Need Tips for Visit to Miami or Fort Lauderdale

Have you ever been on a cruise before? The day of embarcation is CRAZY and super rushed, even if you arrive the day before. Honestly, I would just hang at the hotel, swim, have a nice, leisurely breakfast and a quick lunch/late snack if time affords and get to the dock in plenty of time. It's going to be a long afternoon of waiting in lines and hauling luggage, so I wouldn't try to DO anything before you leave.

Ship diapers and toiletries to the hotel through Amazon. That will save a lot of time and trouble. Grab a bottle of Bourbon in the Duty-Free shop in the airport. The last thing I would want to be doing is trying to find a Target and a liquor store.

Frankly, since it's only going to be 24 hours on either end of the cruise, I'd ditch the rental car. See if the hotel offers an airport shuttle. See if the cruiseline offers or recommends shuttles to the docks. That way, you can also skip the need for carseats and save yourself a lot of money and hassles.

I believe you are way overthinking things here.

Just go to a store and pick up diapers and a bottle of booze. If you are so tight budget wise as to have to shop for the best deal on diapers while on vacation, maybe you don't need to spend this money right now.

If it is THAT big of a deal.. ship diapers to your hotel but keep in mind the convenience factor of picking up what you need when you get there vs packing and shipping what you want.

We did a lot of vacationing in the Miami area, LOVE that place. Typically we took a cab to our destination at the beach, walked to a Walgreens or drugstore, bought a cheap stroller and beach chairs. At the end of the trip, we left the items at the hotel desk for anyone else who might need them. Not a lot of extra expense and no wasted time.

I would follow Patty's suggestion and just go to the beach and chill out.

Go to the beach! You wont have a lot if time on the 4th. You will have the day upon returning but I would think everyone will be exhausted, so again beach to relax.

Love that area. We stay in Dania Beach at the Homewood suites that is very close to the airport. They offer shuttle to and from the airport as well as to cruise port. They have a nice pool and hotel. We love Dania Beach beaches. That's where iron man was filmed in part. The water is nice, there's fishing off the pier and it's slower pace than the Miami beaches in my opinion. The people I've watched going to cruise always seem very stressed the day they're leaving. I second just hanging by the pool or beach.

I find that almost everything there grocery wise is more expensive. We usually do some cooking at the hotel and my groceries run higher. Even eating at subway is at least $1-1.50 more per sandwich than what I pay in Texas.

Blessings!
L.

We typically spend as much time as reasonably possible at places like state parks (check out Hugh Taylor SP!) and the beach when we're down there.

I personally pack diapers along with us, but frankly it makes more sense to simply have them shipped to you destination or just buy them down there. Of my two boys one is still in diapers all the time and the other just at night, so it's usually not that big of a hassle.

Regardless, that's an area that is brimming with stuff to do...above all else try and have fun/relax!