I have been to the Miami Boat show four times.

It is (was) everything you like and hate in your original post.

You have to look past the suck my wake boats, and the megayachts that you need an appointment to visit.  But there are boats worth visiting.

The boat show is broken into different topics at different locations around Miami.  Shuttle busses take you to the different venues. The sailboat venue at Bayfront, is worth while and the in the water sailboats are fun to walk through.  The many tents that hold the vendors is my favorite part of the show.

 If the weather is nice, its great fun, but you will be in the middle of some of the most  gluttonous boaters you have ever imagined.

I can imagine no greater display of wealth inequity, than what I saw at the Miami and Palm Beach Boat Shows.

It takes a few years to build up the desire to go again.
 

Talisman,
As I thought about it there is another thing I want to mention about the Miami, Boat Show.
All of the big named companies will be there and they will have their best and brightest employees manning their booth.

Each time I went to the show I had a couple questions for a couple manufacturers that I had previously scouted out.  I wanted to talk to Balmar, about a high output alternator for my boat and I wanted to talk to Soundown, engine compartment sound reduction manufacturer.  Both companies were at the show and both representatives told me just what I needed to know in just a few minutes.

They and other company reps make the show totally worth while.

Bill

This years' show spans Thursday Feb 13 - Monday Feb 17.   Is it worth while to go on Thursday to avoid the crowds? Or are the heavy crowds Saturday/ Sunday?