On 4/22/13, as part of a NE Florida – Georgia wish list, we posed the following question:

3. Statute Mile 796- I know that many of you have visited with, and had a good experience at Marineland Marina, north of maker #89. Please let us hear what you found so special about this facility.

Responses follow:

Our boat is presently at Marineland. We were there a few days before having to come home for a month and enjoyed it so much will stay another 4 days or so before we head north. If you love walks on the beach or on trails, kayaking and nature you will love Marineland. The staff are wonderful!
Tom and Jan Hines on Laughter

We love Marineland Marina. Everyone there is most helpful and makes sure you have everything you need. They will lend you a car to provision at Publix and get supplies at the hardware store. The bathrooms are kept clean and tidy, laundry is free, and you even get discounts on Marineland tours and kayaking ecotours with Ripple Effect. You can walk in the maritime forest, cross the street to a beautiful deserted beach, and hear the ocean from your boat. Dolphins come and feed each evening in the marina basin. We were treated like family and plan to make a trip to Marineland part of our journey each year. Bravo to Chris Kelley for providing cruisers with a wonderful haven.
Dick and Sue Schneider

The staff is professional and though they do not have all the frills (fuel, captains lounge) they do have free pump-out and the beach is across the street. If you’re looking for a restful stop-over, this is the place to be and the price is right.
Robert & Carolyn Wilson
MY Sea Island Girl

We spent a week at this facility on our way south and are spending a month here on our way north. Chris, the dockmaster, and his staff are friendly, helpful and go out of their way to make cruisers feel welcome. It’s the kind of place where cruisers may stop intending to stay for a day or two and end up staying much longer. There are beautiful beaches, walking trails and mangroves to explore by dinghy. This is a marina for nature-lovers — there are no restaurants within walking distance and nothing to “do” other than enjoy the natural surroundings. Dockage rates are a steal — $1.00/foot per night and tempting rates for weekly or monthly stays. If you draw more than five feet, however, getting into and out of the marina would be difficult.
Captain Mary
S/V Intermezzo

We were one of the first boats to stay there when they reopened. The two staff guys are amazingly great. We have been there several times now and at $1/ft, given the location, it is tone of the best deals going. Just across the street is the beach, Marineland itself where you can see dolphins and a snack bar. Provisions are difficult to obtain but sometimes Eric’s car is available, even though it is not the marina’s courtesy car (it is his personal car) he often is seen loaning it out. If you borrow it,please fill it up for him. Also, dink across the waterway to see one of the largest protected lands in all of the USA where you can see all kind of critters. Also, at Marineland, they have a group that will take you over on kayaks. This is an example of if marinas do not overcharge, they will always have business. As we have traveled FLA these past two years (from our home port in NC), we see many empty marinas that are charging $2 or more and have few boats in them.
John Winter

Stayed here 4 20 13 Well received and clean, easy to get in and out. Would stay here again.
Greg and Donna on
Lady in Red

The dockmaster and assistants are excellent, very friendly and there is nothing that they would not do for you. At $1/ft with free laundry and excellent, clean restrooms you simply cannot go wrong. Stay three nights and the dockmaster will lend you his personal car to go grocery shopping.
Werner & Kathie Steuernagel

Claiborne,
We spent some time in Marineland Marina recently and found them to be exceptional people. If they didn’t know your name by the time your dock lines were secured, you probably stayed inside for that docking. This is a small marina but lots of helpful people. It is well protected in winds and storms. When we experienced a medical emergency, the staff did everything possible to make a bad situation as good as anyone could expect. We feel they are now part of our boating family and we won’t miss an opportunity to stop to say hello whether by land or sea.
Tom Conrad
m/v True North

We are here now…stopped in to wait out the winds..rates are great…power and water. Chris and all the marina crew are terrific..great help coming in, free pumpout, nice laundry and showers..like new..marina is very clean and dolphins play in the harbor.
Visited the Matanzas fort, had a great lunch at the Matanzas inlet restaurant, spent earth day at Washington Oaks Park, beautiful beach across the street you can walk with your dog, Marineland Dolphin Center and took a sunset eco kayak tour with Brandon..like a mini holiday..bikes help but you can use a loaner car to get to Publix or further out
Slomocean..Karen and Gary Holtze

We stayed two nights at this little marina after leaving St. Augustine in January. Although w have had lots of helpful folks at many marinas, these guys win the prize for the most helpful. As rookies we needed all the help we could get, especially getting into tight places. It is a pretty spot to walk around, and they took folks into town once a day to get groceries. We got a free pass to the marineland center as well. The marina and the surrounding environment was very clean, and they sponsored kayak nature excursions. The beautiful beach was right across the road from the marina.
Tim and Lisa Keith-Lucas
Santa Catalina de Guale

Bad weather forced us in to Daytona and up ICW as we were heading north after wintering in the Keys. Stayed at Marineland as we are familiar with it. Eric and other staff are super, from tying up to helping us visit Publix which is about 5 miles away. We had to stay 3 nights due to storm but there is no better deal on the ICW. The secret seems to be out about how good everything here is as it was packed. The price and `laidback atmosphere’ are hard to beat.
Bill Charleston,
S/V Frolic

Click Here To View the Eastern Florida Cruisers’ Net Marina Directory Listing For Marineland Marina

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Marineland Marina