Dowry Creek Marina

Lance on November 14th, 2023:

We loved our stay at Dowry Creek Marina! We spent several days there waiting for weather to improve. Good nav aids to get into the marina. Fuel dock is the first dock you come to. Least expensive diesel we have purchased since Winter Harbor Marina on the Erie Canal! In- slip pumpouts. The people working the dock are top notch!! Free laundry. Individual bathrooms for people to use. Well stocked ships store with boat and food items. Swimming pool was closed for the season (mid-November). Restaurant on-site with very good food at a moderate price. Flounder fish and chips was very good with the largest piece of fish I have ever had with fish and chips! The deep fried cheese curds are to die for. They have the nicest courtesy car we have used in our 2500 miles of boating this year. We will definitely stay here next spring as we head north!

Capt on November 3rd, 2023:

A good stop not far off the ICW. Solid fixed docks with a nominal wind-driven tide. Good dockhand wearing highly visible orange sweatshirt made it easy to find my relatively narrow slip and tie up. Marina shop is well stocked with groceries, tourist items, and boat supplies. Laundry room had two free washers and driers and I must have timed it right because I didn't have to wait. Showers are in private rooms and good. There's a nice captain's lounge and satisfactory wifi service, even way out on the transient dock. Relatively dog friendly with grassy areas to walk your pup. There's a pool (which was definitely greenish on that November stay) and a restaurant. I had lunch in the restaurant and it was good; I missed out on the live music that evening. I used the courtesy car to go to Food Lion and the post office.

In all, it was a nice stay. I got a lot of chores done and had a good night's sleep. I think this is an excellent option if you prefer a quiet, more laid back experience in the Belhaven area. Good value for your money. Would I stay here again? Yes!

Captain on October 30th, 2023:

October 20, 2023 stayed a few days to wait for better travel days with the wind kicking up. Good help with docking. They now have a nice restaurant Bar on site. Was nice to be able to use courtesy car to go to Food Lion. Outstanding dock help and friendly helping attitude. Facilities clean and bright. Courtesy car to get you to town for provisions and supplies. Nice peaceful relaxing setting and good views of stars. Good free laundry facilities. Excellent fuel prices. The people working here and staying here are wonderful. Thank you for a great stay!

James on October 22nd, 2023:

Love this marina. Well-maintained fixed piers. Stayed on both north and southbound trips. Extremely friendly and helpful team. Owner lent me her personal car when another boater left her courtesy car with zero gas and a dead battery (left lights on). New restaurant is open and is sparkling clean and well staffed. Food is quite good, too. Full dinner menu on Fri/Sat/Sun with was good and a big plus. Deducted one star because not much lighting on the piers, just blue marker lights. I was nervous navigating in the dark and grabbed a flashlight. Pet friendly. Pool took a bad hit after a storm with surge, but it's off season so we didn't use it.

Gary on October 9th, 2023:

I agree about the hidden gem. Great Marina, Great Staff, Great locations, Lounge is superb. $1.71'plus $25.00 for 100 amp with courtesy car. Dockmaster Jeff is First Class.

Jeffrey on August 18th, 2023:

Great service & great marina. Stopped for diesel, gasoline, propane, water, ice, & a pump-out. A one-stop shop. Mike was great!

Anonymous on June 7th, 2023:

Great staff, very helpful and welcoming! Wonderful facilities, loaner car, grocery supplies!

June 6th, 2023:

Outstanding as always. This was our third trip in and the team at Dowry Creek has always been lovely, helpful, accomodating, and the facilities are already better than a lot, but steadily being maintained and upgraded. Can't wait to come back when the restaurant opens.

Dusty on April 12th, 2023:

Great people here. They took good care of us on docking & departure. Loaner car to the grocery. Clean bathroom/shower. Laundry available. Captains lounge. They have a restaurant under construction, to open soon. Fixed docks, in good shape. Good long area to walk pets. Would definitely stop again.

Craig on December 19th, 2022:

Always a wonderful stay. Weather kept us there for several nights but staff is always so helpful and personable. We visit with them twice every year!

