Reviews: Heritage Harbor Ottawa

Reviewed by: G. Jay Nelson , Pegasus, on Nov 1, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 44'
Draft: 3.5'

Rating: 5

The Heritage Harbor Marina was a very pleasant stop. It was a windy day and we had to be towed in because of a starboard transmission problem. The marina allowed us to tie up on a closed party dock, and provided a very long 50-amp power extension cord and water hose so we would have power and water. The staff was remarkably friendly and very accommodating. The local AGLCA Harbor Host provided a very detailed and informative briefing on the docking and anchoring options from Ottawa to Hoppies marina, and the condition of the river along the route. The marina's floating docks are in excellent condition, and there is a small ships store that sells alcohol and a few snacks. The marina is very pet-friendly. We dined at the Blue Gill Restaurant on-site and the food was fair.

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Reviewed by: Cam & Jennifer Canup , Viatori, on Oct 17, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 47'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Approach depths with the Illinois River at a low stage was still 4 feet under the hull. Just like everyone before us, we had a great time with friendly helpful staff. There is not much more than can be said about Heritage Harbor that has not already been said. A must stop in our book.

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Reviewed by: Richard Lewis , Sea-Quel, on Oct 14, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 56'
Draft: 4.5'

Rating: 5

Nice marina and great staff. Restaurant on property pretty good as well.

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Reviewed by: Dean Erlandson on Sep 22, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 37'
Draft: 3.6'

Rating: 5

Great staff, did an evening briefing for loopers headed down River. Floating docks, pool, restaurant and lots of things for kids to do. A great stop for a few days.

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Reviewed by: MARK GLOVER , Cool Change, on Sep 21, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 45'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 5

Great facility!!! The staff were the absolute best yet!! Christie, the Dockmaster was absolutely amazing…. Organized and helpful…..arranging 10 boats in at the same time!!!!!! Full amenities with the exception of laundry , but 2 courtesy vehicles!!!! Great little restaurant on site. Bryce, the Harbor Host, was awesome…..assistant lock master at Marseilles, Harbor Host , Towboat US and also gives an amazing briefing for your travel from Heritage Harbor to Green Turtle Bay !!! This was an absolute pleasure to get the info and he was amazingly thorough!!! We can't say enough about this facility and their staff and would recommend this to anyone,Looper or otherwise, as a wonderful stop!!!!!

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Reviewed by: Kevin Williams , m/v Blue Tortuga, on Sep 19, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 3.5'

Rating: 5

Reinforcing other reviews that this is a first class marina without charging you your first born. The route review from Bryce is among the best you'll ever hear. Courtesy cars. Don't plan on riding a bike to town- the road is 2 lanes with no shoulder. I was told they are working on a laundry facility, which is all that is lacking.

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Reviewed by: Scott Gregory , My Happiness, on Sep 11, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 42'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Stop here when coming down the river. We were here Oct. 6, 23. Great marina, great staff and a great restaurant on-site. Easy to access from the river.

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Reviewed by: Lance Williamson on Sep 8, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 3.8'

Rating: 5

This is a very good marina. The marina staff stay late when Loopers get held up at the locks. They give good directions for entering the marina and getting into your slip. The slips have finger piers on both sides. Skilled dock hands assist with docking. There are two free loaner vehicles for transient boaters to use (we used them for a Walmart run, to visit Starved Rock State Park and the Starved Rock lock and dam. There is a well stocked ships store. Lots of places to eat in Ottawa. The evening route briefing (most nights) was very helpful. I highly recommend this marina

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Reviewed by: D. Jenkins on Aug 31, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 31'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 5

Heritage Harbor was a top 5 marina for us after 4,000 miles of travel around the Loop. Excellent people on the docks, in the office, and a fantastic Harbor Host who catches lines and welcomes visitors. Wonderful facilities - bath house, pool, Tiki Bar area, cornhole boards, etc. Well stocked ships store with many provision "essentials" without leaving the marina. Nice restaurant with great covered deck overlooking the marina. Easy access to the fuel dock and an efficient young man running it. Easy access to Uber for major provisions ( Super Walmart, Kroger, Aldi, Blains Farm and Fleet located in one area of town.
Nightly Captain's Brief covering the river travel ahead, anchorages, marinas, etc all the way to KY Lake. Excellent brief by very knowledgeable instructor- very much appreciated! We will plan a longer stay on our next trip, for sure.

