Best anchorages and harbours in South-west Florida

Harborage Marina - St. Pete

Marina on Salt Creek in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, set off Tampa Bay on the city's eastern waterfront.

Crow's Nest

Marina and restaurant just inside Venice Inlet on the island of Venice, between the Gulf of Mexico and the Intracoastal Waterway in Florida.

big marco

Anchorage on the Big Marco River off Marco Island, southwest Florida, on the west bank close to the Gulf of Mexico.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, E, SW, S, SE

Cabbage Creek Dock

Small dock at the mouth of Cabbage Creek, a mangrove tributary on the south-east side of Tampa Bay near Ruskin, Florida.

Salty Sam's Marina

Large marina in Matanzas Bay at Fort Myers Beach, just east of the bridge, in south-west Florida.

Ruskin Commongood Park

Anchorage off Ruskin Commongood Park on the Little Manatee River, Hillsborough County, Florida, on a bottom of mud and weed.

• Sheltered W

Pelican Bay

Anchorage on the east side of Cayo Costa, between Cayo Costa and Punta Blanca islands in Pine Island Sound, south-west Florida, on a sand bottom.

• Sheltered NW, W, E, SW, S, SE

Tierra Verde Marina

Full-service marina on Tierra Verde, Florida, between St. Pete Beach and the Pinellas Bayway, with access to Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.

Belleair North

Anchorage on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway near the Belleair Causeway, off Belleair Beach in Pinellas County, Florida.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, SW, S, SE

Vinoy Marina

Resort marina of about 74 berths on the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront, next to the Vinoy hotel, taking vessels up to roughly 120 feet.

Sanibel

Anchorage off the east end of Sanibel Island in San Carlos Bay, south-west Florida, on a weed bottom, protected from N through W winds.

• Sheltered N, S, SW, W, NW

Venice

Anchorage in Roberts Bay at Venice, Florida, just inside the Venice Inlet on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, with a sand bottom and shelter on all sides.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W, E, SW, S, SE

St. Petersburg Municipal Marina

City-run marina of about 640 berths on Demens Landing point, on the downtown St. Petersburg waterfront, with berths up to roughly 120 feet.

Safe Harbor Regatta Pointe

Marina on the south bank of the Manatee River at Palmetto, Florida, near the river mouth on Tampa Bay.

Tierra Verde Marina

Wet-slip marina on Tierra Verde, near the southern entrance to Boca Ciega Bay, with quick access to the Gulf through Pass-a-Grille.

Safe Harbor Burnt Store Marina

Large full-service marina on Charlotte Harbor near Punta Gorda, Florida, with around 500 wet berths and a 400-bay dry stack.

Blind Pass Marina

Marina on the Intracoastal Waterway at the southern end of Treasure Island, St Pete Beach, Florida, between the Gulf of Mexico and Boca Ciega Bay.

Gasparilla Marina

Deep-water marina in Placida on the Intracoastal Waterway, a few minutes from Boca Grande Pass into the Gulf.

Emerson Point Preserve

Anchorage off Snead Island at the mouth of the Manatee River, opposite the DeSoto Point anchorage in Florida.

• Sheltered N, NE, E

Longboat Key

Anchorage on the Sarasota Bay side of Longboat Key, a barrier island on Florida's Gulf coast.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W, SW, S, SE

Westshore Yacht Club Marina

Gated members' marina on Old Tampa Bay, on the south side of Tampa, with about 175 wet berths for vessels from 40 to over 130 feet.

Gulfport Municipal Marina

City-run marina with direct access to Boca Ciega Bay, at Gulfport near St Petersburg, Florida.

Marina Jack Mooring Fields

Mooring buoy field off downtown Sarasota on Florida's Gulf coast, with around 60 numbered moorings on a sand bottom.

• Paid
• Sheltered N, NE, E, SE

Englewood

Anchorage in Lemon Bay near Englewood, Florida, in the southern reach of the bay close to Stump Pass.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W, E, SW, S, SE

Bay Pines

Anchorage on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway off Madeira Beach, on Florida's Pinellas County coast.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, S, SE

Palm Island Marina

Resort marina at Cape Haze near Rotonda West, on the Intracoastal Waterway behind the Don Pedro and Palm Island barrier islands in south-west Florida.

Matanzas Pass

Municipal mooring field in Matanzas Pass at Fort Myers Beach, Florida, run by the town on Estero Island.

• Paid
• Sheltered NW, N, NE, SW, S, SE

Sunken Island

Anchorage off a spoil island in Hillsborough Bay, in the upper reaches of Tampa Bay, Florida.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W, SW

Clearwater Beach North

Anchorage off Clearwater Beach on the Florida Gulf coast, on a mud bottom, between two marinas.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, E

Seaplane Basin

Anchorage in the Seaplane Basin at the south end of Davis Islands, Tampa, Florida, with a mud bottom.

• Sheltered NE