Ft. Lauderdale Q&A/FAQ Part 2

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Thank you,

Kat

Let us hope everyone sees this new thread:)

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This is a great thread to get information from.

I have read through most of the old thread. Thank you so much for all of your time and help!

I am staying in FLL for two nights pre-cruise in a couple of weeks at the Comfort Suites Airport & Cruise Port. I am a single 29 year old woman traveling alone. Can you recommend some good restaurants that are within a safe walking distance, particularly after dark, for a woman alone? I am considering the Southport Raw Bar or something similar for at least one night.

Will I be able to walk to a Walgreens/CVS for last-minute items and a liquor store for my carry-on wine, or should I take a cab for that outing?

Also, is my hotel within walking distance of a water taxi stop?

I'm not opposed to taking cabs for any of these purposes, but I want to plan out my vacation budget so that I have enough cash on me to avoid using my debit or credit card as much as possible.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

I have read through most of the old thread. Thank you so much for all of your time and help!

 

I am staying in FLL for two nights pre-cruise in a couple of weeks at the Comfort Suites Airport & Cruise Port. I am a single 29 year old woman traveling alone. Can you recommend some good restaurants that are within a safe walking distance, particularly after dark, for a woman alone? I am considering the Southport Raw Bar or something similar for at least one night.

 

Will I be able to walk to a Walgreens/CVS for last-minute items and a liquor store for my carry-on wine, or should I take a cab for that outing?

 

Also, is my hotel within walking distance of a water taxi stop?

 

I'm not opposed to taking cabs for any of these purposes, but I want to plan out my vacation budget so that I have enough cash on me to avoid using my debit or credit card as much as possible.

 

Thanks in advance for your advice!

Ernie's is right across the street for dinner. They are famous for conch chowder. I think the closest crosswalk is at SE 17th St. There are lots of restaurants around the corner on SE17th St but I would feel a bit uneasy walking by myself at night from that hotel...however, I think Southport is a good choice if you can get a table outside...inside is just old and dated and dark.

CVS is a few buildings north on Federal Hwy.

Water Taxi is about a mile away at Hilton Marina.

Ernie's is right across the street for dinner. They are famous for conch chowder. I think the closest crosswalk is at SE 17th St. There are lots of restaurants around the corner on SE17th St but I would feel a bit uneasy walking by myself at night from that hotel...however, I think Southport is a good choice if you can get a table outside...inside is just old and dated and dark.

CVS is a few buildings north on Federal Hwy.

Water Taxi is about a mile away at Hilton Marina.

Thank you! That is very helpful!

Thank you! That is very helpful!

I just wanted to clarify...Southport is a good dinner choice but it is several blocks away and I wouldn't want to walk there alone at night from Comfort Suites.

The only places to eat on the same block as the hotel are Ernie's and fast food (Burger King, Taco Bell, and Pollo Tropical). I know the neighborhood very well because I had an office on the other side of US1, behind Pollo Tropical. It's really not a high crime area, but you might come across homeless people and prostitutes. A few blocks away, 17th St has more pedestrian traffic, as there are lots of hotels, restaurants, and shopping centers.

I just wanted to clarify...Southport is a good dinner choice but it is several blocks away and I wouldn't want to walk there alone at night from Comfort Suites.

Yes, I understood. Thank you again for your help! I will plan on walking across the street to Ernie's on the first night (my flight lands late-ish) and then doing Southport or something in that area after spending my one full day on the water taxi route, then catching a cab back to the hotel.

Yes, I understood. Thank you again for your help! I will plan on walking across the street to Ernie's on the first night (my flight lands late-ish) and then doing Southport or something in that area after spending my one full day on the water taxi route, then catching a cab back to the hotel.

Hi:) I always sail solo and would like to make a suggestion. You mentioned

taking the water taxi? I do that ALOT and love it:D.....you can get on

and off and different stops and the Las Olas Blvd stop has tons of

fun restaurants! Just a suggestion.......you could get off there and

find a place to eat and take a cab back to the hotel from there.....

Like I said, it is just another option for you.:)

Hi:) I always sail solo and would like to make a suggestion. You mentioned

taking the water taxi? I do that ALOT and love it:D.....you can get on

and off and different stops and the Las Olas Blvd stop has tons of

fun restaurants! Just a suggestion.......you could get off there and

find a place to eat and take a cab back to the hotel from there.....

Like I said, it is just another option for you.:)

That's a good idea. A good place to get a taxi is behind Riverside Hotel...walk through the lobby to the back door (this is the drop off entry) and if there are no taxis ask the door man to help you get one.

Thank you both! This is great information to have. I will be landing in Ft. Lauderdale 14 days from about an hour ago, so any information I can get will go in my mental file of options for the day.

Any "can't miss" water taxi stops for a single 20-something (for a few more months anyway...LOL) woman?

Thank you both! This is great information to have. I will be landing in Ft. Lauderdale 14 days from about an hour ago, so any information I can get will go in my mental file of options for the day.

 

Any "can't miss" water taxi stops for a single 20-something (for a few more months anyway...LOL) woman?

Like Lois said, Las Olas is the best stop. It's the cutest downtown with cafes and boutiques! The best beach area stops are Beach Place and Bahia Mar...get off at one and back on at the other stop.

Hi

We are a group of 10 5 sisters and 5 cousins for a cruise on July 3rd to FLL coming from 6 different places at different times. WE are staying one night pre-cruise at a hotel near the port or airport. Do you know of a shuttle service , taxi van service or limo service that would be able to take us from the hotel to the port instead of getting separate taxis?

