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What to do? (One night pre-cruise Ft. Lauderdale)


OklaCruiserMom

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Ok, I've been tossing this situation around in my head for months and I still don't know what we're going to do that night! We're staying at Pier 66. It's me and my kids: two 18 year old girls and an 11 year old boy. My first thought was that after we got checked into our hotel room and got rested a little, we would hop in a taxi and go to Bubba Gump. One of my bosses and his wife went there and gave it a positive recommendation. They also said that the beach is right across the street and that there are all sorts of shops nearby where you can buy sundresses and things. (I want a white sundress for the trip, haven't found one I like, and was hoping I'd find one there.)

 

Complications/reasons to question:

 

My kids aren't really all that into seafood.

BG is a little on the pricey side.

 

 

But the primary consideration is I don't know what we'll feel like doing. I may just want to let them get straight in the pool and have a pizza delivered to the room later. (definitely cheaper.)

 

Anyone have any suggestions, recommendations, ideas, etc? Is there anything good to see or do within walking distance or $10-$12 taxi ride of the Pier 66? Should we just rest up at the hotel and save our beaching for the cruise, or should we check out the Ft. L. beach because we're there and we can, and it will be our only chance? Don't necessarily want to lug a wet swimsuit onto the ship the next day, you know?

 

This will be our first time on a cruise, our first time in Ft. Lauderdale, AND our first time on a trip this big and intimidating when it's just the 4 of us. I'm not exactly the most experienced traveler. Not particularly savvy on finding my way around places, knowing where to go, whom to ask questions, etc. I feel like Ma Kettle takin' the young 'uns on an adventure into town on the egg money!

 

Help! :o

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What time are you arriving? The water taxi stops right near the end of the property at the Hyatt Pier 66. Cost is $20 per person and after 5 P.M. it drops to $10 per person. You can get on and off at the many stops and some restaurants will give you a discount if you show them your ticket stub. There are plenty of nice restaurants along Las Olas Blvd and around Beach Place. I would stay away from Bubba Gumps. Nothing special in my opinion. You can get off at Beach Place to enjoy the beach. Lots to see and do. Bob:)

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Much depends in my mind, what time you will be arriving at the hotel. If the teens haven't been to Ft they will want to see some of the area, I'd think. Or would then be happy just working on tans at the pool ?

 

How do you plan on shopping with them all along? :rolleyes: I certainly wouldn't atttem it unless you head to a Mall (boring on vacation)or better going to Las Olas Blvd. Might find something there.

 

Personally when kids are involved, the best layed plans are often ignored when the time comes. It so much depends on how they feel that minute.;)

 

No way would I go to Bubba Gumps. Too "chainy". There's all kinds of places you all would find enjoyable.

 

Water taxi can be expensive unless you want to give the kids the experience which is losts of fun and they'd see a lot of the area. But if just going to one destination, take a cab to save $$$

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Hi again! Thanks for the great responses! As of right now, our flight is set to arrive at 3:45 p.m. Unfortunately, I don't think my daughters are the "Let's go explore the city!" types. I sometimes wish they were more adventurous, but probably, one of them will go, "Can we go swimming?!" and the other will go, "Can I take a nap?" Unless I'm all pre-game pep talk "here's all the exciting things we're doing and here's where we're going because it's what I planned for us to do! :D

 

The Jungle Queen thing sounds pretty cool. I'd love to take them on that, because I went on a similar thing with my ex-husband (not their dad) on our honeymoon in Branson, and it was great. I may just have to save a few extra $$, plan to do the Jungle Queen, skip the sundress shopping, and take them on something they'd love! But it sounds like they'd probably have a good time just wandering around by water taxi! :)

 

How do you then get to where the JungleQueen is, and all that? (ETA: Ok, I saw the satellite map. It's not far at all from the hotel.)

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Okay..so you won't be at your hotel until 4:30 earliest, after picking up bags , getting a cab etc. Not sure when you will be there date wise, so not sure how much daylight you'll have for seeing the area. But... the after 5:00 $10.00 rate per person on the water taxi would be memorable for you all. Check this site and you'll see the routes. You can actually catch a pretty nice "tour" by some of the captains of the larger boats. And you can stop for a meal along the way. Las Olas Blvd is pretty at night with lights and you can eat pretty reasonably at some of the spots there. Or of course there are other stops along the water. You can hop on and hop off until they stop runnuing. Check route times when you plan your destination stops.

 

http://watertaxi.com

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Bubba Gumps' salads and sandwiches are $10-12 and entrees are under $20. This is considered inexpensive here. If you find that pricey, I don't know where else you can eat in Fort Lauderdale other than ordering in a pizza.

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Royalcruz, what is the name of that Greek diner up on Sunrise Blvd about two or three miles up the road going towards US 1? Ate there a couple of times. Looks like a hole in the wall on the outside but great service, food and prices. Think it is next to an Arbys. Is it called Greek Athenian or something like that? Bob:)

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. I may just have to save a few extra $$, plan to do the Jungle Queen, skip the sundress shopping, and take them on something they'd love! )

 

While they are at the pool, you can run in to the Ross that is right up the street on the same side of the street and get your sundress.

 

My local Ross had a zillion sundresses right now.

