Looking for Ft. Lauderdale Marina Recommendations

I’m thinking of taking my boat to FL for the winter and my crew would love to stay in Ft. Lauderdale area for number reasons like better/warmer climate, great entertainment, close to number of cruising destination (including Bahamas, which is on our bucket list), close to the major airports, etc.

While visiting earlier, we’ve looked at few marinas and so far our pick is Loggerhead of Hollywood.

Does anyone have experience with them?

Do you have recommendations on less expensive but still good alternative marinas?

I’ve also tried searching for some private slips, but those that I found didn’t look to be in desirable neighborhoods, although the rate was very attractive.

If anyone has good source for private classifieds for Ft. Ldrl, I would greatly appreciate. So, far I’ve looked at docksearch and craigslist.

I would check out Royale Palm Yacht Basin (Our Marina) which is actually Dania but 5 mins from Fort Lauderdale, and right by US1.

You've been to Loggerhead in person, and think that's a ok place? To me, it's exactly opposite of why you would buy a boat. If I wanted to look at houses and condos, I would just buy a house or a condo, but even then DEFINITELY not there. I detest even driving into the ticky tack subdivisions Loggerhead has most its marinas. "West Broward". Epic yuck!
IF you plan to actually use the boat, I would recomend down the Intracoastal to where it actually opens up from being a ditch. Turnberry in Aventura is the most northern I would suggest. Haulover Park is new, across the street from the beach, IN a park, across the intracoastal from Oleta River State Park that has 8 miles of mountain bike paths, and is just across the ocean inlet bridge to Bal Harbour shoppes. All easy walk or bike ride. Wide open bay views. For location where a car is not necessary for anything, I suggest Sunset Harbor on Miami Beach. You get what you pay for down in Miami. I mean do you like looking at beautiful people and yachts or the opposite?
If you just must be in Ft . Lauderdale and won't really be using the boat to cruise, then Marina Bay or Yacht Haven are cheap. Royal Palm and Harbortown have voracious noseeums! Don't have mosquitos or noseeums down at Haulover.

Pretty hard to beat the value of Loggerhead Hollywood, especially if you get a multi month seasonal lease. Great amenities, very secure, nice surroundings and location. Also you get complimentary transient dockage at their other marinas while your lease is in effect. We liked it the three months or so we stayed there one year, would be our first choice. In that area we have also stayed at Turnberry I$le in Aventura (great facility, but $$), Yachthaven (up the New River, funky but unique and pretty, we enjoyed it) and Marina Bay (also up the New River, very nice, but the upper New River locations don't lend themselves to your stated use)

The issue with private docks is that legally, at least live aboard is not allowed. And there is the matter of no amenities, such as pump out.

If you are a "boaty" nothing beats Ft. L. especially if you are doing work on your boat; it's all there, in depth. Enjoy!

pilothouse king said:

You've been to Loggerhead in person, and think that's a ok place? To me, it's exactly opposite of why you would buy a boat. If I wanted to look at houses and condos, I would just buy a house or a condo, but even then DEFINITELY not there. If you plan to actually use the boat, I would recomend down the Intracoastal to where it actually opens up from being a ditch. Turnberry in Aventura is the most northern I would suggest. Haulover Park is new, across the street from the beach, IN a park, across the intracoastal from Oleta River State Park that has 8 miles of mountain bike paths, and is just across the inlet bridge to Bal Harbour shoppes. All easy walk or bike ride. Wide open bay views.
if you just must be in Ft . Lauderdale and won't really be using the boat to cruise, then Marina Bay or Yacht Haven are cheap. Royal Palm and Harbortown have voracious noseeums! Don't have mosquitos or noseeums down at Haulover.
Bay or Yacht Haven

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Looks like we over typed each other. I sense you had some dispute with Loggerhead. How can you characterize its surroundings as any different than Aventura (in particular), or Marina Bay???!! We liked the location from a boating perspective (easy to Haulover or Everglades). The neighborhood around the marina is great and the land based security excellent. Fantastic pool and gym and other shoreside stuff. A few minutes, even a nice long walk to great shopping and grocery and restaurants and beaches. Close to FTL airport. C'Mon man!

I agree with George on Loggerhead.

I also like Marina Bay. Heck I lived on a boat there for a year and a half. Great place, great location, great staff. But it is up the river.

The problem with private docks is very few of the allow live aboards due to zoning. Are you planning to be on the boat full time or off and on?

I do know of some docks just across the middle river from Galleria Mall off Sunrise that can be had for a reasonable price. Pm me and I can put you in touch with the owner if you want. He may have something or know of something available around his area. It's off of NE 20th Ave. You can walk/bike ride to the mall, the beach, a movie theater, some good restaurants & bars, etc.