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Reviewed by: Paul Steindorf , Ohana, on Aug 20, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 45'
Draft: 4.5'

Rating: 4

Full service marina with restaurant, tiki bar, pool on site. Helpful dockhands, good docks with in-slip pump out on B dock. Nice bike ride into town on I-M Canal Trail. Loaner car available too. No laundry on site. Marginal approach depths. We saw 5 ft approach depths with a Fox River
Pool depth of 6.4 ft at Dayton, IL

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Reviewed by: Douglas Morrow , Ripple, on Aug 12, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 39'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Friendly and very well run Marina! This Marina deserves 6 stars. Nice and clean private showers. Courtesy car was offered to us but unfortunately we were only here 1 night. We had a Walmart delivery and dock hands brought it to the dock and helped unload groceries! Very friendly people who were there for the weekend. There is a pool also and nice area to walk around. There is a restaurant The Blue Gill on the premises. Try the delicious blue gill.

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Reviewed by: John Chant , Wild Goose, on Aug 5, 2024
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 42'
Draft: 3.5'

Rating: 5

Great stop. Marina is all updated. Staff at fuel dock very helpful. Nice pool & showers. Courtesy car offered at check-in, did not use. Friendly staff. Office and gift shop were nice and well stocked. Good stop!

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Reviewed by: DJ Sauber , Searenity, on Nov 1, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 5

We have stopped at several marinas during our time on the great loop. This marina is one the most organized, well run and friendly places we've visited. They pretty much cover all the bases, including a courtesy car.
Jeremy does the most informative presentation covering your travel all the way to Green Turtle Bay Kentucky. His knowledge is truly amazing….a super nice guy. Christy helped us from reservation to arrival….anything we had questions about they were all answered. This is truly a great place to stop, highly recommend it!!!

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Reviewed by: Jodi Cavanaugh , Dos Gatos Locos, on Oct 21, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 46'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

We stayed here after a rough trip down from Joliet. Asked for one body for help catching lines, they gave us 4. It was a wonderful stay. We were able to borrow the courtesy car twice. The restaurant on site was fantastic! Jeremy gives a great detailed briefing about continuing on south on the river. Anchorages, water levels and locks. This is a stop not to miss.

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Reviewed by: Scott Vanderstoep , Hope and Dreams, on Oct 13, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 30'
Draft: 3.5'

Rating: 5

Jeremy is the most knowledgeable boatsman on the river we have met so far. His lecture (a bit long for tired loopers) is super informative. And he gives his cell phone number and will respond with advice after you leave. Staff was excellent. And food and drink at Red Dog Grill hit the spot after a long day.

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Reviewed by: Kevin King , High Tide, on Oct 12, 2023
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 40'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 5

Hands down, best service ever, if you don't make this your Looper stop its your loss!! Safe Travels

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Reviewed by: Graeme Walker , Confirmed Aquaholic, on Oct 23, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 54'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Great place, great docks, great helpful staff. Jeremy gave a 2.5hr talk every night about what to expect going down river, very informative. Used the courtesy car to re-provision.