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We are getting off RCI cruise and need a rental for the day only.

Where should we book?

Is there a shuttle to the car rental place?

Can we drop off at airport?

Thanks so much!!! :)

This has probably been asked and answered somewhere on the old thread, but I didn't want to go through over 200 posts to find it. Sorry for being lazy.

My friend and I are planning on flying in (to FLL) the morning of our cruise that departs from Fort Lauderdale. Are there regular shuttles to the pier? Should we plan to take a taxi (what would be the cost?). Princess offers an airport transfer, but at $19 pp each way, I think we could find a better deal.

Thanks in advance.

This has probably been asked and answered somewhere on the old thread, but I didn't want to go through over 200 posts to find it. Sorry for being lazy.

My friend and I are planning on flying in (to FLL) the morning of our cruise that departs from Fort Lauderdale. Are there regular shuttles to the pier? Should we plan to take a taxi (what would be the cost?). Princess offers an airport transfer, but at $19 pp each way, I think we could find a better deal.

Thanks in advance.

Hi, outside of baggage claim you will find tons and tons of cabs...there

is a taxi stand....tell the guy you need a cab to the port.....then

tell the driver what ship/pier number.....it will probably be somewhere

in that same price range (with tip). Maybe a little less depending

on traffic....the cabs are metered.

Are there any nice restaurants within walking distance of the Embassy Suites on 17th Street? How far is the water taxi from the Embassy?

We are planning on exploring Las Olas on our arrival day. Royalcruz & BlueHerons have already given me great suggestions as to where to eat but I was wondering if we take the water taxi how far is Sweet Nectar? I was just planning on walking along the blvd but when I look at google maps, it looks pretty far. We are staying at Hyatt Place so we may just catch the sun trolley but not sure where it will drop us off.

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This has probably been asked and answered somewhere on the old thread, but I didn't want to go through over 200 posts to find it. Sorry for being lazy.

My friend and I are planning on flying in (to FLL) the morning of our cruise that departs from Fort Lauderdale. Are there regular shuttles to the pier? Should we plan to take a taxi (what would be the cost?). Princess offers an airport transfer, but at $19 pp each way, I think we could find a better deal.

Thanks in advance.

Taxis cost about $15 for the whole carload.

Are there any nice restaurants within walking distance of the Embassy Suites on 17th Street? How far is the water taxi from the Embassy?

Most of the restaurants are casual and chains in the area but there are lots of choices. Some of the nicer ones very close are Coco Asian, Bistro Mezzaluna, and Market 17. Some that are very casual and popular are Southport Raw Bar, Kelly's Landing, and Bravo.

The water taxi is about a 15-20 minute walk at Hilton Marina.

We are planning on exploring Las Olas on our arrival day. Royalcruz & BlueHerons have already given me great suggestions as to where to eat but I was wondering if we take the water taxi how far is Sweet Nectar? I was just planning on walking along the blvd but when I look at google maps, it looks pretty far. We are staying at Hyatt Place so we may just catch the sun trolley but not sure where it will drop us off.

 

 

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Sweet Nectar is a few blocks away from the water taxi stop. If you wear comfortable shoes, nothing seems far on that main stretch of the blvd. If you take the Suntrolley, you will hve to get off somewhere near Las Olas Blvd on A1A and take a second Suntrolley downtown. I'm sure the driver will help you. I think they stop wherever you want as long as it is safe. Don't expect them to know where every restaurant is though...having the address will help.

Taxis cost about $15 for the whole carload.

Thanks for the information. I thought I had read that somewhere, but couldn't find it again. Definitely cheaper than Princess' transfers. - More money to spend onboard! :)

Sweet Nectar is a few blocks away from the water taxi stop. If you wear comfortable shoes, nothing seems far on that main stretch of the blvd. If you take the Suntrolley, you will hve to get off somewhere near Las Olas Blvd on A1A and take a second Suntrolley downtown. I'm sure the driver will help you. I think they stop wherever you want as long as it is safe. Don't expect them to know where every restaurant is though...having the address will help.

Thanks Royalcruz. A few blocks is very doable! It looked much longer on the map. Where is the best place to get on & off the water taxi?

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Thanks Royalcruz. A few blocks is very doable! It looked much longer on the map. Where is the best place to get on & off the water taxi?

 

 

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I would suggest purchasing a Water Taxi ticket on board, as it is non-refundable and maybe the weather won't be good. From Hyatt Place, get on the Water Taxi at the Hilton Marina. It's a little under a mile away from the hotel, under the big bridge on SE 17th St. Take a downbound water taxi to get to Las Olas in about 15 minutes. If you prefer to do the whole route, take the upbound water taxi and you'll be at Las Olas in about 1.75 hours. You want stop 3: Shops and Restaurants of Las Olas. To get to Sweet Nectar, walk a block from the water to Las Olas Blvd. Cross the street at the crosswalk. Turn right. Walk about a block to Sweet Nectar. You can't miss it because it has a large patio in the front. When you are finished dining, you might want to wander the blvd in a circle back to the same stop, or if you are in the mood for a stroll, you can walk about a mile west to the next water taxi stop at Las Olas Riverfront/Briney Pub. You just might come across a place you'd like to come back to for dinner in the evening. The fastest way to get back to Hilton Marina is the upbound water taxi.

workinmom, Maybe it looked far on the map because you were looking at the Las Olas Riverfront stop instead of the Las Olas Shops and Restaurants.