Monroe Harbor

Best value in Chicagoland for boaters. If you are on the north side of the harbor, the tender takes about 10 minutes usually and the views are great. The location is really convenient for those that frequent the play pen as well as impressing guests.
Bottom line, dollar for dollar it’s the best value for boaters.

Well, if you are sitting there watching boats in the harbor, it beautiful on a warm sunny day. But to actually get on a boat it is a hassle. Park somewhere underground that seems forever away, lug your cooler full of beer to the harbor, onto a ferry boat that takes you to a boat you have to transfer your stuff to while it is just tied to a ball in the water. The captain seemed to do a really good job though. Get your gear and yourself on board and it is a success. Otherwise you have to meet a boat along a wall and hope there is a spot for them to pull up on a Saturday afternoon.
We have been lucky enough to do a little more boating recently (a couple sailboat charters, as well as a few friends having power boats) and have been at some of the ther harbors (Belmont and Diversey). I have to say, parking a few hundred feet from the dock and walking onto a pier where the boat is totally blows away the Monroe style of having the boats in the middle of the water. This is from the perspective of someone who is coming on to someone elses boat with a bunch of food and drinks. HOWEVER, if you own a boat and are just sitting on it in the harbor I see the advantage of having no real «neighbors»!
But what do I know, I don’t own a boat :)

So the boyfriend has a beautiful sailboat and keeps her at Monroe Harbor in the summer! There’s nothing better than sipping wine, sitting on a boat, and enjoying the gorgeous views of Chicago including The Field Musuem, Buckingham Fountain, and the Skyline. The tender is $ 4.50 each way, and super bonus… you can buy ice for $ 2 on the tender! No more last minute runs to the gas station! I can’t wait for all the summer fun to be had at Monroe.

I’m suprised there aren’t any reviews of Monroe Harbor yet!
After this weekends Cubs/​Sox battle royale at US Cellular Field, a bunch of us piled into a crowded Red Line car up to Monroe, stopped at a CVS for beers, and walked through the Taste of Chicago to the tender launch for Monroe Harbor. (It was pretty cool to hear Stevie Wonder playing as we strolled past Taste goers, cops, bicyclists and drunk people!)
Be aware that this is officially separate from the Chicago Yacht Club, directly to the north. The entrance for the tender service is just south of CYC.
Monroe Harbor tender service is prompt and friendly. It costs $ 3 each way, and you can buy your bags of ice on the tender boat. When you’re ready to be picked up, just radio it into the office, and they’ll be right there!
The moorings are nicely spaced apart so that if you feel like it, you can go swimming at 1130pm in 60-​degree water after too many rum and cokes. Just sayin.
The skyline looks AMAZING from this vantage point — especially with the sun setting behind the Sears Tower, Buckingham Fountain, at everything else. What an idyllic evening! It’s stuff like this that makes me love Chicago in the summertime! Viva Chicago!