If you’ve never been to a boat show, you really should go at least once. It’s an amazing experience to become of one of the tens of thousands of visitors who get to witness the hottest boats and boat trends to date. It may also makes you wonder how the heck they can get a 50-foot sport fisher upstairs in a convention center…kind of like how you’ve wondered all those years how they go that darn ship in the bottle!
- S. Boat Shows offer eye candy and a one-stop shopping venue for boaters. There are new cruisers for sea lovers, sport fishers for fisher folk, speed boats for whoever has the need for speed and so many other wonders that reflect the lifestyle of the region. There is also an array of interesting seminars with everything from honing your skipper skills, to boating activities. You’ll tour boats by brand inside and out; you’ll get to check out cool, new PWCs and vendors with anything from sunglasses, to fishing gear, EPIRBS, life rafts, cutting edge electronics, lighting, ramps, information about local marine services and so much more…and don’t forget all those free vendor keepsakes!
Here are some of the best and largest boat shows in the land (and by sea) that are scheduled for 2020 to date:
Miami International Boat Show – 2/14-18 at Miami Marina and Stadium Park Basin
Atlanta Boat Show – 1/16-19 at Georgia World Congress Center
Baltimore Boat Show – 1/23-26 at Baltimore Convention Center
New York Boat Show (longest running boat show, dating back to 1905) – 1/22-26 at Javits Center
Hartford, CT Boat Show – 1/16-19 at Mohegan Sun Hotel and Casino in Uncasville
New England Boat Show – 2/8-16 at Boston Convention and Exhibition Center
Atlantic City Boat Show – 2/26-3/1 at Atlantic City Convention Center
Los Angeles Boat Show – 1/9-12 at Fairplex Pomona
Sacramento Boat Show – 3/7-10 at Cal Expo
There are even great inland boat shows, including:
Portland Boat Show – 1/8-12 at Portland Expo Center
Chicago Boat Show – 1/9-12 at Pheasant Run Mega Center in St. Charles, Illinois
Green Bay – 1/16-19 at Radisson Conference Center
…and that’s just the short list!
