About two dozen of the towns we cover score a 5 for being on the water. They are not all the same kind of boating town, though. Some are built around canals, some around a fast inlet to the ocean, and some around quiet bays and rivers. Start with the kind of boating you actually do.
Canal towns: the boat lives behind the house
Cape Coral has more than 400 miles of canals, with a dock and a boat lift behind a huge share of the houses. Tarpon Point has a full marina near the river mouth. It also scores a 4 on affordability, which is rare for a town with this much waterfront.
Punta Gorda is built for boats too. Canal neighborhoods lead out to Charlotte Harbor and on to the Gulf, Fishermen's Village has a marina and Ponce de Leon Park has a public ramp.
Port Charlotte shares the same harbor, known for tarpon and snook, and scores a 5 on affordability. Port Charlotte Beach Park has a public ramp, a fishing pier and a kayak launch.
Inlet towns: offshore in minutes
Fort Lauderdale is called the Venice of America for a reason. It has 165 miles of inland waterways, about 100 marinas and boatyards, a deep inlet at Port Everglades and the largest in water boat show in the world every fall.
Stuart has water on three sides. The St. Lucie Inlet puts you offshore fast for the sailfish the town is known for.
Jupiter has an inlet that opens to clear blue water, the Loxahatchee River for miles of paddling, and several restaurants you can pull up to by boat.
Quiet water: bays, springs and flats
Crystal River is all about Kings Bay, with spring fed water, manatees all winter and a run down the river to the Gulf for scallops in summer.
Islamorada has ocean on one side and Florida Bay on the other. The reef is a short run out, and the backcountry flats are known for bonefish, tarpon and redfish.
What to check before you buy on the water
- Does the canal reach the Gulf or the ocean? Not every canal does. Some are freshwater with no way out, and some have a lock or a boat lift along the way.
- What's between you and open water? Count the bridges and get their clearance. A low fixed bridge rules out a sailboat and a lot of taller boats.
- How long is the ride out? A dock is less useful if open water is 45 minutes of idle speed away. Run it once before you make an offer.
- How deep is it at low tide? Ask about the canal and the dock itself, and compare that to what your boat draws.
- What shape are the seawall, dock and lift in? Ask who is responsible for them, since it is often the owner, and have them inspected like you would a roof.
- What are the flood zone and the insurance quote? Waterfront usually means both cost more. Our insurance guide covers what to ask.
- What did the last storm do? Cape Coral, Punta Gorda and Port Charlotte were all hit by Hurricane Ian in 2022. Ask what was repaired and when.
- How is the water? In Stuart, river water quality can drop after releases from Lake Okeechobee, so ask locals what a typical summer looks like.
Want the full list? Search "boating" on the Beach Towns page, or tell Find Your Mile that being on the water is a must have.
