Thanks all!

The Water Taxi boats are yellow and the Water Shuttle boats are pink. The Water Taxi is more established and has a more expanded route including the Hollywood Water Taxi which will take you to Margaritaville and the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk. The Water Shuttle is primarily Downtown Ft Lauderdale and is $8-$10 per person cheaper.