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Reviewed by: Capt Maria Langer , Do It Now, on Oct 20, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 32'
Draft: 2.5'

Rating: 5

What a great little marina! We were going to stay at the free dock in town until I read the reviews here. They're right! The marina offers floating docks, power and water, fuel, and a marina store. Dockhands are friendly and helpful. Private shower rooms are well-equipped and clean. They have multiple courtesy cars, which made it possible for us to take one a little longer than we normally would to run errands and do laundry in town. But the best feature of this stop is the talk by Jeremy the Harbormaster about navigation between Ottawa and Paducah. He covers hazards, marinas, and anchorages in great detail. I can't imagine continuing on a Great Loop trip without the valuable information he shared.

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Reviewed by: Drew K. Zahn , last boat 6, on Oct 12, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 32'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 5

I can't say enough good things about this place. Everything is above and beyond exceptional. I hope we get to do this trip again someday this is definitely a stop we will do again!!

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Reviewed by: Brian Wicks on Sep 16, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 27'
Draft: 2.0'

Rating: 5

Amazing marina - wonderful people - a must stop to hear Jeremy's talk!

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Reviewed by: Patricia And Steven Stanley , Calypso, on Sep 13, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 39'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Jeremy's briefing was excellent and well worth attending both hours. He told us about tows, water depths, anchorages and marinas down the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers. Currently, water depths are lower than usual, so several of the anchorages we had planned to use are not appropriate. We really appreciated hearing his local knowledge and have changed our plans thanks to him.

Heritage Harbor is a nice marina with floating wooden docks, bathrooms, showers, swimming pool, a restaurant and ships store. The staff are very friendly and helpful. They allowed us to ship many packages to them which we were very happy to receive. Unfortunately, we only stayed for 1 night due to weather conditions and the restricted schedule for the downriver Peoria lock. It would have been nice to stay longer.

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Reviewed by: Jill Pajak , Knot in a Hurry, on Jul 20, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 39'
Draft: 3.0'

Rating: 5

This is a fantastic stop. Restaurant was good and not overpriced. Pool was cool on 90 degree days. Use of a courtesy car was a bonus. And the Harbormaster briefing was worth the price of the slip.

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Reviewed by: Linda Ploog on Jun 14, 2022
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 50'
Draft: 3.6'

Rating: 5

This is the second time we've stopped here. Top notch customer service. Great place to run dogs. We echo everything stated in earlier reviews!

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Reviewed by: Jeffrey Skoda on Oct 14, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 65'
Draft: 6.0'

Rating: 5

One of the nicest marinas on the Loop. The staff and docks are first class. The little restaurant served good food at a fair price.

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Reviewed by: John Cowell , Highlander, on Oct 12, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 51'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Great place to stay. The people couldn't be nicer or more helpful. The river briefing by Jeremy is worth the stay. The guy is an encyclopedia of knowledge about the river. Used nice courtesy car to hit Walmart for needed supplies. A great stop.

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Reviewed by: Kacey Paw , Side Piece, on Sep 26, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 45'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Everything about this marina is VERY nice. I agree with everything that Bob the Boater wrote. Additionally, the retaining wall around the marina is a great path to walk or run. This harbor was an easy jet ski ride to the Ottawa city docks. We enjoyed walking the town and grabbing a beer.

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Reviewed by: Robert Hansen , Soulmate , on Sep 21, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 60'
Draft: 4.5'

Rating: 5

It doesn't get any better than Heritage Harbor!

Heritage Harbor is the best run marina we have been in to date. From entering the harbor to docking and registering, the marina staff were very accommodating!

For Loopers, the nightly briefing with Harbormaster Jeremy is well worth the time! We attended two nights in a row to fine tune our notes from the first night. The info is spot on and very helpful from Heritage Harbor to Paducaha, KY!

The grounds, docks, pool, restaurant, very well stocked store and bathrooms are clean and in excellent condition.

WiFi was adequate and for only $5 more for your stay you can upgrade to faster WiFi which I did. It was well worth it for downloading!

I'll be back and look forward to a longer stay!

