What to do? Fort Lauderdale/Pompano

Flying into FLL on 4/21 for a few nights before our cruise the following Sunday. Staying at Wyndham Palm Aire (Wyndham Owners) for those 3 nights.

No car...but open to using Uber.

Question: Aside from eating and the beach, anything exciting to do in the area? Don't want to drop a ton of money having someone shuttle us around.

Just looking for ideas.

I live in Pompano Beach and I have a couple of questions for you first :D.

Things to do in Pompano (check out the official website too http://pompanobeachfl.gov/index.php/pages/tourist_info/tourist_info):

• the beach is lovely and there is a very nice park along the beachfront at the pier including exercise equipment and playgrounds.
  
• deep sea fishing
  
• fishing from the public piers
  
• diving
  
• golf
  

If you have a car it is easy to get to Fort Lauderdale and ride the water taxi or take the sun trolley. Check out the Fort Lauderdale (actually it is for all of Broward County including Pompano Beach) tourist website at http://www.sunny.org for lots of info.

Give me an idea of what kind of restaurants you enjoy and I can make some recommendations.

We looked at Royal Vista, but they didn't have anything available. There is a daily shuttle from Palm Aire to Royal for the beach. We might do that one day.

Since we will have the kitchen, we might pop by Wally world and get something to make for dinner. However, we love fresh fish (grouper for her, snapper for me). I really want to try some authentic Cuban/Spanish cuisine. Something we don't have around here.

I'll look into a car rental. Might make more sense.

I live in Pompano Beach and I have a couple of questions for you first :D.

Do you realize that the only thing near Wyndham Palm Aire is a casino and racetrack? That Wyndham is convenient only to I-95 and the Florida Turnpike (it is right between the two). You are quite away from the beach (4.5 - 5 miles) and local restaurants. There are other Wyndhams (Sea Garden, Royal Vista and Santa Barbara) right along the beach.

If you are staying a few days have you thought of renting a car? Local car rentals in south Florida can be downright cheap so it might be worth investigating since a cab (or even Uber) will start to add up.

Things to do in Pompano (check out the official website too http://pompanobeachfl.gov/index.php/pages/tourist_info/tourist_info):

 

• the beach is lovely and there is a very nice park along the beachfront at the pier including exercise equipment and playgrounds.
  
• deep sea fishing
  
• fishing from the public piers
  
• diving
  
• golf
  

If you have a car it is easy to get to Fort Lauderdale and ride the water taxi or take the sun trolley. Check out the Fort Lauderdale (actually it is for all of Broward County including Pompano Beach) tourist website at http://www.sunny.org for lots of info.

 

 

Give me an idea of what kind of restaurants you enjoy and I can make some recommendations.

There is a local family-owned car rental company in Fort Lauderdale that we use every time we travel in the area. It is called Gold Coast Car Rental. They are actually located just outside of the airport. If you are interested in renting a vehicle, they offer pick-up service at the airport or at the local hotels. They can also drop you off at the cruise-port when you return the vehicle which saves an expensive cab-fare if you don't already have transportation. We have used them for several years now and have never had any issues. They are extremely reliable, the service is quick, and everyone who works there is very friendly. If you go with any rental company in Fort Lauderdale, I would highly recommend them.

There is a local family-owned car rental company in Fort Lauderdale that we use every time we travel in the area. It is called Gold Coast Car Rental. They are actually located just outside of the airport. If you are interested in renting a vehicle, they offer pick-up service at the airport or at the local hotels. They can also drop you off at the cruise-port when you return the vehicle which saves an expensive cab-fare if you don't already have transportation. We have used them for several years now and have never had any issues. They are extremely reliable, the service is quick, and everyone who works there is very friendly. If you go with any rental company in Fort Lauderdale, I would highly recommend them.

Thank you, I'll look them up.

We had a delicious dinner at a restaurant called Sunset Catch. Hubby had Mario's Lobster Mac and Cheese, and I had the Fettuccine Alfredo with chicken. Both were amazing (homemade pasta, to die for!).

http://sunsetcatch.com/

Just an option for you if you like. :)

Restaurant recommendations:

For fresh fish:

• you can't beat the Fish Shack (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g34571-d2348083-Reviews-Fish_Shack-Pompano_Beach_Florida.html). Great TripAdvisor reviews have made it wildly - and justifiably - popular. It is truly a hard to find, hole in the wall (seats less than 20 and doesn't take reservations) restaurant but the fish is out of this world! They are closed on Sundays and Mondays; open from 11:30 to 9:00 pm on the other days. Get there at 11:20 for an early lunch (they have chairs outside to sit in while waiting for it to open).
  
