Multi Shopping?? miami strictly sail

[Brandywine]

We are planning on flying out the Miami strictly sail because of the large multi presence. Anyone have any specific advice for this show? We have attended the west coast strictly sail for years is it about the same? Good place to stay, eat, etc....

[craig boorman]

Have you found a place to stay? Miamarina/Bayfront (show location) has tons of good places to eat.

[Brandywine]

No, no hotel yet. I have just started working on Air travel today.... I was hoping to make the trip with reward miles but looks like I can not get the dates to work… any back ground is appreciated.

[Tellie]

You can see the whole sailboat show in a day. I found that going on Friday is the least crowded and you'll have more time with whomever you would like to speak to. Sat and Sun. bring in much bigger crowds. I can't speak to the west coast show but if they're anything like the east coast shows I'd bet they are about the same. Have you ever been to SoFl before? Be a bit careful in Miami, it's easy to get lost in dowtown without a map. Get there when it starts and park at Baysides parking garage, about ten bucks. You can shuttle over to the convention center for the power boat show and more vendors for free with your admision to the boat show. The show doesn't open until 10am I believe, so you don't have to get a hotel close to the show if you are renting a car. It would be a lot cheaper to get a nice hotel further north like Hollywood right off I-95 and Sheridan St. or Sterling Rd. Traffic heading south on a Friday on I-95 to the show can be heavy so if you left around 9am you'd be fine. Going home traffic after the show is a bear. Take in a nice dinner at Bayside and wait till after 7pm. As far as eating out, tell me what you like and I can tell you where to go. SoFl has tons of good places to eat.

[Brandywine]

Thanks for the feedback sounds a lot like the west coast show...

I know Annapolis has a cat sailing event after or before the show were they take people out on the new cats any one know if they do something like that in Miami it is not listed on the website ...

[c.spots]

A MUCH better selection of multihulls than the West Coast. Prepare to get out the check book - I did.
Go on opening day, as it isn't as crowded, and plan to stay the day after the show for a test sail or two. If you are serious about buying, there is no way you could do it in just one day, even if you only looked at cats.
See you there.

[Brandywine]

I can not find any hotels near the show any one have any recommendations?

[Yotboss]

Originally Posted by Brandywine

I can not find any hotels near the show any one have any recommendations?

We went last year and had a blast. One day was spent in the Convention Center, checking out all the booths, learning about equipment we were planning to purchase and seeing what was new. The next day was for climbing on boats - all day long - and it WAS long. We stayed at a little boutique hotel (the Strand) on Collins in South Beach that was close enough to the Convention Center to walk to it. From there there's a shuttle that takes you to the marina for free. The hotel was a bit expensive, but we didn't have a car and didn't need one - worth it to us to not have to drive. South Beach is lots of fun at night - very entertaining to put it mildly.

We went knowing what we wanted to see and we weren't shopping for a boat, so two days was more than enough. Hope you have a fun trip...

[Therapy]

I will have a car but still do not want to drive much. (car is to get there with)
Finding cheap accommodations close by has been beyond my internet sleuthing skills. The sites seem to point to only what they want you to see, not all the options.

I only want a bed, sans roaches/bugs. A lot to ask for in Florida (especially Miami) I guess.

[Brandywine]

wow 4 hours on the phone but I got every thing lined up last night... looking forward to seeing all of the cats in one place

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Brandywine

wow 4 hours on the phone but I got every thing lined up last night... looking forward to seeing all of the cats in one place

Please give a hint of hotels.

Please qualify answers by telling what sort of luxury you are used to.

Thanks.

[Brandywine]

I travel a good deal for business and tried to make the reservations with reward points, had no luck with the hotel. Neither Marriott nor Hilton had any reward rooms for me even with my “muckety-muck status” in there silly reward programs. So instead I ended up at the Holiday Inn across from the show at the show rate, and I booked my airfare with reward miles instead. Funny thing knowing that I am shopping for a boat every PENNY counts.

[Therapy]

Originally Posted by Brandywine

Funny thing knowing that I am shopping for a boat every PENNY counts.

I know how you feel.

But....................The wife said we could go.

WHOOPPPEEEE!!!!!!!!

Will reserve this weekend and see you all there.

YEEEHAAAA!!!!