What’s the best way to describe Art Basel Miami Beach to an alien who’s landed on our shores? The Los Angeles Times probably sums it up best: “It's a classic art show. It's a funky happening on the beach. It's a hot social scene…” Yes, that captures it in a nutshell.

For four days, this international contemporary art show (and American sister event of Art Basel in Switzerland) takes over the city with a whirlwind of special events and art happenings. Miami Beach plays host to gallery owners, art dealers, museum curators and high-end collectors from around the world.

The main part of the fair takes place at the Miami Beach Convention Center, where international galleries sell a vast array of contemporary art. In addition to the Convention Center show, there is a smorgasbord of special exhibitions, performances, visits to private collections and crossover events from the film, music, fashion, and design arenas that take place throughout the city. This year, the show drew more than 36,000 visitors.

If you plan to visit Miami Beach during Art Basel, plan ahead. Hotels in Miami and Miami Beach are full to bursting – ditto for fashionable clubs and restaurants in the Miami Design District, Wynwood Arts and Entertainment District and South Beach. Next year, Art Basel takes place December 7-10, 2006. So if a winter escape is on your list of must-dos, reserve a hotel room in advance, or pick a weekend before or after the big event.

So, what was cool about this year’s Art Basel?

Well, the MagicCityBlogger sat down and had a chat with George Neary, who is the Associate Vice President for Cultural Tourism at the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. During Art Basel, Mr. Neary holds court at the GMCVB’s information booth, handing out tons of brochures for local cultural groups, as well as maps and other information about the Magic City. Here is his “insider’s look” at the mega-event that is Art Basel.

MagicCityBlogger: So George, are you recovering from all the madness?

GN: Yes. It was quite a weekend. Art Basel had a record-breaking attendance and there were some really amazing exhibits.

MagicCityBlogger: Which ones caught your eye?

GN: The Swarovski Crystal exhibit [at the Paris Theater on Washington Avenue]. There were several objects – including a chandelier – covered with millions of tiny colored pieces of crystal. Blindingly beautiful.

MagicCityBlogger: How was the people-watching?

GN: I was too busy handing out brochures, but I did get to meet Dale Chihuly.

MagicCityBlogger: Oh, yes, the glass artist. What was he like?

GN: Very nice. Very creative.

MagicCityBlogger: What else was notable?

GN: Well, the opening of MOCA at Goldman Warehouse.

Okay, so you’re down to your last few dollars but your vacation isn’t over for two more days. What’s a free-wheeling (but broke) fun seeker to do? Not to worry. You can have an absolutely fabulous time in Miami for mere peanuts. In Miami and Miami Beach, good places to eat, fun things to do and getting from Point A to Point B don’t have to break the bank.

Let’s start with the basics: cheap eats. In Miami, this translates into two words: Cuban food. One of the great things about living here is the hearty, soul satisfying starchiness of Cuban favorites like chicken with yellow rice (arroz con pollo), fried pork chunks with rice and black beans (masas de puerco) or savory shredded beef (ropa vieja). Cuban food is available 24/7, and every Miami neighborhood has its Latin cafetería -- a small restaurant with a little window to grab a quick cup o’ joe (un cafecito in local parlance) and a pastry or two. Tip: if you plunk down more than $7 for a heaping plate of meat with rice and beans (including a side dish of plantains or delicious, garlicky yuca), you’ve spent too much. Local favorites include two chains, La Carreta and Latin American Restaurant; the venerable (and 24-hour) Versailles on Calle Ocho; and Puerto Sagua (7th Street and Collins Avenue) in Miami Beach.

Cheap eats on South Beach include Big Pink at 157 Collins Avenue, where salads, sandwiches and breakfast are served in huge portions that make doggie bags a necessity. On Washington Avenue, Dogma Grill sells delicious hot dogs with the works for just a few bucks. Pizza Rustica has several locations (including Washington Avenue and Lincoln Road) where you can get a slice for $3.