• for a nice outdoor lunch or dinner (with music some nights), try the Nauti Dawg in Lighthouse Point (http://www.nautidawg.com/). You can sit outside at a marina on the intra-coastal.
  

For Cuban (which isn't all that easy to find around Pompano unfortunately):

• we've enjoyed eating at Little Havana in Deerfield Beach (just north of Pompano Beach) (http://www.littlehavanarestaurant.com/).
  

For Spanish:

• Cafe Seville in the Fort Lauderdale (http://www.cafeseville.com/). Their paella is wonderful!
  

My absolute favorite restaurant in Pompano Beach (we've been going at least a couple of times a month since they opened 3 years ago) is Mediterraneo Cafe and Grill (http://www.mediterraneopompano.com/). Their Italian (and especially Sicilian) food is out of this world. It is a small family run restaurant owned by 2 brothers (one in the front of the restaurant, the other the chef and his wife is the pastry chef).

If you do end up renting a car, you can expand your dining horizons even further -- downtown Fort Lauderdale has many excellent restaurants!

You are really going to have to rent a car in that area.

Palm Aire is nice but convenient to nothing.

I'm guessing you mean Walmart when you say Wally world? Publix is far superior.

You are really going to have to rent a car in that area.

 

Palm Aire is nice but convenient to nothing.

 

I'm guessing you mean Walmart when you say Wally world? Publix is far superior.

Yes, Wally World = Wal-Mart. Only mentioned it as it is across the street from Palm Aire.

I agree, we prefer Publix if in the area we travel to. Excellent customer service.

Have a car booked at the airport. Used Enterprise ONLY because we get sky miles for booking them through our preferred carrier Delta. Building these up to pay airfare for next cruise.

Not too hip on having to return the car, then hire a taxi to take us to the port, but don't see any other way around it.

Thank you for the suggestions!!

Yes, Fish Shack looks very popular, but wife says she doesn't want to wait that long for seating.

Cafe Seville is on our short list.

Will definitely check out the other two options.

Restaurant recommendations:

 

For fresh fish:

 

• you can't beat the Fish Shack (http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g34571-d2348083-Reviews-Fish_Shack-Pompano_Beach_Florida.html). Great TripAdvisor reviews have made it wildly - and justifiably - popular. It is truly a hard to find, hole in the wall (seats less than 20 and doesn't take reservations) restaurant but the fish is out of this world! They are closed on Sundays and Mondays; open from 11:30 to 9:00 pm on the other days. Get there at 11:20 for an early lunch (they have chairs outside to sit in while waiting for it to open).
  
• for a nice outdoor lunch or dinner (with music some nights), try the Nauti Dawg in Lighthouse Point (http://www.nautidawg.com/). You can sit outside at a marina on the intra-coastal.
  

For Cuban (which isn't all that easy to find around Pompano unfortunately):

 

• we've enjoyed eating at Little Havana in Deerfield Beach (just north of Pompano Beach) (http://www.littlehavanarestaurant.com/).
  

For Spanish:

 

• Cafe Seville in the Fort Lauderdale (http://www.cafeseville.com/). Their paella is wonderful!
  

My absolute favorite restaurant in Pompano Beach (we've been going at least a couple of times a month since they opened 3 years ago) is Mediterraneo Cafe and Grill (http://www.mediterraneopompano.com/). Their Italian (and especially Sicilian) food is out of this world. It is a small family run restaurant owned by 2 brothers (one in the front of the restaurant, the other the chef and his wife is the pastry chef).

 

 

If you do end up renting a car, you can expand your dining horizons even further -- downtown Fort Lauderdale has many excellent restaurants!

In Pompano Beach we like La Buca, a hidden gem Italian restaurant, family owned and operated, maybe 10 - 12 tables, and the menu changes daily, usually 3 - 4 courses. They do not serve neither beer nor wine, but you may BYOB and there is no corkage fee.

Another favorite is Gianni's. Excellent Italian restaurant but very crowded during peak season.

You need a rental car in that location. I've been there. There was an eatery on site but it was awful. It's basically a snack counter like they used to have at Kmarts, where everything is frozen...the staff were slow and unfriendly and they were out of many items advertised. There is also a tiki bar near the pool, but for some reason, no one hangs out there. The rooms and pool are nice. They don't have towels at the pool so you have to bring them from the room. They had some activities for kids.

Fuego Latino has good Cuban food and it's not too far from there, on E Commercial Blvd. Cafe Seville is the only Spanish restaurant that I know of and it's very good.