Ranking The Top 3 U.S. Boat Shows
The Ferretti Group displays its Riva lineup at the 2021 Miami International Boat Show at Herald Plaza in Miami, FL.
If you’re feeling short on yachtlife, you can load up at your next boat show. But all shows are not made equal. Today, we’re reviewing the top 3 major shows in the U.S. that feature everything from speed boats and sport fishers to super yachts. You’ll learn where/when they are, what they’re about and how to maximize your experience.
Let’s start the countdown…
3rd
Discover Boating Miami Intl. Boat Show
When
February 14-18, 2024
WHERE
Herald Plaza + 5 satellite locations, Miami, FL
What it’s about
February’s Miami show is for new releases. Brands can begin delivering the next model year every June, so new model sales get a head start in the magic city. That might be the best thing the show has to offer. Even with its central location, the Miami show is difficult to access. Parking is limited, traffic is scary, and the show’s overall ambiance is more industrial than you’d like from the country’s top tourism destination. The show has taken some steps to improve, like expanding to new, more appealing sites.
The Miami show is spread through six locations, each with a defined purpose, which helps if you’re visiting for a specific purpose. You can see super yachts at Yacht Haven Grande and Museum Park, away from the masses. A large exhibitor portion is held between Miami Convention Center and across the street at Pride Park, while the main Herald Plaza site still hosts a big exhibitor tent prior to your entrance into the docks (the same tent used for Art Miami in December).
Even with the site expansion and most brands participating, the Miami show still has an accessibility problem. I don’t recommend it if you’re time sensitive or impatient. I know a few builders who’ve focused efforts on the Palm Beach show simply due to an improved client experience.
How to Maximize Your Experience
Strategize your parking. I like to park in one of the lots on 2nd Avenue when going to the Herald Plaza location (main in-water show). It leaves you with a few blocks to walk, but spares you a majority of the traffic. These lots open up after the school day on weekdays and early morning on the weekends since they are used by local businesses and the Board of Education. I go midday on Thursday to maximize my parking and limit walking crowds in the show.
Once you’re in, spend some time in the exhibitor booth before walking out to the yacht displays. The exhibition has an airy ceiling and the food & beverage program in enjoyable.
Because Miami is spread amongst different locations, maximizing your time will depend on how many locations you want to see. Miami isn’t one of those shows you spend the day walking from spot to spot. You’ll need a car.
2nd
Palm Beach International Boat Show
When
March 21-24, 2024
WHERE
At and around the Palm Harbor Marina, West Palm Beach, FL
What it’s about
Compared to Miami, Palm Beach is a streamlined experience. One location, easy access, decent parking. It’s nicer too. Of South Florida’s three main shows, Palm Beach has the most welcoming exterior. On exit, you’ve got spots like Elisabetta’s, the Ben Hotel and some parks that yield to the overall premium atmosphere.
Like its surrounding area, the Palm Beach show focuses on the upscale. You won’t see the same selection of smaller boats like Miami and Fort Lauderdale. Whether new or used, the larger yacht selection here is profound and the anchor of the entire show.
If you’re exclusively here to boatspot, Palm Beach is for you. My only gripe is the exhibitor space, which is limited to a road of tents running parallel to the dock gate entrances. It’s not a terrible feature, just not the show if you’re big on accessories and new technologies. in a comfortable environment.
How to Maximize Your Experience
Whether you’re buying or browsing, Palm Beach is a great boatspotting experience. Head into the docks, scan the most beautiful boats on the water, and plan a happy hour outside the show to top-off your day. It’s a show easy to do in a day; even less.
1st
“FLIBS” is hosted annually from the Bahia Mar Resort in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show
When
October 30-November 3, 2024
WHERE
At and around the Bahia Mar Resort + 6 satellite locations, Fort Lauderdale, FL
What it’s about
Miami + Palm Beach = Fort Lauderdale. At the end of October, all things yachting converge on Fort Lauderdale to produce the world’s best overall boat show. Fort Lauderdale has something for everyone, spanning seven locations and anchored from Fort Lauderdale’s Bahia Mar hotel & marina. You’ve got small boats, big boats, all major industry companies on display and the entire geographic proximity dedicated to the show.
While traffic and parking are an absolute nightmare, you can’t argue with the breadth of offerings from “FLIBS”. For us locals, its timed perfectly to start the Floridian/Caribbean winter season. There’s always a buzz in the air after we’ve waited all year for the action to circle the globe and come back home to South Florida, just in time for the weather to break and air temperatures to be agreeable.
How to Maximize Your Experience
The Bahia Mar location is possible to do in a day but traversing to the Super Yacht Village at Pier 66 or the exhibition at the convention center should be kept for day two.
Parking is a premium more at FLIBS than any other show. You may see lots on the show’s road (A1A) charging as much as $160 for the day. If you don’t want to bleed cash, get there early and zero in on the parking garage on Las Olas Boulevard, just over the bridge on the north side. You can enter the show a few steps from the southwest corner of the garage. Never having to drive A1A the entire weekend is worth the parking fee (around $40/day).
