Waterside Marina

December 2, 2021: obviously I’ve stayed at Waterside several times and it gets better each time. Staff were terrific and extremely responsive. Three Staff members were there to help with lines, easy connection for power and water. Easy pump out. May 20, 2021: stated overnight and all good. Had been having a problem with bow thruster and we were placed along a side-tie. Worked out great. Staff was terrific. Nov 19, 2020: stayed overnight at Waterside. Staff was good. The disappointment were the new slips having only finger piers. Any boat 35’ or longer had to potentially back into a slip. Dec 16, 2019: The marina has a great location and easy walk to downtown. It is neat and maintained. Bathrooms are a walking distance but clean. I know we were coming through in December, but we stayed five days and finding any staff around to answer questions or help with lines as we left - no one around. The wifi was absolutely awful - lucky to get two bars. The only advantage is the easy walk to downtown restaurants, shopping, etc.

5 star marina!! great staff and great location!

Great location, great staff, great docks!

Great location. Great dock hands. Solid docks with long finger piers. I most definitely will stay again.

Beautiful marina, terrific floating docks, and perfect location for dining and entertainment! Dockmaster was very helpful with docking and information. The restrooms are a pretty major hike - but it was worth it for the great setting. If you go, make sure to check out Smore’s Amore, a five minute walk away. Life changing smore’s.

The staff make this marina great. James and crew are very responsive to requests and always ready to lend a hand. Spotless bath house and great location near park and restaurants in Norfolk. Thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Thanks for everything Waterside Marina! Scott snd Tris GREEN EYES

Great downtown location for action of Norfolk. The staff was very helpful and the docks nice, well lighted area. It is kind of loud next to the road bridge with the sound of vehicles on steel, also the ferry horn. The bathhouse was a long walk from the docks. Great walking on the waterfront and parks.

This is a great spot with accommodating staff. There are Both fixed and floating tie ups. The location is very convenient to local bars and restaurants. Highly recommend Grain rooftop beer garden if that’s your thing. While it’s a better location than Tidewater imo there is no fuel at waterside.

Excellent facility and dock help!

Great staff, new docks and wide fairways!! Close to downtown and easy access. No fuel facility, but that’s not an issue.

Helpful Dockmaster, Seth. New docks. Diwntown location. Didn't use the bathroom or showers. Good wifi.

Well maintained Marina, convenient to restaurants and shopping. Great dock crew.

Marina staff was terrific.

We came to dockside Marina on our shake down cruise it was an amazing experience the crew was very helpful, Will definitely be back!! WWG1WGA

Easy in and out and a great staff. Very accessible to all that downtown Norfolk has to offer. Would definitely stay again.

Helpful dock staff. Well maintained facility. Long walk to bathroom.

Without a doubt one of my favorite marinas to stay at. The line handlers are professional, knowledgeable and all around nice people! Location is second to none as well, I'll definitely be coming back!

We stayed at Waterside for two weeks and thoroughly enjoyed it. The staff were friendly and professional, docks are in great shape, and the location is very convenient for touring the area. The bathrooms were clean, although a bit of a walk, but that’s not unusual. Only thing that would make it better is to have laundry on site.

This is our second time docking and each time we have been very please! The dock master are so attentive and professional! The amenities are awesome and everything is nice and clean!

Great place close to lots of restaurants. very nice dock hands knew what they were doing. The marina staff went above and beyond to help us out. Thanks

Staff was available to assist upon arrival. Very pleasant and efficient. Location is centered around all the action. Ferry horn snd music we’re not an issue when we turned in. All around good experience.

One of the very best. Also well located to enjoy the city.

Outstanding stop. Don’t normally give a marina 5 stars, unless it has a good pool, But there are so many other good things to do here, it warrants an exception. Great location, excellent dockhand service, quality docks, in a boaters stop with lots to see and do. Will be back.

Great location, amenities and service.

