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Plan Your Visit to the 2018 Miami Boat Show

Plan Your Visit to the 2018 Miami Boat Show

February 12, 2018

couple sailing on a yacht If you can’t find a vessel to float your boat during the 2018 Miami Boat Show, you’re probably a dyed-in-the-wool landlubber.

After all, this festival of fleets, which docks Feb. 15-19, is among the world’s best boat shows and is often mentioned in the same breath as similar events in Dubai, Monaco and Singapore.

Just consider the numbers: 700 boats in the water at Miami Marine Stadium Park & Basin, another 700 elsewhere on Virginia Key, and 1,100-plus exhibitors across 1 million square feet of exhibition space.

And check out the new extras: an all-inclusive VIP experience (admission to a luxury VIP deck and complimentary food, drinks and entertainment). A new premium food court. And a new joint ticketing option with the Miami Yacht Show.

Not to mention the new ways to get to and from the show. That’s undeniably good news, as organizers expect more than 100,000 attendees from 35 countries to check out the decks.

Here’s more advice on smoothly sailing through your Miami Boat Show journey:

Arrive by Land or Sea

In addition to public transportation, parking options on Virginia Key and ride share drop-off points, Miami Boat Show has added free shuttle and water taxi services to accommodate the crowds.

The pickup locations for water taxis are:

  1. Bayfront Park, 100 Chopin Plaza
  2. AmericanAirlines Arena, 601 Biscayne Blvd.

And you can catch the shuttle buses here:

  1. AmericanAirlines Arena, 601 Biscayne Boulevard in downtown Miami
  2. Lot A — Arthur Lamb Jr. Road & Rickenbacker Causeway, Virginia Key
  3. Lot B — Historic Virginia Key Beach, 4020 Virginia Beach Drive, Virginia Key
  4. Lot C — Seaquarium, 4400 Rickenbacker Causeway, Virginia Key

Bring Your Appetite

Once you enter the boat show, you won’t have to leave to refuel. The grounds are conveniently flooded with food and beverage options — a total of more than 150 hospitality vendors. And the variety is amazing.

Full-service steakhouses and food trucks. Beer decks and waterfront lounges. Food carts hawking frozen lemonade, loaded nachos and salty snacks galore.

From on-the-run basics like burgers and grilled cheese to sit-and-savor Cuban cuisine and Argentinian fare, the boat show is cooking up something for everyone. Sushi. Shawarma. Barbecue. Ben & Jerry’s served from a vintage Good Humor Ice Cream truck.

And you can wash it down with an icy Blue Moon, celebratory glass of Moet & Chandon or cold-brewed coffee.

Miami Marina Bayside at downtown districtCheck Out the Miami Yacht Show at the Same Time

For the first time, boating enthusiasts can purchase a joint ticket to attend both the Miami Boat Show and the concurrent Miami Yacht Show in Miami Beach. The cost: $50 a day.

Across from the historic Fountainebleau and Eden Roc hotels, the yacht show is an in-water-only display of 500-plus new and pre-owned vessels from the world’s foremost custom boat builders.

Buses will run between the two locations from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.

See the Sailboats

Another new component for 2018 is the addition of Strictly Sail Miami.

That means guests can explore more than 50 sailboats and catamarans by the likes of Catalina and Hobie Cat on Piers 8 and 9 at Miami Marine Stadium. Head for the Sail Pavilion to browse navigational equipment, rigging and sailing gear, or to plan your next vacation with representatives from travel and charter companies.

Strictly Sail also puts a premium on educating beginning and veteran sailors who can register for numerous seminars and hands-on classes. Think Essential Cruising & Charter Skills, Weather 101, Basic Docking, Powerboating Made Easy and The Realities of Catamaran Ownership.

International Boat Show, Miami Beach, Florida, USAEnjoy Your Stay in Miami

The One River Point blog is a local’s guide to Miami’s best luxury activities. Find a few of our hand-picked ideas for things to do while you enjoy your stay in the Magic City:

Wintertime sailfishing in Miami: South Florida is known as the sailfish capital of the world (there’s a reason our baseball team is called the Marlins). The acrobatic fish can be reeled in year-round, but winter is the peak season, as cold fronts encourage sailfish to migrate further south.

Miami is for art lovers: Miami’s contemporary art gallery scene is expansive. With galleries around One River Point and in the nearby Wynwood District, you can easily survey a range of art.

Deepwater yacht marinas in Miami: Where should you anchor your superyacht when you’re not tooling up and down the Florida coast, exploring the Caribbean or just spinning around Biscayne Bay? We’ve highlighted the best of the best.