Top 5 Waterfront Condos With Marina Access in Palm Beach County
Quick Summary
- Five condo picks where boating is core
- New builds and legacy marinas compared
- What to verify before buying a slip
- A Palm-beach to West-palm-beach lens
The waterfront premium that is not just the view
In Palm Beach County, plenty of residences can sell the Intracoastal as scenery. Far fewer make boating feel as seamless as stepping off the elevator and walking to the dock. For affluent buyers in South Florida, that difference is not cosmetic. A boat is not a weekend accessory; it dictates timing, staffing, and logistics. Departures are scheduled around tides and traffic. Guests arrive with luggage. Captains need predictable access and clear procedures. When a building’s “marina lifestyle” is more slogan than system, the friction shows up immediately.
That is why the boat slip conversation often becomes the most important due diligence in a waterfront condo purchase. A slip can be deeded, leased, or assigned by an association, and the transfer rules can matter as much as whether your vessel fits. Sophisticated buyers evaluate marina access the way they evaluate title, insurance, and reserves: as a structure to be confirmed, not a perk to be assumed.
Below, MILLION Luxury spotlights five condominium communities in Palm Beach County where marina access is positioned as a core part of the lifestyle, followed by a practical framework for assessing what “private marina” actually means.
What “marina access” actually looks like in a condo
Marina-forward condominiums typically fall into three real-world categories.
First are projects that promote an on-site private marina with a defined slip count and an intended vessel range. These communities can feel closest to the yachting ideal, but buyers still need to verify exactly how slips are allocated and whether rights transfer on resale.
Second are buildings where a marina component exists, but the number of resident slips is limited. The amenity can be meaningful, but it is rarely universal. In these cases, the buyer’s leverage often comes from early planning, understanding priority lists, or pairing the purchase with a residence that fits the building’s marina program.
Third are established waterfront towers where boating is supported through day docks and nearby marina options within the surrounding neighborhood. This can be highly livable for owners who value location and flexibility, but it also means docking may depend on availability beyond the building itself.
Top 5 waterfront condos with marina access (Palm Beach County)
1. The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Palm Beach Gardens - private marina on-site Planned as 106 residences across three 7-story buildings, this Palm Beach Gardens waterfront development is marketed with an on-site private marina featuring 29 slips designed for boats roughly 42 to 80 feet. For buyers who want their home and slip to read as one address, the proposition is straightforward: a limited residence count paired with a clearly stated marina program.
The value here is the specificity. A defined slip count and stated vessel range give buyers a concrete starting point, then the remaining work is confirming how slip rights are structured, allocated, and transferred.
2. Olara Residences (1919 N Flagler Dr, West Palm Beach) - limited private slips Olara is positioned along 1919 N Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach and is planned as two towers totaling about 275 residences. Marketing highlights a resident marina component with a limited number of private slips, commonly noted as six.
With a larger residence count than many marina-centric offerings, the key is calibration. This reads as a waterfront tower lifestyle where slip access is likely a prized, finite resource. The unit mix is marketed as 2 to 4 bedrooms, with interior sizes spanning roughly 1,500 to 5,000+ square feet depending on residence type, placing it in the conversation for both primary homes and city-forward second residences.
3. HAVN Residences & Yacht Club (Palm Beach Shores) - yacht club scale marina Marketed as a boutique offering of 36 residences, HAVN ties ownership to a Yacht Club concept that centers boating at meaningful scale. The yacht club marina is marketed at 52 slips and is described as accommodating larger vessels, up to about 150 feet depending on slip.
For buyers who want the social and operational rhythm of a yachting community, this structure can feel less like a standard condo amenity and more like a waterfront membership environment integrated into the purchase decision.
4. Water Club North Palm Beach (North Palm Beach) - day docks and nearby marina access Water Club is a waterfront condominium community in North Palm Beach, commonly marketed with day docks and access to marina options at or near Old Port Cove. The location is associated with the 1280 US Highway 1 area, placing it in a corridor where Intracoastal living and boating infrastructure intersect.
This profile often appeals to owners who prioritize a strong waterfront setting and practical boating adjacency, even when the slip is not necessarily “yours” in a deeded sense.
5. Harbor Village at Old Port Cove (North Palm Beach) - established Intracoastal community Within the Old Port Cove area, Harbor Village is an established condominium community described in profiles as built in 1979 and commonly listed at about 94 units. In a region where newer projects command attention, legacy communities can still matter for a simple reason: they sit within a marina-centric neighborhood that has been functioning for decades.
For some buyers, the appeal is the established rhythm of the area and the lived-in boating culture around it, balanced against the realities and expectations that come with an older building profile.
West-palm-beach and Palm-beach: where the buyer experience diverges
Palm-beach is often discussed as a single market, but boating-first condo buyers experience it as a series of micro-lifestyles connected by water. West-palm-beach tends to reward owners who want a walkable, city-facing address on the Intracoastal, with boating as an extension of downtown living. North Palm Beach and Palm Beach Shores can feel more purely nautical, where marina infrastructure and shorter runs to ocean inlets shape daily choices.
