Miami Boat Show

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thecrew

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Going down for the first time in eight years. Finally gave in and booked a hotel. It just hurts so bad to have to pay $550/night for the hotel and we won't have any time to enjoy the hotel itself.
Need to get show tickets. $85 for five days seems high but don't remember what we paid last time. IS there anyplace we can get them at a discount? Although I guess that is a small amount compared to flights, rental car, hotel and then I imagine food and drinks will be sky high.
Since we haven't been down for a while, is there something we want to make sure we don't miss??
We never did or remember anything about the Courtesy water taxi. Anyone have any info on it?

Thanks for any help.
 
There are actually 4 distinct venues to the show:

- Strictly Sail in Miamarina / Bayside (entrance fee)
- Sea Isle Marina (free)
- The Miami Beach Convention Center (indoor, some outdoor on land - entrance fee)
- The Yacht & Brokerage Show on Collins Ave. (free)

The water taxi is only between Sea Isle and Strictly Sail.

Are you staying in Miami or Miami Beach?
 
Boat dealers often have tickets available. See if any in your area are exhibiting.
 
Thanks for the replies. In the past we have never gone to the Strictly Sail. But do enjoy seeing any type of boat. Two friends have new sailboats on our pier - very very nice! We thought the water taxi might just be a fun thing to do although we don't want to get stuck waiting. Years ago we waited 1 1/2 hours for a shuttle from the convention center and the line hardly moved so we got a cab. Is there usually a long wait for the water taxi?

We are staying at the Marriott. I thought about calling our connection at the company but I know he is at a boat show right now. I really hate to ask - would rather just buy them.

Thanks again for the help.
 
I am also staying at the Marriott. The north Miami Beach location. Is that the same one thecrew are staying at? I also could use 1 ticket for 1 day if anyone can spare.
 
Thanks Capt. Bill. I really appreciate it.

Now I have another question. We are kind of last minute people and just finished booking everything as of yesterday. BUT, my problem is that I still keep looking. I suppose you could say "I keep looking to see if I did get a good deal or if there might be something better". I'm not cheap just worked hard for my money.
I knew there was another hotel next to the Marriott but haven't been able to locate a map labeled for attractions and landmarks. Anyway, I found the Doubletree next door and for $60 more we can get a corner room with a balcony and fabulous view. Then I also found the Catalina Hotel and Beach club on Collins which is two blocks from the convention center and it is $200 cheaper. Not sure where we are going to spend the most time - I love checking out all the yachts and wondering the piers. We also want to check out a few things for our boat at the convention center. We will walk thru the slips at the marina but that won't take too long. Not in the market for a new boat so this is just a fun trip. So I suppose the Collins Avenue might work out better But I would love that suite yet my husband will probably shoot me when I tell him we could have saved $$$. Now I am totally confused - should have put the computer away.
Anyone every stay at either the Catalina or Doubletree? No wonder my husband says "forget it - lets just stay home - it is too much work to plan a trip".

Thanks again for your help.
 
The Doubletree is fine. Friends of mine stay there, and at the Marriott and the Hilton on a regular basis. Just to clarify, the marina you mentioned is Sea Isle - one of the boat show venues.

I don't know the Catalina, but the yelp reviews make me nervous. Staying in Miami Beach requires a different strategy. Road construction is going on right now and I don't know if it will be cleared up before the show. Traffic over there is an exercise in frustration on a GOOD day. If you do decide to stay over there, you may want to reconsider getting a rental car.

If you stay in Miami, a rental is easier to justify. If you're the adventurous type, I can tell you about Miami's car sharing program which is a cheap and fun and convenient way to get around the city. You might also want to visit the Coconut Grove Arts Fest, which runs the same wkd as the boat show.
 
WOW SLW, I really appreciate you taking the time to respond. You really know your stuff. Yes, I know Sea Isle is the marina for the show. I am use to one marina in a town up here. I forgot about yelp. After sleeping on it, I still am not sure. You are correct, the Catalina does make me a little nervous. My thought was that we may not be at the hotel much so as long as it is clean. If that is the case, then I am nuts for paying the extra for the Doubletree. We have always been happy with the Marriott but that picture of the grand suite looks luxurious. Then again, you might get a room that looks nothing like the picture they posted. I think I am over thinking this!

We will have a rental car since we are returning from a cruise on the 9th and running over to Bradenton to see an old friend, then back to Miami for the show. Then we have four more days to do something after the show. I did notice the Arts Fest. Again - too many decisions - I guess that is why we usually just wait until the morning to decide what to do.

That car sharing program is different - will have to read up about it. Yes, we are adventurous for older people - or I should say - we use to be. We use to go off on our own all over the Caribbean islands. In Mexico we got pulled over twice by federales as we drove down the highway. They jumped out of the woods with their rifles pointed at us. Another time they stopped a tour bus we were on and searched it. The world is really changing and not in a good way.

Again, thanks for the help.
 
No experience with the hotels but I really wouldn't worry too much about it, you re not coming to Miami that week end to hang around in a hotel room, are you?

