Fort Lauderdale or Naples

[OfcSupport]

We are cruising out of Fort Lauderdale this winter. We will be in Florida for four days prior to the cruise and four days after we disembark. We've never spent much time in Florida. We are trying to decide if we should spend four days in Fort Lauderdale and four days in the Naples area or the entire time on the Gulf coast. My husband and I love Hilton Head Island if that helps explain what we love in a vacation.

 

What would you do? Thanks!

[will773]

I go to Naples every year to visit my grandparents! It is great! I haven't spent much time on the Atlantic side, but Naples is very nice!

[Keith1010]

Certainly Naples is quite nice.

 

One option might be to spend a pre cruise in Fort Lauderdale and then following the cruise spend a port cruise in Naples.

 

Regardless of what you do, I would arrive to the port the day before the cruise. In other words if you decided to do a pre or post cruise in Naples then I would drive from Naples down to Fort Lauderdale the day before the cruise to avoid the drive down there the day of the cruise.

 

Keith

[BobT172]

We much prefer the Gulf Coast ... more laid back and less hectic... while we like Fort Lauderdale, to us the east coast is like being on Long Island... we leave tomorrow AM for a three month stay to Punta Gorda on the Gulf Coast..

[Bookish Angel]

I'd spend the bulk of my time on Sarasota's Siesta Key Beach interspersed with trips to The Ringling Museum and Tampa for Cuban food from little hole-in-the-wall places.

[eandj]

I think that if you like Mrytle beach, you would really like the gulf coast. If you are golfers, there are tons of nice public courses scattered all over. Nice beaches for sure!

 

If you're torn, split your time to pre and post cruise destinations.

[Eng23]

Stay in Ft. Lauderdale for your pre-cruise stay and check out the gulf coast afterwards. I only suggest Ft. Lauderdale first for the ease of getting to the ship on departure day.

[jackdiamond]

I'd spend the bulk of my time on Sarasota's Siesta Key Beach interspersed with trips to The Ringling Museum and Tampa for Cuban food from little hole-in-the-wall places.

Good choice. As a matter of fact. Dr. Beach recently declared this beach as the best in the U.S.A.

[Bookish Angel]

Good choice. As a matter of fact. Dr. Beach recently declared this beach as the best in the U.S.A.

 

Having been born and raised on the Gulf of Mexico, I am used to warm, gentle water and soft sugar sand. There is nothing really wrong with Florida's east coast beaches, but overall, I find the sand whiter and less rocky on the Gulf side.

[jerseygirl3]

We are cruising out of Fort Lauderdale this winter. We will be in Florida for four days prior to the cruise and four days after we disembark. We've never spent much time in Florida. We are trying to decide if we should spend four days in Fort Lauderdale and four days in the Naples area or the entire time on the Gulf coast. My husband and I love Hilton Head Island if that helps explain what we love in a vacation.

 

What would you do? Thanks!

 

If you are cruising out of Ft. Lauderdale, I would do the precruise there and then afterwards head over to the Gulf coast. However, I would suggest Marco Island rather than Naples. It's absolutely stunning and you can get anywhere on the island in about 5-10 minutes. It's about 20 minutes south of Naples.

[jackdiamond]

If you are cruising out of Ft. Lauderdale, I would do the precruise there and then afterwards head over to the Gulf coast. However, I would suggest Marco Island rather than Naples. It's absolutely stunning and you can get anywhere on the island in about 5-10 minutes. It's about 20 minutes south of Naples.

Also, a good choice; and, it is only about 1 hour and 15 minutes to Port Everglades.

[royalcruz]

Naples is more like Hilton Head than Fort Lauderdale. Just allow 2 hours to get to the port from the point where you get onto I75 (longer if you have to return a rental car).

[OfcSupport]

Thanks everyone for your advice and suggestions!

[Keith1010]

Have a wonderful cruise and also an equally great time in Florida.

 

Keith