Pre-cruise hotel during International Boat Show

Thought it would be a good idea to go on a cruise to celebrate my grandaughter's and my birthday leaving November 5 from Miami. We always have flown into Fort Lauderdale and just taken a shuttle to Miami. Flights and hotels are usually much cheaper for us this way. Booked the cruise and then started looking for hotels and couldn't figure out why some were already sold out. Found out it is the weekend of the boat show.

I have booked a few hotels that I could cancel now that I know the show is going on, but my question is if we should stay in Fort Lauderdale or just go to Miami and stay there one night pre-cruise? We would love to see some of the yachts, but I didn't know if there was anything really to see in Fort Lauderdale during the boat show if you aren't in the market for a yacht. I also don't want to pay the premium for staying on the beach as prices are 3x what we have paid in the past.

I have booked the Days Inn Dania and LaQuinta Hollywood. We have stayed at the La Quinta before and it was okay. Also made a reservation at Hampton Suites Bicknell in Miami. We just need a place to stay one night pre-cruise with a pool (hopefully good weather) for my 4 yo granddaughter to work off some energy post-flight that is clean and has options for restaurants nearby.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

I'd go with the Hampton Inn Brickell. The crowds in Ft. Lauderdale during the boat show will affect your stay more than in Brickell.

Definitely the Hampton Inn Brickell both for the hotel and the location. I love the boat show but Fort Lauderdale is always crazy that weekend with expensive hotel rooms and very crowded restaurants.

Hampton Inn Brickell.

The boat show, while tons of fun, is not kid friendly. I've never seen any kids there and we've been going for years.

Also, in order to get on the larger yachts or megas, you need to be with a broker and have a pretty large net worth.

Thanks so much for the feedback. I will cancel my rooms in Fort Lauderdale and just plan on staying in Miami.

Any other suggestions for hotels that may be better than the Hampton? We stayed on South Beach last year, but it was just DH and myself. We will have our 4yo granddaughter and are thinking we can pretty much stay anywhere with her that she can swim and have an area to walk around that isn't super crowded (like SB)

Thanks again!