driving from miami to orlando

[cliffcook]

wonder if anybody can help? we are flying in to Miami next month and need to drive up to Orlando- because we have got kids we do not want to attempt to drive up on the same day ,so we are wondering if anybody would recommand any hotels -perhaps after about 1 hour's driving and sort of near the florida turnpike road....just a cheap motel/hotel for 1 night......

[christhear]

Hi Cliff

We did this on 15th December and stayed in the Fort Lauderdale area. You can get on to the Turnpike here, or you can simply go Noth on the 95 for some miles and save some toll money.

Our drive in the morning on the 95 was relatively fast with very little traffic, Much differant to when we arrived in Miami the previous evening.

I can't give you a hotel recommendation but I would advise you not to touch the Travelodge in Fort Lauderdale. We only remained there because we were desperate for some rest. There seemed to be quite afew motels around though.

[ellie]

There are a lot of reasonably priced hotels off the southern end of the Florida Turnpike - we stayed a couple of nights last week at the Fairfield Inn and Suites, just off exit 75, Boca Raton, on the airport road, for the couple of nights before our flight as we had to leave our villa for other guests to arrive. It was quite new and very comfortable, apart from a very noisy air con. system. (nothing like the comfort of our villa, of course, but we had no choice!)

Take Glades Rd east and it's a short way down, just past the I95. They accept coupons, too, which you can print off the internet - not sure if I can name the web site, so won't. DM me if you like.

As Boca is about 40 miles from Miami, it's a good place to stop if you only want to travel for about an hour. Apart from that, there are very few places to stay on the Turnpike itself once you get north of Boynton Beach or Palm Beach as it is very sparcely populated - and Palm Beach IS pricey.

There are lots of hotels nearer to Fort Lauderdale and close to the Turnpike, such as Wellesley Inn and Suites, Hampton Inn, Baymont Inn and Suites. There is a fairly new (2002) Comfort Suites just off exit 62, close to Sawgrass Mills, and the Sawgrass Expressway.

Hope you find something suitable and have a great trip to Orlando.

[CarolAnn]

OMG Ellie we stayed in Fairfild Inn in April!!! Thought it was lovely and the prices were very good especially as it was Spring Break heaven at the time!! Would also recommend !