Those who are following me on Instagram (if you are not, you can just click here) you saw my posts about Art Basel tips and my stories covering all the wonderful events going on.
If you missed it and don’t know what Art Basel is, let me explain:
Quoting from Wikipedia: “Art Basel is a for-profit, privately owned and managed international art fair staged annually in Basel, Switzerland, Miami Beach, Florida, and Hong Kong, selling established and emerging artists”
It first began in Basel, this is why the name, in 1970 and was a huge success. Since then it has been growing year after year.
Art Basel happens in Miami on the first weekend of December. However, every year opening parties and collectors preview starts earlier. This is because there are so many places to visit that is humanly impossible to visit them all. So it doesn’t matter how much I dislike planning, Art Basel week is something that really requires deep planning if you want to enjoy it and not to feel overwhelmed and miss the best from it.
Transportation and Tavel plans
The first thing you need to plan is your transportation and your stay.
Doesn’t matter where are you coming from, unless you live in or around Miami you will need to fly in or drive in and you will need a place to stay. This is something you should start planning at least 6 months in advance if you don’t want to spend too much.
Book your flight as early as possible you will get you the best rate.
Something to consider here:
Basel days are very busy days with tons of traffic everywhere (besides our usual traffic) so if you come several days before the actual festival you will be able to enjoy a quieter Miami. So come on Monday or Tuesday of the Basel week.
If it is impossible for you to take a whole week off then choose a flight that will arrive in the morning., sometime before 2 pm so you can get to your hotel, check in and still be on time to hit the galleries.
Uber fares triple during Basel days but still will be less than a taxi. Miami has a Metro that goes from the airport to Downtown so you can save yourself some time and money there.
If you are coming from West Palm Beach or near to WPB and planning to come for a 1-day visit, Brightline is the best option. It will leave you in Downtown.
Book your place to stay
In the city of Miami Beach Airbnb is not legally allowed (only in a couple of buildings and you have to stay for at least a month) so if you see an Airbnb option I would suggest keeping away from it as it had happened that people were kicked out to the street by the police and Airbnb did not return the money.
However you can find plenty of Airbnb in Brickell, Downtown or Midtown areas. All of them are close to the biggest galleries and also close to Miami Beach, where you have the most amount of art as it is literally on every corner in every restaurant, hotel, and even stores.
If you don’t have a friend where to stay in Miami Beach you will have to stay in a hotel. We have plenty and at very different price ranges. If you start your search early you will be able to check different rates and choose the one you like most. Make sure the price doesn’t change later and read all the small prints (because you never know)
Once you are done with your travel and hotel booking you can relax for several months.
Closer to the event
In November you can contact your hotel’s concierge (a perk of staying in the hotel). You can send an email and follow by phone call or call first and send an email later. This way you will be able to explain what type of events are you looking into attending and the details of your arrival (don’t forget to tip when you arrive).
Here in Miami Beach we take our hospitality business very seriously and treat all our guests at the highest level. If it is your very first time and you don’t know where to go, comment to your concierge your interests and they will be able to suggest you proper galleries. Mention if you are a collector and planning to purchase an art as there might be some special events going on.
Closer to your date of arrival reconfirm your hotel room. Check local events on Eventbrite as many tickets are sold there too. and make your schedule.
During Art Basel
Some events happen in the Wynwood area and others in the Miami Beach area. Choose one area per day. You will not be able to get from one area to another on time as traffic becomes really bad and you might spend up to 2 hours stuck in your car. If you really must, take Uber or Lyft. Check with your hotel for Shuttles provided by the city of Miami or Miami Beach. Some of them are free some are paid.
Once in you are in Winwood or Miami Beach you can walk from place to place.
Personally, I prefer opening parties in Miami Beach hotels as they are more intimate and prefer to hit bigger galleries following days when the crowd goes down.
What to pack and how to dress?
The way you dress is mostly up to you but there are some things you might consider. if you are a conservative person whos dress style is very classical you might omit this part of the post. Just dress as you usually are.
But if you are a rebel or an Avant-guard lover this is your chance. Dress your craziest colors, the most extravagant pants or shoes as they will be admired by others. Remember Art Basel is an explosion of art and colors, creativity and open minds.
And as for other items you might need, I wrote a special post on What do you need to pack when coming to Miami in Winter check it here.
Let me know in comments if I missed something or if you have questions. And see you at the next art, Basel.
