Tour in Orlando and Miami

[Ohiocruiser]

Cruise stopping in Orlando and Miami, any thoughts of tours to take? Not interested in any of the big parks. Someone local would be nice.

[JohninDC]

Since Orlando is 50+ miles inland from the coast I assume you are stopping in Port Canaveral. ;) A tour there of the Kennedy Space Center is a great way to spend the day. Depending upon the time of the year many choose an airboat tour of the swamps to see alligators and other wildlife. Booking a rental car in PC and doing these tours on your own is an easy option if you want to escape the ship tour crowds.

[Ohiocruiser]

Since Orlando is 50+ miles inland from the coast I assume you are stopping in Port Canaveral. ;) A tour there of the Kennedy Space Center is a great way to spend the day. Depending upon the time of the year many choose an airboat tour of the swamps to see alligators and other wildlife. Booking a rental car in PC and doing these tours on your own is an easy option if you want to escape the ship tour crowds.

 

Thanks great ideas

[JohninDC]

Another option, if you are a NASCAR fan, from PC is to drive about 70 miles up I-95 to Daytona to tour the speedway and exhibits.

 

In Miami, if you have never been, the hop-on/hop-off bus tour is a good way to get a quick overview of the city and Miami Beach.

[Capt_BJ]

copied from an older thread on same ? No promises as to accuracy but it is at least 90% good . . .

 

 

Step 1:

What is your cruise terminal? If 5, 6, or 10 then you need transport. Either a rental car shuttle or a pre-arranged ride. Cocoa Beach Shuttle is a good starting point for pre-arranged pickups. 888-taxi is available and despite some bad press about prices they are popular and efficient.

 

 

If 1, 3 or 4 then you have some activities within walking distance:

1. Jetty Park (FREE) for a beach/suntan. Very scenic area and very nice beach.http://www.jettyparkbeachandcampground.com/

2. Beach bus stop – For $1.25 one-way, the local beach bus will take you to Cocoa Beach (Shepard Park for Ron Jon area) or within walking distance of the famous Cocoa Beach Pier (use Publix Stop). About 30 minutes to these stops.http://www.ridescat.com/

3. The Cove at the Port – All the famous restaurants (Millikens, Rusty’s, Fishlips, Grills) http://visitportcanaveral.com/

4. The Exploration Tower – A bit expensive ($6.50+tax) but interesting info about the port with games for kids and 360 degree view from the 7th floor. http://www.explorationtower.com/

5. Helicopter and biplane rides - http://www.floridaairtours.com/ the chopper is right there behind terminal 2.

 

Step 2:

So you want to explore further afield in private and not using a shore excursion?

 

Rental Cars:

Unless you just want a simple single visit somewhere in Cape Canaveral or Cocoa Beach, I think the best option is to rent a car for the day. Start price-shopping with Payless (within walking distance of terminals 3 & 4) but all offer port shuttles. To avoid boring waiting time with kids in tow, I suggest that one adult go early to get the car then come back to pick the family!

 

Please know some of the popular rental car companies share shuttles and offices. See the map above for locations and pictures of their shuttles for easier identification.

 

 

 

Shuttles:

If you do not want to drive or use the public beach bus, then shuttle/taxi services are available. 888-taxi -http://cab888.com/ has a port contract with hail privileges whereas others have to pay port entry fees ($5 or more depending on vehicle size, I believe) which add to the costs. So while other companies may offer cheaper per mile or metered rates, it is best to compare them with 888-taxi before booking. They will all be busy so it is best if you call ahead.

 

Here is a list of the shuttles I see most often in the area: Cocoa Beach Shuttle - http://www.cbshuttle.com, Beach Line -http://www.beachlineshuttle.net, Space Port - http://spaceporttransport.com/ , Hoo Ha taxi – (321) 749 3232, etc.

 

Expect to pay around $20 for two people for a one-way trip to Ron Jon Surf shop for example.

