Boat Club Locations: Why We're at Where We're At
Barrington Boat Club is all about maximizing the fun and enjoyment you can have on the water, from the boats, to the activities to the locations.
Our owners, Michelle and Dillon, grew up on the water. Growing up in Cary, both families grew up boating up and down the entire chain of lakes, and Dillon has been involved in the boating industry his entire career, and life, as a 2nd generation owner of a boat dealership and service provided in Cary, IL.
With all this boating experience, we knew exactly where we wanted our boat club locations to be. Our club currently offers boating from three locations along the Chain of Lakes, Fox River and Wauconda. Each provides a completely unique boating experience, and our fleet is designed to make the most of each location and launch.
Here’s what we love about each of our three locations.
Port Barrington
This location was our first and is closest to “home” if you live in in Barrington or the surrounding area. We knew about it but it is largely unknown, making it a “hidden gem” along the lower Fox River. With this location, many of our members can be on the water within just 10-15 minutes from leaving their home or office.
Launch: No Wake Bar & Grill
No Wake Bar & Grill is located just off Rt 59 and this family friendly restaurant markets itself as “a northern latitude with a tropical attitude”. Just past the restaurant, which makes a perfect before or after destination is the marina, where you’ll find our slips and boats.
Boating Location: The Lower Fox
The Port Barrington launch provides members will full access to the lower Fox River. This part of the river is primarily used by residents along the river and is typically offers serenity and beautiful views of the surrounding area.
Boats:
This area is perfect for cruising and entertaining, which means at least one of our larger pontoon boats is usually here, as well as a speed boat and a fishing boat occasionaly.
Benefits:
The convenient location is a huge benefit of this location. However, most of our members enjoy evening cruises and stops at the many local restaurants along the lower Fox River. You can easily access and tie up at a number of well-known establishments including Port Edward and The Broken Oar.
Bangs Lake, Wauconda
Bangs Lake is a small lake used for water sports and fishing at the heart of one of our favorite towns, Wauconda. For families that want to anchor and swim, or pull the kids on a tube, this lake is ideal.
Launch: Docks Bar & Grill
The launch location here is a pier just behind Docks Bar and Restaurant, which often has live music and will also provide fast and delicious carry out food right to your boat.
Location: Bangs Lake
Bangs Lake is a natural glacial lake located in northeastern Illinois’ Lake County and is considered a popular destination for family recreation in the Chicagoland area. Almost the entire waterfront property is privately owned, which keeps the lake uncrowded most of the time and ideal for boating and water sports. You’ll enjoy anchoring along the sandy bottom, “sand bar” at the far side of the lake.
Boats:
This lake is all about enjoying the water, and family friendly activities so the boats here are chosen to make those activities most comfortable. Look for big pontoon boats that are ideal for children, and provide ample space for larger groups. Bangs is also known for fishing, so our fishing boat will be here throughout the season.
Benefits:
Our members choose Bangs for the water. It’s clean, clear and fun. The lake also has piers at Lindy’s Landing, where members enjoy tying up for a meal and live music. The town of Wauconda is just steps away and has a number of summer festivals, great shopping and features a big selection of fun restaurants along the main street.
McHenry, Chain of Lakes
We were thrilled to open our third location in McHenry in 2021. This launch is in the heart of the famous Chain of Lakes and offers our members a completely different set of activities and an incredibly large body of water to explore.
Launch: The Retreat
The launch point for McHenry is just steps from our sister company, The Retro Retreat, just off the McHenry Riverwalk. Simply cross the bridge to the marina we operate, and jump on board. Within mere seconds, you will be headed into the Chain of Lakes.
Location: The Upper Chain of Lakes
The Upper Chain of Lakes is one of the best known and widely used bodies of water in Illinois. From quiet fishing nooks to fun loving sand bars, these lakes have something to offer every type of boater. The friendly community means you will be smiling and waving at other boaters as you explore the lakes and restaurants this area has to offer.
Boats:
This location is large and our speedier boats are launched here. Look for speed boats that can zip you around the area or pull a tube. As a great place to take groups, we often have a pontoon here too.
Benefits:
While it is possible to access the upper Chain of Lakes from our Port Barrington location, the McHenry location gives our members faster access to the larger lakes. This location is also incredibly convenient for generations of boaters that live around the Chain of Lakes, but no longer want to own their own boat.
Boating lovers in Illinois, if you love boating and enjoy the variety of water our area has to offer, Barrington Boat Club offers you the best of all possibilities. Contact us to learn more about boat club memberships. We offer two and three locations memberships, as well as weekday only membership.
