Marina Spotlights

Burnham Harbor - Chicago, IL

Marina Spotlight

Great Lakes
|
By
Alexa
Zizzi

Situated along Lake Michigan, the Great Lakes' second largest waterway by volume, 600 parks, 70 nature sanctuaries and 25 miles of open lakefront make up the gorgeous city of Chicago.

Burnham Harbor - marina spotlight - marinalife
Burnham Harbor | Courtesy of Chicago Harbors

The Chicago Harbors consist of the largest municipally owned harbor system in the United States as they span 14 miles of lakeshore ranging in  everything from plush, cosmopolitan harbors to quaint, neighborhood ports. With 6,000 moorings across 10 harbors, the marinas are sheltered along the iconic Lake Shore Drive from north to south.

A short walk from the heart of downtown Chicago, Burnham Harbor is located on the bustling Museum Campus. As the largest property in the Chicago Harbors system, the marina boasts 1,126 slips and can accommodate boats over 100 feet. The facility is equipped with mooring cans and top-tier Starr docks. The Burnham Park Yacht Club on the east side of the harbor also offers mast stepping/un-stepping services.

Amenities include a fuel dock, complimentary pump-out stations, Wi-Fi, laundry facilities and ships store. A three-lane launch ramp is also available for about 43 vehicles with trailers. The dockside pump out is easily accessible via the Honey Jug service.

Shedd Aquarium - marina spotlight - marinalife
Shedd Aquarium from Wikimedia Commons

The 57-acre lush green park that makes up the Museum Campus is home to some of the city's most notable attractions. Gaze into the galaxies at the first planetarium built in America, the Adler Planetarium, or take a deep look at what lives below the sea at the amazing Shedd Aquarium. Enjoy a prehistoric trip back in time to see dinosaurs and fossils at the Field Museum of Natural History or witness real wildlife in its natural habitat at the McCormick Place Bird Sanctuary.

Burnham Harbor is also central to spectacular venues including the Arie Crown Theater and Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears. Less than four miles north, shopping at the Magnificent Mile district and catching entertainment at Navy Pier are among visitor favorites.

Feast on the dock-famous Kalinowski Polish sausage corndog and treat yourself to an adult juice box or ice-cold beer at Boat Drinks, located right at Burnham Harbor. Connie's Pizza also delivers Chicago-style deep dish to your boat at any location.

Chicago Harbors are one of the most special secrets of the city, says General Manager Scott Stevenson. There's nowhere else in the country where you can find this many harbors with direct access to a lakefront and spectacular skyline sunsets like this.

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