 

Kennedy Space Center:

One of the most popular shore excursions. I always see a line of KSC buses waiting on each ship! So you can expect a crowded day at KSC. There are ways to manage your day in order to avoid lines at the top attractions

 

A private return shuttle to Kennedy Space Center averages between $80 and $120 roundtrip for 2 people (total) plus 20% tip. If you self-drive, the parking costs are $10.

 

Beach:

During winter months and if Port Canaveral is the first stop when sailing from NY for example, the beach is what a lot of people want! I totally understand and highly recommend to walk over to Jetty Park. The beach there is wide with some wave action and life guards are on duty. You can rent chairs and umbrellas and some beach toys (beach chair/umbrella rentals for 2 people are about $15 a day). The beach café is pretty good too! http://www.jettyparkbeachandcampground.com/

 

If you want to go to the beach near restaurants/bars, try the Cocoa Beach Pier area - http://www.cocoabeachpier.com/ or further down near Coconuts on the Beach. Cruise ship shore excursions go to Shepard beach (near Ron Jon) so do not go there if you want to avoid your fellow passengers!

 

The SCAT public transport is cheap and easy (30 minutes) down to the Pier and Ron Jon areas. There are several areas (and companies) for learning how to surf, paddleboard, etc. I know the kids love the surfing lessons so please consider that but do be aware the water is cold in winter and I recommend you use a surf school that supply wetsuits.

 

Activities (Orlando area):

I understand the attraction but it is tough for me to recommend a whirlwind bus or private tour of any of the Orlando theme parks. It is almost impossible to experience the parks in a long day, so a half-day trip is pretty intense! Ride lines will be long, it may be very hot, the transfers take at least an hour each way and it is very expensive for what you can achieve on such a rushed excursion.

 

It may be best to rent a car and visit just Downtown Disney (a free Disney-like experience but be aware it is mostly restaurants and shops){{recently renamed to Disney Springs}} and perhaps a lesser-known place like Gatorland.

 

Activities (other than Orlando and Kennedy Space Center):

The best activities around Port Canaveral are beach or nature-based but there are very good museums too. Manatees, gators, airboats, learn to surf, kayak, hike, etc. are on offer. Airboats are a lot of noisy fun!

Pre-arrangements/bookings are crucial.

 

Disclaimer - I do not endorse any of the companies/establishments listed and I have no relationship (personal or business) with them. My list is just a starting point of different activities so please do your own research! However, we’ve had have positive experiences with many of the listings below and are constantly trying new ones!

 

a) Sunward Tours - http://www.sunwardtours.com They can arrange just about any activity

b) FunDay Tours - https://www.facebook.com/funday.tours Work primarily with pre-formed groups such as shore trips but check them out anyway

c) Segway Tours - http://spacecoastsegwaytours.com/ will guide you around the port

d) Airboat rides – There are several but most shore excursions go to Midway - http://www.airboatridesatmidway.com/ or Lone Cabbage - http://www.twisterairboatrides.com/ . To get away from the crowds, try Grasshopper -http://www.airboatecotours.com/ , Old Fashioned Airboat Rides - http://airboatrides.com or Switchgrass -http://switchgrassoutfitters.com

e) Kayaking to see manatees and wildlife - Adventure Kayak - http://kayakcocoabeach.com/, Fin Expeditions -http://www.finexpeditions.com for Cocoa Beach’s Thousand Islands. Also Calypso - http://calypsokayaking.com at Manatee Cove not far from Kennedy Space Center. Note – from November to March the Manatees prefer warmer water in other areas and may not be seen regularly around Canaveral.

f) Learn to Surf. Cocoa Beach Surf Company - http://cocoabeachsurf.com/surf_lessons_camp.html or Ron Jonhttp://www.ronjonsurfschool.com are solid representatives of the surf school companies

g) Air Force Space and Missile History Center – http://www.afspacemuseum.org/historycenter/ The history of the launch areas around Canaveral. Very informative.

h) Warbird Museum – http://www.vacwarbirds.net/ If you love aviation then this is the place to go. Lovingly maintained by volunteers (mostly ex-armed forces). It is an amazing museum.

