Planning Your Trip to Aspen Ideas: Climate

Complete your Aspen Ideas: Climate 2024 experience with Forest Travel! Aspen Ideas: Climate has partnered with Forest Travel to offer special rates for event attendees at select hotels near the Miami Beach Convention Center. Select hotels are within a 10-15 minute walking distance to the Convention Center.

We encourage attendees to book your preferred accommodations as soon as possible. Take advantage of the special rates and choose from a selection of hotel themes ranging from modern comfort style to Art Deco-style nightlife. For more information, contact Forest Travel at aspenideasclimate@foresttravel.com or (786)-409-0906. 

The most common and popular flight entry points are through two airports in Miami: MIA (Miami International Airport) and FLL (Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport). These airports offer various direct flights from cities such as Orlando, Atlanta, Dallas, Boston, Washington DC, Los Angeles, and Seattle on most commercial flights. MIA and FLL feature various services to help passengers reach their final destinations and move around the city. Miami continues to grow and extend its parameters to provide efficient and greener transportation methods.

Leaving MIA to Miami Beach

MIA offers guests various ground transportation services to help them get around the city. Uber and Lyft ride services are available for use with directions on where to meet your driver at the “Arrivals'' terminal. Download the rideshare apps for pricing and booking details. Hop on the MIA Mover to find the MIA Rental Car Center located on the 3rd level between Dolphin and Flamingo garages. 

The Metrobus Route 150 Miami Beach Airport Express heading Eastbound is another option to complete the journey to Miami Beach. The metrobus runs every 30 minutes from MIA Airport Station to Miami Beach via Julia Tuttle Causeway (also known as Interstate 195 or I-195)  and includes limited-stop service from Mid Beach to South Beach along Collins Ave / Indian Creek Dr and Washington Ave. Check out the route schedule and other connecting routes here.

Leaving FLL to Miami Beach

FLL offers ground transportation options such as private taxi and shuttle services. Designated pick-up areas for Uber and Lyft rideshare requests are available at FLL. Use the apps to confirm the pick-up location and pricing. The FLL Rental Car Center (RCC) is located next to Terminal 1, following the RCC signage to the Concourse B pedestrian bridge. Guests arriving at Terminals 2,3, or 4 can follow the RCC signage and use the free shuttle bus service at the passenger pick-up area, located outside of baggage claim level. The shuttle buses will direct guests to the RCC.

The Tri-Rail is a commuter rail line that connects Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach with direct departure stops between MIA and FLL. The Tri-Rail stops between MIA and FLL facilitate the use of the Route 150 Miami Beach Airport Express for direct entry to Miami Beach. Explore the Tri-Rail schedule, fares, and routes here.

Entry to Miami Beach is available from North Beach, Middle Beach, and South Beach. North Beach and Middle Beach have entry points I-95 North or South to Interstate 195 (I-195). If driving from MIA, use the I-195 highway, also referred to as the Airport Expressway, to reach Miami Beach. South Beach can be reached from I-95 North or South to 395, known as MacArthur Causeway, via Biscayne Bay. Consult regular traffic forecasts for any accidents reports or scheduled lane closures to plan the route accordingly.

The Brightline+ is an inter-city train rail route system that runs between 6 stations from Miami to Orlando, Florida. The current 6 stations are located in Orlando, West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale, Aventura, and Miami. Take advantage of the One-way, Round-trip, or “Build Your Pass” options with train tickets starting at $12/Guest. Brightline+ offers a fixed route shuttle service to help connect MiamiCentral and Fort Lauderdale Station with MIA and FLL, respectively. See booking details and pickup/ drop-off locations here.

MetroConnect is Miami-Dade County’s on-demand shared ride service that helps connect passengers to Transit stations and nearby locations within the service areas. This service is constantly working to expand to new zones in the Miami Dade County area and currently operates within ten zones including Civic Center and Transit Way. All rides are free of charge when traveling within the boundary map of each zone. Metroconnect also suggests additional directions that guide users with the fastest route to their final destination using the transit system. This is a perfect option to access the Miami Dade public transportation services and help complete the journey to Miami Beach. Download the MetroConnect app or call the Customer Service line at (786) 321-5842 (available Monday-Friday 6:30 am - 7:00 pm) to book a ride.

