Hennepin's Big Bend Marina

Dock
Offered

Mooring
Not Offered

Day Trip
Not Offered

213 N Front St
Hennepin, IL 61327

Check-in after 01:00 PM
Check-out before 11:00 AM

+1 309-364-2181

Book faster with the free Dockwa app

78 Reviews

by Michael S. - Verified user on Oct 13, 2026

Very easy in and out location, awesome service and a short walk to restaurants. They are very friendly and accommodating. Slowly improving docks since they moved in recently.

Marina Response:

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed your stay.

by Dean M. - Verified user on Oct 06, 2026

Very friendly and welcoming owners and staff. They go above and beyond with their extra care!

Marina Response:

Thank You for the kind words! So glad you could stay with us!

by Kimberly C. - Verified user on Oct 02, 2026

The staff was great. Receptionist and the guy helping us with dock lines. Very accommodating and took extra time and care to ensure we were all set for our stay. We went to the grocery store for a couple things and found it to be well stocked with fresh veggies, fruit and various meats. It was raining heavily so we did not get to do any other walking around the area, unfortunately. On the 'con' side, we paid more for this nights stay that we have at any other marina since we left Mackinaw Island, MI. Was quite a surprise as the marina itself is down quite a hill from it's facilities so you have to navigate lots of stairs to get up there. The water between the doc and the hill is full of debris and logs. There are no power pedestals where they had us dock, more of a large extension cord. Again - this is not a $105/night marina compared to many of the prior marinas all the way up to Mackinaw that charged $50-75 per night.

Marina Response:

Thank you for the kind words. That was my son and my husband helping with the lines, and me at the desk. We don’t have staff. The three of us work other full-time jobs and we run it as a labor of love. We’re glad we could take the extra time to get you settled, and that the grocery store was well stocked. We sit in a flood plain, which is why the town and the facilities are up the hill and stairs to get there. The water between the dock and the hill has been full of debris and logs after a flood-heavy season on the Illinois River. We clear it as often as we can. This is our second season in Hennepin, and we are still a work in progress. We do have power pedestals and are working on getting more in. Sorry you felt the cost was high. It takes a lot to keep even a small marina running, and more and more of them are closing because it’s a lot of work for little money. This is our happy place, and we love helping the boaters. We appreciate you coming, and we hope you’ll visit again.

by Richard C. - Verified user on Oct 01, 2026

Jake and Fran are awesome and were so accommodating . Great electric and city water hookups, with floating docks.

Marina Response:

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed your stay-We appreciate all the looper business!

by Kiira B. - Verified user on Sep 30, 2026

A good stay. Everything worked, but it was expensive for the location. I think they are working on re-doing the marina, but there is a lot of debris trapped behind the docks which are industrial. The shower trailer was the highlight - clean and new. Hennepin is pretty small - only one restaurant open (we didn't go), but we enjoyed the pickleball courts.

Marina Response:

Thank you for staying with us and for the kind words about the showers and the pickleball courts. We’re glad everything worked and that you had a good stay. This is our second season in Hennepin, so we are still a work in progress. The bath house is about four years old—we keep it clean and stocked, and we’re glad it stood out. This stretch of the Illinois River has had a lot of flooding this year, and debris collects behind the docks after high water. We clear it as often as we can. We are a family-run marina and we also work other full-time jobs, so this place is a labor of love. After a flood it can take us a little longer to get everything looking the way we want. Hennepin is a quaint little town—quiet, walkable, and with a few great restaurants. Thank you for coming. We hope you’ll visit again.

by Mark R. - Verified user on Sep 29, 2026

Great stop highly recommend it.

Marina Response:

Thank you for staying with us!

by Michael R. - Verified user on Sep 28, 2026

It is a bit rustic, but they are one of the most helpful folks we've worked with! Very knowledgeable and attentive. Town is small. We enjoyed the down home feel.

