Anyone familiar with area around train in Ft. Lauderdale

[Gingee]

Is anyone familiar with the area around when the train stops in Ft. Lauderdale? Looking at possibly staying at Doubletree Gallery on Sunrise (or is it Sunset)? How far away is it? Any pros or cons?

Then to cruise terminal at Port Everglades.

 

[RampWidget]

The Doubletree GalleryONE hotel is on Sunrise Boulevard, next to the upscale Ft. Lauderdale Galleria Mall and a short ten-minute walk to the beach. I believe the hotel is right on the Intracoastal Waterway, from what I recall. Nice area, plenty of restaurants, no cons. They (the hotel) offer cruse transportation to Port Everglades, IIRC, if you are headed for a cruise from there.

The area around the FTL Amtrak/Tri-Rail train station is not a walking neighborhood and public transit, other than city buses and Tri-Rail, is nonexistent; neither option is practical to get to the hotel. Best to take a cab. It's about 8-10 miles via road from the FTL station to the hotel and 7 miles from the hotel to the FLL International Airport and the cruise terminal at Port Everglades.

It's a great place to visit. Enjoy!

Edit: clarity

 

[Shanghai]

There is a Sheraton & Hilton hotel a short taxi ride from the Amtrak Station.

Both hotels offer transport to Port Everglades. We have stayed at both

hotels and find them excellent. Have a good rail and cruise trip.

 

[Gingee]

What Hilton hotel is by the train tracks? Really we are looking to stay two nights before the cruise and one after so looking at a place maybe in the middle of the Amtrak and cruise terminal so we don't pay a fortune in transportation. Hilton Doubletree does have a service for the cruise terminal but it is a higher price in a hotel price.

 

[Shanghai]

Gingee, the Hilton hotel requires a taxi from the station.

 

[battalion51]

Try the Embassy Suites down on 17th Street. Pretty much splits the difference for you.

 

[Gingee]

Embassy Suites? Is that by the ocean?

 

[RampWidget]

Embassy Suites? Is that by the ocean?

No. The 17th Street Embassy Suites is a couple of miles from the ocean.

If you want something right next to the tracks you can walk to, you'll have to transfer to Tri-Rail at FTL and ride to the station at either Sheridan Street (Days Inn & Holiday Inn) or Dania Beach/FLL International Airport (Courtyard, Homewood Suites, and one other that I can't recall at the moment).

 

[battalion51]

There's a Fairfield Inn down there by Ft. Lauderdale Airport Tri-Rail station.

 

[teresa]

If you haven't already tried cruisecritic.com, go there. You'll get loads of information, and even pictures of hotels near the ports. Those cruise reviews, especially those with with pictures, are a great way to pass the time until your cruise.

That said, a hotel on 17th street would be a good midway choice. There is a shopping center in walking distance with Public supermarket, Total Wine. You can pick up the Sun Trolley at the shopping center that will take you to the beach. I'm sorry, I don't remember the fare. There's also the water taxi.

 

[Railroad Bill]

We are staying at the Best Western Plus FT Lauderdale Airport on Sterling Road in Dania Beach. It is a very nice place with free shuttle to cruise docks or airport. It is about 3 miles north of the Hollywood Amtrak Station, which is where we get off the Silver Star. About a $10 cab ride incl tip. It is a new facility with good reviews and near fast food and decent restaurants as well. Not sure of rates this time of year but around $160 in January.

 

[Gingee]

The Best Western isn't close to the beach is it? Like walking distance?

 

[chakk]

Sunset avenue would be on the west coast of the Florida peninsula, with all of the Sunrise avenues on the east coast.

 

[Railroad Bill]

The Best Western isn't close to the beach is it? Like walking distance?

Not close to the beach, about 5 miles east to nearest beach.

 

[savoirfaire]

We always stay pre-cruise at the Embassy Suites on 17th. You will have to cab it from Amtrak, but they do offer a shuttle to the cruise and if you are up early enough, you can watch the ships arrive in port from your room.

 

[7Deuceman]

The area around the FTL Amtrak station is not the worst, but I would not want to be waiting there alone,

late at night. If you are travelling in or out of Ft Lauderdale, there are plenty of cabs and limo services

that can pick you up and take you to a hotel. I like to look at www.AARP.com for hotel deals and to

reference what is available. I like the Hard Rock Seminole Casino, actually. It is a way south of the

station but worth the drive.

Like MIA, when one travels into FTL, one should have plans to get out of the station area to their hotel.

I would not rely on the bus services in Florida at night, FTL Amtrak is a 10 minute cab ride from the rental

car offices at FLL International Airport, for example. Actually it is the same for a cab ride from Amtrak MIA

to MIA international airport rental car offices.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Lauderdale_(Tri-Rail_station)

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=ftl+amtrak+station&ie=UTF-8&ei=NEFfUtzlFsGQyAHrhIDQDw&ved=0CAgQ_AUoAg

Hope this helps!

7Deuceman

 

[Linda T]

I will say that I would NOT recommend "Quality Inn Airport & Cruise North, Fort Lauderdale." I stayed there in June, and as a single lady, pulling a small wheeled suitcase, computer bag, camera, and purse I found walking to and from the train station to be not too bad (to the train is easier iirc, as it was downhill). There are sidewalks, and it's only about a mile. However, the hotel itself was not what the name might imply. It was old, dirty, room locks didn't work well, and just not up to my expectations for a Quality Inn -- though the desk staff was fantastic! They did not have a shuttle to Amtrak, but they did for the airport and many cruise lines.