Parking tip
I have been to the Miami show a bunch of times. There is parking available in city lots that are located in the median of Biscayne Blvd, directly across the street from Bayfront Park. The meters are like the NYC street meters and they take bills. MUCH cheaper than the garage parking at the Bayside Mall. When I have arrived by 9:30, there have always been spaces available. However, last year one of the lots was being used as a construction staging area for some local project, so there were fewer spaces available. I would check these lots first before paying $20 or $30 to park in the garage. If you have never been to the Miami show, you are in for a treat. Lots of boats to see, and the vendor selection is very good. I have never had a chance to get on the shuttle bus (free) to go to the power boats, but if you are in the market for electronics, charts, clothing or really anything that is not strictly sailboat related, it would be worth your while to make your way to the main exhibition hall, where the majority of the vendors are located. I wanted to get some lettering for my boat last year, but there were no lettering vendors at the sailboat show, and I didn't have time to get to the main hall. Ironically, I wound up buying lettering from a guy at one of those indoor "flea markets" in Pompano later that week. Even cheaper than I could have done at the Show!