Aficionados of theater, dance and music should not miss an opportunity to take in a show at The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts in Miami. The largest performing arts center in Florida and second-largest one in the nation, the Arsht Center, as it's commonly called, comprises three main venues -– the Ziff Ballet Opera House, the Knight Concert Hall and the Carnival Studio Theater -– so that each production is perfectly housed in its ideal space. Fans of architecture and visual arts should also take a look: Designed by Cesar Pelli, the complex resembles a cruise ship that's cut in half by Biscayne Boulevard (a pedestrian bridge straddles the street for crossing ease), and numerous exhibits and installations, including the Knight Masterworks Print Collection, enhance the venue.
Parking and public transportation at The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts
Public parking in nearby pay lots and the Omni Garage, one bock north, is widely available, though prices may vary. The venue also offers valet parking. In addition, the Arsht center has its own Metromover and Metrorail stop called the Adrienne Arsht Center Station, and is serviced by 11 Metrobus routes. You can also take the Biscayne/Brickell Trolley, and taxis are easily available.
Getting tickets at The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts
Tickets for all shows are available by single purchase or by subscription on the Arsht Center website (www.arshtcenter.org). However, the site frequently has bugs and will give you error messages. The best way to score tickets is to call the Box Office directly and have them mailed or held at Will Call. If you plan of driving, ask about self-parking vouchers at the same time. Group sales, corporate discounts, bundled tickets and discounted tickets for college students are also available.
Types of concerts at The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts
The Arsht Center is defined by three resident companies: the Miami City Ballet, the Florida Grand Opera and the New World Symphony, a world-renowned training orchestra. In addition to the performances that these companies provide, the venue offers annual series, which can be purchased as single shows or subscriptions: Broadway in Miami, Theater Up Close, Knight Masterworks Classical Music, Knight Masterworks Dance, Flamenco Festival Miami, Jazz Roots and Cleveland Orchestra Miami. International pop stars, short-run play festivals, family vehicles, experimental shows, comedians and speakers fill in the remaining evenings.
Other places to visit near The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts
The Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) is just a few blocks south, as is the American Airlines Arena and Bayside Marketplace. A couple of miles away, Mary Brickell Village provides retail, dining and nightlife opportunities for after the show.
Where to stay near The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts
The closest hotel, the Marriott Biscayne Bay, is within walking distance of the Arsht Center. Only blocks away, the Downtown/Brickell area is rife with hotels in every category from luxury to eco-conscious to mainstream.
Insider tip for visitors to The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts
The only independent bookstore in Miami Books & Books has a location in Arsht Center's Art Deco Carnival Tower; the Café there, run by the inimitable James Beard Award-winning Chef Allen Susser, is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and features outdoor terraced seating. Visitors can also dine pre-show, both at night and for brunch for matinees, at farm-to-table restaurant BRAVA!. On Monday nights, there's also the Adrienne Arsht Center Farmers Market, held from 4 until 8 p.m., featuring locally grown fruits and vegetables, prepared foods, food writers and chefs, demos and live music.
Author's bio: Jen Karetnick has been writing about Miami since she moved there in 1992. The author of 12 books, most recently the cookbook Mango (University Press of Florida) and the poetry book Brie Season (White Violet Press), she lives in Miami Shores with her husband, their two teenagers, three dogs, three cats and fourteen mango trees.