If your plan is to pair a pied-a-terre with a structured service ecosystem, watch how new inventory continues to redefine the waterfront skyline. A project like The Ritz-Carlton Residences® West Palm Beach signals the continued pull of the urban waterfront buyer, where dining, lifestyle, and aviation proximity can matter as much as slip depth.
On Flagler Drive, new luxury towers are also reframing what “on the water” means in the city. Buildings such as Forté on Flagler West Palm Beach and Shorecrest Flagler Drive West Palm Beach speak to the same core demand: uninterrupted water views, refined amenities, and a front-row seat to the Intracoastal, even when a buyer’s boating plan relies on a blend of limited on-site access and nearby marina relationships.
For buyers who want the cosmopolitan tempo of downtown with a coastal sensibility, Mr. C Residences West Palm Beach underscores the direction of travel: hospitality-driven residential standards and a broader definition of luxury that includes social spaces, service, and design.
The due diligence checklist for a marina-forward condo
Boating access is one of the few amenities that behaves like real property. Before committing, confirm the structure with the same rigor you apply to financials.
Start with how slip rights are held. In condo settings, dock access is commonly structured as deeded slips, leased slips, or association-assigned use rights. Each path has a different resale story. Deeded can offer clarity but may trade separately. Leased can be flexible but remains subject to renewal terms. Association-assigned may require living with priority systems and rule changes over time.
Next, match the marina’s marketing to your actual use case. Vessel length is only one variable. Ask about beam limits, draft considerations, tides, and turning radii. Consider whether you need a captain-friendly setup for arrivals, shore power requirements, and guest handling. “Private marina” can mean anything from a small slip count to priority access, rather than a guaranteed slip for every unit, especially in larger towers.
Finally, align timelines. In pre-construction scenarios, boating plans should include interim docking solutions, expected completion phasing, and a clear distinction between what is contractually promised and what is shown in marketing.
Choosing between Boutique and tower living: a buyer’s lens
A Boutique condominium tied closely to a yacht club can offer intimacy, community, and potentially a clearer pathway to the docks. It may suit owners who want the water to be their primary social scene and who value a smaller resident roster.
A larger tower environment can deliver scale, staffing depth, and a broader amenity ecosystem, but the slip story may be more competitive unless the marina program is proportionately robust. This is not a flaw; it is simply a different model. The buyer’s goal is to decide whether day-to-day happiness comes from certainty at the dock, or from certainty in service, views, and location, with boating handled through a more networked approach.
Luxury on the water is ultimately about reducing friction. When the residence, the marina plan, and your boating routine align, the county feels smaller, from sunset runs to weekend crossings.
FAQs
What does Boat-slip mean in a condo purchase? It refers to dock access that may be deeded, leased, or assigned by the association, depending on the building.
Do all waterfront condos with marinas guarantee a slip? Not necessarily. Some projects have limited slips or priority access rather than a slip for every residence.
Which community on this list markets the largest marina? HAVN’s Yacht Club is marketed with 52 slips and the ability to accommodate larger vessels depending on slip.
What is the marketed slip count at The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Palm Beach Gardens? It is marketed with 29 slips designed for boats roughly 42 to 80 feet.
How many slips are marketed at Olara Residences? Marketing materials commonly note a limited program of six private slips.
Is Water Club North Palm Beach an on-site marina building? It is commonly marketed with day docks and nearby marina access at or near Old Port Cove.
Are older buildings like Harbor Village relevant for boating buyers? Yes. Established communities can benefit from being located within long-running, marina-centric neighborhoods.
What should I verify first when marina access is a priority? Confirm whether slip rights are deeded, leased, or association-assigned, and whether they transfer upon resale.
Why does Pre-construction change the boating plan? Because final allocation and rules may be documented over time, and buyers may need interim docking solutions.
Is Boutique always better for boaters? Not always. Boutique can mean fewer residents competing for access, while towers can offer deeper staffing and services.
For discreet guidance on waterfront residences and marina-forward living, visit MILLION Luxury.
Million Luxury
Million Luxury
Welcome to MILLION, an exclusive luxury real estate boutique nestled in the heart of South Florida’s most desirable locations. Specializing in high-end properties, we provide a sanctuary for discerning clients including top Fortune 500 executives, affluent families, celebrities, and professional athletes from across the globe. At MILLION, we understand the unique demands of our elite clientele and offer a seamless blend of confidentiality and personalized attention. Our commitment to privacy is unwavering; we ensure that every transaction and interaction is handled with the utmost discretion and according to stringent confidentiality protocols. Our concierge service embodies the pinnacle of white-glove care, offering tailored assistance that transcends traditional real estate support.