Great responses, guys. Keep them coming.

We've been in person to Loggerhead and Marina Bay. As George described, it's a great place with lots to offer at very competitive price. We liked Marina Bay as well and it's #2 on our list, after Loggerhead. I'm not sure what pilothouse_king meant by cheap, but Marina Bay is priced in the $25 p/f/m range. IMO, its far from being cheap.

Having kids in school we're tied to the school schedule and plan on going to the boat during kids school breaks and holidays. Our primary goal is to use the boat and cruise to different destination time/weather allows. We would be looking for more local destination when visiting for long weekends getaways and longer distance (Bahamas or Keys) while there for longer stay (X-mass/New Year break and of course Spring Break).

Bill,

I'm interested to hear more details, so PM will follow shortly.

Go Southwest Florida or the Keys quieter and much more laid back especially if you are short on time ie school breaks etc.

gwkiwi said:

Go Southwest Florida or the Keys quieter and much more laid back especially if you are short on time ie school breaks etc.

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I know what you mean, but with younger kids I need to find the balance in terms of entertainment. I also need to account for some non-boating weather. This is where FTL area would provide extra activities, IMO.

I think you might find Miami an attractive option. Several nice marinas in a range of prices, good shore side entertainment, and a great jumping off location for both the Bahamas and the Keys. Biscayne Bay is great for one or two day cruising. I know of a really great marine supply store there as well.

No dispute with Loggerhead. I just find most all to be offensive to my sensibility of what quality and Florida used to be, and a poster child of what "New Florida" has become. All exactly why I just moved north of Fort Pierce where Old Florida still exists under our grand oaks dripping Spanish moss, where boiled peanuts are sold at every gas station.

Now up the road is yet another Loggerhead in more "new Florida" (only damn yankees could suffer that "cute" urban sprawl camouflaged with tile roofs!) Jupiter one is even worse! Suburbia on steroids. If I had to put a good spin on them, it would be that; I reckon that there's a huge population of lonely rich divorcees and widows within only a couple hundred feet of your boat. Probably lots of Lexus SCs to borrow and Schnauzers to walk? That's all I can come up with in the win column. Of course, you're likely next. beware the hunter being hunted.

I just happen to remember what the one in Hallandale/Hollywood looked like before they surrounded it with all those cookie cutter homes, and built that idiotic guard gate which does nothing but slow (plus all the speed bumps, for what a mile?) you down by having to speak to rent a cop's. They're going to let you in anyway, so why the horseshit with questions? Its not like you can't come and go from two directions by boat all day or night without having to talk to minimum wage employees in uniforms with all the power of a clicker.

"Security" like that just aggravates honest people, the thieves come in by boat, OR with straw hats with leaf blowers, or get jobs as security guards so they have the keys. There's NO view from there, other than old highrises on the beach. I guess if you love the sound of gas powered lawnmowers and leaf blowers it's perfect.. LONG walk out of there to what-a Walmart? Cmon, nothing quality about that place at all. Long ride down the ditch in both directions to either inlet. Since it's in a "hole" there's not much in fresh air in there when somebody fires up their old GMs and Cats.
Going by tender to Le Tub is only good thing it has going. US I due west looks like a great place to score a whore or crack. When Tim Dorsey uses Motels there as location for his novels, you know you've found a "interesting" neighborhood. Traffic on Hallandale Beach Blvd? Gridlock in season.Take Pembroke to the I, and your in serious ghetto.
At least Marina Bay is relatively wide open to the north, full of big beautiful yachts, has an outdoor restaurant on the premises, a great boatyard om premises, and half a dozen more within a half mile. Even more restaurants just across the street, amd Lil Reds less than a half mile to the east. The I and the Turnpike are close too, plus fresh water.
MIAMI is where the quality boating/vacation experiences are located. Any further questions? I hate Broward County, can you tell? Just a second rate suburb of Miami. Lol

Pilothouse King don't hold back now! LOL

All kidding aside, this is what is great about this forum, many perspectives to hear.

"Going by tender to Le Tub is only good thing it has going."

I've spent an inordinate amount of time in that area over the past seven years for work. If it were not for those trips we would never have found our Nordic Tug. Loved going to Le Tub! But, sadly, I've heard that it is closing down becuase they sold their land to the new Margaritaville complex going in across the street. While I'm sure the new development will bring more tourists and jobs, it is sad to see such an institution shutting its doors.

Carolena said:

"Going by tender to Le Tub is only good thing it has going."

I've spent an inordinate amount of time in that area over the past seven years for work. If it were not for those trips we would never have found our Nordic Tug. Loved going to Le Tub! But, sadly, I've heard that it is closing down becuase they sold their land to the new Margaritaville complex going in across the street. While I'm sure the new development will bring more touril4sts and jobs, it is sad to see such an institution shutting its doors.