Tim on November 2nd, 2022:

One of our favorite stops when traveling up and down the ICW. Nice quiet marina, just off the ICW. Family owned and the whole family is involved in the operation of the marina. Very kind and professional.

Susan on October 31st, 2022:

Absolutely one of the best marinas that we have stayed at. They are more that willing to help with everything. Almost everything you need is either right on or a short distance away. When we showed up and ask to borrow a courtesy car the manager gave us hers.
Their new restaurant is going to be open in the near future according to the owner.
The marina was quiet and peaceful, too.
We plan to stay here whenever we are in the neighborhood.

Ann on October 28th, 2022:

Fantastic marina! Free laundry!! Pump out at slip. Very friendly and helpful dockhands. Had to leave in a very brisk wind and the dockhands made sure we knew how to maneuver and kept an eye on us until we were out. Would definitely stay here again!

Robert on September 20th, 2022:

Great marina. Easy in and out.

Bruce & on August 30th, 2022:

Very friendly and helpful dockhands, easy fueling and pump out at the dock. We had stopped for the pool, but unfortunately the weather turned cool for the couple of days we were there, next time.
There is a small c-store with limited snacks and sandwich fixings, beer and wine. The restaurant isn't open yet but they were working on it, hopefully next time we are there.

Bill on June 30th, 2022:

Great marina. Great dockhand. Great fuel price. Free laundry. What's nice about free laundry is not the money, but not having to keep up with all the dang quarters!

The office has a very complete selection of boat-friendly food.

I had a nice stay in late June 2022.

Bill on May 28th, 2022:

Solid fixed dock. Knowledgeable dockhand was very helpful in the very windy conditions we experienced.
Clean, home style bathroom and shower.

Alan on May 24th, 2022:

Family owned and operated. They make you feel like a part of it. Very secure private club marina.Modern clean facilities with immaculate bathhouses. On site general store with courtesy car for the 6 mi trip to town. Marine Diesel services will come to your boat. Complete service and lift in near by creek.

In my opinion this is the nicest marina on the ICW between Hampton, VA and Wrightsville Beach, NC.

Call ahead as it fills up quick.

Jerald on April 21st, 2022:

I stayed here the 17th and 18th of April. I would give six stars if I could. Really enjoyed this marina, great folks, help with dock lines, nice ship store, captains lounge, restrooms showers and laundry we're all great, and they have a courtesy car to get you into town. No restaurant on site but they're working on it! I will definitely stop here again!

Laura on April 18th, 2022:

Our third stay at Dowry Creek - and it is certainly one of our very favorite marinas on our south-north trek! Run by a wonderful family that are always really helpful. Great restrooms/showers (towels are supplied!!!). Beautiful pool. Great docks. Excellent assistance with line handling. Pump out at your slip. Awesomely stocked marina store for provisions. And the setting is very peaceful - and spectacular.

Craig on April 11th, 2022:

This was only our second time here but plan to make it a stop anytime we are in the area. A family run marina that has a little bit of everything a cruiser would ever need. It's really a piece of home away from home. Great docks, spacious and clean bathrooms, ships store, captains lounge, courtesy cars and a beautiful view it's all right here!

Bret on January 13th, 2022:

Left our catamaran here for three months. They took care of her, checking that was well every week. Were happy to accept a truckload of stuff we had shipped via Amazon for her. This a great marina!

Marshall on January 12th, 2022:

Nice marina,easy in and out, owners are wonderful. Gas, Diesel store, free laundry, occasional courtesy car. Who could ask for more?

Robert on January 11th, 2022:

This marina is what defines a 5 star rating. It has a heated swimming pool, three courtesy cars (!), propane refill, good WiFi, 7/11 type convenience store for supplies, rebuilt fixed docks, excellent dockhands, pump out at your boat, free(!) washers and dryers, captain's lounge with large panel TV, and a pet walking area. The owner has plans to add more slips and to provide protection from strong southeast winds (the only direction waves can enter). There is a large restaurant under construction that's due for completion by the fall of 2022. The owners live on-site and are gracious and helpful. You won't find a better marina that checks all the boxes for a 5 start rating.

