Rental car or not...help me decide!

Hi everyone! I just got my trip booked today, so now I%26#39;m trying to figure out the details.

My huband and I are flying into FLL. We are staying 2 nights at The Standard hotel in Miami before we leave for our cruise out of the Miami port.

My question - it seems easiest to just get a rental car at FLL, drive to our hotel in Miami and then drop it off in Miami before we leave for our cruise. Is this the easiest option? I%26#39;m willing to pay a little $$ for convienience.

We have free valet at the hotel with our travel package, so I%26#39;m not worried about that. However, if we drive the car to the SoBe area, is there anywhere to park once we get there? Is parking a hassle? Would it be easier to cab from our hotel?

Is there somewhere in Miami to drop off the car? Do we have to go to the airport? Are there shuttles to the port?

Thanks for any help you can give me. It%26#39;s these little details that are always the hardest to figure out. :-)

Rental car or not...help me decide!

I believe all the rental companies at Miami have their return office off the airport so you wouldn%26#39;t actually have to drive into the airport area to return it. All the rental companies would have a website with links for drop-off locations or when you decide on which company, call their central reservations toll free number and ask which is the nearest place to drop off the car. Have the zip for the hotel handy.

Definitely getting a rental car would be more convenient especially if you have luggage, which I%26#39;m sure you have. I think parking in the SoBe area is dicey, but I%26#39;ll let the experts for that area put you straight on that. How far is the hotel from SoBe?

Rental car or not...help me decide!

The hotel is about a 10-20 minute walk from what I%26#39;m gathering. Not too bad, I guess. :-)

Not too bad ... unless it is Summer time. What time of the year is your trip?

Several car rental companies have drop off locations in downtown Miami with free shuttles to the Port. We used Hertz and it was very convenient. I ma not sure what you mean about your hotel being a 20 minute walk? Are you saying from the Port? I am not sure it is easy to walk to the Port as my recollection is it is mainly a bridge over the harbor. It may look close on a map, but I don%26#39;t think it%26#39;s easy.

I think a car would be great to have as you could get around and see much more of the Miami area. There are parking lots in South Beach, not a problem especially if you don%26#39;t mind walking a couple of blocks.

The Standard Hotel is actually in Miami Beach (at Venetian Causeway) and is a 10 - 20 minutes walk to Lincoln Road, which is right in the centre of South Beach. Maybe you should post and check your questions on the Miami Beach Forum...

However, if you want to stay in South Beach you don%26#39;t need a car. You can take a limousine service from FLL (I thinks it%26#39;s approx. $ 20/person) to your hotel and a taxi to the port (approx. $ 15).

Hi%26gt;

The Standard Hotel is a great option for a casual ';bath house'; atmosphere. It is on the west side of the city away from the bluster of Ocean Drive. Check in and park the rental car (which is a GREAT idea coming down from FLL). If the weather holds up, you can spa and tan and just relax on site.

Nearby, there are a few REALLY good restaurants including Sardinia for regional Italian and Joe Allen for a sort of American grill menu. Both are local hangouts - not touristy places. Next door to Sardinia is Purdy Lounge, a fun dive bar that%26#39;s very popular. You can in fact walk from the hotel to these places (and beyond) if the weather is nice. The sister hotel to the Standard is the Raleigh - a very beautiful beachfront place with a pool party Sunday nights.

Check at the hotel desk because they often have a driver available to take you over to the tourist areas and you can just leave the car. If there is no driver, it is simple to drive 5 mintes and park in a garage or lot.

Info here:

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g34439-c8614/Miami-Be鈥?/a>

There is also a 25 cent shuttle bus that circles South Beach you can hop on and off if you want to sightsee or just get from point A to point B without a hassle.

Maps to print:

southbeach-usa.com/maps/miami-beach-maps.htm

When it is time to go - Here are all the rental car offices near the Port offering shuttles for Cruise visitors:

Hertz Rent A Car 354 SE 1st St,

Enterprise Rent-A-Car 400 SE 2nd Ave

Budget Rent A Car 495 Brickell Ave

Enterprise Rent-A-Car 1601 Biscayne Blvd

Avis Rent A Car SE 1st Ave

I posted more info here:

tripadvisor.com/Travel-g34438-c11219/Miami:F鈥?/a>

Enjoy!

AG

Oh my goodness, AG! Thank you so much for all of that wonderful info!