Two Days in FLL

We are staying at the Fort Lauderdale Hilton and arrive in town on Friday afternoon for a Sunday departure on the Regal Princess (Dec 6th). Would anyone care to make recommendations on stuff to do on Friday night and Saturday? I'm 51, wife is 40 something (lol). We do have a rental car for the weekend so driving out Miami is a possibility. Thanks in advance.

I would suggest you not get a rental car. Rather, taxi over from the airport. On Saturday, as commonly discussed here, take the water taxi around. Its a minimum of about 2.5 hours, or you can make it an all day activity, as it is hop on hop off.

There are lots of other options, just a little reading down the board.

I would suggest you not get a rental car. Rather, taxi over from the airport.

Curious... what is the "average" taxi rate to get around Fort Lauderdale. By the time I secure a taxi from the airport to the hotel, hotel to anywhere around town a couple of times and then from the hotel to the pier... is the savings that much that I should reconsider my rental? Thanks for the help.

Curious... what is the "average" taxi rate to get around Fort Lauderdale. By the time I secure a taxi from the airport to the hotel, hotel to anywhere around town a couple of times and then from the hotel to the pier... is the savings that much that I should reconsider my rental? Thanks for the help.

Assuming you are at the Fort Lauderdale Beach Hilton (as opposed to the Hilton Marina) - parking will cost you $35 a night according to the website (valet parking only). A one way taxi from the airport to the hotel will be about $25; slightly less from the hotel to the port (depending upon which terminal you will leave from). During your sightseeing days, other transportation options are the sun trolley (http://www.suntrolley.com) at $1/ride or $3/day pass and the water taxi (day and evenings) http://www.watertaxi.com. For more info on what to see in Fort Lauderdale check out http://www.sunny.org and http://www.lasolasboulevard.com.

Curious... what is the "average" taxi rate to get around Fort Lauderdale. By the time I secure a taxi from the airport to the hotel, hotel to anywhere around town a couple of times and then from the hotel to the pier... is the savings that much that I should reconsider my rental? Thanks for the help.

In my opinion, no rental car is far easier. We have done this twice, (and one planned for early 2017) using the Embassy Suites, rather than the Hilton, each stay we had two taxis for a total of about $25, plus tips. The water taxi is all day for $20pp, a few possible discounts available. And some shoe leather express, free. No parking, rental fee, insurance, gas, time spent getting and returning the car, etc.

Definitely go up to Aruba for happy hour on Friday! It's on the ocean, they do an entire pig for happy hour, and the band is usually good!

I say keep the car but also do the water taxi all day Saturday. Don't forget to do it after dark. The homes from the water are gorgeous. Fort Lauderdale is a place you see by water not by land.

In my opinion, no rental car is far easier. We have done this twice, (and one planned for early 2017) using the Embassy Suites, rather than the Hilton, each stay we had two taxis for a total of about $25, plus tips. The water taxi is all day for $20pp, a few possible discounts available. And some shoe leather express, free. No parking, rental fee, insurance, gas, time spent getting and returning the car, etc.

Well, you've both sold me. Last night not only did I move my hotel reservation from the Hilton Beach Resort to the Hilton Marina (and saved almost $300 thank you) then cancelled my rental car reservation (another savings of course) so Ive taken your advice.

Do you know if the Water Taxi picks up from the Hilton Marina Hotel?

Thanks for all the help. This will actually be our first time traveling without a rental car. SCARY!! LOL

Yes, they pick up at the Hilton Marina. Check out their website- watertaxi.com. You want the route that goes north from the Hilton.

We used to rent cars all the time. Now we do many trips, particularly inside big cities, with taxis and public transit. Really not very difficult. For non-cruise trips, we typically do them with just carry ons- 15 days in Italy last year, 15 days in Paris and London next summer, all carry ons. Yes, we still drive, but the different styles of trips makes vacationing more fun.

Well, you've both sold me. Last night not only did I move my hotel reservation from the Hilton Beach Resort to the Hilton Marina (and saved almost $300 thank you) then cancelled my rental car reservation (another savings of course) so Ive taken your advice.

 

Do you know if the Water Taxi picks up from the Hilton Marina Hotel?

 

Thanks for all the help. This will actually be our first time traveling without a rental car. SCARY!! LOL

Good decision! The Hilton Marina is closer to the airport and port so your taxi fares will be cheaper than the Hilton on the beach. In addition to the water taxi, the sun trolley runs right down 17th street in front of the Hilton Marina. The areas of interest to tourists in Fort Lauderdale are close to one another: 17th Street with hotels, restaurants, and some big stores (Total Wine, Publix Grocery, TJ Maxx, Ross, CVS, Walgreens, etc.); the Beach with hotels, restaurants, and - of course - the beach; and Las Olas Blvd with restaurants, galleries, boutiques, etc. Taxi fares will be reasonable. Enjoy your visit!

Well, you've both sold me. Last night not only did I move my hotel reservation from the Hilton Beach Resort to the Hilton Marina (and saved almost $300 thank you) then cancelled my rental car reservation (another savings of course) so Ive taken your advice.

