Ultra, Trump and Marlins Opening Day: How to get around traffic in Miami this weekend

We’re going to keep this simple.

If you don’t have to be in downtown Miami this weekend, stay away—because the traffic may be more than even the most experienced South Florida driver bargained for.

Five major events are scheduled for this weekend, and they’re all going down within a few miles of each other.

Here’s what to prepare for and how to get around some major traffic jams.

Ultra Music Festival

Ultra is back for its 26th year, kicking off Friday, March 27, until Sunday, March 29. Hundreds of thousands of fans are expected to flock to Bayfront Park in downtown Miami for the music festival.

You can find a full list of detours and closures here, but these are the most important ones, in effect all weekend:

• Northbound Biscayne Boulevard will be rerouted to the southbound lanes at Southeast 1st Street
• Southbound Biscayne Boulevard will be rerouted westbound at Northeast 6th Street, with the option to continue southbound via northeast 2nd Avenue or North Miami Avenue
• There will be no southbound traffic on Biscayne Boulevard from Northeast East 6th Street.

Alternative transportation: Concertgoers are reminded that they can get to Kaseya Center or Bayfront Park by Metrorail and Metromover. Brightline and Tri-Rail can also drop you off a mile away, at the MiamiCentral Station.

Maná at Kaseya Center

On Friday and Saturday, legendary Latin rock band Maná will be taking the stage at Kaseya Center for their Vivir Sin Aire tour at 8 p.m.

Yes, this is half a mile away from where the biggest DJs in electronic dance music will be hyping up the crowds at Ultra Music Festival.

Alternative transportation: Concertgoers are reminded that they can get to Kaseya Center or Bayfront Park by Metrorail and Metromover. Brightline and Tri-Rail can also drop you off a mile away, at the MiamiCentral Station.

President Trump

Go a little further east and you may bump into the President.

President Donald Trump is scheduled to speak on the last day of the FII Priority Miami Summit at the Faena Hotel in Miami Beach on Friday, March 27 at 5:30 p.m.

Expect intermittent road closures as Trumps makes his way to and from the summit.

Alternative transportation: Why not be different? Take the free water taxi to avoid busy roads and closures, and once you’re on Miami Beach, hop aboard the city trolley to get around town for free. But if you’d rather take a car, consider Freebee on-demand service or a bus route.

Opening Day at loanDepot Park

The Miami Marlins kick off the regular MLB season at loanDepot Park in Miami on Friday, March 27 at 7:10 p.m. with a series against the Colorado Rookies. The games continue on March 28 at 7:10 p.m. and March 29 at 1:40 p.m.

Alternative transportation: There are two Miami-Dade Metrorail stops within a mile of the ballpark, Culmer and Civic Center. You can also take the Tri-Rail Connection via the Historic Overtown/Lyric Theatre Station to MiamiCentral Station, eight other Metrobus routes, and the City of Miami Trolley Route.

Miami Open

A little further north, Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens has transformed into a vibrant tennis campus where the sport’s biggest stars chase early‑season momentum under the South Florida sun.

Friday, matches begin at 1 p.m. for the men’s singles semifinals and the doubles semifinals.

Then, champions will be decided: Saturday, the men’s doubles final and women’s singles final, and Sunday, the women’s doubles final and men’s singles final.

Alternative transportation: Take the Brightline to Aventura Station and then hop on a rideshare to Hard Rock Stadium.