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Well, there goes the one good thing Hollywood Beach had going. You know what Broward County reminds me of? The tv show The View. Somehow that show sums up everything about" the Broward County experience", vs for example the Jimi Hendrix Experience, which is Miami. I guess I should update that to the; Shakira, Fat Joe, Pitbull, Mark Anthony lexperience, because they're the current soundtrack, and live there.

The good news on the waterfront is that Shuckers in North Bay Village recently reopened after rebuilding the part that collapsed in the bay. Plenty of piers for free dockage. Wide open bay views, NO no wake zone, and plenty of free parking if coming by car. Viva Miami.

Oh, and if you stay at Sunset Harbor Marina as I originally suggested, you can either walk over or dingy over to The Standard (the old Lido, been there forever)on Belle Isle and dine outdoors overlooking the wide open bay, but only if you don't mind all the topless models at the pool next to you. If your offended by that, then of course Broward County is the place to be.

For a 42 foot boat there may be some dockage available at some of the apartment complexes off Las Olas Blvd in Fort Lauderdale. Because it is zoned for multi units living aboard is allowed. In most residential neighborhoods staying on board is not allowed by zoning. Look online for WATERFRONT TIMES, a local monthly newspaper in the classified section. I live a short distance from Las Olas and can inspect the dock for you as a TF courtesy.
Some boaters will rent behind a house for lower rates and then move the boat to a marina when they want to stay on board.

further proof Miami is a more fun town than elsewhere

Random Pixels Blog: A Miami police officer got himself arrested this morning by Miami Beach cops on a crap-load of charges

. . "Sheesh, whatever happened to reciprocity?" he must have asked them.
I LOVE Miami.

They should have just handed him a gun and let him get it over with. Think of the money saved.

Ya gotta love south Florida. It's always entertaining.

I second Pilothouse King's recommendation of Sunset Harbor. I stayed there one weekend and had a very pleasant visit. There's a big grocery store across the street and good public transportation near by. Lots of good restaurants on South Beach.

Dinner Key in Coconut Grove is an option as well. It's a city run marina so not as fancy but a lot of things to do within walking distance.

No dispute with Loggerhead.

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Oh no, obviously not you!

Do you listen to your customers as well as you did the OP here?

We're trying to help him find places his family, including young kids and wife can have fun, feel safe in , and have easy access to non-boating related activities, and not be a long drive from the airport. And that airport being a little more family friendly and less zoo-like than MIA (meaning about any other airport in the USA).

Back to the OP now: We really like the New River marinas, the two we stayed at are Marina Bay and I am sure much more to phk's liking the greatness of the Yachthaven, which is about as old Old Florida as you can get. Got the bonus of meeting Captain Bill there and being introduced to Yuengling beer by same (yes, we stayed moored to the bulkhead!)
We loved exploring the entire area with our Whaler. We made a point of trying to stay there for a week or two at least every year. We also made some life long friends with our RV neighbors (it is a primarily an RV park with a lot of upscale seasonal tenants))

As I got used to navigating the New River over the years in the big boat, I came to enjoy it. But the first trip or two can be a real white knuckler for a newbie (do not attempt on a weekend!), and it adds a fair amount of time to getting the big boat to cruising destinations. I'd advise consulting here and other forums and guides first to get a little first timer advice, as well as the excellent dock crew at Marina Bay. If you can get an experienced New River local to act as pilot, all the better. Of course, I did none of that and our first trip up was something an adventure, though we emerged unscathed.

Well I can see how the Yuengling would be a bonus. Meeting me, some would say perhaps not so much.

But it was a pleasure meeting you two as well George.

Best to both.

Miami International Airport= Cuban coffee by Versailles near front doors for seventy five cents. End of argument.

Here's a great concern for the New River; If those pendaoes get the All Aboard Florida thing built like they seem assured of doing (hard to fight China) they will be running 32 passenger trains a day PLUS 20 MORE freight trains each 2 miles long across the New River at the bridge near Andrews Blvd. Considering it takes 20 minutes to open and close it you -do the math.
Same at Loxahatchee in Jupiter, and same at St. Lucie in Stuart. In Stuart ALL those trains will be running 24 hours a day right smack beside and in front of what marina? Loggerhead. Hope you like train horns.
Floridanotallboard.com has the facts. I recommend ALL boaters sign the petition, and make the calls to our Governor. This will spell the end of boating west of any of these bridges unless you have an air draft of 7'. They expect to be running by 2015.

Tucker,
I appreciate the offer and the dock source tip. I'll be checking the online classifieds periodically.