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Reviewed by: Rob Dare , Liberty Call , on Sep 20, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 46'
Draft: 4.5'

Rating: 5

Beautiful marina with a great staff. Docks are new and in great shape. Nice wide walkways. Large pool, a great restaurant and good ship's store that even has a great selection of Bourbon. At least 3 courtesy cars including a dog friendly car. Great stop to resupply. Lots of long trails to walk a dog plus a large fenced in dog park with separate sections for large and small dogs. Jeremy's River brief was 2 hours and covered everything we needed to know to get to Paducah, KY. We feel a lot more confident about our plans knowing what we will encounter and what the current depths are.

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Reviewed by: Peter Glassen , Varlabania, on Sep 10, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 48'
Draft: 4.6'

Rating: 5

Echo the great service here at Heritage Harbor Marina. We are doing the loop and they cater to you. We came in for one night and stayed three. Jeremy runs a great marina and does a nice presentation on the river from Heritage to Paducah for the boaters. Red Dog restaurant was a great lunch treat. It was busy and short handed BUT we were well served and the food was great. The ladies were going above and beyond!

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Reviewed by: Jack Shuff , Jackpot, on Sep 10, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 48'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

WHAT???

I have to be honest, we are traveling the Great American Loop and therefore have had the opportunity to visit many marinas. Previously, I thought the customer service provided by those in Michigan were heads and tails better than any other marina we had had the opportunity to visit. UNTIL NOW!! Heritage Harbor Ottawa provides customer service that is even better. This was totally unexpected since we were no longer in Michigan. Right here, just outside Chicago, a place where customer service is very important. Thank you Heritage Harbor for raising the bar!

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Reviewed by: Capt. Mac Rubel on Sep 9, 2021
LOA: 48'
Draft: 5.0'

Rating: 5

Heritage Harbor Marina is a "Top Ten" marina and definitely an excellent place to stop. AGLCA and Tow Boat US discounts also make it one of the least expensive marinas for overnighting. Quite a remarkable combination.

Other reviews have highlighted the services, the quality and cleanliness of the infrastructure, the food at the restaurant and the resort amenities including courtesy car. We agree with it all and will not be redundant. There are a couple of points to add.

On leaving the river hug the right side of the channel going around the corner for the deepest water. We had a minimum of six feet going over the "hump' and seven feet in the basin all the way up to the dock.

The marina supplies free Wi-Fi and it is as you would expect for a marina, slow in the evening when others are trying to watch a movie. For an extra five dollars per day you can subscribe to high speed internet. We did and found that we had between 30 and 50 mb download speeds and similar speeds going up.

Finally, Jeremy, the harbormaster, gives one of the best route briefings on the loop, covering the area from Ottawa to Green Turtle Bay. His knowledge comes from a lifetime on this stretch of the rivers as well as current, up to date information from his "sources." Bring note taking materials, you will need them. The briefing is worth the total cost of the stay.

"Three Thumbs Up"

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Reviewed by: Robert Hansen , Soulmate , on Sep 8, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 60'
Draft: 4.5'

Rating: 5

We're looking forward to our next stay at Heritage Harbor Marina!

All facilities, docks & pedestals, store, restaurant, tiki bar, pool, bathrooms and showers are in great well kept condition!

They offer higher speed internet for only $5 for your entire stay otherwise a lower speed service is available.

The Harbor Master provides a thorough nightly Looper briefing covering from Heritage to Paducah for those on the Great Loop.

A lender vehicle is available.

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Reviewed by: DAVID BARNUM on Sep 8, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 48'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Visiting friends on the Loop who draw about 4.5'. Great stop for Loopers. Captain Jeremy Fowler, Harbor Master gives a top of the line briefing regarding passage past Ottawa all the way to Paducah.

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Reviewed by: Robert Webb , Doc's Aweigh, on Jul 24, 2021
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 54'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

One of the best marinas we've used. Solid docks, helpful and pleasant staff. Office with small convenience store, clean restrooms, great restaurant on-site. And the lowest rate for loopers. Also have a courtesy car. A definite one we'd recommend.

