Renting a Car and driving in Fort Lauderdale

I am thinking about renting a car in Fort Lauderdale for 1 day before our cruise. We would pick it up at the airport or somewhere nearby, drive to our hotel which is the Westin Beach Resort at 321 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach and then head to the Port of Miami on a Sunday before noon. Is this an easy drive or should we look into getting a shuttle service. DH is a good driver and if we get good instructions, it should be okay (I think). Any recommendations would be appreciated.

I am thinking about renting a car in Fort Lauderdale for 1 day before our cruise. We would pick it up at the airport or somewhere nearby, drive to our hotel which is the Westin Beach Resort at 321 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach and then head to the Port of Miami on a Sunday before noon. Is this an easy drive or should we look into getting a shuttle service. DH is a good driver and if we get good instructions, it should be okay (I think). Any recommendations would be appreciated.

I would recommend a cost comparison and remember to add the $36 per day valet parking charge (http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/area/transportation.html?propertyID=3328&language=en_US).

The cost of parking is not a problem. I am having trouble with a shared shuttle picking us up at the Westin and the quote for a single pickup is a little crazy. Adding in the price of parking and a rental car seems cheaper so far that taking a taxi from the airport to the Westin and then a shuttle service to the POM the next day. Looking at options. Can anyone specify that this is an easily travelled route from the Westin Beach Resort in Fort Lauderdale to the POM and are there any ongoing road constructions that we would have to travel through. Keeping in mind the day of arriving at the POM is a Sunday (which may be in our favour). Thanks for your help.

Does the car rental company have a drop off location near POM?

If not you will need to drop off at MIA then take their shuttle to the port or take a taxi

We haven't booked a car just yet. If we were to rent a car and have to return it to Miami airport do you know if they provide shuttles for free to the POM.

At this point right now I am more concerned if people can given their recommendation as to whether or not it would be an "easy" drive from Fort Lauderdale to Miami or if we should pony up and just settle on a shuttle service of some type.

We haven't booked a car just yet. If we were to rent a car and have to return it to Miami airport do you know if they provide shuttles for free to the POM.

 

At this point right now I am more concerned if people can given their recommendation as to whether or not it would be an "easy" drive from Fort Lauderdale to Miami or if we should pony up and just settle on a shuttle service of some type.

Hopefully one of the locals will have an answer on the drive ..we took the cruise line shuttle from the ship to MIA it was like hwy 401

I believe there is a free shuttle from car rental drop off to POM check some car companies may have a drop off near POM

Since no locals have responded I will :) I've driven it a few times, this past year we dropped off at MIA and got the shuttle to the port. It's a pretty easy drive from the Westin Beach resort to MIA - just make your way back out to the 95 (follow the FLL airport signs - you pass by it) and go straight down the 95S and follow the signs to MIA. The most difficult part of your trip will be finding the entrance to the Westin Beach Resort LOL

We haven't booked a car just yet. If we were to rent a car and have to return it to Miami airport do you know if they provide shuttles for free to the POM.

 

At this point right now I am more concerned if people can given their recommendation as to whether or not it would be an "easy" drive from Fort Lauderdale to Miami or if we should pony up and just settle on a shuttle service of some type.

It all depends. That drive is a crapshoot.

Under normal circumstances it is a straight shot from FLL to downtown/POM. However, it isn't a normal road.

There really isn't a speed limit but the roads are well marked, you're only getting on and off I95.

Alamo and National have a free shuttle from MIA to the port. Whatever company you use, price out if there is a difference in returning the car to MIA compared to FLL. You can get shared van shuttles from FLL to the Port of Miami for something in the area of $15 per person. If you were to drive to MIA, maybe a local can confirm, but I would think left out of the hotel, up to E Sunrise and over to 95 (4 miles or so) from there is easier than going back down along the beach and winding through the streets back towards the airport and I-595. It's not a particularly confusing place to drive, it can be busy like any other big city, but if you have any Toronto experience, this is pretty easy.

Are you firm on that hotel to stay at for the night, or have you considered something to the south of Ft Lauderdale or in Miami itself?

I would recommend a cost comparison and remember to add the $36 per day valet parking charge (http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/property/area/transportation.html?propertyID=3328&language=en_US).

$36 per day ???OMG!!

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Alamo and National have a free shuttle from MIA to the port. Whatever company you use, price out if there is a difference in returning the car to MIA compared to FLL. You can get shared van shuttles from FLL to the Port of Miami for something in the area of $15 per person. If you were to drive to MIA, maybe a local can confirm, but I would think left out of the hotel, up to E Sunrise and over to 95 (4 miles or so) from there is easier than going back down along the beach and winding through the streets back towards the airport and I-595. It's not a particularly confusing place to drive, it can be busy like any other big city, but if you have any Toronto experience, this is pretty easy.

 

Are you firm on that hotel to stay at for the night, or have you considered something to the south of Ft Lauderdale or in Miami itself?

Thanks for your input DanJ. I have already booked the Westin Beach Resort through Hotwire back in May at a great rate ($100 US), d

so changing the hotel is not an option at this time. We have stayed at the IC in downtown Miami several times pre-cruise and have stayed several times post cruise in Hollywood and thought we would stay the night before in Fort Lauderdale (beach front) this time. As stated, I am aware of the parking fee. I have Air Miles that I can use here to get a great rate on a car, and am thinking that may be the way to go, since I'm having trouble locating a shared shuttle to the P of M that isn't a crazy price. DH has experience drive in TO, as our DS has lived there for a few years now. Also, we taken a shared shuttle from Fort Lauderdale airport to downtown Miami and the route did seem fairly straight forward. Am I okay to assume that traffic on a Sunday morning heading to the P of M will be somewhat not as busy as a weekday or Saturday. Basically, I need help confirming that a car rental would best suit our needs as opposed to hiring a shuttle service to take us to the P of M, also that way, we can use the rental car to also get us from the FLL airport to the Westin Beach Resort on Saturday.

It all depends. That drive is a crapshoot.

 

Under normal circumstances it is a straight shot from FLL to downtown/POM. However, it isn't a normal road.

 

There really isn't a speed limit but the roads are well marked, you're only getting on and off I95.

Blue Herons, can you advise how traffic is Sunday a.m. from Fort Lauderdale to the P of M. In addition, can you recommend a one way shuttle from Fort Lauderdale (Westin Beach Resort) to P of M. Speaking of which, are you free to shuttle us on the morning of the 29th day of November??;)