George,
Thanks for navigational heads up. You bring up great point, but IMO, if a captain has a hard time navigating a small section of a canal/river, he shouldn't attempt to make 1200NM run getting there. :lol:

Miami is a great alternative. When we've stayed in FTL last time, we just ran out of time searching for marinas between Stuart and FTL. For now my approach is, if we end up staying in FTL, Miami will be one of the primary local destinations.

Alex,
if you do decide on Marina Bay or Yacht Haven give me 24 hours notice and will ride up the New River with you as a no charge river pilot. Every now and then I sell a boat to someone from the forums and that would be a good way to give some pay back.
Yacht Haven is unique, it is an RV park with canals with dockage. Small friendly place, but a car is needed to get anywhere except a few restaurants.

Tucker, what are all you marine businesses west of the FEC tracks doing about the All Aboard Florida plan? ! Martin County marine interests are all on top of this with lawyers, and meetings with the Governor. We've heard nothing from Broward County. Why not? I mean, you must be aware?Although I spoke to the gm of Lexus of North Miami who are separated from Biscayne Blvd., by these same tracks and they hadn't heard about it either. It's rather hush hush on purpose. Mayor of Ft. Lauderdale was against it, but they promised him a station, so now he's an advocate too. This will wipe out the marine intersts and real estate values it's whole length.
I mean who in 2015 wouldn't want to take a train from downtown Miami to the AIRPORT in Orlando? Mind you these tracks go through Ft. Lauderdale Airport, but no stops there. (!!!!)

pilothouse king said:

I hate Broward County, can you tell? Just a second rate suburb of Miami. Lol

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Wifey B: Then just keep your a... out of it....hehe.

We love Fort Lauderdale. More for boaters here than anywhere else. Dock at Las Olas and you're on the Beach. Bahia Mar and everything near. Moor at Las Olas. Anchor many places. Even dock along New River and enjoy the city. Great marinas in Dania. Loggerhead cool. But we cater to boaters and their families. Plus easy to get out at Port Everglades and go see the world, not be stuck just in a ditch.

Now unlike you, we would never bash our neighbors. We love Miami and West Palm. If you want more calm then West Palm would be great. Some wonderful marinas there. If you want excitement, Miami has it. We love South Beach but then you'll have to decide if a topless beach is right for your family.

God, there are so many wonderful places in South Florida. We love them all.

pilothouse king said:

Tucker, what are all you marine businesses west of the FEC tracks doing about the All Aboard Florida plan? ! Martin County marine interests are all on top of this with lawyers, and meetings with the Governor. We've heard nothing from Broward County. Why not? I mean, you must be aware?Although I spoke to the gm of Lexus of North Miami who are separated from Biscayne Blvd., by these same tracks and they hadn't heard about it either. It's rather hush hush on purpose. Mayor of Ft. Lauderdale was against it, but they promised him a station, so now he's an advocate too. This will wipe out the marine intersts and real estate values it's whole length.
I mean who in 2015 wouldn't want to take a train from downtown Miami to the AIRPORT in Orlando? Mind you these tracks go through Ft. Lauderdale Airport, but no stops there. (!!!!)

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Funny thing but I was talking to my parents about the train last week. Dumb idea to say the least. Who do they think is going to ride the train?

The traffic jams caused by this are going to be huge. There is going to be a big blow back if this goes though, not only from the boating interests, but from people who have to cross the rail road tracks.

Given that South FLA has horrible traffic, this is just going to make things even worse.

Later,
Dan

Miami International Airport= Cuban coffee by Versailles near front doors for seventy five cents. End of argument.

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Yep let's get those kids on that stuff right away...

I signed the petition awhile ago. As for Andrews Avenue, actually I have timed it an it takes more like 10, often less; we have had it opening for us when we got there, due to calling the bridge(s) ahead of it and advising we were coming all the way down or up. Unless of course it is closed for rush hour.

You bring up great point, but IMO, if a captain has a hard time navigating a small section of a canal/river, he shouldn't attempt to make 1200NM run getting there

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That's what I thought too. It's different; you'll see! Take Tucker up on his offer if you can. It's worth the cruise no matter what.

I'll give you one of a few applicable hints: extremely experienced captains of 80 ft+ transoceanic yachts, who have navigated many, many rivers and canals arrange to have said yacht towed up and down the river using two tow boats, bow and stern, pointed in each way.

It's the railroad bridge that will be the issue with over 50 new trains a day.
The one's next to I-95 will operate as at present.

pilothouse king said:

Miami International Airport= Cuban coffee by Versailles near front doors for seventy five cents. End of argument.

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Wifey B: We don't drink coffee....End of Argument.