Top 5 Liveaboard Marinas Near Sarasota, Florida

Have you decided to leave dirt dwelling behind, or at least toying with the idea? Enjoy life afloat at the Top 5 Liveaboard Marinas in Sarasota. Feel the warmth of Florida sunshine on your face even during the winters months while calling a boat slip in Manatee County home. Rent, lease or purchase a boat slip at a private or municipal marina and never have to cut grass or shovel snow again.

Regatta Point Marina caters to the needs of liveaboard boaters with a passion for life away from the confines of crowded neighborhoods and lawn maintenance. Enjoy an untethered life along among the deep waterways of the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay. Marina amenities include 350 boat slips which accommodate vessels up to 120 feet long. The marina bath house features a luxury shower area and laundromat. Not enough room on your boat for a treadmill? Keep your muscles toned at the on-site exercise center. A personal trainer offers both private and group classes at the center upon request. If you are not yet able to retire and need access to wireless Internet and business services, Regatta Pointe has you covered. Socialize with other members of the liveaboard community at one of the two captain's lounges and catch a ball game on the big screen television. Enjoy a romantic meal with views of the sun setting on the water at the on-site Riverhouse Reef and Grill or Riverside Cafe. The little extras can sometimes make all the difference. Enjoy a complimentary daily newspaper, ice and coffee and donuts on Saturdays. Special events for the marina's liveaboard community are scheduled regularly throughout the year.

Marinatown Yacht Harbor, located in Fort Myers offers 135 boat slips and a plethora of amenities. Enjoy all of the comforts of home while living and houseboat or yacht in southwestern Florida. Amenities include wireless Internet access. Telephone service, outdoor swimming pool, bath house and a laundromat. An eclectic group of folks from around the world call the marina home, for at least part of the year. The marina has been a fixture near downtown Ft. Myers for over 30 years. Some retired liveaboard community members moved in when the facility opened and raised their children on their boats. A host of restaurants and cultural attractions are located within walking distance of the boating community. Untie your dingy and float enjoy the ten minute float to Centennial Park.

Burnt Store Marina boarders Charlotte Harbor and has been ranked by Sail Magazine as one of the "Top 10" places to go boating. Located between Sarasota and Punta Gorda, you are less than ten minuted from the Gulf of Mexico. Enjoy the luxury amenities at the boating and marina-side condominium community. The Burnt Store Golf and Activity Club gives you plenty of chances to stretch your legs after a few days spent out exploring on a boat. Tennis courts and a fitness center are open for year around enjoyment. Pick up everything you need or grab a hearty breakfast at the on-site Water Cooler family style dining area and convenience store. Dig out your high heels or favorite tie and embark on a fine culinary experience at the Porto Bello at Latitudes marina restaurant.

Cast a line into the Manatee River from the bow of your boat while living at Twin Dolphon Marina in Bradenton. This off the beaten path facility offers plenty of elbow room and is within walking distance of the Bradenton Pier. Feel as if you are moored at a first-class resort with the concierge services and upscale amenities available at the Twin Dolphin Marina. Amenities include a heated outdoor swimming pool and hot tub, laundromat, bath house and on-site dining at Mattison's Riverside Restaurant.

Pasadena Marina is a little further north, near Tamap but still in the southwestern Florida and Sarasota region. The secluded marina boarders the Intracoastal Waterway in a protected basin on Boca Ciega Bay. The boat dock is encompassed by a pristine nature preserve with hiking trails. Padadena Marina is located less than one mile from Saint Pete Beach and the Gulf of Mexico. Restaurants and local boutiques are within walking distance from the dock. Amenities include an outdoor swimming pool, wireless Internet access, laundromat, air-conditioned bath house, ice machines and ample parking.