Any Suggestions for a day in South Beach

[happycruzer]

After having debated now for weeks on whether to Stay Downtown Miami or South Beach for 2 nights pre-cruise (sailing from FLL but wanted to see Miami).We have finally decided to stay in the Bayside area and spend our first night at the Bayside Marketplace to eat etc.

For the next day (saturday) we would like to visit South Beach and see what it is all about.....Hotels that we liked were around $400 per night so we decided on bayside!!.....

 

Would now value some suggestions/advice on how to spend our day at SOBE. I.E Can we take a cab for 6 of us. and roughly how much should we pay ?

Where should we get the cab to....to people watch and perhaps have lunch etc.

We hope to stay there long enough to also have dinner and see the Art Deco area at night, so is there a specific area we should go to.

 

I apologise for so many questions....I did read a great reply to another post regarding the same thing, but I have just spent over 2 hours trying to find it again with out success, so I really would apppreciate your help.

 

On the Sunday morning we will then get a cab or something to take us to FLL for our ship....again any advice on the best way to do this will be most welcome.

 

We have booked the Pelican Beach resort in FLL for a 4 night post cruise and are happy with all arrangements for there...so no more questions lol.

 

Happycruzer

[signman]

Hello HC,

 

As far as getting up to Port Everglades, you might want to contact Tri-County Limo at http://www.floridalimo.com They run shuttles from FLL to Port of Miami and I am guessing that they deadhead back. So they might be happy to have some traffic going north. It will probably be cheaper than a cab. Even if they tell you no, I would ask them for suggestions on who else might be able shuttle you north.

 

Here's the thread you were looking for. Let me know what else you would like to know.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=172294

 

The people watching on Ocean Drive is the best. But the most colorful crowds do not come out until later in the evening. I would think about lunch at Lincoln Road Mall and dinner on Ocean Drive. But my first stop would definitely be the Art Deco Welcome Center. When walking Ocean Drive, you will get better views of the restored hotels from the ocean side of the street.

 

What dates will you be there?

[happycruzer]

Hi Signman and many thanks again for your great help, you have answered a few other questions that I have asked on these boards and I have found your help and advice invaluable.

THANK YOU !!!!!

 

WE really would have like to have stayed on the South Beach area but as we are also staying in FLL for 4 nights post cruise ,we really felt that the cost of hotels on Sobe was a bit too expensive and never having heard of priceline/hotwire until coming to these boards I just was a bit too leary to try it. Despite having read all of the help boards I still could not fathom out which hotels I could have gotten.

We are flying in to MIA on Fri March 3rd 2006 (at approx 5 p.m) and sail from Port Everglades on Sun March 5th so I think your suggestion of the Tri-county limo was excellent I will certainly contact them.

Also your suggestions on how to spend our time were ideal. DH and are are 50 ish but our grown kids ages from 22 >28 will be with us and they really really want to see South Beach and of course its the old story with kids ( if they are happy then we are happy) So I will def follow your suggestions.

I only wish I were brave enough or clever enough to work out the hotels there on hotwire etc then everyone would be happy lol.

 

Thank you again Signman and I'm sure I speak for many people on these boards in saying that you are always 100% helpful and kind ! thank you !

 

Sandra

[signman]

Sandra, Thought you'd see my response, as I guess this is a good time for you to be online.

 

Your kids will love SOBE. There are some really hot clubs on Collins and Washington south of 5th St. I know this even though I am your age. But I've been going to South Beach for over 20 years and have seen the area just grow and grow to the point that it is now uncomfortably crowded. You will be there during high season and everything will be hopping. My guess is you will head home long before the kids on a Saturday evening. And after all they've got a relaxing cruise coming up, so why sleep when there is so much going on?

 

I drove past the Pelican Beach in March during my annual Fort Lauderdale trip and it looked very nice. I hope you plan to have a car while there, as it is a little removed from the action. I can give you plenty of suggestions for Fort Lauderdale too. Plus I have cruises ending in Miami in November and February, so I should have a fresh look at things. Have you been to Florida before?

[signman]

And here's the link for tours in the Art Deco district. I would go Saturday at 10:30 AM.

