Best way to Show from Miami Beach
 

What's the best way to the show from Miami Beach? Thanks in advance.

Rob, they used to run shuttles but that is back in the old days where part of the show was at the convention center and the on-water part across the bridge. This year's show is different so I'm guessing you will have to Uber it or cab it from South Beach. Have fun it's a blast!!!

www.miamiboatshow.com

Lots of good info about water taxis and other FAQ's.

That water taxi spot at Purdy ramp on SoBe should be quite a clusterfock. The others should not be as bad.

Thanks for the input gents. Should a water taxi be considered or just Uber down?

We are taking an uber to the Sail area near the stadium and water taxi to the main show from there.

Sounds like a good plan, thanks.

I'm flying out in the morning and staying on South Beach.

Is there a 'best' way to get to the show from there?

It looks like the show opens at 10:00 AM so I was thinking about leaving earlier in the morning to get there. Maybe beat the traffic getting there?

Our first trip to the boat show in Miami.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks

There is no good way, that is the biggest problem with the new local.. 2-3hr water taxi lines, shuttle buses sitting in traffic. Parking lots were backed up from the show all the way back to 95 and the lots were a mile+ walk to the show with shuttle buses running sporadically. Lots of bugs to work out for next year. Show is great, get to and from is a nightmare. One road in, one out. That is the problem.

We had no problem at all getting there.
Uber from south beach to the arena area was $12.55, the line for the shuttle took maybe 10min if that.

Leaving was kind of a pain cause we left at close with the masses but all in all it was not bad to me.

We also Ubered from Miami Beach to Bayside and took the water taxi to Marine Stadium without much of a wait on Thursday morning. The line to get back to Bayside from Marine Stadium was a problem on Thursday afternoon so we jumped into the line heading back to Miami Beach that was open and it worked out well. The ride home was a bit cold though. Here are two pics on the way to Marine Stadium and two pics on the way back to Miami Beach via water taxi. Our taxi on the way there was one of the Thriller Catamarans, cool boat. They need to get the water taxis better organized but the taxi ride itself adds an extra element of fun.

What day did you go? We waited for a bit on Saturday in hopes we could take the water taxi from bayside to the show. No luck, 3 hour wait so we ended up standing in the aisle of a charter bus to get to marine stadium. Coming back it seems like they had their chit together, only waited maybe 30 min on water taxi back to Bayside. Good times, Love the new venue.

Overall the logistics for the show were HORRIFIC.
Uber signals were blocked anywhere near the Stadium.
The ridiculous charter/shuttle bus route routed you OFF Virginia key, to downtown Miami ONLY TO U-turn and go back to Lot-A on Virginia Key.
This QUADRUPLED the bridge traffic.

Worst event logistics ever.

The restroom situation was horrific.
It was very difficult to navigate the grounds as all the walkways were WAY too narrow for all the lollygagging folks oblivious to their surroundings. And the docks were WAY too small, as they were really only 3-people wide, and most people were walking in pairs, or groups.

I'm glad I had other means of transportation, but even that had the good sucked out of it; as I got pulled over and yelled at 3 times with conflicting information.

Next year, my suggestion would be to stay in Downtown Miami, and rent a scooter, bike, or motorcycle to get back and forth the Show/Virginia Key.

The bigger question:
How long is the show going to stay at the Stadium?
1 more year?
2 more years?
10 years?
Permanently?
I've heard all of those possibilities from different sources.

The show being isolated as it was created "rush hours", even affecting beyond the show. EVERYONE was trying to eat dinner at the exact same time in South Beach, each night, especially Friday & Saturday. My advice: order take out food. That's what I did at Smith & Wollensky on Saturday. As I was picking it up, a spot at the bar opened up and I just ate it at the bar. I was in and out in less than 30 minutes, which REALLY irked a few folks when they realized what I did.

^^^^^ Agree with all of that ^^^^^ IMO the show was a PITA more than ever especially conducting business. The show was just not the same. I was there for 95 % business reasons than seeing everything like in the past. Alot of venders even talking to some today said traffic was poor - I am not saying for all of them but for about 12 companies that I know very well expressed their versions how poor it was for them.

Anyways the NMMA seems to want this location permanently.

http://www.tradeonlytoday.com/2016/0...new-show-site/

http://www.tradeonlytoday.com/2016/0...sletter-021516

have no idea who would say this was the greatest boatshow for them - venders or public. Maybe for the first time ever boatshow persons. Early 2000's the Miami boatshow was by far 100 times better than this current show. Just saying and some things were cool but the location & layout.

Saturday

We left for the show at about 1pm from South beach and stayed at the show until close.

We took a cab to bayside to get an uber back to South beach. The cab line was fast and easy but I hate cabs so that part sucked.