Best arrival communications and docking instructions we have yet experienced. Excellent dock hand, who also provided great overview of the area and recommendations for dinner. Excellent bathrooms and shower (about a 5 min walk). New docks and good infrastructure. This is a top notch marina.

Friendly Helpful Staff. Always! Great location to relax and watch the world go by! Always a lot to see on the Norfolk waterfront.

Waterside is an outstanding marine facility in a great location. But what makes it truly outstanding is the dock crew, in particular Seth. He treats everyone with great courtesy and respect, and he goes above and beyond to ensure that captains and their crew are docked safely and to the satisfaction of the boaters. The only reason I give the marina 4 stars instead of 5 is the long distance--through a highly public, busy restaurant and entertainment area--to the marina showers and bathrooms, which are clean and comfortable, incidentally. However, that one negative doesn't stop me from visiting Waterside because of all its other positives, especially Seth!

Great location with a top notch staff. Strippers restaurant was superb and the downtown location was very convenient.

Backing into slip with strong wind 10 to 15 blowing us off the finger, dock man should have taken one line offered and secured it to cleat. In stead he held the line and was no match for the wind blowing us off the finger. On second try , I hollered him to secure the line to a chock which he did and all was well!

Nice marina with new dock facilities. Great deckhands who stayed past 6:00 PM to help us dock and hook up power. Restrooms/showers are fine but a little far. Major plus is nearness to parks, restaurants, mall, museums, etc. they also have a 10:00 shuttle to Harris Teeter to allow provisioning. We enjoyed our stay.

We also stayed Tuesday, Sept 7th. Our stay was wonderful; the slips, docks and power/water pedestals were first class. And I can't say enough about the dockhands, they were courteous, professional and always wanted to help. The bath facilities was excellent also but a little far to walk. This is our third stay at Waterside this year and we definitely will be back in the future. Jim Lassiter S/V BELLA DONNA

Nice facility right in the heart of downtown. Great restaurants nearby on Granby St. Good rates and very little roll through the boat basin.

Great staff , nice floating docks , well sheltered from wake and weather. Many Restaurants within walking distance.

We always love staying at Waterside! The location is ideal to feel like you are part of the the Norfolk community. The staff is always efficient, knowledgeable and very professional.

What a pleasant surprise Waterside was. Great location, great floating docks and near all. We were surprised that the marina was virtually empty!

Our family stayed here for 3 nights this past week. Greeted with plenty of hands to dock our 50' catamaran. All weekend the staff were great and super courteous... made all of us feel very much at home. Floating docks are brand new and in super shape. Bathrooms very clean. Plenty of fun/restaurants nearby. We've been to a number of marina's nearby at the entry to the Intercoastal - this should be the spot where you stop.

A fantastic friendly group of dock masters, catered to our every need 👏🏻👍🏻

Another great time ,keep up the great work

This is my favorite marina at the Chesapeake entrance. It's not a huge marina, but it has the entire downtown area right there, gorgeous sunsets, great amenities, and a really easy going staff. The only thing I'd complain about is the wi-fi as Internet services are sketchy. Fortunately we have 5G unlimited and Norfolk has those services locked down. Truly enjoy the marina and it is a modern, new, and really great place to stop for awhile.

We love staying at Waterside! The docks and electrical have all been upgraded and their staff is wonderful to work with. The marina is within walking distance to everything in Norfolk! They even pay for a cab to and from the local grocery store so boaters can provision! The ferry to Portsmouth is just a few yards away as well as numerous amazing restaurants. We highly recommend Waterside for your visit to Norfolk.

The crew there now is the best I've ever seen. The docks are in perfect condition. Only problem 3 of us on the same dock had during the day was that the dock power cannot handle the load and we all had electrical problems. Once the load lowered in the evening we were fine.

Very nice marina right in heart of downtown close to many restaurants. Only negative is distance to restrooms/showers, but the walk provides great view of area in the morning. But, we keep coming back.

This is a very well-maintained marina with an equally professional and courteous staff!