 

http://www.mdpl.org

 

You can contact me directly at hmw608 at aol dot com

[happycruzer]

Hi again Howard, thanks again for your input. I could get tired out just thinking of how busy etc Sobe will be especially after a long haul flight !lol .

Do you think the arrangements that we have made to stay in Bayside and just cab it to Sobe will work ?

I always tend (if we are doing a land based vacation) to stay just out of the busy areas and travel into them rather than be stuck in the middle of it, but as I said before our kids are really keen, perhaps I should pull rank and just settle our minds in Bayside ! Although I did like the look of the Palms at sobe and the Crowne Plaza resort too. But way too many $$.

We are paying $231 per night, per room + tax for the Pelican and really the Miami part of the vacation was an after thought so dont want to pay that amount again

 

Believe it or not we have visited Florida 9 times but Kissimmee/Orlando always won for accomodation etc although we did see a fair amount of other towns, St Petes etc and San Augustine/Daytona etc on the other coast we never did venture down to Miami, in hind sight maybe we should have .

I really will check out the Art Deco info office too, I actually requested an info booklet on Miami via the web but so far i haven't received it, but look forward to reading even more about it.

Thanks for your offer of advice too on FLL would love your suggestions for there too, and also your updated opinions on the areas come November.

Look forward to hearing from you again Howard .Thank you once again for all your help.

 

Sandra

[signman]

Just sit tight with your reservations for now. Maybe in November or December, I can help you play the Priceline game.

 

Your room rate at the Pelican seems like a lot. I think you are paying top dollar for having made your reservation in advance. Maybe you will want to try getting the Marriott Harbor Beach Resort for less $ on PL? I know in Europe the Best Western affilliation is a desired one. Here in the US, BW is considered at the low end of the scale, but the Pelican Beach appears to be an exception. If you can save some dollars in Fort Lauderdale, maybe you can spend them by staying in South Beach. I really think you would be better off there, and just cab it to Bayside, if you are really stuck on going there. If I stayed in SOBE, I wouldn't leave. It's just too soon to get anything with Hotwire or Priceline.

[happycruzer]

Howard..once again I have to thank you for your advice, I will do as you advise with my hotels reservations and if you dont mind I will take you up on your offer of help with the priceline thing aound Nov.

When I count up the $$ for our FLL stay it is over $2000 for 4 nights plus we will need a car and still have to eat and entertain ourselves so all of this on top of our B2B cruise is mega bucks in any currency, even although this is a special vacation for us as I will turn 50 whilst on board OUCH ! I still would like to save some dollars where I can.

I would really appreciate your help around Nov/Dec in trying out the PL thing if your offer still stands.

Hope to keep in touch.

regards

 

Sandra

[signman]

Sandra, What kind of rate do you have near Bayside? I just saw that the Marriott Courtyard at 3925 Collins Ave in Miami Beach, right on the ocean, has rates around $250 per night. This was totally renovated in 2004 and looks like it would be OK. Only a mile north of the action in South Beach.

[happycruzer]

Good evening Howard...love your idea for the Marriott in FLL it looks wonderful and if I am reading their web site correctly it appears to bu much nearer things than the Pelican, therefor we would not have to rent a car either ....which this trip we would rather NOT do...

 

We have got a rate of $132 for the Holiday Inn bayside which I am leary of as being much cheaper than anything else I had looked at, reviews on this board gave it an ok, but not a wonderful. So I guess we cant expect the Ritz. But we could live with it for 2 nights if we cant get anything else.

I had a look at the hotel that you mentioned it looked fine ,but it has very mixed reviews, is this a good area of Sobe that it is situated in as some of the reviews say that it is quite a distance from things.

I've also had a look at Hotwire and there is one which after reading the advice sites I think seems to be offering the Crowne plaza royal palms for $174 do you think I am right . If I could get a hotel of that or similar standards I would be happy and certainly the 'kids' would be too as we would be on sobe.

What are my chances of getting a hotel like this if I wait till later in the year, or do you think because it is spring break that deals will be very scarce.

 

Sorry to give you all my vacation problems ! but I do really appreciate all the help you have given.THANK YOU !

Sandra