Marina Response:

Thank you! We love our little town.

by Mark P. - Verified user on Sep 28, 2026

The docks were in good condition, the staff was knowledgeable and the bathhouse was brand new. Go past the end of the island (down river) then turn back to avoid the sandbar trailing off the end of the island. It's far enough away from the channel that the wakes were pretty subdued. Plesent little town with small grocery and hardware. I would stay again.

Marina Response:

Thank you for staying with us. Glad you enjoyed your stay.

by David p. - Verified user on Sep 22, 2026

Rustic but else liked it. Nice small town.

Marina Response:

Thank you for staying with us!

by Gary B. - Verified user on Sep 22, 2026

Fran was fantastic. Bathrooms, while a few yards away was great. Town is small, but there is a grocery store.

Marina Response:

Thank you. Glad you could stay with us .

by Mike&Kenda C. - Verified user on Sep 19, 2026

Great communication, friendly, helpful owners. Small, no frills but safe, secure, easy to dock. Appreciated links provided to restaurants, grocery, laundromat, pool and nearby Dixon Waterfowl Refuge/Marquis Oak Ridge Trail.

Marina Response:

Thank you for staying with us! Glad you enjoyed your stay.

by Tom and Lisa B. - Verified user on Sep 15, 2026

Seems a bit of false advertising. Pool is a community pool and laundromat is a public offside. Price expensive for lack of amenities. Bathrooms were clean and new. Just a hike up the hill.

Marina Response:

Thank you for the review and for taking the time to stay with us. Dockwa does not give us a way to mark amenities as off-site, so laundry and pool show up in the list even though they are not on the marina property. The public laundromat is only one block away—just up the hill from the docks. The town also has a public indoor pool at the Hennepin Park District (short walk or quick drive). We’re glad the new bathhouse was clean and convenient. We appreciate the feedback and hope you’ll stop again if you’re on the river. The Passini Family Hennepin’s Big Bend Marina

by Carol M. - Verified user on Sep 15, 2026

This is a smaller, rustic marina but what gives it five stars are the people! Brand new shower trailer. Laundry mat across the street. Grocery store that is more than adequate, hardware store, marine store and a few restaurants. Floating docks. Pumpout and fuel available. The owners just recently opened this marina in the last year or so and are working hard to ensure an adequate stay for all guests. They go out of their way to accommodate folks and are super helpful if you have any issues. Would definitely stay again!

Marina Response:

Thank you! So glad you enjoyed your stay with us.

by Todd V. - Verified user on Sep 02, 2026

Great communication with Fran. Excellent location to grocery and hardware store.

Marina Response:

Thank you for staying with us. Glad you enjoyed your stay.

by Ginger Z. - Verified user on Aug 30, 2026

Very accommodating! Short walk to Rolando’s restaurant. Great fries and pizza. Buddy boat had dead battery and local folks and marina owners helped with two runs to Peoria for new battery. Generosity overload!

Marina Response:

Thank you! Glad we could help out!!

by Tim T. - Verified user on Aug 24, 2026

These people (family owned and operated) are so nice and helpful. They are onsite. The marina is easy to get in and out. It’s next to a park with covered picnic tables. Very quiet. There is barge traffic but the marina is pretty well protected by the island that sits in front of it. The bathrooms and showers are very clean and new, although a bit of a hike. Of note, the closest and only restaurant is 0.6 miles away. The pub closed a month ago. We would stay here again.

Marina Response:

Thank you for staying with us! Loved visiting with you. Have fun and Safe travels on the rest of your journey.

by John L. - Verified user on Aug 23, 2026

Hennepin is a small town, and the marina is a small-town marina. The owners live right there. They're super nice people. There is a grocery store within walking distance. There is only one grocery store in town and a restaurant within walking distance. There is only one restaurant in town.