We came for 1 night and stayed TWO WEEKS!! The dock hands could not have been more helpful!!! Danny welcomed us warmly and made sure we had everything we needed! We loved this Marina and The Waterside at Norfolk and the surrounding area of Virginia Beach!!! There is so much to do right where you step off the boat!! Restaurants, music, beautiful parks museums, shopping and all with a very friendly, cool vibe!! Everything was super clean and super safe. We had three young grandsons come stay a week and the area provided us the coolest stuff to do!!! Navy ships, museums, zip lining Virginia Beach, go carting, water parks!! All any easy walk or drive!! Stay at Waterside Marina! It’s AWESOME!!

Very nice marina in Downtown Norfolk. The staff is exceptionally professional and helpful. Marina is very clean and well maintained.

Employees were very helpful. The floating docks were in great shape. Everything looked pretty new. The marina is right downtown. Within walking distance of USS Wisconsin, museums, and loads of restaurants, coffee shops, etc. My only critique is the bathrooms are a LONG walk away from most of the docks. (They were very nice and clean bathrooms though. Showers were clean, good pressure, hot water.) Great views in the marina, reasonable pricing.

Staff was very good, very helpful , and attentive during our stay. it is Always a pleasure to stay at this Marina,

Great staff and location.

Seth was very accommodating and really helpful— we had a great time and want to thank him for all he did for us. Waterside is lucky to have a dockmaster of this caliber. The Carter’s and Lily

Great service, dock hands very attentive and professional. Always like docking here updated and accessible to waterfront hotels and restaurants.

Love to visit this port, at this marina. Beautiful new slips, power and good municipal water. Incredibly helpful dock team. Seth was especially attentive—proactively offering a helping hand for multiple things. We really appreciate it! Great walking and riding on the Elizabeth River Trail. Great food options. And a visit to the Chrysler Museum is delightful! We make it a destination!!

Very helpful staff, good restaurant nearby, shower facilities ok.

Spent 5 great days in Waterside marina. Many good restaurants in the area on Granby street. Many museums & activities. Public transportation easily available. Dock hands and quality of the marina were top notch. Clean secure with exceptional service. We will be back.

Davis was a huge help. We will be back

Love it.

Really enjoyed being downtown Norfolk, plenty to see and do. A lot of history around the area. Marina staff was very helpful with arrival and giving us ideas on where to go. Chrysler museum worth the walk to. We even spend an extra day here.

Waterside Restaurants/bars were closed when we visited but OMG there was so many other cool things to see and do when we visited. Their new floating docks are super impressive and docking couldn't have been easier with Seth's help. He turned us on to "Grain" a bar/restaurant on the 5 floor roof of the Hilton and it was AWESOME! We visited Nauticus and the USS Wisconsin which was fun and walked around the historic Mason District. I thought downtown Norfolk was going to be just a bunch of big buildings but there was oh so much more.....

We spent 2 nights at Waterside Marina this May. The staff was outstanding, capable and helpful in every way. The location perfect for dining, sightseeing and meeting other cruisers. Though the marina is a bit tight in terms of waterway and navigating larger vessels, this is a minor inconvenience for what you get in return. Loved it. Going back in August.

We were only there for an overnight but got in early enough in the day to enjoy the area. Took our bikes and rode through the historic district. We ended up going to a AAA baseball game at the stadium. The team at the marina are fantastic, knowledgeable and helpful. Next time here we will be landing at this great facility!

Great marina in a great location right in the downtown area. Well maintained and great folks on the docks. Will def come back

All was well except non functional wifi. Staff was helpful in docking. Could not repair WiFi. Great location for Norfolk.

Super location and staff!

Awesome place to stay. Right in the middle of the activity.

Seth was very attentive upon our arrival. Marina is a great location to downtown attractions.

Great dock hands! Awesome docks. Very clean. Close to everything we wanted to see.

Great location and convenience. Seth was excellent on the docks and offered valuable information about the area. I’d love to see fuel offered but, yeah, I get it. Everything offered is 5 stars but for a professional delivery captain I usually need fuel which would require another stop.

