Best Marinas on Lake St. Clair
More than thirty marinas dot Lake St. Clair, everything from single-owner yards on the Clinton River to gated resort-style operations on the Nautical Mile. This list ranks the five with the strongest, most consistent review record: real slip holders talking about staff, upkeep, and price, not marketing copy. Every pick has at least forty recent Google reviews behind it, and we read the newest thirty on each before ranking.
Updated
- UNRIEHL MarinaSmall, quiet slips with hands-on owners
Marinas · New Baltimore
The last 30 Google reviews for this New Baltimore marina run almost entirely 5-star, with zero 1 or 2-star reviews in that stretch. Reviewers keep naming the owners directly, calling them fast to respond and easy to work with, and a few call out fair pricing for the area. It reads as a small, low-drama operation: a gas dock, a quiet basin, and people who answer the phone.
It has no Marinas.com or Reddit presence to check against, so this rank leans entirely on Google.
36250 Surfside Dr, New Baltimore, MI 48047 · (586) 300-5567
- Bryers Cottage MarinaFamily-run marina with regulars who stick around
Marinas · Harrison Township
Reviews going back to 2016 describe the same thing: a small, family-owned marina on the Clinton River where the owners, named repeatedly as Joe and Randy, treat slip holders like family. Nothing in the last 22 reviews, its full review history, is negative, and multiple reviewers mention returning year after year for the small-town feel.
Its review count is the smallest of the five picks, so the sample is thinner than the others.
31580 N River Rd, Harrison Township, MI 48045 · (586) 868-0879
- Michigan HarborBig, gated marina on the Nautical Mile
Marinas · St. Clair Shores
Part of the larger Colony Marine operation, this is one of the bigger yards on the Nautical Mile, with a gated entrance and the largest travel lift on that stretch. Both the fresh Google reviews and a separate set of 23 reviews on Marinas.com praise the office staff by name and call the harbor quiet and easy to get in and out of.
One Marinas.com review from 2023 describes buckled, deteriorating docks visible from the premium slips, and another calls non-covered docks pricey. Ask to see your actual slip before signing.
24600 Jefferson Ave, St Clair Shores, MI 48080 · (586) 775-0852
- Island Harbor Marina IncOld-school storage and haul-outs, budget-friendly
Marinas · St. Clair Shores
Reviews spanning 2018 to 2025 keep crediting the owner, Kelvin, with personally walking first-time boaters through haul-outs, winter storage, and basic questions, and several call the pricing reasonable compared to nearby options. It has been a go-to for boat storage on this part of the Nautical Mile for years.
Two 2025 reviews complain about the property's appearance, one describing an abandoned house and non-running cars on the lot, and a separate dispute over a promised free slip. Worth a drive-by before committing.
24102 Jefferson Ave, St Clair Shores, MI 48080 · (586) 771-4840
- Island Cove MarinaResort feel with a pool and gated access
Marinas · Harrison Township
Slip holders consistently mention the pool, the clean bathhouse, and gated access, describing the place as a small, friendly community rather than just a place to park a boat. It sits close to Metro Beach Metropark, which a few reviewers mention as a plus for families.
One review from a prospective renter, not an existing slip holder, complains the office never called back after a tour; current customers do not report this issue.
32081 N River Rd, Harrison Township, MI 48045 · (586) 703-3618
Honorable mentions
- Lambrecht Marina The biggest of the shortlist by review count, but recurring complaints about pricing and strict rules keep it out of the top five.
- Safe Harbor Belle Maer Resort-style with a pool and glowing recent reviews, but its adjusted rating lands it seventh in the pool.
- MacRay Harbor Likely the best-known marina on this stretch of the lake by scale, but recurring pest and pool-maintenance gripes on Marinas.com kept it out of the ranked picks.
How we ranked these
Ranked by a review count adjusted average (shrunk toward 4.3 so a handful of 5-star reviews cannot outrank a marina with hundreds). We pulled the 30 newest Google reviews for the top six candidates and checked Marinas.com and two Reddit subs for corroborating or conflicting reports. For the smallest marinas here it's only Google backing the rank; Marinas.com and Reddit had no reviews at all for three of the five picks.
Ranks come from Google reviews, Reddit, forums, and niche review sites. Sponsorship never changes rank. We re-check these lists each season.
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