Ports of Call: 15 Marinas That Elevate the Cruising Experience
For todayโs cruisers, a marina means far more than a place to tie up for the night. Reliable shore power, fresh water, fuel, Wi-Fi, laundry, showers, secure parking, and attentive dock staff now count as essentials. The best marinas for yachts go well beyond those basics.
Some put boaters steps from world-class dining, shopping, and resort amenities. Others serve as gateways to sportfishing grounds, coral reefs, national parks, and secluded anchorages. The 15 marinas below include five in Florida, three farther up the East Coast, and seven offshore from Mexico to the British Virgin Islands. Each one delivers the experiences, amenities, and local character that make a voyage memorable long after you cast off the lines.
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What Makes a Great Marina for Yacht Owners?
Start with the dock itself: slip length, depth, power, and fuel. For a big motoryacht, a 480V three-phase pedestal or a high-speed fuel dock matters more than any pool deck. Then look past the finger piers. Every marina on this list earns its place with what surrounds it, whether that means a resort, a national park, a sportfishing ground, or a harbor that holds when the weather turns.
For U.S. yards that pair dockage with full service, see our roundup of the best luxury marinas and full-service shipyards. Before you plug in anywhere on this list, run through our shore power connection checklist.
Best Marinas in Florida
Pier Sixty-Six โ Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Pier Sixty-Six sits on the Intracoastal Waterway in Fort Lauderdale with zero bridge restrictions, and it supplies 1,200 amps at every pedestal. That combination makes it a natural home for large yachts. Crews get high-speed fueling, tax-free pumping, and dockside concierge service. Owners step ashore to a resort with restaurants, a pool, and a fitness center.
- Slips: 164 (5,000 linear feet of dockage)
- Largest boat: 400 feet
- Contact: 954-728-3578; piersixtysixmarina.com
St. Pete Municipal Marina โ St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Pete Municipal Marina puts 640 permanent wet slips, 13 moorings, and 500 feet of transient dock at the edge of downtown St. Petersburg. The on-site marina store handles fuel, live bait and tackle, and snacks and sundries. A short walk takes you to the cityโs landmark pier, local shops, restaurants, parkland, galleries, and museums.
- Slips: 640 permanent wet slips; 13 moorings; 500 feet of transient dock
- Largest boat: 100-plus feet
- Contact: 727-893-7329; stpete.org
Town of Palm Beach Marina โ Palm Beach, Florida
Town of Palm Beach Marina expanded and enlarged its superyacht slips, and it now welcomes yachts up to 294 feet. Bellingham concrete floating docks, a 14-foot-wide main pier, and extra-wide finger piers make boarding easy. Upgraded shore power delivers up to 480V, three-phase, 200-amp service.
- Slips: 84
- Largest boat: 294 feet
- Contact: 561-838-5463; townofpalmbeachmarina.com
Plantation Yacht Harbor โ Islamorada, Florida
Plantation Yacht Harbor pairs 83 slips with a tiki-style social pavilion and grills for evenings on the dock. Boaters also get access to adjacent Islamorada Founders Park, with a pristine beach, tennis courts, a dog park, a nature walk, a fitness park, and an Olympic-size swimming pool. It makes an easy base for a family stay in the Keys.
- Slips: 83
- Boat size: 25-foot minimum
- Contact: 305-852-2381;
Indiantown Marine Center โ Indiantown, Florida
Indiantown Marine Center sits inland on the Okeechobee Waterway, with easy access to both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Two Marine Travelifts with 250-ton haul-out capacity serve yachts up to 250 feet, and the yard offers hurricane storage and workspace. Nearby picnic and sports parks, fishing, and hiking fill the downtime ashore.
- Dockage: 2,800 linear feet
- Largest boat: 250 feet
- Contact: 772-597-0800;
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Best Marinas on the East Coast
Liberty Landing Marina โ Jersey City, New Jersey
Liberty Landing Marina gives cruisers a berth on the Hudson River across from Manhattan, and a water taxi links it to New York City. A full-service marine service center, a marine store, and a 60-ton Travelift keep boats in shape. The Liberty House and Maritime Parc restaurants keep crews well fed.
- Slips: 520
- Largest boat: 160 feet
- Contact: 201-985-8000;
Ocean Yacht Marina โ Portsmouth, Virginia
Ocean Yacht Marina sits a half-mile south of Mile Marker Zero on the Intracoastal Waterway, so it makes a natural stop for boats starting or finishing an ICW run. It carries certification as a ValvTect Petroleum Products marina. The dockmaster building houses restrooms, showers, a laundry room, and a shipโs store.
- Slips: 122 wet slips
- Largest boat: 250 feet
- Contact: 757-656-7644;
Sunset Harbour Marina โ East Patchogue, New York
Sunset Harbour Marina on Long Islandโs South Shore leans into the social side of boating. A pool, in-water Jet Ski ports, a private boaterโs lounge and game room, and the Tiki Bar restaurant with live entertainment and waterfront views make it an easy place to linger.
