A Boater's Guide to Marinas in the Florida Keys

The Florida Keys are a boating destination disguised as a highway. Every mile marker hides a cut, a flat, a reef line, or a basin, and the marinas strung along the Overseas Highway are how boaters plug into it, whether for a transient night on the way to Key West or a dry rack that holds the boat between weekend crossings. Here are eight marinas in the Waypoint directory, listed top of the Keys to bottom. Every fact comes from the marina's audited listing or its own website.

Oceanside or bayside

The first question in the Keys is which side of the islands you run. The oceanside route follows Hawk Channel, a marked lane between the islands and the reef with dependable depth for most cruisers. The bayside route crosses Florida Bay and the Gulf flats, prettier in settled weather and thinner everywhere. Where your marina sits decides which water you see most, so match the basin to the boat: deeper sail and sportfish boats generally favor oceanside access, while skiffs, flats boats, and pontoons live happily bayside.

The marinas, Key Largo to Key West

Pilot House Marina in Key Largo sits at mile marker 99.6 with 50 wet slips, 75 dry rack spaces, gasoline and diesel with ValvTect, haul out for boats to 25 feet, and pump-out service, plus 30 to 100 amp electric, laundry, showers, and a captains lounge.

Also in Key Largo, Keys Marina at Manatee Bay runs dry stack storage with a travel lift and a high capacity forklift that handles vessels up to 60 feet, unusual reach for a dry stack operation.

In Islamorada, Bud N' Mary's Sportfishing Marina has anchored mile marker 79.8 since 1944. It is a working sportfishing hub: dockage, fuel, offshore and backcountry charter fleets, party boat fishing, a tackle store, a cafe, and lodging.

Down at mile marker 73.5 on Lower Matecumbe Key, Caloosa Cove Marina & Resort offers wet slips, transient and long term dockage, dry storage, online slip reservations, fishing charters, and a general store, all beside a 30 suite resort.

In Marathon, Ocean View Marina runs covered dry storage barns with 165 racks for boats up to 40 feet. Nearby, Driftwood Marina & Storage provides marina slips and boat storage right on the Overseas Highway in the Middle Keys.

At the end of the road, Key West has two Waypoint-listed options. Hurricane Hole Marina on Cow Key Channel offers dockage, boat storage, marina services, and boat rentals through an online reservation system. And Conch Harbor Marina at 951 Caroline Street puts you near the historic seaport with wet and transient slips, a ValvTect fuel dock, water top-off, bait and fishing supplies, a ship store, and charters.

Planning a Keys berth

Two practical notes shape every Keys marina decision. First, dry storage is king here: hurricane season runs June through November, and a rack or trailer spot beats a wet slip when a storm cone appears. Second, book transient slips early for winter. The same weather that empties northern marinas fills Keys basins from December through April, and the popular stops take reservations months out.

Depth matters too. Much of the bayside is thin water, so confirm draft and approach depth with the marina before you commit, especially for sailboats and larger sportfish heading bayside of the islands.

Find your spot

These eight are a starting point, not the whole picture. Browse every verified listing on the Florida Keys storage and marina page, where Waypoint checks each business against its own website before listing. And if you need something specific, a rack for a 36 footer, a slip with 100 amp service, post it on In Search Of and matching Keys pros get the request by email with one tap to take the job.