New Navy Pier Marina, Offering Short-Term Docking for Recreational Boaters, Expected to Open Mid-June

Eunice Alpasan | May 28, 2025, 4:10 pm

(Courtesy of Navy Pier Marina)

Recreational boaters will soon be able to dock at Navy Pier with the opening of a new marina.

The Navy Pier Marina is expected to officially open to the public June 14. The opening of the marina, located on the north side of Navy Pier, comes as this year’s boating season kicks off.

Navy Pier Marina founder and developer Randy Podolsky said during a Wednesday news conference that the idea for the marina came in 1983.

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“When I got my first boat and said, ‘Why can’t we go to Navy Pier for lunch or dinner or spend a few nights?’” Podolsky said. “It took decades, but we’re here.”

The marina has a boat capacity of 150 and can accommodate vessels up to 183 feet in length.

Planning for the Navy Pier Marina began nearly a decade ago, with the development receiving approval from City Council in 2016. But opposition from former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s administration — which cited security concerns related to the nearby Jardine Water Purification plant — led the development to be stalled.

The development of the $22 million Navy Pier Marina was privately funded, according to Podolsky. Construction began late last year.

“It’s more than just a place to dock,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “It will be a gateway for visitors, allowing them to have easier access to dock and to explore Navy Pier and all of Chicago.”

The marina will offer hourly tie-ups as well as overnight and extended stays, according to a news release.

A two-story boater amenities building will house the marina office, ship’s store, restrooms, showers, boater’s lounge, on-site laundry, bicycle repair station and pet-friendly relief station, according to a news release. Amenities also include power and water hookups, Wi-Fi and pump-out service.

More than 200 slip reservations have already been booked through the end of June, according to President and CEO of Navy Pier Marilynn Gardner. The August weekends of the Chicago Air and Water Show and Chicago International Boat Show are waitlisted, Gardner added.

The marina has a 45-year lease with Navy Pier, according to a spokesperson.

“What started as a decades-long dream, by June 14, will become a bustling reality when we proudly welcome the inaugural group of boaters from across the city, suburbs and Great Lakes,” Gardner said.

In addition to accommodating recreational boaters, the marina will offer limited availability to seasonal commercial vessels, including fishing, sailing, dive and social charters, boat clubs, cruises, dealers and other boat-share operations, according to a news release.

More information about boat slip reservations can be found on Navy Pier Marina’s website.