Staying in Managua

Thank you all so much! I'm not absolutely positive what time we will be getting back into Managua the day before so I'm not sure if staying in the city is such a great idea since mornings and navigating a foreign city are not my specialties! I think we'll stay out by the airport and cab into the city to hag out for a bit that evening. If we only had time to hang out in 1 neighborhood which one would you all recommend?

Depends what you like. I wouldnt necessarily recommend a neighborhood at all if you are just cabbing it around for a short time in the evening, i would recommend more specific spots. But it depends on what you wanna see. Or what kind of things interest you.
You could go to el malecon , and hang out on the waterfront, and eat at one of the restaurants, etc. And then walk to the alfonso flores park, and plaza inter if you wanna shop. Right behind plaza inter you can go up to the tip of tiscapa for some history and a great view. All within 1km of each other.

I would advise you to avoid driving around Managua at all cost. It is a crazy mayhem. I have rented cars there also and found that staying at the Best Western Las Mercedes across the street is the way to go. If you ask them, they will probably give you an early check in. I drop off the bags, return the car to the airport, walk back, and relax for the afternoon. They have a shuttle that will take you to the airport in the morning. Driving in Managua is just not a good thing to do unless you are very familiar with the city and the way everyone drives.

Thanks again for the advice!