In a city often referred to as the “Yachting Capital of the World”, competition between marinas is fierce. Yet few destinations have managed to combine location, scale, lifestyle and community quite like Bahia Mar Yachting Center in Fort Lauderdale.
Positioned directly on the Intracoastal Waterway and just steps from the Atlantic shoreline, the marina has evolved into a year-round social and operational hub for owners, captains and crew navigating the South Florida yachting circuit.
From hosting some of the world’s largest yachts to becoming the home of the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS), Bahia Mar occupies a unique position within the superyacht ecosystem that combines resort-style living with practical marina infrastructure.
A front-row seat to the Fort Lauderdale yachting scene
Location has always been one of Bahia Mar’s strongest advantages. Sitting in the heart of Fort Lauderdale, the marina places yachts within walking distance of beaches, restaurants, nightlife and provisioning, while also providing immediate access to the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. “Crew particularly see the benefit as they don’t need to Uber or go anywhere further afield, they can do a lot of things within walking distance,” says Bahia Mar Yachting Center general manager Jeff Stukel.
That convenience becomes increasingly valuable during busy charter schedules or short turnarounds, when time ashore is limited. Within a half-mile radius, crew can access cafés, bars, gyms, sandy beaches, provisioning services and some of South Florida’s best-known restaurants without needing transport. “You could spend a whole weekend off duty at Bahia Mar and hardly go beyond half a mile of the marina,” Stukel adds.
Built for large yachts – and busy seasons
Bahia Mar is one of South Florida’s largest marina facilities, with infrastructure specifically designed to accommodate modern superyachts. The marina can host vessels up to 90 metres in length and offers more than 250 berths across 915 metres of parallel dockage and 1,500 metres of floating docks. Visiting yachts have access to comprehensive amenities, including shore power, Wi-Fi, fuel bunkering, in-berth pump-out services and parking.
Bahia Mar operates as a Foreign Trade Zone (FTZ), which provides substantial advantages for superyachts. This designation allows vessels to defer or potentially eliminate U.S. customs duties on foreign-built yachts.
Both contract and transient berthing options are available, although demand intensifies significantly during peak season. “In the high season, it’s really difficult to obtain a berth,” says Stukel. “But if you’re locked in on an annual contract, you have that guaranteed.” And that challenge becomes particularly pronounced around FLIBS, when South Florida transforms into the global centre of the yachting industry.
For owners who maintain a year-round presence in Florida, however, summer presents a different opportunity altogether. While many yachts cross the Atlantic to the Mediterranean sunshine, quieter dockage and significantly reduced rates at Bahia Mar create a compelling alternative for those who stay.
More than a marina
What distinguishes Bahia Mar from many large-scale marinas is the extent to which the property functions as a lifestyle destination. On-site amenities include restaurants, retail outlets, a heated swimming pool, tennis and pickleball courts, a gym and resort accommodation. Although the hotel at Bahia Mar is being demolished, it will be replaced by a new five-star resort, and this will not affect the marina amenities. For crew, there are air-conditioned laundry facilities, showers and provisioning support via golf-cart runs throughout the marina.
The marina’s Captains’ Quarters has also become a central social hub for crew. Recently refurbished with updated furniture, the lounge includes an outdoor kitchen, pool table and large-screen televisions, while regular crew barbecues create a fun hangout spot.
That sense of community extends across the wider marina complex. At Marina Village, food kiosks and waterfront bars contribute to an energetic social atmosphere, while newer openings such as The Shorely – a hospitality venue created on board a converted ferry – add another layer to the destination’s appeal.
On a typical weekend, owners and crew might spend mornings at the beach, afternoons provisioning or dining along Las Olas Boulevard and evenings attending waterfront events or gathering at the marina itself.
Bahia Mar’s identity is closely tied to FLIBS, widely regarded as one of the most important events on the global yachting calendar. Every year, the marina becomes the centrepiece of the show, welcoming leading shipyards, brokers, suppliers and some of the world’s largest yachts.
But outside FLIBS, the marina maintains a busy calendar of community events throughout the year. One of the most notable is the Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade, which passes directly by Bahia Mar’s face dock. “We do a huge event for that,” says Stukel. “Catered open bar, DJ – it’s free to our guests, but the cost of admission is an unwrapped toy for Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.” Last year alone, the initiative collected nearly 800 toys for the hospital.
Additional events include Super Bowl and FIFA parties, monthly Wellness Wednesdays in partnership with Yacht Medical International, and customer appreciation events organised by Suntex Marinas. Those appreciation events also support Folds of Honor, a nonprofit organisation that provides educational scholarships to the families of fallen or disabled military service members and first responders.
Another operational advantage lies in Bahia Mar’s integration within the wider Suntex Marinas network. Through a shared concierge system spanning Bahia Mar Yachting Center, Hall of Fame Marina and Las Olas Marina, captains can make a single call to receive availability and pricing across multiple South Florida locations simultaneously.
Yet despite that scale, Stukel believes Bahia Mar has retained a notably personal atmosphere. “There is a really personal approach at Bahia Mar,” he says. “We get to know the owners and crew, and having that familiar feeling in a superyacht marina can be rare.”
Why owners continue choosing Bahia Mar
For transient visitors, Bahia Mar offers immediate immersion into the South Florida yachting lifestyle. For contract holders, it provides guaranteed dockage in one of the world’s busiest superyacht destinations, alongside reduced summer rates and year-round access to a fully integrated waterfront community. Ultimately, Bahia Mar combines the operational capabilities expected of a major superyacht marina with the atmosphere of a resort destination and the familiarity of a local community.
Or, as Jeff puts it: “Choosing to stay at Bahia Mar basically comes down to, do you want to stay at the Motel 6 or the Ritz-Carlton?”
To find out more information about Bahia Mar Yachting Center, or to book a berth, get in touch with the marina directly.
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