Renting a car for three days in Miami

I'm doing some preliminary planning for my cruise in September. My plans call for arriving in Miami on late Monday, September 10th, and departing on my cruise on Friday, September 14th. It's my first time in Miami, and I'm debating if I should rent a car or just rely on the transit and tour companies. One of the thing that I playing around with is renting a car and doing some road tripping, even perhaps driving down to Key West. Good idea or bad idea?

Also, if I rent a car, can I be dropped off at the cruise terminal the day of the cruise?

Most of the major car rental companies have a drop off location near the cruise terminal and offer a no cost shuttle.

I generally rent a car. Key West can be done in a day, but it would be a long day. There is lots to see and do nearer Miami.

Parking anywhere but the airport will be expensive so you can plan on adding at least $20 per day for parking. I would stay somewhere like South Beach where you don't need a car.

Definitely do the Red HOHO bus one day to get a good overview.

A trip to Key West will take up two of your days in Miami. It's about four hours each way so I'd probably save Key West for a trip on its own.

If this is your first visit to Miami I would just enjoy Miami.

As someone who visits Miami on average once a year for about a week I see no need to rent a car.

If you like to walk you can get to a lot of places on foot or take Uber or Taxi to get say from downtown Miami to South Beach and then walk from there.

I would recommend a downtown Miami hotel unless you want to be on the beach in which I would recommend somewhere in Miami Beach.

Keith

You can easily make a reasonable day trip to the middle and upper keys with lots to see and do. John Pennekamp, Theater of the Sea, Robbies, and plenty more. Going all the way to Key West would be overkill and not necessary.

So if you would like to see the Keys, it's a fantastic day, I would consider renting a car just for the one day. Then doing the HOHO bus, South Beach, Wynwood, etc. and no need for a rental car.

Thank you for your advice. This is what my schedule looks like for Miami currently:

Monday, September 10th: Fly into Miami, check into hotel.

Tuesday, September 11th:

Wednesday, September 12th:

Thursday, September 13th:

Friday, September 14th: Check out of hotel, board ship, have lunch. In that order.

Shouldn't all vacation schedules look like this? :D

You should totally rent a car for the day and visit the Keys if you haven't been before. Come up with a game plan of the places you want to see and you can ask us here for advice as well. I live in South Florida and we make day trips to the Keys for fun every so often, usually back by 3 or 4pm and you would be much closer as you are already in Miami. It's very doable. You could even consider keeping the car a second day and visit Shark Valley or any other sites, too. Then turn the car in and do the HOHO on your 3rd day.

You should totally rent a car for the day and visit the Keys if you haven't been before. Come up with a game plan of the places you want to see and you can ask us here for advice as well. I live in South Florida and we make day trips to the Keys for fun every so often, usually back by 3 or 4pm and you would be much closer as you are already in Miami. It's very doable. You could even consider keeping the car a second day and visit Shark Valley or any other sites, too. Then turn the car in and do the HOHO on your 3rd day.

Shark Valley is a favorite of mine. I usually go in January and the birds are incredible.

Are mosquitos a problem in September? I usually go in January and have never felt the need for repellent.