Marina Response:

Thank you for staying with us. Glad you enjoyed your stay. We now have 2 restaurants in town. Rolando’s and The Decoy.

by Maryfrances P. - Verified user on Aug 14, 2026

Beautiful-Peaceful Marina

by Jeff L. - Verified user on Oct 12, 2025

They came and helped us with lines after dark. They were great!

Marina Response:

Glad we could help and thank you for staying with us

by Anne H. - Verified user on Oct 09, 2025

Great marina and great family - the town also loves them and what they are bringing to the area . They have a pub and different nights they have food , tacos - a visiting food truck and bingo !! We took out bikes out to the waterfowl refuge and along the new Oakridge Trail . Locals are super friendly . The marina was good and the bathrooms fun and well designed !! Lots of sitting areas for loopers ,docktails and potluck dinners with friends !!

Marina Response:

I am so glad you enjoyed your stay. Hennepin in a very nice small town. The Passini's

by Kathleen K. - Verified user on Oct 07, 2025

Very helpful with docking and providing information. Great staff and location1

Marina Response:

Thank you Fran

by Michael B. - Verified user on Oct 07, 2025

This is a small “old school” marina, family owned and super friendly and responsive. They assisted with every detail from approach guidance to docking to fueling to providing recommendations for next stops. There is a large laundromat directly adjacent and a small grocery store (we didn’t go in). Our five boat looper group enjoyed drinks, dinner and bingo at the pub next door. Good water all the way in, but call for final approach instructions due to the deadhead mentioned by others.

by Elizabeth S. - Verified user on Oct 07, 2025

The marina is run by the finest family on the loop! Fran, Jacob and David are all incredible! We can’t thank them enough for a wonderful two day stop, from greeting to tie up, to use of golf cart. Everything was fantastic, thank you again for making great memories on “the loop”!

Marina Response:

Thank you so much and for staying with us. Enjoyed having you here. The Passini's

by Karen D. - Verified user on Oct 05, 2025

We had a peaceful stay here. Fran and her team are very responsive and they guided us into the marina and helped us dock. There is a shallow area nearby and a deadhead so make sure to heed their help. We only stayed one night but wished we had stayed more to enjoy the small town. Although I didn’t use it, there is a laundromat nearby. Marina bathroom is very clean. Secure area. Definitely worth a stay. We wish them the best as they have plans to expand.

Marina Response:

Thank you so much and for staying with us. Safe travels. The Passini's

by Janeen A. - Verified user on Oct 04, 2025

Awesome staff. Docks are a work in progress. Walkable grocery store and restaurant. Easy in and out as long as you avoid the shallow spot and dead head. Staff directed us in perfectly!

Marina Response:

Thank you! Fran

View all on Marinas.com

About Hennepin's Big Bend Marina

Hennepin's Big Bend Marina is a 23-slip facility with 100' of gas dock. We will have over 200’ of new dock getting added in 2026. Plenty of depth for larger vessels. A frequent stop over for travelers on the Illinois River. The marina offers a beautiful bathhouse, diesel fuel, premium gasoline, power, and water to boaters looking for a pleasant stop on their travels.

In 2024 Henry Harbor Marina Become Hennepin’s Big Bend Marina. We are thrilled to officially announce that we are relocating our marina from its current location in Henry, Illinois, to a new home along the beautiful riverfront in Hennepin, Illinois. We are located at mile 207.5

• Slips/Linear Docking with plenty of Depth for larger vessels • Bathhouse, water, power, gas/diesel, and pump-out services. • Canvas Shop • Restaurants, Grocery & Laundromat • Boating supplies/parts/repairs • Parks, Father Hennepin’s Cave, trails to the Dixon Waterfowl Refuge, and some of the best 4th of July fireworks in the area.

The Story Behind Our New Name: The name "Big Bend Marina" is inspired by the natural geography of the Illinois River near our new location. Just upstream of Hennepin, the river makes a dramatic curve known as the "Big Bend”

Feel free to call us 309-364-2181.

Thank you for your continued support as we embark on this exciting new journey. All the best, The Passini Family