- Slips: 332
- Largest boat: 58 feet
- Contact: 631-289-3800;
Best Marinas in the Bahamas, Caribbean, and Beyond
Marina Cabo San Lucas โ Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Marina Cabo San Lucas sits at the tip of the Baja Peninsula with 380 slips and room for yachts up to 350 feet. A fully operational boatyard handles maintenance, and the adjacent Puerto Paraiso Entertainment Plaza handles everything else. Numerous fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving, and sightseeing charters depart from the docks.
- Slips: 380
- Largest boat: 350 feet
- Contact: +52 624-173-91-40;
Hurricane Hole Marina โ Nassau, Bahamas
Hurricane Hole Marina offers 6,100 linear feet of deepwater docks, with slips up to 420 feet, so it takes almost any yacht afloat. Fixed concrete docks and floating docks that rise and fall with the tides serve every size of boat. Concierge services, a medical center and pharmacy, a grocery store and restaurant, a swimming pool, and private meeting facilities serve owners. Crews get the premier Captainโs Lounge and a crew gym.
- Dockage: 6,100 linear feet of deepwater docks
- Largest boat: Almost any, with slips up to 420 feet
- Contact: 1-242-603-1950;
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Blue Haven Marina โ Turks and Caicos
Blue Haven Marina pairs 61 slips and room for yachts up to 220 feet with an on-site resort. Owners get an infinity pool and private beach, a gym, and beach volleyball, and crews get a dedicated lounge and business center. A kidsโ playroom, complimentary bicycles, a market with a deli, a coffee shop and cafe, a grocery, and dry cleaning cover the rest.
- Slips: 61
- Largest boat: 220 feet
- Contact: 1-649-946-9910;
Marina Bahia Golfito โ Golfito, Costa Rica
Marina Bahia Golfito sits within a biodiverse paradise near Corcovado and Piedras Blancas National Parks on Costa Ricaโs southern Pacific coast. It bills itself as the fastest fuel bunkering stop in Central America, pumping up to 210 gallons per minute from a 75,000-gallon capacity. A crew lounge with a rooftop deck, a swimming pool, La Playa restaurant, a day spa, and a gym keep owners and crews alike well looked after.
- Slips: 54
- Largest boat: 350 feet
- Contact: +506 8575-3000;
Marigot Bay Yacht Haven โ Marigot Bay, St. Lucia
Marigot Bay ranks among the Caribbeanโs most secure โhurricane holeโ anchoring spots. Marigot Bay Yacht Haven makes the most of it with 20 mooring bays, each holding up to three boats, and room for yachts up to 295 feet. Guests get access to the world-class amenities of the five-star Marigot Bay Resort, plus marina personal assistant services, tours, and transfers.
- Moorings: 20 mooring bays, up to three boats each
- Largest boat: 295 feet
- Contact: 1-758-728-9948;
Crown Bay Marina โ St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Crown Bay Marina offers 99 slips, including 16 alongside and stern-to berths, for yachts up to 200 feet. A 315-foot fuel dock with high-speed dispensers and volume discounts on competitively priced fuel make it a smart bunkering stop. Ashore, youโll find a shipโs chandlery and yacht services, a restaurant and pub, an ice cream and coffee shop, a pet groomer, and a fitness studio.
- Slips: 99
- Largest boat: 200 feet
- Contact: 1-340-774-2255;
Bitter End Yacht Club โ Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
Bitter End Yacht Club offers deep-draft dockage for up to 26 yachts, 72 moorings, and catamaran-friendly slips on Virgin Gordaโs North Sound. The Quarterdeck, an open-air hub with a second-floor rum bar and cocktail lounge, anchors the marina village. The Market handles yacht provisioning steps from the docks and waterfront dining. The marina house, lofts, and beach bungalows offer rooms ashore, and the staff knows the North Soundโs waters well.
- Dockage: Deep-draft dockage for up to 26 yachts; 72 moorings
- Largest boat: 240 feet
- Contact: 800-872-2392;
How Do You Choose the Right Marina for Your Next Cruise?
Match the marina to the mission. For yard work, a long haul, or storm season, haul-out capacity, fuel, and protection count most, which points to Indiantown, Marina Bahia Golfito, or Marigot Bay. For a season of entertaining aboard, resort-backed marinas such as Pier Sixty-Six, Blue Haven, and Hurricane Hole deliver. For a family cruise, a pool, a beach, or a walkable town makes the stay easy, and St. Pete, Plantation Yacht Harbor, and Sunset Harbour all fit the bill.
Call the dockmaster before you go to confirm slip availability, power, and rates. For more resort-style options, browse our list of the top marina resorts.
