About a decade ago, when the MegaDock opened at Safe Harbor Charleston City, the 454-foot Lürssen Rising Sun pulled in. Folks in South Carolina were treated to a sight normally reserved for the likes of Southeast Florida, Monaco or St. Barts.

Now, the marina is building a new MegaDock to welcome even more of the world’s biggest yachts. While the original MegaDock held Rising Sun, the new one will be big enough to take four or five of them.

“We’re planning to have a portion of the new MegaDock up and running by January,” says David Isom, the marina’s general manager. “These new concrete floating docks that are being custom made for us—they make the original MegaDock look small.”

Plans are for the whole project to be completed by December 2024. The superyacht spots will have high-speed in-slip fueling that can pump 150 gallons per minute as well as shore-power plug-ins capable of handling vessels that size. And the amenities will be accessible to smaller yachts too, Isom says: “The MegaDock typically does around 5,000 transients per year, all kinds of boats, and we sell over a million gallons of diesel fuel. The goal with this project is to double that business.”

Inside the marina, docks are also being built to handle catamarans, whose owners often have trouble finding wide enough slips. Isom says for all types of boats that pull in at Safe Harbor Charleston City, the goal is to make sure they receive the same level of service and amenities found at top locations in South Florida or Newport, Rhode Island.

“The marina space is stuck in the motel world. Thirty, 40, 50 years ago, our parents went to motels,” he says. “Now, we have hotels. Safe Harbor is turning the motel business into the hotel business of marinas. There’s a network. Every property is different, but the goal is the same: to have high-end amenities, first-class service and state-of-the-art facilities. That’s what we’re making.”

Safe Harbor

Safe Harbor Charleston City is part of a network of more than 130 marinas. Superyachts are a focus at locations such as Rybovich and Lauderdale Marine Center in Southeast Florida, as well as at Newport Shipyard in Rhode Island.

• Membership in the network includes unlimited complimentary transient nights wherever there’s availability, making the marinas a fan favorite among long-distance cruisers.
• E-Boat experiences are an option at some of the properties. The company has a partnership with e-boat builder X Shore.
• Amazon lockers are also available at some locations, giving cruisers a place to have packages delivered and waiting.

Charleston

Downtown Charleston is a blend of history and modern expansion, with the city dating to 1670 and still growing today.

• King Street is the heart of the historic downtown, with shopping, restaurants, art and antiques.
• South Carolina Aquarium overlooks the harbor and has touch tanks, educational exhibits and kid-friendly experiences.
• The Gibbes Museum of Art has a first floor that is free and open to the public, with tours available on Wednesdays and Fridays.
• Fort Sumter is at the entrance to Charleston Harbor. It’s overseen by the National Park Service, whose ranger tours offer a chance to learn about where the Civil War began. 

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For centuries, boaters have been drawn to Norfolk, Virginia, as the unofficial center of the Tidewater region. The city has the Elizabeth River (shown at right) to its west and the Chesapeake Bay to its north, creating all kinds of options for recreational cruising. Norfolk is also home to the world’s largest naval base, the US Navy’s Naval Station Norfolk, and to a NATO Strategic Command headquarters. Forget about yacht-spotting in vacation destinations like Monaco or St. Barts; ship-spotting the impressive military vessels that operate in these waters is a delight that cannot be experienced anywhere else.

There are nearly a dozen marinas for recreational boaters in Norfolk proper, with more in nearby Portsmouth and Chesapeake, Virginia. Local knowledge for maintenance and service is quite strong, given that some of the greatest naval-thinking minds on the planet are here.

When it’s time to get off the boat and explore, Downtown Norfolk lines the waterfront and is packed with restaurants, shops, nightlife and other attractions. The Nauticus maritime discovery center has the battleship Wisconsin on-site and open for tours, along with exhibits and classes for adults and kids alike.

Just a few of the eateries in this part of the city include the Blue Moon Taphouse, with live music and rooftop seating; the Carolina Cupcakery, serving 365 flavors of the sweet stuff; and the PBR Norfolk, which is a country bar with free eight-second rides on a mechanical bull. The first Friday of every month, there’s no cover charge for military personnel, veterans, first responders and public-service members—who also get to  skip the line at the door.

Boaters seeking a different kind of entertainment can check out the nearby Virginia Symphony Orchestra and Virginia Stage Co. This fall’s family-friendly offerings include a Halloween Spooktacular at the symphony, as well as the classic musical “Fiddler on the Roof” at the theater.

Marinas

Some of the options for tying up in Norfolk include Little Creek Marina, which offers transient dockage year-round for boats up to 120 feet length overall. And they’ll let you stay for up to a month in the transient slip. Waterside Marina is where to see the superyachts, with dockage for boats up to 300 feet long. This marina is within walking distance of the Waterside District, including the Nauticus maritime discovery center and Harbor Park Stadium, home of the AAA baseball team the Norfolk Tides. Morningstar Little Creek Marina has slips for boats as big as 65 feet, with daily and weekly bookings for transients. There’s a restaurant on-site.

