Staying at Renaissance 17th St FLL... what to do?

[gatorclaw]

We'll be staying at Ft Lauderdale Renaissance 17th St March 31.

 

What is nearby? How far is the beach? Should we take a cab to the beach or can you take a water taxi?

What else is there to do? Where to eat? Do not want to spend more than apx $50 all day, per person.

 

Any tips would be apprciated. Thanks!

[TrentS]

Renaissance on SE 17th Street is a great hotel, the best on SE 17th Street. The beach is less than 5 minutes away by cab, or you can also take the Water Taxi. Here's a list of restaurants and other things in the area that I posted a while back.

 

SE 17th Street Restaurants...

 

Tara Steak & Lobster is right next door to Extended Stay America, across the street and a block west of Renaissance... http://www.tarasteakandlobsterhouse.com/

 

Carlos and Pepe's (Mexican) & Durty Harry's (bar with food) are in the same shopping center as Tara. There's also a small diner in that strip mall that I've been told has an excellent breakfast.

 

Einstein Bros. Bagels is across the street from Holiday Inn Express/Extended Stay America... http://www.einsteinbros.com/

 

Bimini Boatyard and Bravo (great Italian restaurant) are both opposite the Renaissance Hotel (in the same strip mall Renaissance Hotel is)... http://www.bravoitaliano.com/

 

Jack Jackson's new restaurant FISH is across the street from the Renaissance hotel, attached to the Convention Center complex at the entrance to Port Everglades... http://www.fish-fl.com/

 

Chuck's Steakhouse... http://www.chucksflorida.com/

 

And Waxy O'Connors are both across the street from Embassy Suites, 2 long blocks west of Renaissance... http://www.waxys.com/

 

Outback Steakhouse and Del Rio Tex Mex are just west of Embassy Suites, and Quarterdeck is across the street and a block north of Embassy Suites on Cordova Road, just beyond Winn-Dixie... http://www.quarterdeckrestaurant.com/

 

Kelly's Landing is a great New England style seafood place in a strip mall on Cordova Road, across the street from Winn-Dixie.

 

If you want some excellent ice cream, Aspen Ice Cream is next door to Office Depot, in the large yellow strip mall across the street from Tara and Carlos and Pepe's... http://www.aspenicecream.com/

 

There are 3 large strip malls a block west of Renaissance as well as several smaller ones. There are at least a dozen other small restaurants scattered throughout those strip malls, plus a number of fast food and carry-out places in the area as well... You'll never go hungry along that section of SE 17th Street, there's something for every taste and budget.

 

Publix grocery store is in the large strip mall a block south on Cordova Road, behind Embassy Suites. Publix sell beer & wine as well as being very large, very nice grocery stores.

 

Barnie's Coffee & Tea is in the same strip mall as Publix, a few stores to the west, next to Carvel Ice Cream... http://www.barniescoffee.com/

 

Crown Wine and Spirits is across the street from Embassy Suites, behind the Chevron station, and 67 Wine & Spirits is across the street from Crown.

 

Winn-Dixie grocery store is next door to Crown, and there's a CVS drug store in the same strip mall as 67 Wine & Spirits.

 

Walgreens drug store is across the street from the Renaissance hotel.

 

The restaurants above are just those that you can easily walk to. If you take the Water Taxi you can easily get to dozens more. The nearest Water Taxi stop is a block east, under the SE 17th Street Bridge, in front of the Marina Marriott hotel... http://www.watertaxi.com/FortLauderdale/FLLHome.Asp

 

Some popular places easily accessible by Water Taxi are...

 

15th Street Fisheries... http://www.15streetfisheries.com/

 

Jackson's Steakhouse... http://www.jacksonssteakhouse.com/

 

Shirttail Charlie's... http://www.shirttailcharlies.com/

 

Fort Lauderdale Riverhouse... http://www.ftlauderdaleriverhouse.com/

 

Downtowner Saloon... http://www.downtownersaloon.com/

 

Shooter's Waterfront Cafe, and at the same stop Taverna Opa... http://tavernaoparestaurant.com/

 

Charlie's Crab... http://www.muer.com/locations/chcrab...ab-ftlaud.html

 

The many many restaurants and shops along beautiful Las Olas Blvd... http://www.lasolasboulevard.com/

 

And Las Olas Riverfront... http://www.riverfrontfl.com/

[OnVacation11]

For a delicious breakfast go to Bonjour Cafe around the corner from the hotel (turn right as you exit the front door). They also have pastries and ice cream if you need a treat later in the day

Enjoy your cruise !

[harry0]

We just got back from the Renaissance. We ate at Bonjours for lunch and breakfast it was different and delicious. For dinner we ate at a restaurant with an italian name in a strip mall just west of the hotel (walking distance). The pizza and other foods were cooked in a woodburning oven. It seemed to be a place the locals enjoyed. Maybe Trent knows the name of it. We loved it. The hotel was great, parking was a little confusing and expensive, but it sounds like you do not have to worry about that.

Harry

[TrentS]

Bravo is the Italian restaurant you're talking about. It's a great place, and yes, a favorite of locals... http://www.bravoitaliano.com/

[harry0]

Actually my wife said it was a place called, "Giorgios"(sp)Is there such a place? The taramasu (sp) was out of this world.

Harry

[TrentS]

Oh okay, yeah... Giorgios is a small place in a small strip mall the next block west.