 

Do you know if the Water Taxi picks up from the Hilton Marina Hotel?

 

Thanks for all the help. This will actually be our first time traveling without a rental car. SCARY!! LOL

You are in a great location to go carless! Don't worry! You are also surrounded by great restaurants on 17th Street.

Restaurants on the water taxi route:

All of Las Olas http://www.LasOlasBoulevard.com, too many great ones to name.

Waterfront water taxi:

15th Street Fisheries

Coconuts (walk)

Casablanca (walk)

Flip Flops (the only 'reasonable' restaurant on the tour)

Shooters

Boat Kampers

Glad I read this thread! We are staying 2 nights post cruise at Bahia Mar Doubletree and have a car rented. Pick up at Thrifty at the port and return to FLL, got a rate of $46 a day. Thought that was pretty good. Just checked and self parking is $21 and valet is $25. Think I will cancel and go with taxi and water taxi!

Glad I read this thread!

[emoji23] [emoji12] Glad I could help! LOL Seriously, I thought I would get some recomendations on where to go, what to see, bars not to miss. Never did I think I would get information that would save me almost $700 on the first two days of my vacation. I mean... WOW. Daddy can get that Tag Heuer watch now!

On our last trip we purchased a day pass for the Water Taxi, we did both a day trip and a night trip, two different experiences.

There are lots of great restaurants and some bars on Las Olas Blvd and you can get there by water taxi. Coconuts near the beach is also a very good restaurant.

[emoji23] [emoji12] Glad I could help! LOL Seriously, I thought I would get some recomendations on where to go, what to see, bars not to miss. Never did I think I would get information that would save me almost $700 on the first two days of my vacation. I mean... WOW. Daddy can get that Tag Heuer watch now!

What kind of bars?

Local?

Tourist?

Waterfront?

Swank?

Dive?

What kind of bars?

 

 

 

Local?

 

Tourist?

 

Waterfront?

 

Swank?

 

Dive?

Are you asking me what kind of bars I prefer? Easy.. in this order.. Local (safe) Dives (the kind that you tell your friends "they have a $7 Ribeye dinner to die for) and Waterfront. Don't need swank or tourist unless the tourist bar is one of those "you haven't been to FLL unless you've stepped inside "X" bar"

Thanks

Bokampers is a nice sports bar on the water (go as far north as you can go on the watertaxi). It's very casual but not really a dive, and the food is good (great happy hour specials during the week).

Are you asking me what kind of bars I prefer? Easy.. in this order.. Local (safe) Dives (the kind that you tell your friends "they have a $7 Ribeye dinner to die for) and Waterfront. Don't need swank or tourist unless the tourist bar is one of those "you haven't been to FLL unless you've stepped inside "X" bar"

 

Thanks

There are really no dives on the water, the rent is too high. The only reasonable place on the water is flip flops.

My favorite place on the water is S3 at the Hilton and it is oceanfront. Get a place by one of the fireplaces.

The bar at the Courtyard Marriott FLL Beach is also cool as you can sit and look at the ocean in front of a fireplace.

My favorite local bar is Tarpon Bend. It is also a seafood restaurant and they have a good happy hour.

Tap 42 is also great and they have great food. Ladies drink free on Wednesday night from 8-10 or something like that.

Yolo is a great place to sit outside but it is a scene for the 35+ crowd. Dress up. It is also a "Wow! This place is really cool and I'm sitting outside in this great weather" type of place. It is also kind of surreal because it is so tropical yet you are surrounded by high rises.

$7 steak?? In Fort Lauderdale?? Hahahahaha!!!!

...

 

$7 steak?? In Fort Lauderdale?? Hahahahaha!!!!

My thoughts exactly...you have to search high and low for a $7 burger! :eek:

The best dive at the beach was the Biergarten but it closed. :(

McSorley's is a popular dive bar, overlooking the beach with a rooftop lounge. I don't know if they serve any food at all, but Primanti's pizza is just around the corner.

My thoughts exactly...you have to search high and low for a $7 burger! :eek:

The best dive at the beach was the Biergarten but it closed. :(

McSorley's is a popular dive bar, overlooking the beach with a rooftop lounge. I don't know if they serve any food at all, but Primanti's pizza is just around the corner.

You never know! LOL. When we first moved to Denver, someone told us about a dive bar that served a full rack of ribs for $8 and I thought the same thing. Then we tried it and had ribs every week for about a month. Then one business trip to Pheonix, found a dive bar that on Tuesday's served a $9 Ribeye and Fried Shrimp dinner and it was pretty good too.

Thanks for all the bar options. Dawn and I are counting down the days. We normally take at least one cruise per year but life happens and this will be our first cruise together (I ended up on a solo cruise two years ago because...Life happens) in three years. so this is well over due!!

Dive Bar is at Oakland Park Blvd. and A!A.

 

Thanks for all the help. This will actually be our first time traveling without a rental car. SCARY!! LOL

LOL. Us too. After reading this thread, we thought, meh, why not? We almost never go anywhere and NOT rent a car.

You're right. It's so scary. :)