Glass Art

If you’re looking to get off the boat for a couple of days and relax in a hotel downtown, consider the Glass Light Hotel and Gallery. It is home to the Perry Glass Art Collection, with a rotating selection of pieces on display from local and international artists. It’s a big collection, spanning two floors and about 65 pieces. The Gallery is open to the public, with free entry for hotel guests. Also part of this hotel is the Glass Light restaurant, whose menu is packed with French-inspired New American cuisine. The restaurant serves breakfast as well as dinner, with dishes such as blue crab cavatelli, steak frites, Joyce Farms duck breast and seared tuna.

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About halfway between Seattle and Vancouver, the city of Anacortes, Washington, stands as a terrific jumping-off point for some of the best cruising in the Pacific Northwest. And it’s not just geography that makes Anacortes a great stopover; it’s also the region’s marine services, which offer just about everything.

More than two dozen boatyards and service centers are here or close by, focused on electrical systems, carpentry, re-powers and more. Gig Harbor Marina & Boatyard handles gelcoat repair, plumbing, mast rigging and other needs. Over at CSR Marine, boaters can find a pair of 70-ton Travelifts for haul-outs of boats as big as 80 feet length overall. Lighthouse Marine has outboard engines in stock for yachtsmen whose tenders need a boost. Others offer upholstery repair, paint jobs, prop work and additional specialty services.

One reason there’s so much dedicated marine knowledge here is that Anacortes has a busy marine terminal. Recreational boaters should be prepared to see—and steer clear of—shipping and ferry traffic in these waterways.

But just beyond the main routes, there are beautiful spots to explore, including the San Juan Islands. They’re about 20 miles away as the crow flies, making them accessible for day cruises as well as longer itineraries. Yachtsmen have long loved the San Juans for their scenic beauty, with occasional whale sightings, great hiking trails and memorable views of Mount Baker.

But don’t give Anacortes itself the short shrift; the historic downtown has buildings that date to the 19th century. One that sells marine supplies today used to house an eclectic mix of groceries, cigars and shooting galleries. Some of the restaurants are worth a stop too, for a sit-down meal or for takeout. The menu at Adrift includes burgers made with locally sourced cod, salmon or oysters, just in case you get skunked out on the boat trying to catch your own fish.

Check Out More: Yacht Towns

Cap Sante

This marina is within walking distance of historic downtown Anacortes. Amenities for boaters include free wi-fi, along with showers, laundry, pump-out and loaner bicycles. A dog park is across the street. The on-site restaurant is Anthony’s, which serves lunch, dinner and a Sunday brunch featuring smoked salmon scrambled eggs.

City History

Anacortes is named for Anne Curtis Bowman, whose husband, Amos, was a railroad surveyor who founded the town in 1879. Fishing was a mainstay of the economy from the start, with the town eventually growing into a city whose nickname was the Salmon Canning Capital of the World. Steamships and launches known as the Mosquito Fleet helped people get around Puget Sound in the days when water travel was preferable to traveling by road. Today, the most frequently visited destination for many visitors is the Washington State Ferries terminal, which provides access to several of the islands in the San Juans as well as to British Columbia.

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The city of Charleston, South Carolina—which was known as Charles Town back in the day, an homage to King Charles II—is the state’s largest city today. Its history as a major trading port means the culture combines what’s typically considered to be southern American with influences from Britain, France and West Africa. All of it makes for truly memorable options when it comes to museums, music and dining, in particular.

Boaters can start to sample the local fare after tying up at Safe Harbor Charleston City, which has the waterfront Marina Variety Store Restaurant on site and within walking distance of the boat slips. The restaurant offers takeout to eat back on board, or indoor and outdoor seating for dining with a view. The menu ranges from fresh local shrimp to po’boy sandwiches and sides of collard greens—some of the best-known recipes of this region. Other Lowcountry favorites that visitors can sample in restaurants around town include fried green tomatoes, shrimp and grits, and Charleston red rice (which is made by cooking white rice with bacon, onion, garlic and tomato paste).

Charleston’s museums and historical sites are equally tempting in their variety. The Powder Magazine, which is located inside one of the state’s oldest buildings, celebrates gunpowder, while Fort Sumter, where the Civil War’s first shots were fired, has boat tours available. 

Also worth some touring time is Charleston’s music scene. At the end of this month, Charleston Music Hall will welcome back Gregory Porter, a bone-deep baritone whose style mixes jazz, soul, blues and gospel. Yes, he’s the same Gregory Porter who had an acclaimed role in the original 1999 Broadway musical It Ain’t Nothin’ but the Blues. Like the city itself, he’s still winning new fans.

Outdoor Fun

The temperature in Charleston can get as warm as the low 60s during February. Cypress Gardens has miles of garden trails to explore, along with a “swamparium” reptile center with venomous snakes. The ocean course at Kiawah Island is a top destination for golfers, with winds coming off the water to create a challenging day on the links. Sullivan’s Island is home to one of several beaches in the city. It’s a popular choice for kayaking, paddleboarding and fishing.

Safe Harbor Charleston City

Home of the Mega Dock—and able to accommodate yachts as large as 455 feet length overall—this marina welcomes transient boaters with complimentary Wi-Fi, shore power, pump-out and more.

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