Greeted at the dock by 3 professional dock hands , and we had a great stay. Everything was clean and worked as it should . We will be going back soon.

Perfect location, great service. Dock hand followed my progress and waited past normal hours for our arrival as we were coming north on ICW. Love being able to walk off the marina right to the adjoining restaurants.

Great communication when approaching and friendly staff to assist while docking. Reasonable rates and power.

Tied up my dinghy twice this month. Great, helpful, friendly staff. It is nice to be greeted at the dock and have dockhands who actually know how to tie up your lines at a cleat.

Staff were excellent, and the new docks very nice, but the heads are totally inadequate with no hot water at sinks, not well maintained (dirty and missing supplies), and only two stalls for a marina this size is surprising.

Great docks! all new. Strong WIFI and helpful staff. Would have given 5 stars if there was laundry and fuel. Strong (gale force) winds from the NW and all was fine in the basin.

The marina was great. Staff was very helpful. Easy in and out.

Great spot, extremely courteous staff.

Very pleasant facility. Helpful, very organized and clean. The baths are a bit far but clean. Nice staff. Great access to restaurants, perfect walking paths offering great views. Close to large shopping mall but nearest groceries are close to 2 miles.

The dock hands and facilities are top notch and the location can’t be beat. Our only negative is we were here during 2 gales. The second was from the west and it beat us up. No damage or anything but it was pretty uncomfortable. Their sea wall mitigated wave effect but certainly didn’t nullify it.

Helpful, knowledgeable and friendly Dock hands. Excellent very nice facility.

New docks, friendly staff & location, location, location.

I would give it 4.5 stars. The bar noise is annoying sometimes and there is no security. Besides that, the staff was great and communicated very well with us and were helpful with anything we needed. The docks are clean and spacious and the location is great for going downtown.

Excellent location. Great dockhand service. Well maintained floating docks. A lot of walking to get to the restrooms and showers. Wifi signal did not reach my slip.

Great Location, right on ICW. Walk to many local activities. Quiet & no waves etc at night. Many friendly transient boaters. GREAT STAFF. SETH was immense help in docking & information. Well Done!

Inexperienced dock handlers

An excellent experience. The dockhands were responsive, pleasant, and competent. We did a pump out upon arrival and then tied up. The location is wonderful: downtown with the marvelous "Stripers" restaurant adjacent to the dock. The docks are newer and the facility sparkling. We couldn't have asked for more.

Very friendly and staff. Courtesy transportation to Harris Teeter. Very walkable to lots of restaurants (all types) and Macarthur Mall. Would have given it a 5 if WiFi was better. Definitely will return.

Nice docks, great location and helpful staff. They offer a complimentary taxi to Harris Teeter Grocery every morning. Great restaurants. We enjoyed our stay.

Dock crew was wonderful! Beautiful views of the waterway and downtown, only downside, it is very tight maneuvering thru turn and down the fairway. Definitely would stop again!

Great reception by staff with plenty of hands for ropes! Internet was a little slow considering not many people docking for the night but it was decent.

Staff very helpful. brand new floating docks. Location location to downtown activities

Even though CV-19 caused much of the waterfront to be closed, we had a great experience at the marina. From first call on ch. 16, to departure, we were greeted professionally and every interaction was first class. I do not remember the name of the young man (who seemed to be on duty at all hours), but he was great and will be successful at what ever he chooses after completing college. Clean rest rooms, immaculate docks, strong internet. Great stop off point in the center of Norfolk.

Great dock hands, very efficient. Clean new floating Docks on the inside of the marina, and great shorepower. Very happy with my experience at Waterside Marina

The service was excellent and the support from the staff was above and beyond. Fantastic location.