i) Police Hall of Fame – http://www.aphf.org/museum.html More interesting than most expect. Various exhibits of the history of major crime as well as impressive though very sad memorial.

j) Astronaut Hall of Fame - https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/t...l-of-fame.aspx is part of the Kennedy Space Center experience but in a different location.

k) Brevard Zoo and Treetop Trek - https://brevardzoo.org/

l) Shopping - Dinosaur Store and Museum - http://dinosaurstore.com/ and Ron Jon Surf Shop -http://www.ronjonsurfshop.com/ Fun for kids old and young!

m) Wildlife Parks - Jungle Adventures – http://www.jungleadventures.com - An old-time Florida animal park. Not fancy but friendly and interesting. Larger than Expected. Shore excursions often combine the Jungle and a Midway Airboat ride in the same package.

n) Boat rides on the Banana River to see wildlife including manatees (not many around during Nov and Apr). Start with Island Boat Lines - http://www.islandboatlines.com/ and also Wild Side Tours http://wildsidetours.com/

o) Forever Florida - http://foreverflorida.com a really adventurous safari with swamp buggy rides, ziplines, etc! A bit far unless you have car.

p) Cocoa Beach Skatepark - http://cocoabeachskatepark.com/ Certainly unusual for cruisers but a seriously fun and safe skatepark for the cool kids in your family if they packed skate boards! Open at 4pm during school days so plan accordingly so they can skate for 2 hours or so before returning to your ship.

q) Brewery – Florida Beer Company - https://www.facebook.com/FloridaBeerCompany a very good tour and tasting arrangement! Close to the Port.

r) Sightseeing – Some cruisers prefer more leisurely excursions and most ships offer affordable hourly hop-on, hop-off bus trips to Cocoa Beach and Cocoa Village. Passengers can explore the areas on foot and return to the ship when they want. The beach buses stop between Ron Jon Surf Shop and Shepard Park in Cocoa Beach (for a typical East Coast Florida beach and surf experience). From there they offer constant bus shuttles to the north end of Riverfront Park in Cocoa Village (for a historic downtown experience).

Edited May 11, 2016 by Capt_BJ

[Capt_BJ]

Miami?

 

First I do NOT recommend renting a car ...good idea in Canaveral, bad idea in Miami {btw have lived near Canaveral for last 9 years, previously lived in Miami on and off for 12}

 

There will probably be offerings of excursions to go on airboat rides in the Everglades here too ... Everglades is BIG

 

Zoo Miami is huge and very well done but a wee bit south of town and in the summer HOT HOT HOT

 

Just outside of the port is BAYSIDE with the typical tourist shops and places to eat.

 

At BAYSIDE there are a couple of different 'hop on hop off' tour companies. I would give these a look see and consideration ... a good way to see a lot in limited time ... but compare the routes. Some go places the other doesn't ....

 

From Bayside there are boat tours past the 'mansions' in and around the Miami and Miami Beach area .... (last time I looked at least one of the hop on tours, included one of these)

 

Many people just go to South Beach and people watch .... Lincoln Road area is popular but South Point park is nearest ....

 

Stone's throw from the port is Jungle Island if you have little ones or are into birds. At its core is the former Parrot Jungle which was a lil south of downtown until pretty much destroyed by hurricane Andrew .... eventually moved to the new location and greatly expanded.

 

For Miami flavor seek out a small Cuban joint and have a Cuban Sandwich for sure, a Cuban Coffee if you need a buzz; maybe find some Stone Crab if in season but be warned they are $$$$$$

 

just a few thoughts

Edited May 11, 2016 by Capt_BJ

[BlueHerons]

In Miami, I would hop a cab and head straight to South Beach.

 

I would stop at News Cafe for breakfast and people watching.

 

Take the Art Deco tour. It starts right on Ocean Drive and it is by the Miami Design Preservation League.

 

http://www.mdpl.org/tours/guided-walking-tours/

 

Eat light because for dinner/late lunch head to Espanola Way for alfresco dining at Havana 1957. The Ropa Vieja is the best I've ever had.

[Ohiocruiser]

THanks...lots of wonderful and helpful information.