Miami Boat Show Poker Run Celebrating 29th Anniversary In Longer-Course Style

One of the shortest annual events produced by the Florida Powerboat Club,Thursday’s Miami Boat Show Poker Run will be significantly longer than its typical 60- to 80-mile one-way distance. The trip from Miami to Hawks Cay Resort—the host venue for the event for the first time in its 29-year history—adds approximately 50 miles to the course from its Key Largo destination, according to club president Stu Jones.

Sold out at 75 boats, the 29th annual Miami Boat Show Poker Run kicks off this Thursday. Photos from the 2023 Miami Boat Show Poker Run courtesy/copyright of the Florida Powerboat Club

“For a couple of years we were doing it just to Key Largo and then last year in Islamorada, but this run down to Hawks Cay Resort adds another 50 miles on top of the Key Largo destination,” Jones said. “So they really get a good run in on Thursday and some of them may not even feel like going out for day trips on the following day.

“But for those who are there to get in as much boating as possible the opposite is also true,” he continued. “If you think about the cruising speed of these boats being near triple digits, it’s just 61 miles to Key West. So there’s a lot of club members who would consider a run down to Key West for lunch on Friday or Saturday, and they could easily be back at the Hawks Cay docks by 4:30 p.m. with plenty of daylight.

Though the run includes its traditional Gilbert’s Resort and Tiki Bar lunch stop in Key Largo, its final destination is different than that of past years.

The official itinerary for the event, which is sold out at 75 boats, is complete. The fleet departs at 11 a.m. outside Grove Harbour Marina in Coconut Grove and stops 45 minutes later for lunch at Gilbert’s Resort in Key Largo before moving on to Hawks Cay. Friday’s action includes “designated” 10- to 12-boat lunch runs for interested participants. The traditional poker run card-play-and-dinner celebration happens that evening.

A raft-up at a nearby beach roughly 14 miles from Hawks Cay, is scheduled for Saturday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Like all activities planned by the club after the actual poker run, the raft-up is optional. That’s particularly worth noting this year thanks to the host venue, Jones said.

Hardware in the annual event following the Miami International Boat Show tends to be outstanding.

“Hawks Cay is truly a destination resort—it has lavish grounds and a lot of amenities on property,” he explained. “The idea here is that they really want people to arrive and stay and enjoy the amenities. What I really like is participants can still go out and do some boating and enjoy some of the attractions in Marathon nearby. But they don’t have to make a whole day of it—they can get back to the resort and just enjoy some relaxation at the same time.”