Tony on December 30th, 2021:

Don't miss this marina!!! One of the best, friendliest, most helpful marinas on the whole ICW. And I know because I've been traveling the ICW for 30 yrs. It is family owned & operated & everyone is very helpful.They have free W&D to use, nice lounge with a big TV. The owner even loaned us his Mercedes to go to the grocery store. They are in the process of building a new restaurant on the property. Nice well equipped but small general store for last minute food items.

Donna on December 29th, 2021:

What an absolute amazing Marina; from the owner/operators to the live-aboard. We called ahead to see if they were open (others in the area shut down for the holidays) and they said "absolutely, come on in and we'll be on the dock waiting for you!" And they were! We arrived midday Christmas Eve and they tied us up and shooed us off in the courtesy car before the shops closed. We ran our errands and arrived back in time to have a nice hot shower and were invited to the Marina Christmas Eve gathering in the clubhouse. The next day we were guests to the live-aboard Christmas lunch; it felt like we were part of a lovely big family! The grounds, docks, marina shop, club house, showers (with towels "just in case"), free laundry and so much more are not the reason I will come back; it is the kind and generous owner and family that did it for me!

Bret on November 11th, 2021:

Much like a favorite fishing hole is a good to keep secret, I hesitate to tell people about this great little marina. We dropped our boat off here for a few months. These people are great to work with and run a first rate marina. We will be coming back in the future.

Scott on October 25th, 2021:

Great experience. Excellent staff. Good amenities. I had a problem and they had a mechanic there to help me out within an hour.
Highly recommended.

Bill & on October 24th, 2021:

Great Marina. Access is very easy, pier is in excellent condition. The facilities and marina grounds are very nice. Nice dock wagons provided. Free Laundry with newer washer/dryer. Marina store has a little of everything. Great place if you additional hands for docking and good fuel prices. The staff goes above and beyond to help. Most of transient slips that we could see are close to the facilities. One of the best parts besides the nice people is the courtesy cars they provide. Beautiful 10 min ride to town. Town has really cute boutique shop for women's clothing, couple great gift shops and couple places to eat . We loved our stay and will be back to visit!

Keith and Donna on October 19th, 2021:

Dowry Creek is the best marina in NC along the AICW. Family owned and operated with the friendliest people that make you feel at home and welcome. The location is right off the waterway at mm132 and very convenient. The view and the large salt water pool are the best as well as free laundry and the cleanest bathrooms we have found so far. Prices are competitive and fuel is also. If I had to live in one marina Dowry Creek would be the one. Love them!

Gary on October 9th, 2021:

Very happy here, great staff, arrived in a 25 knot wind and they tied us and handled all very well. Dock rate was $1.62 per foot and 100 amp was $20.00. Water was 12' on face dock at low tide. Must stop North and South.

Robert on October 2nd, 2021:

Stayed September 21, 22, 23, 2021. Was only going to stay one night but weather kicked up and we were there for three. Excellent dock hands. We came in in high winds and they were first rate at getting us tied in the slip and secure for the wind. They checked every boat in the marina numerous times because of winds and kept a lookout for any problems. Nice ships store, free laundry, towels in the clean and nice shower and a nice boaters lounge. Nice loner car too. Excellent all around.

Robert on September 22nd, 2021:

Docked in high winds. Excellent dock hands were standing by at slip and did an outstanding job of getting us tied up safe and secure. Clean facilities and a well stocked store. Winds will keep us here a few nights and we're fine with that. Will relax by the nice pool and enjoy this marina.

Len on September 14th, 2021:

I stopped her near two years ago on my powerboat during a trip from Corpus Christi TX to Cape Charles Virginia. Loved everything about the experience. Told myself that if I decided to stop cruising for awhile, I would want to stay here.
Recently I brought my sailboat around the same previous trip and berthed both boats here.
This is now home and we love everything about this place.
Anyone passing by here should stop and experience the hospitality of Dowry Creek Marina

August 7th, 2021:

Can't say enough good things about Dowry Creek and the crew (family) running it. We stopped for fuel and then stayed the night. When we had a minor emergency on the boat, they brought all hands and helped until we were safe and secure. The place is attractive, clean, and easy to get to. We will definitely be back!!

