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Checking In: Set sail

Can you hear the waves calling? Boating aficionados drop anchor at these hotels that cater to the boating lifestyle.

Checking in

Hotels for boaters

Can you hear the waves calling? Boating aficionados drop anchor at these hotels that cater to the boating lifestyle.

Catamaran Resort Hotel & Spa, San Diego

A convenient location along San Diego, California’s Mission Bay makes the Catamaran Resort Hotel & Spa a must-visit for boaters. The aquatic man-made park covers 4,000 acres and includes 27 miles of coastline, 18 of which are perfect for swimming. As a guest at the Catamaran Resort Hotel, you can rent sailboats and other water vessels from a nearby marina or participate in a sailing regatta, which the hotel hosts every Tuesday and Thursday in the summer. A $25 entry fee (per boat) includes instructions and cool prizes. You can also learn how to wakeboard or wake surf with daily 90-minute lessons for $65.
Catamaran Resort Hotel & Spa, San Diego

Big Cedar Lodge, Branson

Big Cedar Lodge, Benson
Tucked away in the Ozark Mountains, Big Cedar Lodge near Branson, Missouri, overlooks Table Rock Lake, recognized nationally as a top spot for bass fishing. Charter a boat and guide for the day and test your luck catching fish like Kentucky spotted bass and large bluegill. Prefer a laid-back sightseeing tour? Step aboard the Goin’ Jessi, Big Cedar Lodge’s replica of a 1934 Chris Craft. Everything from the walnut and teak polished wood to the 353 Ford Marine V-8 Motor is fully restored to match the original, which was owned by country singer/songwriter Waylon Jennings. The cruise seats six and comes with a Champagne toast!

Abaco Beach Resort at Boat Harbour, The Bahamas

Abaco Beach Resort at Boat Harbour is situated just 165 miles off the coast of Florida and welcomes adventurous boaters visiting the resort via their own vessels with a 198-slip marina. Walk Boat Harbour, the largest marina in The Bahamas, and you’ll see sport-fishing boats alongside super yachts and everything in between. Cruise the Sea of Abaco’s private beaches and historic settlements with the Abaco Free Boat Special. The five-night, six-day tropical vacation package includes oceanfront accommodations and a free center console boat for three days during your stay. The package starts at $909 per person, but kids 12 years and under stay free.
Abaco Beach Resort at Boat Harbour, The Bahamas

Sea Island, Georgia

Sea Island, Georgia
The resort community of Sea Island off the coast of Georgia offers three hotel options: The Cloister, The Lodge and Sea Island Cottages, which are rental homes. Guests of all three can “fish for their dinner” with the resort’s waterfront manager. Your catch of the day — be it Spanish mackerel or red snapper — is brought back to the restaurant and prepared and served by chef that night. Ocean tides, winding rivers, salt marshes and miles of shoreline make Sea Island a paradise for fishing. Rent one of four center console boats, which run just as smoothly for 30-mile excursions as they do in six inches of water.

The Woodmark Hotel, Lake Washington

Located on Lake Washington near Seattle and Bellevue, Washington,  The Woodmark Hotel has an on-site marina and offers tours around the lake on The Woodmark II. A 28-foot Chris Craft Sedan Express, the boat is one of only 46 of its type built between 1956 and 1959 and features a restored retro design. The boat’s owner, Captain Rob, was born and raised on Lake Washington, so you’ll get a local’s perspective on nearby sites and a fantastic view of Seattle’s distinctive skyline. Plus, the tour takes you by the floating home, made famous in Sleepless in Seattle. Hello — what more do you want?

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The Woodmark Hotel, Lake Washington

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