Miami International Boat Show, Six Shows In One

The long-running boat show in Miami has been a major happening in South Florida since 1941, but if you haven’t been paying attention, big changes have taken place recently, starting with a new name—Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show. In 2024, the show takes place from February 14 to 18.

Besides a longer moniker, you might ask what’s really different? Well first of all, the old Miami Beach Convention Center has had a complete makeover; that shifted the primary show location off Miami Beach and out to Virginia Key for five years, but now the show is back to the Convention Center and looking better than ever. Second, the National Marine Manufacturers Association, which owns the show, partnered with the International Yacht Brokers Association to bring the competing Miami Yacht Show under the same tent, with the whole show now managed by Informa Markets.

The five-day show features more than 1000 boats and more than 1000 brands, and while it has always been staged at multiple in-water and out-of-water venues, it now has six, including everything from kayaks, PWCs and catamarans to powerboats, sailboats and superyachts. It also has the “Progressive Experience in Pride Park”—a boating activity center outside the Convention Center with educational seminars, food trucks, activity zones for entire families, and a 60’ x 30’ freshwater pool for in-water demos, hands-on testing, contests and much more.

Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show

Herald Plaza and Venetian Marina (left) provide a major in-water section of the Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show.

Different Boats at Different Venues

As mentioned, boat types on display run the gamut at the show, with hundreds of powerboats and high-performance boats up to 49 feet, plus engine manufacturers, marine accessories, electronics and more at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

Across the street, the Progressive Boat Show Experience at Pride Park puts the “discover” in the name Discover Boating Miami International Boat Show, with an emphasis on experiential boating lifestyle activations, food and family entertainment.

Across the causeway in Miami, the Herald Plaza offers a whole world of motor yachts from 30 to 125 feet, plus yacht tenders, engines and more under a large set of shoreside tents.

Venetian Marina, adjacent to the Herald Plaza, accommodates more than 150 vessels along with major engine manufacturers available to sea trials. There are also many other new and brokerage boats for sale. Much of the Venetian Marina docks and all of the Herald Plaza docks are installed for the show each year, as they previously were at Virginia Key.

Museum Park Marina, a short ways south of Venetian Marine along the Miami shoreline, is home to catamarans, sailing yachts, and sailing accessories.

Facing Museum Park from across the water on Watson Island, superyachts on display have their own location at Yacht Haven Grande Miami. Note that the show website indicates that access to these vessels may be limited at “the discretion of the broker, dealer, and/or manufacturer.”

How Do You Get Around?

To help attendees get from one venue to another, complimentary shuttle buses begin running an hour before the show opens and end an hour after closing. There are five routes described on the show website. In addition, the immediately adjacent venues (Venetian/Herald Plaza, and Convention Center/Pride Park) have supplementary golf-cart shuttle routes that run most days from 10am to 7pm. As a third option, you can dodge the traffic and purchase Water Taxi tickets for $10/day to get between the Miami Beach and the Miami venues, or from one Miami venue to another.

What’s the Show Schedule?

The show gets underway on Wednesday and runs through Sunday (February 14 to 18 in 2024). The venues open every day at 10am; show closings vary by the day but usually end around sunset. The first day is called Preview Day and tickets cost extra; serious boat shoppers often take advantage of Preview Day to avoid the more crowded days on the weekends.

How Much Do Show Tickets Cost?

Tickets for the Miami show vary in price depending on the day and whether you buy a one or two-day ticket. As of 2024, a one-day ticket is $43 except on Preview Day (Wednesday) when it’s $64. A two-day ticket is $75 unless it includes Preview Day, in which case it is $98. Daily tickets for children 6 to 12 years old are $16.50.

Note that access to the Superyacht venue requires a separate, more expensive ticket that costs $160 for Preview Day and $135 for other days.

Windward VIP tickets range from $350 to $550 and include access to the Windward Lounge at Herald Plaza and/or the Miami Beach Convention Center.

Is There a Discover Boating Miami Boat Show Exhibitor Map?

The show website has a Google map indicating and describing each venue. It also features an online directory that enables you to search by exhibitor or boat brand and find venue and dock or booth location.