Waterside Marina in Norfolk is an awesome place to stay. You definitely pay a high price for location, but it's worth it! You will be docked in the heart of Norfolk within a quick walking distance to pretty much everything. We loved being surrounded by all of the huge Navy ships and watching all of the interesting sights of the harbor. Waterside is right in the center of all of it, but very protected and safe. The docks are extremely nice and the dock hands are knowledgeable and helpful. If you are needing/wanting to stay in the Norfolk area, this marina would be my top choice.

Had a great stay perfect spot right downtown and Dockmaster Tom and his team were excellent would highly recommend

Very nice location. Clean Marina. Very Friendly Staff. Great location. No fuel. shower and head facilities are a bit of a walk.

Great staff. Very friendly and helpful. Easy to get in & out. Looking forward to coming back.

This is a great marina! Great views, great restaurants, excellent staff! Waterside is closed for renovations, but the is still a lot to do.

Nice docks, not much more

Great new floating docks, always friendly dock hands and close to excellent restaurants in Norfolk.

The young lady dock attendant stayed late to help me secure and she ran my power cord. I have stayed here before and enjoyed it too. I think the electric could use an update. Update 12/11. Thank you for your response. It's nice to know reviews are read. I look forward to the new docks! I'm sure the crew will remain top notch!

Docks are shabby and should have been replaced years ago. Bathrooms are 1/2 mile from the slips

Great marina. People are super nice! And provided free taxi to grocery store and back! Downtown near restaurants and mall. Will stay again!

I can’t say enough good things about this marina and the staff that works there. I was greeted by Danny, a young college aged kid that had been around docks for a period of time. He provided clear instructions on the VHF and met me promptly at the slip, waving me in. I was single handed so it was great having a capable person on the dock anticipating when to tension or slacken the dock lines. At the dock master office he provided great local information which allowed for an enjoyable visit. The following day I met Alex and Don. Don seemed to be THE MAN running the show and he was great! He hooked me up with some discounted tour tickets (greatly appreciated), called me on my cell when my dog escaped from the boat and offered great dinner recommendations at a nearby restaurant (Stripers). I will definitely stop at Waterside Marina on my return trip.

Wonderful location if you are looking for city energy, which we were after the isolation of the N.C. ICW.

Staff was professional and available to assist with docking. Slip assignment was challenging for a 40' sailboat (backed in but needed to rig a warp line to properly exit the assigned slip. Bathing facilities are too far from the dock. Relied on shipboard facilities for bathing needs. Wonderful location for the fireworks. Will definitely return.

Unfortunately we could not dock at Waterside since the draw bridges south of Norfolk VA (where we are traveling from) have been closed since 4/19 due to flooding. I would certainly appreciate a credit for our deposit since we could not dock due to act of God.

Very happy with this Marina and location, right on the Starting line of the ICW, dock staff very nice, right in the middle of the city lots of great restaurants near this location. Clean showers and bathrooms!

Can’t beat the location. Right downtown. Staff was very helpful. Not a lot of amenities but if it’s local night life you’re looking for. Waterside is the place.

Always a great place to stay. Right in the center of the Norfolk action

Nice guy at our arrival. The only problem is that there is too much light during the night.

excellent location. very friendly staff

Great, smaller marina with lots to do, all walking distamce. Staff works late, no security issues and full amenities.

The location is always great! The wifi was spotty on connectivity and the powers on the dock was problematic that we had to switch power posts and the. No problems. The new Hilton hotels roof top lounge "The Main" is a great place and within walking distance.

Glad to have Norfolk Waterside back in our destinations... the marina unfortunately did not get touched by the renovation magic. The docks are showing their age and wear, and WiFi is non-existent (even though it is advertised and info given at check-in). John (dockmaster) and dock hands are friendly, but at these rates there should be full-service facilities. While the bath house facilities are new, they are missing basics like seating for changing, more than one head, hooks within reach of the showers, hot/cold water is reversed in the showers, and no washer/dryer.

No laundry facilities, no cable and Wifii was poor. They do pay for a taxi once a day at 10am to go to the Harris Teeter, which is nice. What was disappointing is we had to find this out on our own through the Visitor's Center. They aren't open about advertising it!