Seasonal events in Miami

The largest boat show in the world descends on Miami in mid-February, bringing with it a parade of impressive yachts – and the people who own them. Even if you’re not in the market for a boat the show is a spectacular scene, where day cruises turn into onboard parties that spill out into after-hours clubs. You can hit the main event at the Miami Beach Convention Center to see the latest boats on the water or one of five other venues filled with high-end yachts.

One of the largest tournaments in tennis outside the Grand Slams hits the hardcourts at Hard Rock Stadium the last weekend in March. It recently moved to the county line from its longtime home in Key Biscayne, where it was formerly known as the Lipton and Ericsson Open. Over the years, it has hosted every legend in tennis, from Pete Sampras to Roger Federer, and even featured the first finals meeting between the Williams sisters. Wandering the grounds on the opening weekend allows you to get closer to top tennis pros than you could in a larger venue. And with plenty of local restaurants set up around the courts, you can get a pretty good sampling of Miami cuisine while you’re there too.

Because Miami’s weather tends to get sticky during the traditional LGBT Pride month of June, Miami Beach holds its Pride festival during the temperate weeks of early April. The week features the traditional parade, as well as pool pirates, movie screenings, and art showcases. The weekend culminates with a free Pride music festival in Lummus Park, where top DJs and drag queens perform both Saturday and Sunday. Sunday morning, the Pride Parade runs down iconic Ocean Drive, offering a carefree, fun atmosphere filled with satiric floats, bumping music, and hilarious costumes.

Formula 1 racing makes its lone stop in Florida the first weekend in May, winding through the Miami International Autodrome in the parking lots of Hard Rock Stadium. But the Grand Prix is far more than watching cars drive in circles at a stadium. The Autodrome is made up of eight grandstand areas set up around 19 turns and offers over 60 hospitality suites. Formula 1 also sets up a makeshift “marina,” where boats park along the course on ground made to look like the ocean, and people party like they’re enjoying an afternoon on a yacht. The Grand Prix also recently added a Team Village inside Hard Rock Stadium, where fans can watch pit crews and mechanics work on the cars from high above the stadium floor. The main Sunday event is a pure spectacle, as much a social event as an auto race filled with celebrities, athletes, and influencers.

America’s military might is on full display along Miami Beach during Memorial Day Weekend, when F-15s, B52s, and other impressive aircraft show their stuff for two days. Stand along the sand and you can also catch U.S. Army parachute teams jumping into the festivities. The show also includes powerboat and jetski team demonstrations in the water, and a Sunday night fireworks show and concert to close it out.

Miami’s top restaurants, some of which can be special-occasion expensive, offer three-course, prix-fixe menus for around $43 during August and September. It’s a chance to experience Miami’s world-class dining scene without spending a ton of money. At the same time, some of the city’s most luxurious spas set in fancy hotels have massage and treatment packages at serious discounts.

Art Basel is a little like the Super Bowl, in that the event itself is secondary to the parties and associated events. The main show at the Miami Beach Convention Center draws art collectors and dealers from around the world. But the rest of the city turns into a giant museum for the week, where modern art shows like Scope take over Miami’s event spaces. And smaller shows and exhibits pop up everywhere from public parks to train stations. While Art Basel is an art lover’s dream, it also draws people for its epic parties. And if you’re lucky enough to get on the list you’ll find yourself rubbing elbows with some of the most creative and interesting people in America.