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i was thinking of escaping the great white north winter in Feb and heading to S. FL for a fishing vacation when i remembered that the Miami Show is around that time too.
i've always wanted to go and this may be a great time.
I looked briefly into hotels for a couple days during the show and was blown away by the prices $$$. Lowest price is $250 and up a night!!!
Any locals or show experts got an inside scope on a cheaper but nice alternative? If i decide to go in Feb i'd really love to see the show
Prices during the boat show are always high and some have minimum stays. Bite the bullet and have fun. Try one of those "deco" hotels on the beach and stay in the middle of the nightime action.
The problem would be you would have to take the bus, walk, or taxi if you stayed too far away from where the show is. They have all the hotels on the beach there that are right across the street from the yacht sales and a bus pick up. Typically a 3 day minimum stay but if youre going to Miami thats definately where you want to be.
__________________ 2008 2530 Parker w/twin 225 Yamis - Sold
2006 38 TE Fountain Triple 275 Verados - Sold
2004 32 Sea Vee Twin 250xs
The show is during President's week, which is also during winter break for all those school age kids here in the Northeast - so expect it to be crowded and expensive. Parking in the municipal lots around the convention center is not too hard to get, so you don't have to stay in Miami Beach if you don't want to. IMO, that show does not have nearly as big an attendance as Ft. Lauderdale.
The show is during President's week, which is also during winter break for all those school age kids here in the Northeast - so expect it to be crowded and expensive. Parking in the municipal lots around the convention center is not too hard to get, so you don't have to stay in Miami Beach if you don't want to. IMO, that show does not have nearly as big an attendance as Ft. Lauderdale.
i thought the Miami show was THE SHOW (where most of the vendors showcase or release their latest and greatest and where ALL the vendors will be)?
Ft. Lauderdale, not counting the megayachts, which Miami doesn't have, is at least 2x the size of Miami. Everybody (boatbuilders and equipment mfg) is at Ft. Lauderdale, most are at Miami, but the in-water section (35-80' boats) of Miami is at best 1/4 the size. You do see a fair bit of new introductions at both shows, just to split the splash up. I am not saying Miami is not a great show, because it is - it is just not the magnitude of Ft. Lauderdale, which is the last week of October, and therefore much cheaper to attend.
bc22 - 12/12/2008 1:25 PM
i thought the Miami show was THE SHOW (where most of the vendors showcase or release their latest and greatest and where ALL the vendors will be)?
It is. Book it and enjoy. If you are in the market for a 400ft boat w/ a helipad, you may want to hit the Ft. Lauderdale show. For pretty much everything else, I'd say Miami.
The problem w/ the hotels is that there is a huge art festival in the Grove that weekend as well. Regardless, I would do my best to stay in Miami (downtown or the Beach) rather than commuting back and forth from Ft Lauderdale.
There is no such thing as a cheap hotel close to the boat show locations when the show is in town.
So you either have to get a hotel away from the show, or pay the premium to be close to it.
The South Beach hotels are right where you want to be if you like night life. Otherwise, you will tire of the noise and madness soon. Good luck finding a place to park on the beach - so if you plan to rent a car check with the hotel first!!! I have never stayed on the beach, but I would not really be surprised if I had to book a room for me AND a parking spot for my car.
There is a Days Inn on the SW 79th street causeway. Right on the water. Next to Shuckers. Rooms there are under $100 normally. It is close but not too close to the show, so I do not know what show rates will be. You would not need a car, as you can just take a city bus down US1 to Bayside, then transfer to a show shuttle bus which is free.
You can also book a hotel as far away as Homestead. Homestead has a few hotels because of the race track there. Mass transit in Miami pretty much SUCKS except for TWO things. There is an express bus way that runs from the train (that goes downtown) to Homestead. The bus way is open only to buses and police/fire. So buses have a clear shot. You can be way down south now and jump the bus, transfer to the train, transfer again to the metro mover, get off at Bayside, and walk to the free shuttle bus.
From the best I can tell, the busway routes run 24/7. The Metrorail does not run 24/7, but they extend the hours when they think there will be more riders. Like for example when there is a game at the arena, or a concert, or some other major event going on.
I do not know the hours that the buses run on the express lanes, but they run at least to 11 PM. Plenty of time to make it to the show and back.
If you rent a car, parking for the show is NOT $30+ a day. It is $10. Park at the American Airlines Arena for $10 and use the shuttle buses. There are many of them and they move people fairly quickly. There are other park and ride locations too, but I always use Bayside / Arena.
DO NOT ATTEMPT to get near the convention center. Traffic is horrible and there is not going to be a place to park. Well not unless you are willing to fork over some premium dollars. Park at a show shuttle bus location. That is what most locals will do. Myself included.
Anyway, do not be afraid to limit your hotel choices to the beach. Just avoid the really really cheap places - unless you like crack. The well known hotel chains on major roads will be OK.
__________________ 1999 20 foot Seagull power cat
Single 135 Optimax outboard
I just booked at the Doubletree, where the in water display is. They have huge discounts right now. Ihad them at the marriott, but twice the price.
Rate Information:
Rate Type:
BED AND BREAKFAST Bay View Balcony
Rate per night: 224.00 USD
Total for Stay per Room:
Rate 672.00 USD
Taxes 87.36 USD
Total 759.36 USD
Total for Stay: 759.36 USD
Includes estimated taxes and service charges.
I need someone to help setup a camera and I could stream it live
Go to www.roomsaver.com and clip coupons for motels away from the boat show area. You can get good rooms for far less than $100 per night that are definitely not flea bags. You'll save enough money to eat at Joes Stone Crab more than once!
We always stay at the Hilton or Doubletree and have had no problems with reservations. Trendy lil places like Avalon, South Seas and Gansevoort get $595/nt
__________________ Capt Alf Harvey
FV Miss Lily
Bocas del Toro
I'd rather dig a hole in a pile of broken glass covered in fire ants on a 110 degree day in a lightning storm breathing pure methane than to go near Miami Beach during that damn boat show ever again.
Arriving late Feb 9th, so I internet booked for one night at Villa Harding Suites (boutique rentals in Miami Beach) for less than $100 total.
then thru a fellow THT lead, checked out www.vrbo.com and found a pad/condo in Islamorada for the next 9 nights.
Condo was a terrific deal and so i'll commute from the keys to Miami for 2 days for the show.
Thanks guys for the input!
i'm gonna take your advice Lazy_ig on the parking for the show, looks like it's the way to go.
Ft. Lauderdale, not counting the megayachts, which Miami doesn't have, is at least 2x the size of Miami. Everybody (boatbuilders and equipment mfg) is at Ft. Lauderdale, most are at Miami, but the in-water section (35-80' boats) of Miami is at best 1/4 the size.
I have attended both, and unless you are shopping for a yacht the Miami show is the far better and larger choice. I think it is best to stay within walking distance of wither the convention center or the yacht center where the in-water portion is. There are a lot of restaurant choices near the convention center. You can stay further down in South Beach, but then you will need to use the circulator bus to get to the convention center. We found it to be slower than walking. IMHO, many of the South Beach hotels are highly overrated, and the heart of South Beach itself is nothing special for the most part.
I'd rather dig a hole in a pile of broken glass covered in fire ants on a 110 degree day in a lightning storm breathing pure methane than to go near Miami Beach during that damn boat show ever again.
Pretty much sums it up. I used to go to Miami and Fort Lauderdale every year. I stopped going to the Miami show about 3 years ago, there is no parking on Miami Beach, but still go to the fort lauderdale show
2009 Miami Boat show Hotels $$$??? 