The Miami Beach Convention Center (MBCC) is located in the heart of Miami Beach at 1901 Convention Center Drive. The MBCC is accessible from I-395 McArthur Causeway, I-195 Julia Tuttle Causeway, and Venetian Causeway. Please use the main entrance on Convention Center Drive. Valet service for Miami Beach Convention Center is provided at the west lobby main entrance off of Convention Center Drive by 1st Class Parking. There are various public and private parking garages and lots throughout Miami Beach. Parking garage rates vary. Download the Park Mobile App to access easy, affordable street and lot parking, or download the free Miami Beach Parking App to see what parking is available at all times in Miami Beach.

Locals and visitors to Miami Beach can take advantage of the city’s free trolley service. There are four loops on this service: the Middle Beach Loop, North Beach Loop, Collins Express and South Beach Loop. The Miami Beach trolleys run seven days a week, from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Follow the trolley in real time by downloading the free Miami Beach eGov app.

Miami-Dade Transit offers locals and visitors to Miami three options for public transportation: the Metromover, Metrorail and Metrobus. The Metromover operates seven days a week from 5 a.m. to midnight and runs across 21 stations, including connections to the Adrienne Arsht Center, Downtown Miami, and the Metrorail at Government Center and Brickell stations. The Metrorail is made up of two lines that connect 23 stations extended across areas such as the Health District, South Miami, MIA, Downtown Miami, and Brickell. The Metrorail has direct links between the Metromover,Tri-Rail, and Metrobus routes. Metrobus are equipped with bicycle racks on the front of the bus and extend routes services to and from Miami Beach, Key Biscayne, Homestead, West Miami-Dade, Broward County, and Fort Lauderdale. 

The Miami Beach Airport  Express (Route 150) runs between Miami International Airport and Miami Beach (with multiple stops between 41st Street and South Pointe Drive). This airport shuttle bus runs every 30 minutes, from about 5:20 a.m. to midnight, seven days a week. Download the GO Miami-Dade transit mobile app to track your ride and help plan your trip.

The city of Miami Beach offers locals and tourists the opportunity to use Freebee, a free on-demand shuttle service that circles Mid-beach and portions of North Beach. Freebee uses 100% electric vehicles and is ADA accessible. Passengers are recommended to request a ride about 20 minutes prior to their scheduled departure time. Download the Ride Freebee mobile app or call 855-918-3773 to schedule a ride.

For those who prefer bicycles, CitiBike stations are found throughout Miami Beach, Wynwood, Downtown, Brickell and Coconut Grove. All bikes can be picked up and returned at any location in Miami-Dade County. Hourly rentals start at $7.49 and monthly memberships are available with unlimited 30-minute ($20 per month) or 60-minute rides ($25 per month).

Download the FREE CitiBike app or see the CitiBike station map to find the stations closest to you.

Ride sharing is very popular in Miami, with Alto, Uber and Lyft operating throughout the city. 

There are also a number of taxi companies in Miami, including:

Yellow Taxi Miami: (786) 830-6253

Super Yellow Taxi: (305) 888-7777

Miami Taxi Services: (786) 309-8805

 Is there a dress code for the event?

Attendees are encouraged to dress comfortably, yet professionally. We highly recommend bringing a light jacket and wearing comfortable shoes to help you get around the venue and Miami Beach. If you plan to participate in offsite excursions, please pack accordingly.

How can I connect with other attendees?

We have created an Aspen Ideas: Climate LinkedIn group as the official forum and networking hub for attendees of our 2024 event. The LinkedIn group, an extension of our mission to foster collaboration and the exchange of ideas, is dedicated to creating solutions-driven dialogue, facilitating networking opportunities, and helping our attendees make the most of their experience at Aspen Ideas: Climate. Attendees are invited to join this groupd upon registering.

Is a nonprofit discount available?

Yes. A limited number of discounted General Admission passes are available to those in academia, local organizations, and nonprofits for $250. If you are from a nonprofit organization or academic institution, please contact aspenideasclimate@aspeninstitute.org for discount pass details. Please note that discounted nonprofit passes are limited, and passes bought at full price cannot later be converted to a discounted General Admission pass.

I am a student at a local university, how do I get a pass?

A limited amount of student passes are available by registering under the Student Scholarship Pass.

What if I miss a session?

All Plenary and Breakout sessions are recorded so you can come back and view what you’ve missed. Recordings will be available a few days after Aspen Ideas: Climate has concluded.