Family Vacation North of Miami- advices please. (1 Viewer)

[El Floppo]

Hi Friends.

We are flying into Ft Lauderdale right before Christmas for 5 days- the wife just got crazy cheap tickets so down we go.

Never been there and have no idea about the area- could use some recommendations about where to stay and what to do?

We'd like to stay somewhere on the beach (not across the street) with a pool. Someplace with a walking community would be great- restaurants etc. Inexpensive but not cheap... if that makes sense.

We were thinking- naively- about anywhere from Hollywood up a little past Palm Beach. But again- we know nothing about any of these places. As nice a beach as possible- if there's any difference between the coastal beaches there- that will be our primary activity. We'll probably take some time one day to go to a tennis academy in Boca. (Eta- kids are 11 and 15)

Thank you in advance.

 

[MAC_32]

Haven't been there in a while but unless something has drastically changed this reads like someone who wants to go to Lauderdale by the Sea, Pompano, or Deerfield.

 

[eoMMan]

Haven't been there in a while but unless something has drastically changed this reads like someone who wants to go to Lauderdale by the Sea, Pompano, or Deerfield.

Dinner at the Aruba restaurant and a walk on the beach by the pier…good times.

There’s a hotel relatively close by called the The Plunge. Last time we stayed there, they had a ton of bikes available. Nice to grab them and head off to breakfast somewhere.

 

[Uncle Leo]

Hard Rock Casino. The Guitar Hotel is amazing. Very close to Ft. Lauderdale Airport.

 

[El Floppo]

Hard Rock Casino. The Guitar Hotel is amazing. Very close to Ft. Lauderdale Airport.

Looks cool...and I worked with the company who did the lighting for it. But Google says not on the beach or near it....so we'll save it for next time.

 

[El Floppo]

Wife is looking at Hyde Resort in Hollywood which has kitchenette.

Anybody know that beach or even the hotel? Hollywood ok as a beach, area?

 

[Todem]

Haven't been there in a while but unless something has drastically changed this reads like someone who wants to go to Lauderdale by the Sea, Pompano, or Deerfield.

This right here. Great beach in Deerfield and Lauderdale by the Sea. I would avoid Pompano though.

 

[Todem]

Wife is looking at Hyde Resort in Hollywood which has kitchenette.

Anybody know that beach or even the hotel? Hollywood ok as a beach, area?

Hollywood is nice but Deerfield is better IMO especially with their restaurants and nightlife.

Have you also looked up in Delray Beach? Bustling nightlife.

 

[The Commish]

Wife just got back from a girls weekend at Margo Lar and can't stop talking about it. I have no idea how much it costs and I didn't ask

 

[Senor Schmutzig]

Hard Rock Casino. The Guitar Hotel is amazing. Very close to Ft. Lauderdale Airport.

No way. Not for a family vacation. Hard Rock Hotel clientele combines the worst of what Florida has to offer with the worst of the NY/NJ market.

Would not recommend.

 

[Klaatu Barada Nikto]

Not too familiar with the area, but are there hotels on the beach down there? thought they were all across teh street. ritz ft. lauderdale? stone crabs are in season. heat or panthers at home? pompano harness track? intercoastal boat trip? wrestle a gator?

 

[Osaurus]

Wife is looking at Hyde Resort in Hollywood which has kitchenette.

Anybody know that beach or even the hotel? Hollywood ok as a beach, area?

Hollywood is nice but Deerfield is better IMO especially with their restaurants and nightlife.

Have you also looked up in Delray Beach? Bustling nightlife.

Second Delray Beach. Really like this area. The Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens are amazing. Tucker Duke’s is a funky burger place that’s pretty good.

 

[El Floppo]

Wife is looking at Hyde Resort in Hollywood which has kitchenette.

Anybody know that beach or even the hotel? Hollywood ok as a beach, area?

when I say "looking at", I should've known it meant "booked".

it's essentially on the beach- don't have to cross a street, although I think there's some other buildings between us and the beach- and has a couple roof-top pools.

thank you guys for answering- very helpful. and somebody in the office was in Delray over tday- her parents moved there- and also recommended it. I guess maybe next time.

fwiw, living in downtown NYC (in Manhattan), nightlife and food isn't high on our list of things we need out of this.

 

[Osaurus]

Bummer. I don’t venture south of West Palm mostly bc I hate the area. I’m sure it will be fun.

 

[El Floppo]

Bummer. I don’t venture south of West Palm mostly bc I hate the area. I’m sure it will be fun.

lol. story of my life... day late and a dollar short. what do you hate about it?

I think some of my wife's reasoning for this was to minimize drive-time and find someplace that was nearish the airport, ticked the boxes, while also on the less expensive side. I think we'll only be renting a car for a day to go up to Boca.

 

[El Floppo]

and I loled because I have an old good friend flying into NYC with his family right before we leave. his wife made all the arrangements too- hotel, of course, around Times Square. we were texting back and forth and I said something similar to gb Osaurus "ugh... Times square?" and then quickly shifted into... but yeah- it's great because it's central and close to the shows they'll be seeing.

 

[Osaurus]

Bummer. I don’t venture south of West Palm mostly bc I hate the area. I’m sure it will be fun.

lol. story of my life... day late and a dollar short. what do you hate about it?

I think some of my wife's reasoning for this was to minimize drive-time and find someplace that was nearish the airport, ticked the boxes, while also on the less expensive side. I think we'll only be renting a car for a day to go up to Boca.

Traffic, strip malls galore, and rude people

 

[El Floppo]

Bummer. I don’t venture south of West Palm mostly bc I hate the area. I’m sure it will be fun.

lol. story of my life... day late and a dollar short. what do you hate about it?

I think some of my wife's reasoning for this was to minimize drive-time and find someplace that was nearish the airport, ticked the boxes, while also on the less expensive side. I think we'll only be renting a car for a day to go up to Boca.

Traffic, strip malls galore, and rude people

sounds like paradise! (after the Joni Mitchell song).

the last bit is the most troubling, since we likely won't be driving or leaving the immediate area much.

 

[Klaatu Barada Nikto]

LAM i live in downtown manhattan and we don’t need things!

 

[El Floppo]

LAM i live in downtown manhattan and we don’t need things!

Lol. We need beaches!

I've got 3 bars INSIDE the apt building I live in, and a nightclub literally nextdoor.

Restaurants and nightlife with 2 kids- not why we're going to FL.