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Reviewed by: Lance Como , Lucky Maru, on Nov 7, 2020
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 32'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

My brother and I left Duluth, MN on 17 Sep 2020 traveling the Great Loop on my Grand Banks 32 woodie... in addition I am quite new with this boat and am learning as I go in this journey. Along the way I have had many issues crop up making each and every day a new experience, many of which involve which marina to spend the night or a couple of days.

In my experience, you find boaters are extremely helpful to one another and the marinas on the Illinois River system we are stopping at are staying open late this year as not only has Covid hurt them but the locks were closed from Jul thru the end of Oct.

I have river experience having lived on a Chris-Craft 50 for 5 years south of St. Paul, MN - but this adventure is very different than putzing up and down the upper Mississippi where the tow boats are considered children's toys (compared to those starting in St. Louis). Having read about everything I could on what to expect, for the grace of God, we met Mick - a Scotsman who is on his 5th Loop.

Mick has become my mentor, one I am following until we go our separate ways at Paducah, KY.

At any rate, Mick told me we would be stopping at Heritage Harbor Marina in Ottawa, IL - he told me we would be meeting Jeremy Fowler, the HarborMaster. Jeremy is one of the most knowledgable people I have met on this journey... especially regarding the river system and what to expect.

Jeremy provides a free seminar for those heading south - such as us Loopers. He explains what to do when approaching everything from the locks and tows to where to find anchorages and safety zones when approaching a dangerous bend in the river.

If you ever have a problem on your journey south you can pick up the phone and give Jeremy a call... odds are he has traveled the area and is abreast of current situations.

Beyond Jeremy the Heritage Harbor Marina has every amenity you could want from a great restaurant to courtesy cars. The Team absolutely bend over backwards to make your trip safe and enjoyable... it is "the" place to stop in my opinion.

That said if 5X Mick hadn't told me about Heritage Harbor I may have missed it... I can say thank you a hundred times as it was one of our best stops in the past 1450 miles. I highly recommend you spend some time at Heritage Harbor Marina... Jeremy's seminar is alone worth the price.

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Reviewed by: Kimmarie Skinner on Oct 20, 2019
Vessel Type: Sail
LOA: 32'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

If it were possible to give a ten star rating this place earns it!! Great accommodations. Great people. Great food and prices to enjoy for more than one day!!

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Reviewed by: Jim LaJeunesse on Sep 20, 2019
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 51'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Want to acknowledge Jeremy and the entire Heritage Harbor Marina team. We left the Marseilles lock at 10:30 pm Saturday night 9/14/19 after waiting ALL DAY and hovering at the lock entrance over four hours.
It was well after dark when we reached Heritage Harbor. Jeremy took his own boat out of the harbor with flashing lights to meet us and escort us to a safe slip. He had dinner as well as staff held in the restaurant for our late arrival. They also provided us with a brand new courtesy car.
This is 5 star service if I’ve ever experienced it!
Any looper leaving The Marseille lock looking for a great place to relax and unwind be sure to stop at Heritage Harbor Marina in Ottawa IL.

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Reviewed by: Bru Brubaker on Aug 13, 2018
Vessel Type: Power
LOA: 49'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Well protected with adequate depth for our 4' draft boat. Concrete floating docks are clean and well maintained. Pump out at the slip. The restaurant is great with super bartender David. Very clean, up to date bathrooms. Very helpful and friendly dock hands.

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Reviewed by: Jim Coyle on Oct 10, 2017
LOA: 45'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

Excellent food at the Red Dog restaurant on site, courtesy cars available, showers are nicely stocked with toiletries. Marina staff go above and beyond, Jeremy gives looper updates heading south from Ottawa with very detailed information.

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Reviewed by: Jim Coyle on Oct 7, 2017
LOA: 45'
Draft: 4.0'

Rating: 5

A must stop, terrific town, and the marina is fabulous.

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