As to renting a car... Traffic that week end is a mess not just because of the boat show but also also because of the art festival in the grove. If addition to the boat show shuttles, there is a growing water taxi service between Miami and Miami beach although that may be a bit busy that week end.

SLW is probably referring to car2go which is very convenient in Miami. It s really limited to Miami though, although they have expanded into Miami Beach with drop off location at a couple of parking lots. But again, availability and traffic may limit convenience. It's worth signing up though as they are now available in a number of cities around the country and there is no annual cost beyond a small sign up fee. Well worth it.
 
If driving is going to be an exercise in frustration, what is suggested? Shuttles, cabs,?
My wife and I are really thinking about driving down from central FL, but would gladly use shuttles or whatever works best while in the area.
 
I did read that there are some bus routes besides the show shuttle but I have tried for three weeks to pull up the site. It will not work for me. If I understand it correctly the show shuttle just goes between the convention center, Sea Isle marina and the Strictly Sail.

here is what I found on the boat show site:

http://www.miamiboatshow.com/attendees/publictransportation.aspx

I am sure there are many experienced show goers that know the ins and outs.
 
Regarding the Catalina Hotel ....
Over the years, we have stayed at 16 different hotels in Miami Beach, and 5 in mainland Miami. We have stayed at the Dorset, which is an attached sister hotel to the Catalina. It was just "fair", at best, and it was supposedly the nicest of the 3 sister hotel complex, which is composed of the Dorset, the Catalina, and the Maxine Hotels. It wasn't a terrible experience, but I wouldn't go back.

As for the mainland Miami hotels that we have stayed at, none were near the marinas, but here's a few Miami Beach hotels that we've stayed at that I would go to again : ....

The Delano

The Raleigh

The National

"The Hotel of South beach" (former "Tiffany" Hotel, which is still on their historic marquee)

The "Hotel Z-Ocean" (a Crowne Plaza affiliate)

The Hotel Victor

The Shore Club

The Essex House Hotel

Also, if you don't mind late night noise, The Clevelander can be good. (Note: Late in South beach is up until 5 a.m.).

The Mondrian Hotel. It is nice, but it is on the Bay side of Miami Beach, and away from many of the activities.

The Park Central Hotel. It was "okay", not great. Can be noisy of you have a street side room.

If you have any specific questions on any of those, don't hesitate to ask.
 
Also don't forget the brokerage show over Collins Avenue near the Fontainbleu. Different promoter but I think they have a shuttle bus from the convention center as well. I try to get there early it while there is still space in the convention center parking garage. I do the convention center then take the shuttle bus usually to the Sea Line. From the Sea Line I catch the water taxi over to the Strictly Sail then shuttle back to the convention center/garage. Brokerage Show is for another day as there's seldom enough time to do that in the same day.
 
quote:
Originally posted by PascalG

SLW is probably referring to car2go which is very convenient in Miami. It s really limited to Miami though, although they have expanded into Miami Beach with drop off location at a couple of parking lots. But again, availability and traffic may limit convenience. It's worth signing up though as they are now available in a number of cities around the country and there is no annual cost beyond a small sign up fee. Well worth it.

Click to expand...


Yep, it's really a great resource for 1-2 people to get around quickly and cheaply. Over 200 Smart Cars are scattered throughout the city. The website and mobile apps track them, allowing you to view locations and check condition and fuel level and reserve a car. Right now 7 of them are in the immediate area of Sea Isle. (that's typical, if not less than normal for that area)

c2g.PNG


After your application is accepted, they mail you a membership card. When you approach a car on the street, you hold your card to a reader embedded in the windshield. After your account is verified, the door unlocks. The touchscreen Nav interface speaks and displays directions to remove the key from it's dash holding spot, start the car and drive. You can leave the car at nearly any legal parking spot for free, as long as it's in range of satellites. You can also keep the "trip" open and walk away with the key to guarantee the car will be there when you return. Usage costs .41 cents a minute, with a max of $15/hour and $85/day.

As Pascal mentioned, Miami Beach is not in the "home area", so instead trips must be terminated over there in one of two designated parking locations. One is right at Lincoln Rd (2 blocks from the conv ctr) and the other is down by 5th St. Parking in those locations, believe it or not, is pretty much a sure thing. The caveat I struggle with is that there are often no other Car2Go cars there, so I worry about having to take a cab home if I terminate my trip. Oddly, right now there are a bunch of cars there... Either my app is messing up, so something unusual is bringing more of them over there. At any rate, within Miami, there's almost always a car with 2 blocks.
 
I've taken the shuttle bus from North Miami beach (we used to stay in SunnyIsles). Park and ride is very convenient and only a 10 minute shuttle. Just park in the parking lot and take the bus down to Collins Avenue; from there you can pick up other buses to all the other locations. Driving (and parking) your own car in the area is not worth the hassle.

I won't make it down this year, again, but maybe next year -- i love the show and warm weather in Feb :)
 
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