Its that time of year again, if you have never heard of the event called “Art Basel” listen up: Art Basel Miami Beach is a HUGE art convention, to give you the gist, “I saw more art at Art Basel in 3 days than I saw in Los Angeles in 3 years” (Matt Normand, Graphic Design Professor at USF St. Petersburg).
I attended Art Basel 2009 and wanted to share a few things I learned with other Basel-goers to make their trip go a little smoother.

1. Plan on going with a group: While group dynamic may make certain decisions a little tricky, the split bill should all but make up for it. Just make sure everyone in the group is aware of and agrees on an acceptable price range, this will help in avoiding over priced restaurants, hotel rooms and other situations.

2. Research Surroundings: One of the most important things when planning a vacation on a budget is to do your research. Finding local restaurants within your price range and with a good menu is vital to a successful trip. This will eliminate a time crunch and a stress out session when your tummy is growling. It also doesn’t hurt to check out the hot spots for shopping while you’re on the look out!

3. Reserve a hotel within a few miles of the event: Traveling around Miami Beach is not cheap! This is why it is a good reason to plan on walking the majority of your trip. There are plenty of affordable hotels within walking distance of the Convention Center where Art Basel is held. As a plus, the Center has free shuttles that run throughout the day taking tourist to the independent galleries surrounding Art Basel. These galleries can take anywhere from an hour to four hours to get through (depending on your speed/interest and the size of the space/amount of art). Typically there will be multiple galleries within walking distance of the shuttle routes. Walking is not only great excersice but it will save you money on gas or taxi rides – which brings me to my next piont

4. Consider Parking: If you drive into Miami, be prepared to unload some cash on parking. Not all of us are fortunate enough to have family or friends in the South Beach Area. Options for parking around the Convention Center are few and far between. If you are lucky you may find meter parking but then you are running back and forth every few hours to avoid getting a ticket for an unpaid meter. Your other options are to pay for parking at your hotel (if offered and runs about $30 or more a day) or parking in a public garage (which runs about $20 or more a day and may vary on weekends). Last year I paid between $60 and $80 for three days in a garage (plus the gas to get to Miami and back), and on top of all the other expenses vacations bring that was much more than my liking. So this year I am driving to a friends house north of Miami and taking the $2.50 train ride to Miami – talk about a deal!

5. Shoes – your best friend or worst enemy: So you have ditched the car, now did you remember to pack a pair of comfortable and supportive shoes? Plan on walking an average of 8 – 12 hours a day just to see the galleries and get a bite to eat. Also keep in mind the galleries and sidewalks have limited seating so if you are not walking or eating you are most likely standing and if you are not used to that amount of exercise then you will be feeling the effects. Then think about throwing on a pair of heels and experiencing Miami’s nightlife! I recommend packing a bottle of Ibuprofen (or something similar) for those achy muscles.

6. Leave your purse at home (or the hotel): If walking everywhere is not demanding enough for you then you can disregard this section. But for the rest of us carrying around that bottomless pit you call a purse can be the last straw! It is important to prioritize your traveling accessories – only bring what is necessary or you may find yourself complaining about the weight of it later. Though you want to keep these accessories to a minimum it doesn’t hurt to have at least ONE umbrella in the group – remember you will be in FLORIDA. Another tip is to bring a canvas bag or backpack because many of the artists or galleries hand out freebies. (See Photo Blog November 29, 2010) Last year I walked away with everything from business cards to magazines and even a unique lamp that was part of an exhibit!

7. Say Cheese!: Perhaps one of the most important things to bring with you, and worth the weight: a camera! While the convention center does not allow cameras within the event the galleries surrounding it seem to have no issue with photography. And believe me there are many works that you will want to remember, with all the art you see it is impossible to burn all those images into your head.

8. Stay hydrated: walking around sunny Florida for hours upon end will leave your body drained. Make sure you replenish yourself with lots of water and electrolytes. This also means being careful not to drink too much alcohol the night before hitting the town to view artwork. It is no fun to walk around galleries with a hang over!

9. Bring food and/or snacks: Inevitably most of your meals will be purchased on the go. However, unless you bring a cooler, you will not have the connivence of saving those left overs for later. Bringing granola bars or muffins for breakfast will give you stamina to last longer until lunch. Or if you plan on a longer trip bring a loaf of bread, peanut butter and jelly to sub for a few meals. While the galleries may serve food it is typically pretty pricy – if a can of soda is $3.00 think of how over priced the food will be.

10. HAVE FUN! Think of Art Basel as a vacation. Enjoy the company you are with, enjoy the excuse to get some good exercise and most importantly enjoy the artwork. Keep in mind, not only will you see a vast amount of artwork but an astonishing variety of artwork. Get inspired!

Tags: Art Basel, Art Basel Miami, creative, creativity, inspiration, Miami Beach