Jon on July 26th, 2021:

Great facilities and an amazing staff. Will stay again if we're passing through.

Scott on July 10th, 2021:

Pulled into Dowry Creek a couple of days ago on our way down the ICW. Wonderful family run place. It's been rebuilt over the last 3 years since the new owner took over. Friendly dock staff. Nicole, the owners daughter, was a pleasure to talk with. There's a heated salt water pool we took advantage of. Clean showers, laundry, room, etc. Small but well stocked store. Efficient fueling, water, and pump out.
Big thumbs up !

Jacqueline on July 5th, 2021:

Friendly, family- run marina. Excellent customer service! Courtesy car! Docks in good condition. Pool full of kids because they allow families nearby to use the pool. Nice facilities. Highly recommend!

John on June 24th, 2021:

Nice stop. Dockhands(Nicole and Jeff) friendly and competent. Fair price for diesel. Good dock rate ($1.62/ft with Boat US or AGLCA. Beautiful spot protected unless strong SE wind. New sturdy fixed docks with full length piers. Nice relaxing pool. Fully stocked with groceries ships store, courtesy car, grills, 3 restroom/showers with fresh towels. Boaters lounge and three free washers/ dryers. Family-owned and run marina. Everyone very pleasant and accomodating.

Karen on May 24th, 2021:

Great little family run marina. Pulled in for the night on a hot day and they had a pool and ice cream in their store! They’ve obviously put a lot of work in and the improvements showed - nice clean baths/showers, laundry, boaters lounge with games snd wide screen tv ( air conditioned). Restaurant being added on premises - they are hoping for a fall opening. Great area for dog walks through the residential neighborhood. Will stop by again on our way south.

Gary on May 17th, 2021:

Stayed here four nights to get some repairs by outside party. Staff at Marina is great, Marina Facility is Great, Clubhouse is Great. Easy in & out.

Roger on April 23rd, 2021:

We spent six nights here to rest and wait for a weather window. We liked everything about this place. Excellent customer service by all staff members, free laundry, fresh towels in showers, very peaceful setting, courtesy car, and a well stocked ship store/market. The rates are very reasonable as was the price of diesel.

Rob on April 16th, 2021:

Rob on April 16th, 2021:

Great marina. Friendly helpful dockhands. Good stop for fuel. Strong WiFi. Ships store is well stocked and the pool looks really nice. Nice area to walk a dog. A very quiet marina. Offered us a courtesy car as soon as we arrived.

Heath on April 15th, 2021:

Definitely a great stop. Stayed a couple days to enjoy the pool.

Steven J on April 1st, 2021:

Stayed until after closing to get us in from a storm. Great facility, showers laundry, diesel and pool.

Snowbird on March 24th, 2021:

Can't say enough...dock assistance, high speed fueling, well maintained and friendly. All feels good! Staying a week before we end our winter escapade!

Nate on November 16th, 2020:

Excellent Stay, wonderful people, nice docks, multiple Dockhands, trash best price on fuel etc. Great marina store.

J on November 14th, 2020:

Unbeatable service! We arrived after dark as weather was deteriorating. We were greeted by two staff to help us dock. Restrooms and showers clean. We needed to return home for a few days. Jeff drove us to Greenville to pick up our rental car. Arrived to find there was no car available, despite our confirmed reservation. He then drove another hour and a half to Raleigh where we were able to get a rental car. Incredible service! And, with a smile. Would definitely stay here again.

T on November 13th, 2020:

Pulled in to Dowry Creek Marina for shelter from a tropical storm with lots of wind and rain. Lots of other boats were pulling in at the same time. Despite the stress of bad weather and lots of boats needing to dock, the marina staff was polite and helpful and went the extra mile for us. The private bathrooms were always clean. The laundry is free and the machines work well. My only complaints were that the wifi wasn't very good (I had to just use my own hotspot) and we couldn't hook up our hose right by our slip, which made it rather a stretch to fill our water tanks. Despite those small things, this marina is a friendly place and we would definitely come back.

Anonymous on October 31st, 2020:

Awesome stay thanks to the great team working there. Really looked after us while we sheltered from the leftovers of a hurricane there. Facilities were also excellent. Well stocked shop, good time allowance in the courtesy car, clean showers, FREE laundry and on site propane refills. What more could you want?

