Waukegan Harbor, South Harbor

Waukegan Harbor's South Harbor is a full-service public marina on Lake Michigan where you can dock everything from sailboats to larger craft right along a scenic lakefront promenade. It's run by the city and sits at 55 South Harbor Place, giving you easy access to a nearby public beach and waterfront park. The setting has a laid-back, small-city harbor feel that's rare on the Illinois shoreline — less crowded than Chicago's marinas but still well-equipped.