There are lots of ways to have fun for free in this town. For cheap entertainment on South Beach, do what you did in your kiddie bathtub: watch a boat float. At South Pointe Park, on South Beach’s southern tip, you can watch cruise ships sailing out to sea. This is truly a magical site, with birds flying around, the sun about to set and these giant floating hotels gliding by effortlessly. Get there around 3:30 since most of the ships sail between 4 and 5 o’clock.

Want some culture? Take a tour of Miami’s Art in Public Places. Fabulous sculptures, murals and more can be found throughout the city, including at Miami International Airport, public parks, Metrorail stations, Miami-Dade College and the Port of Miami.

Going to the beach is still free, though parking may set you back a few quarters. Visit the historic 1825 lighthouse at Bill Baggs State Park on Key Biscayne and bring a picnic lunch. (Park admission is $5 per vehicle.) Or spread your towel on a smooth spot and check out the many different types of folks who stroll the sands of South Beach. It’s free and never boring! In Coral Gables, you can swim in a gorgeous (and historic) rock quarry with waterfalls, grottoes and caves at Venetian Pool. From November to March, adults pay $6.25 and kids (ages 3-12) cost $3.25. In North Beach, at Collins Avenue and 73rd Street, there’s a family friendly beach with shady palm trees, a public parking lot and lots of inexpensive cafes and fast food restaurants.

More cheap fun: hang out at any of the outdoor mega-malls around town. Top spots include CocoWalk in Coconut Grove, Bayside Marketplace in downtown Miami and Lincoln Road on South Beach. Weekend nights are prime for people-watching.

Gallery walks are some of the best free fun to be found in this city. The Design District, Wynwood Arts & Entertainment District, North Miami, Espanola Way and Coral Gables all have gallery nights once a month. (Some even put out free wine and cheese to gnosh on.) Viernes Culturales (Cultural Fridays) offer free fun Latin style, at this gallery open-house on Calle Ocho in the heart of Little Havana. Viernes Culturales happens on the last Friday of the month. For a complete listing of Miami-area gallery walks, visit www.ArtCircuits.com.

If you’ve got the kids in tow, there are several free museum happenings worth checking out. Among them is Free Fridays at Miami Children’s Museum, where children are invited to explore and enjoy interactive exhibits and bilingual activities with no admission charge. This happens every third Friday evening of the month from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

During Free Second Saturdays at the Miami Art Museum, MAM's gallery teachers lead fun-filled, educational, hands-on activities for families and kids of all ages on the Second Saturday of each month – with free admission all day. And the Historical Museum of Southern Florida puts a lively spin on several centuries of Florida history during Second Saturday Family Fun Days – where museum teachers offer fun-filled, hands-on activities for families and kids of all ages – with free admission.

Public transportation can be fun as well as cheap. You can visit 22 points of interest for 25 cents on the colorful South Beach Local – a handy new bus service that runs every 12 to 15 minutes and operates until 1 a.m. every day of the week. Stops include Lincoln Road Mall, Art Deco Historic District, the Holocaust Memorial and Wolfsonian-FIU -- which offers free tours of its fascinating collection of modern design and propaganda art every Friday at 6 p.m.

In Downtown Miami, life finally gives you a free ride (and a bird’s eye view of all the new condos going up) on the Metromover, which is the automated rail system that loops through downtown’s business and shopping district. Warning: Kids really love doing this, so you may find yourself circling the business district and listening to the robot voice calling out the stations until the cows come home (or buy themselves condos downtown, like everybody else is doing).

All it takes is a little know-how to work your way around this city on a budget. There are plenty of good reasons not to take out a cash advance while on vacation. You can eat well, see the sights, take a dip in the ocean and discover that some of the best things in Miami really are free!

Around Miami : south beach

Texas de Brazil

Basel-Palooza

Miami for Free

Jewish Museum of Florida