Capt Chris on August 24th, 2020:

Wow! What a great experience. Great family run business with new docks, electric, fuel, and pump out. They don’t really have closing hours because they live on site. This is great for anyone traveling during the long days when you want/need to make some miles and don’t want to stop at 5. Their ship store is like a mini grocery store with a great selection of fresh foods, beer, wine, and of course some boating supplies. They have broken ground for a new restaurant and bar. I can’t wait til it’s done and hope to visit again sometime soon.

Steve on August 24th, 2020:

We stopped here for one night and decided to spend a month. Very glad we did. Perfect environment for relaxing and meeting new friends. If you're not in a hurry spend some time here. Next trip North we may spend two months of our summer at this marina. Loved it

Sarah on June 30th, 2020:

Hands down, Dowry Creek Marina is one of the best stops on the East Coast! The location, just minutes off the ICW, is an ideal spot between Elizabeth City and New Bern/Beaufort. The owners and staff at the marina are extremely welcoming and really make you feel at home. Amenities include an awesome pool, a well stocked store, a free laundry room with 3 washer/dryer sets, a lounge with books, puzzles and games, fuel, pump outs (even available at your slip), 3 private and very clean bathrooms/showers, and a courtesy car. The town of Belhaven isn’t large, but there is a good grocery store and several restaurants. The staff went out of their way to take care of everyone. Afternoon storms popped up on 2 of the days we were there. Both days the staff made their way around the marina checking on boats and helping people secure their lines. We travel with our two kids and they both remarked that they would like to stay at Dowry Creek Marina forever. The marina is extremely family-friendly and it felt like a true vacation staying there. We will absolutely be back and will probably choose to keep our boat there full time after we complete the Great Loop.

Scott on June 27th, 2020:

Great place to stop. Pool, Grills, new docks, well stocked store, ... it has it all. Really it does. Pump out within/along the slips (No need to move to pump out). You can sit on the protected docks and still watch boats going along the ICW. Enough to do and still quiet.

Kristen on June 7th, 2020:

Terrific stop right off the ICW and amenities that echoes all previous reviews still. Friendly family run marina that makes it a worthwhile stop. Sturdy new docks, a well stocked little store for some easy staple provisions including beer and wine, free laundry, pool, clean bathrooms, welcoming and large captains lounge with lots of fun entertainment options and well lit docks at night. Quiet and peaceful location. Also provides propane refill and transportation options to the town. Will absolutely make this a stop in the future.

Tim on May 30th, 2020:

Very nice couple manage this marina. Ships store well stocked with essential provisions including fresh crab. Courtesy car available for short drive to grocery store. Nice pool. Very good fuel and dock rate's and they offer Towboat US discount on dockage. Easy in and out at fuel dock. And they have a nice swimming pool.

Brandon on May 23rd, 2020:

Third time here and I'll stop here again. Great staff, very helpful and friendly. Docks are in excellent condition. Boaters lounge, laundry, pool, and a relaxed atmosphere.

Happy on April 26th, 2020:

Have been dying to leave a 5 star review all the way from Florida! We are 3 marinas away from home and this is the first marina with internet and high speed at that! Free laundry which is very clean, friendly “staff” which are the owners and their son and an offer to get groceries because she was going for provisions anyway! They have replaced all their docks after a hurricane took them out.We are blown away by the helpful friendly atmosphere here. This is not our first time here and things have only gotten better. Wish other marinas would take a lesson from these guys. By the way they remembered us from 2 years ago!!!
Can’t wait to come back next year!

Bayard and Gladys on April 12th, 2020:

First time we have stayed here. Connie and Steve couldn’t have been more accommodating. We were here for several days waiting out a storm. Facilities are clean, ship shore is well stocked and they have a courtesy car. Will definitely come back again.

Len on March 11th, 2020:

This place is still being remodeled. It’s nearly finished and they are doing an incredible job. Friendly, helpful, courtesy car and much more. This is a must visit marina

Rob on November 7th, 2019:

Excellent family-owned marina! Great staff. Docks are newly refurbished. Clean restrooms. Free laundry! Nice location just before the Alligator River Pungo River Canal heading North. Easy access off the ICW. Good depth.

