Captain Rob's marina comparisons · 2026

Best Marinas around Chicago and Lake Michigan

I'm Captain Rob, a USCG-licensed captain with 30 years on Lake Erie. Here are the Chicago & Lake Michigan marinas currently covered by DockWise. Docking Difficulty tells you how demanding docking can be; Marina Quality separately compares docks, amenities and overall facility quality.

A = easiest to dock, D = hardest. Quality is scored out of 100.

Ranked among 10 published DockWise reports, not every marina in the region. Equal grades share a docking rank; quality breaks list-order ties. Unrated marinas remain in the full table.

Chicago harbor notes

Diversey and Jackson Park Inner accept power boats only because of entrance bridges; confirm your air draft with each harbor.

Monroe Harbor uses mooring cans, not slips. Its mooring-based approach grade is not assessed yet and is excluded from slip-docking rankings.

Easiest to dock

59th Street Harbor
Chicago, IL · Baseline docking A · Quality 66/100
Hammond Marina
Gold Anchor 2026
Hammond, IN · Baseline docking A- · Quality 87/100
31st Street Harbor
Silver Anchor 2026
Chicago, IL · Baseline docking B+ · Quality 86/100
Montrose Harbor
Chicago, IL · Baseline docking B+ · Quality 70/100
Burnham Harbor
Silver Anchor 2026
Chicago, IL · Baseline docking B · Quality 86/100

Highest marina quality

Hammond Marina
Gold Anchor 2026
Hammond, IN · Baseline docking A- · Quality 87/100
31st Street Harbor
Silver Anchor 2026
Chicago, IL · Baseline docking B+ · Quality 86/100
Burnham Harbor
Silver Anchor 2026
Chicago, IL · Baseline docking B · Quality 86/100
Belmont Harbor Boat Docks
Silver Anchor 2026
IL · Baseline docking B- · Quality 83/100
Diversey Harbor
Chicago, IL · Baseline docking B- · Quality 79/100
Power boats only because of entrance bridge clearance. Confirm your air draft with the harbor before arriving.

Best for newer boaters

A or B docking grades and Good or better quality (70+), not a personalized recommendation.

Hammond Marina
Gold Anchor 2026
Hammond, IN · Baseline docking A- · Quality 87/100
31st Street Harbor
Silver Anchor 2026
Chicago, IL · Baseline docking B+ · Quality 86/100
Montrose Harbor
Chicago, IL · Baseline docking B+ · Quality 70/100
Burnham Harbor
Silver Anchor 2026
Chicago, IL · Baseline docking B · Quality 86/100
Belmont Harbor Boat Docks
Silver Anchor 2026
IL · Baseline docking B- · Quality 83/100

All Chicago & Lake Michigan marina reports

More columns →

Chicago & Lake Michigan marina docking grades and quality scores
Marina	City / state	Baseline grade	Quality /100	Boater rating
59th Street Harbor	Chicago, IL	A	66	—
Hammond Marina Gold Anchor 2026	Hammond, IN	A-	87	—
31st Street Harbor Silver Anchor 2026	Chicago, IL	B+	86	—
Montrose Harbor	Chicago, IL	B+	70	—
Burnham Harbor Silver Anchor 2026	Chicago, IL	B	86	—
Jackson Park Inner Harbor	Chicago, IL	B	68	—
Belmont Harbor Boat Docks Silver Anchor 2026	IL	B-	83	—
Diversey Harbor	Chicago, IL	B-	79	—
DuSable Harbor	Chicago, IL	B-	75	—
Jackson Park Outer Harbor	Chicago, IL	B-	73	—

How we grade

Docking grades use the marina's measured layout, fairway room and historical prevailing wind. They are not today's weather forecast. Marina Quality uses the report's dock condition, amenities, setting and available value information. These are two separate scores, not customer star reviews. A specific slip and your own boat can make docking more or less demanding.

Before you choose a marina

What is the easiest marina to dock at in the Chicago & Lake Michigan area?

59th Street Harbor has the easiest published docking grade, A, among the Chicago & Lake Michigan marinas currently in DockWise. A means easiest to dock; D means hardest.

Which Chicago & Lake Michigan marinas are best for new boaters?

Hammond Marina (A-, quality 87/100); 31st Street Harbor (B+, quality 86/100); Montrose Harbor (B+, quality 70/100); Burnham Harbor (B, quality 86/100); Belmont Harbor Boat Docks (B-, quality 83/100). These marinas have A or B docking grades and quality scores of at least 70/100. Your boat, slip and experience still matter.

Get YOUR docking grade

Every grade on this page is a baseline for the marina. Search your marina, then tap your slip to see its free grade first.

Add your boat and experience for YOUR personal grade (about 10 more minutes).