Baltimore’s marinas fall into a few clear groups, and the area you pick shapes your boating more than any single amenity. City marinas put you in the middle of restaurants, hotels and water taxis. The marinas on Middle River, in Baltimore County, sit on quieter creeks with boatyards and ramps. This guide describes each area using what the marinas there publish on their own websites. The full comparison is on our Marinas.
Inner Harbor and Harbor East
The Inner Harbor and Harbor East are the most urban places to keep a boat in Baltimore. The marinas here describe themselves as being in the centre of the city’s waterfront, within walking distance of dining and attractions.
- The Inner Harbor marina on Key Highway lists transient slips booked online, monthly and annual dockage, a gas and diesel dock, in-slip pump-out and a parking garage on site.
- The Harbor East marina lists floating docks with full-length finger piers, gated access, 30, 50 and 100 amp power and space for boats up to 500 feet overall, with annual availability depending on vessel size.
This area suits visitors, owners who use the boat as a place to entertain, and anyone who wants the city at the end of the dock.
Fells Point
Fells Point’s marina is set among the old streets of one of the city’s historic waterfront neighborhoods. The marina there describes 256 deep-water floating slips for boats from 15 to 85 feet, seasonal and annual leases, wide slips for catamarans and an on-site pump-out station. It also presents itself as a destination for liveaboards, with winter water service, which few of the marina websites we checked mention.
Canton
Canton, along Boston Street, has the most marinas of the city areas we list, and it is where slip ownership is most visible.
| Marina type in Canton | What their sites say |
|---|---|
| Full-service marina | Annual and seasonal slips, transient slips booked online, gated slips year-round, in-slip pump-out and parking |
| Marina with slip memberships | Docking for a day, a season or year-round, and slips that can be bought as a membership |
| Private club | Thirty slips available to rent or own, with gated access |
Canton suits owners who want a residential neighborhood and walking access to Canton Square and Fells Point, and those interested in owning a slip; see Buying a Boat Slip in Baltimore: Memberships, Clubs and Deeded Slips.
Tip: Visit on a busy summer Saturday before you sign anywhere in the city. The water taxis, tour boats and visiting boats are part of the experience, for better or worse.
Middle River
Middle River is in Baltimore County, east of the city, with marinas spread along creeks such as Frog Mortar Creek, Dark Head Creek and Galloway Creek. The marinas here describe a different kind of boating:
- One lists 360 slips, ground-level racks, trailer spaces, a dual concrete ramp, a dry sail forklift service and a pump-out station.
- Another lists wet slips and lift slips, a gas dock, pump-outs, winter storage and outboard service.
- A third lists annual slip leases, slips for sale, transient space and a fuel pier.
Middle River suits trailer boats, sport boats, owners who want storage and service in the same place, and anyone who would rather be closer to the open Bay than to downtown.
What you will not find on a website
Marina websites describe services, but some of the most important details only show up in person: how exposed the slips are to wakes and wind, how far you carry gear from the parking to the boat, how the docks feel at night and how responsive the office is. Walk the docks, talk to slip holders if you can, and ask the dockmaster how the marina handles storms and winter ice. A short transient stay before committing to a season is the most reliable test. Bring your boat’s length, beam and draft when you visit, so the marina can tell you straight away which slips could fit.
How to decide
- How do you use the boat? Evenings at the dock favor the city; long days on the Bay may favor Middle River.
- Do you need a boatyard? Racks, ramps, storage and service are listed mostly by the Middle River marinas.
- Will you live aboard? Ask each marina; only some mention liveaboards.
- Do you want to own? Canton and Middle River marinas list slips to buy.
- How will you get there? Check parking and travel time at the hours you actually go boating.
Next steps
Once you have a shortlist, compare the kinds of dockage in Transient, Seasonal or Annual: Choosing a Slip in Baltimore and read the lease closely with What a Boat Slip Agreement Should Say. Then call the marinas: services and availability change by season, and the only up-to-date answer comes from the marina itself.