Art Basel Miami Beach: What to Know Before Going

I was hoping to catch some sun during my trip to Miami Beach this year, but instead, I was met with torrential downpours almost every day during my 5-night stay in the seaside city. Ironically, it also poured during my first days at Art Basel in Switzerland, this past June too!

In any case, the colorful architecture, blue-chip art fairs, and super cheap Ubers made up for the dreary weather. This was my second trip to Art Basel in Miami, but my first time visiting all of the smaller affordable art fairs, too.

During my downtime, I was super excited to explore beautiful Miami Beach! I still remember the very first time I visited the city. I was completely in awe of the soft, pastel-toned art deco architecture by day that turned neon bright at night. It was a city that transformed seamlessly. And of course, the beaches were beyond gorgeous.

How to Visit Art Basel Miami Beach

The Art Basel Miami Beach fair is held annually during the first weekend of December at the Miami Beach Convention Center.

Anyone can attend the Art Basel Miami Beach fair. You just need to purchase tickets to gain entry. Discounts are available for Florida residents.

Where to Stay in Miami Beach During the Fair

The best hotels book up very fast during the art fair. Book in advance if you want to get the right room for your needs and budget. Here are the best hotels in Miami Beach which aren’t too far from the Convention Center:

The W Hotel Miami Beach – A large, luxury hotel with multiple pools, including an oceanfront infinity pool and lush “Wet” pool. There’s also a Bliss spa, Sushi Bar, and several trendy on-site restaurants like Mr. Chow

1 Hotel South Beach – An eco-friendly luxury hotel with farm-to-table restaurants and ocean views. Only a 5-minute drive away.

Loews Miami Beach Hotel – A large luxury hotel with oceanfront pools and on-site restaurants. It’s only a 5-minute drive to the convention center.

Delano South Beach – This hip, stylish hotel is located right in the middle of the Art Deco district, about a 15-minute walk.

Faena Hotel Miami Beach – A posh, extravagant hotel with tropical gardens and a beachfront pool. It’s about a 10-minute walk.

The Setai Miami Beach – An upscale Asian-inspired hotel known for its serenity. It’s 0.5 miles away.

Kimpton Angler’s Hotel – A boutique hotel with an art deco facade, rooftop pool, and private beach area. It’s only 0.3 miles from the convention center.

Where to Eat During Art Basel Miami Beach

You can certainly eat at the fair itself, but there are also plenty of delicious restaurants around the area for you to grab lunch or dinner.

Miami has an amazing food scene, so there are lots of great restaurants to check out during Art Basel Miami Beach. Here are some top recommendations:

MC Kitchen – Modern Italian cuisine in a chic, artsy setting. Popular with celebs during Art Basel.

Bazaar Mar by Jose Andres – Whimsical Spanish dishes by famous chef Jose Andres. Great for groups.

Yardbird Southern Table & Bar – Hip spot for creative Southern comfort food & cocktails.

Japanamee – Fun Japanese-inspired tacos, bao buns, and other shareables.

Stubborn Seed – Elegant setting with creative American dishes using local ingredients.

Pao by Paul Qui – James Beard-winning chef Paul Qui’s pan-Asian hotspot.

Swan – New American cuisine with waterfront views inside the Design District.

Mandolin Aegean Bistro – Beautiful Greek and Turkish cuisine with a patio.

Planta South Beach – Upscale vegan eatery with artful dishes.

Make reservations ahead of time, as these spots book up fast during Art Basel week. And explore restaurants in the Design District, Wynwood, and downtown Miami too for great art week dining!

Navigating the Fair

The space the fair is held in is massive and it can definitely be overwhelming. A minimum of several hours are needed just to get through everything, so in the interest of saving my poor feet, what I did was map out the galleries I especially wanted to visit beforehand.

Artists to Watch

Katharina Fritsch
Ai WeiWei
Jesus-Rafael Soto
Doug Aitken
Willem De Kooning
Retna
Mel Bochner
Simon Hantai

Galleries to Watch

This year’s Art Basel Miami Beach brought many familiar artists and galleries from around the world. As usual, I was drawn to the more minimal style works – like Elmgreen & Dragset’s stark black table with white dining plates and John Armleder’s silver balls composition. Gary Webb’s mirrored palm tree was quite popular among the crowd, a fitting choice for the fair’s location!

At every fair, there is usually one artwork that serves as a centerpiece for the fair, and this year that work was an enormous tree installation by Ai Weiwei – although Jimmie Durham’s car-crushing boulder comes in at a close second!

Here is my selection of top works from the fair at the Miami Convention Center!