Ron on October 27th, 2019:

Great marina with excellent service. Came in expecting short docks between posts from old photos, but were surprised to see full 40’ docks.

Thom on October 26th, 2019:

Great place. Excellent docks. Super quiet. Nice people.

David on October 22nd, 2019:

Ok, left initial review in August. Thought we were leaving but got delayed by engine trouble resulting in having to spend Hurricane Dorian with these folks. Talk about customer service. Helped anchor the boat out in a safe location. Helped us find a place to stay with one of their resident customers (Thanks Danny & Cheryl) and really went above an beyond getting us comfortable. Marina ended up assisting about 12 boats with anchoring and all the boats survived the recorded 100 mph winds. The owners Steve, Connie, and their kids Zach, Theresa, and Nichole as well as their dock master Jeff are an amazing combination...yeah, we are fans. Take care guys and thanks for everything! David and Luz Fery.

Mark on October 22nd, 2019:

I’d like to add another 5 Star rating. Great place with very friendly and helpful folks with very reasonable prices. I’ll definitely stop here again.

David on August 20th, 2019:

Excellent service. met at the dock. Easy check in. Bathrooms clean, free laundry, pool, ships store, milk, bread, eggs, beer...what else is needed. Very comfortable marina!

Dave on May 8th, 2019:

Spent a night at Dowry Creek on our way back North. We stop in Fall and Spring. Marina is nearing completion of renovations with new docks and power. Staff is outstanding, very professional, friendly and helpful. They have a car you can borrow to run to grocery store or restaurants. We enjoy the peace and solitude of Dowry Creek Marina. The approach is very easy.

Mark on May 5th, 2019:

Great service. Good diesel prices. Nice couple owners. Said restaurant and bar are coming.

Tortuga on December 19th, 2018:

Very friendly, family run resort marina! Well marked channel. Mike, Jeff, Connie & Steve, all very helpful!!! Docks undergoing major upgrades after fall hurricane damage. They plan to have pump-out & diesel available to slips. Free laundry & courtesy car! Very cozy & Chrsitmas decorated club house with wing-back chairs, TV & piano! During warmer weather, solar-warmed, water-front pool & deck!

Regina on December 9th, 2018:

Hunkered down in Dowry Creek Marina to wait out the winter storm before proceeding to Oriental. This is great marina with easy access, with very attentive and accommodating staff. Good WiFi signal. No ATT signal here and Verizon has only 1 to 2 bars.
Laundry is free! Courtesy car available if you need to make a run to town. They have little store on premises with your basic bread, butter, eggs, beer and snacks ...
Should you desire to step off the boat and catch up with the latest news or watch a movie there is a club house set up like a family room.

Phil on September 5th, 2018:

There are good marinas, great marinas and perfect marinas. Dowry's is a perfect marina. Good approach markers, great staff and a wonderful family-run operation. Like a mini-resort, great swimming pool, lounge, free laundry, super clean restrooms and showers and a Mercedes loaner car with AC and power windows that actually work! Second time there, will return again sometime.

Janet on August 23rd, 2018:

Easy clear approach. Very clean facility, attentive owners. Docks are in good repair. Nicole was on the dock waiting for us when we arrived. She was very helpful with the lines, etc. Nice pool, courtesy car to get groceries if the on site store does not have what you need. This is a worthwhile stop with easy access for fuel, pump out and overnight. Protected and quiet. It would be a lot of fun for a group of boaters or flotilla as there is a lovely great room with all the comforts for “gathering”. Another reviewer reported WIFI problems, but we had good signal and speed. I will absolutely give them my business again next spring. Thank you Zeltner family!

Paul on May 28th, 2018:

We were very pleased at the welcome and help we got staying here. The fuel pricing is very competitive and the docks are in good condition. The family running the marina are really working on improvements and you can see there efforts in the attention to details. Would get 5* but the WiFi was weak and the AT&T signal not there ( not the marinas issue admittedly). Will stop again to see the ongoing upgrades.