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Bubba Gumps' salads and sandwiches are $10-12 and entrees are under $20. This is considered inexpensive here. If you find that pricey, I don't know where else you can eat in Fort Lauderdale other than ordering in a pizza.

 

 

I was afraid somebody would say that. It's not that it's "pricey" exactly (although I know that's what I said before) it's just that I know one of my kids would order a burger no matter where she was, and the other one would order chicken strips, and my son would maybe be willing to try a few different things, but at Bubba's would probably end up with fried shrimp. It's just that if they're going to order the same old, same old, I might as well take them to somewhere like Burger King. (which is totally sad, even to me.) If none of them ate off the kids' menu at Bubba's, and if we got one appetizer and desserts, it would probably be like $75, which is fairly expensive to me, but that's what I budgeted for dinner, not counting the cab ride.

 

But as we already know, there is no predicting what everyone will want to do, how we'll feel, etc. So I probably should just have a few options in mind, but not expect to be able to make any hard and fast plans. I just find that really hard to do- I like to plan. It keeps me occupied while waiting! :D

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If you do take the Jungle Queen cruise, be prepared to meet Mr. Johnson during the cruise up the canals........

 

And that means...? :)

 

@BlueHerons- that's ok- I understood. Ross is a bad influence on me- I've gotten several things there recently that I'll probably never have somewhere to wear!! :D

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I meant to say my local Ross HAS a gazillion sundresses right now not HAD. Yikes!

 

Anyway they are adorable and mostly under $20. Great for coverups or just to run around and do errands in or out for cocktails.

 

If you can't find a white sundress in FL, before you leave, you can probably find one in one of your ports of call. There are always cute sundresses to be found in the Caribbean!:D

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don't let your mind wander into bad places ...during the dinner cruise, the Jungle Queen takes you thru all the canals and under numerous drawrbidges taht have to be raised..the Jungle Queen Captain always has you yell to the drawbridge tender "Helloooo Mr. johnson"... all the bridge tenders seem to be related... part of the fun evening...

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Royalcruz, what is the name of that Greek diner up on Sunrise Blvd about two or three miles up the road going towards US 1? Ate there a couple of times. Looks like a hole in the wall on the outside but great service, food and prices. Think it is next to an Arbys. Is it called Greek Athenian or something like that? Bob:)

That's the Victoria Park Diner. It's right next to Arby's! They have great lunch specials although it seems everything just went up about a dollar there. I like the spinach pie...always ask for a corner piece if you like the edges!

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I was afraid somebody would say that. It's not that it's "pricey" exactly (although I know that's what I said before) it's just that I know one of my kids would order a burger no matter where she was, and the other one would order chicken strips, and my son would maybe be willing to try a few different things, but at Bubba's would probably end up with fried shrimp. It's just that if they're going to order the same old, same old, I might as well take them to somewhere like Burger King. (which is totally sad, even to me.) If none of them ate off the kids' menu at Bubba's, and if we got one appetizer and desserts, it would probably be like $75, which is fairly expensive to me, but that's what I budgeted for dinner, not counting the cab ride. ...:D

Oklacruisermom, I hope I didn't sound mean. I wanted to let you know about normal dining prices here without sounding snobby.

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Oklacruisermom, I hope I didn't sound mean. I wanted to let you know about normal dining prices here without sounding snobby.

 

Oh, no, you didn't at all. I just meant that I was afraid someone would think I sounded incredibly cheap and maybe a little countrified or "hick". I know that my idea of somewhat pricey might be someone else's idea of super reasonable. And also that restaurant rates vary by location, etc.

 

Oh! You know what it is- it's not that prices like Bubba's are unreasonable, or probably even that they are higher than a similar place somewhere in OKC or Dallas- it's just that they don't have anything even like that here where I live. In my town, the Santa Fe Steakhouse is the top of the food chain, except for the few local upstart places that try to pretend they're fancy. (or that try to BE fancy) Like Fireside Dining, Cafe Alley, or Jake's Joint (or maybe it's called Jake's Place). I heard they had a fixed price menu on Valentine's Day that was about $100 per person?

 

Anyway. :o

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Thanks RoyalCruz. Yes, the Victoria Park dinner. First time I stopped there was on the way back to my hotel from day game in spring training up in Port St. Lucie. Was staying at the W down by the beach. Had the chicken gyro, fries, bottomless diet coke and a reeses peanut butter pie for only $8.10. Great meal and I left happy. Bob:)

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Thanks RoyalCruz. Yes, the Victoria Park dinner. First time I stopped there was on the way back to my hotel from day game in spring training up in Port St. Lucie. Was staying at the W down by the beach. Had the chicken gyro, fries, bottomless diet coke and a reeses peanut butter pie for only $8.10. Great meal and I left happy. Bob:)

I went to VP Diner today and had a good size piece of spinach pie, a bowl of greek salad, bottomless diet coke, and cup of homemade chicken lemon soup for $8.99. All lunch specials include soup and drink and they start at about $6.50. They are no longer open for dinner.

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Sounds like you got a good deal Royalcruz. What time does the diner close now? I used to love to go there for an early dinner. I like the spinach pie also. Bob:)

It closes at 4 PM during the week, but I'm not sure about the weekends.

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