Lake Anna has a small but real network of full-service marinas on the cool (public) side of the lake, plus several public boat ramps and a couple of rental-focused outfitters. There are no public marinas on the warm (private) side — the warm-side waterfront is entirely private homes with private docks.

Here’s how to think about it whether you’re trailering your own boat, renting one for the day, or just looking for a fuel-and-snacks stop while you’re out on the water.

Full-service marinas

Lake Anna’s full-service marinas offer some combination of:

  • Fuel (gasoline; some sell ethanol-free)
  • Slip rentals (seasonal or annual)
  • Boat storage (covered, uncovered, dry-stack)
  • Pump-out for boats with marine toilets
  • Ship’s stores with bait, tackle, ice, snacks, sunscreen, sometimes boating gear
  • On-water restaurants at the larger marinas
  • Service and repair at the bigger operations
  • Pontoon and ski-boat rentals at a subset of marinas

Slips at the best-located marinas are scarce — many have multi-year waiting lists for seasonal slips. For a one-week vacation, you typically rent a boat from a marina rather than slipping your own.

Where to start

A handful of operators run the bulk of Lake Anna’s rental and slip inventory. Most cluster on the cool (public) side; rates, fleets, and seasonal hours change year to year, so confirm details directly before reserving.

  • Anna Point Marina — Full-service marina on the cool side with slips, storage, fuel, a ship’s store, and pontoon and fishing-boat rentals. One of the longer-established operations at the lake.
  • Pleasants Landing Marina — Pontoon and watercraft rentals alongside slip and dock services. Good fit for families planning a full-day cruise.
  • Lake Anna Marina — Focused on pontoon rentals, with a straightforward booking process for day trips.
  • Drift & Float — Rental-focused operator with pontoons, jet skis, and inflatable lake toys, plus online booking — useful if you’re planning from out of town and want to lock the boat in without phone tag.

Peer-to-peer rentals

  • Boatsetter — Airbnb-style marketplace where private Lake Anna boat owners rent out their boats by the day. Useful as a backup when the marinas are sold out, or when you want a specific boat type that isn’t in the marinas’ standard fleets. Pricing and availability vary by owner.

If you slip at or work for a Lake Anna marina and want your listing updated, tell us.

Boat rentals

The most-rented categories on Lake Anna:

Pontoon boats

The default vacation rental for groups. Comfortable for 8–12 people, slow but stable, easy to dock. A typical day-rental pontoon comes with:

  • 24-foot length with bench seating
  • ~115 hp outboard
  • Bimini top (sun shade)
  • Bluetooth stereo
  • Cooler space
  • Basic safety gear (life jackets, fire extinguisher)

Approximate rates: $400–700 per day in peak season, $300–500 in shoulder season. Half-days available at most marinas.

Ski boats / wakeboard boats

For waterskiing, wakeboarding, or tubing. More powerful, more expensive to fuel, more complicated to operate.

Approximate rates: $500–900 per day in peak season.

Jet skis (PWCs)

Sit-down or stand-up models. Popular with younger renters, less so with families. Most marinas rent in 1-hour, half-day, and full-day increments.

Approximate rates: $100–150 per hour, $300–500 per day per ski.

Kayaks, canoes, SUPs

The cheapest and quietest way to be on the water. Many marinas and the State Park rent these by the hour or half-day.

Approximate rates: $20–40 per hour for kayaks/SUPs, $30–60 per half-day.

Tubes and inflatables

Most ski-boat rentals include towing tubes; some marinas rent inflatable lake toys separately.

What to know before you rent

  • Reserve early in summer. Peak weekends (especially the four-day weekends — Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day) sell out a month or more in advance for pontoons. Last-minute walk-ups may find availability mid-week.
  • Boater education card. Virginia requires a one-time online boating safety course for most operators. Get it before you arrive — your rental confirmation may ask for the card number.
  • Fuel is usually not included. Refill at the marina pump before returning; expect $50–150 in fuel for a full day of pontoon cruising.
  • Damage deposit. Standard at every rental — typically a $500–1,500 credit-card hold released after a clean return.
  • Insurance. Most rentals include basic damage waivers; ask about coverage gaps before signing.
  • Pickup time. Many marinas have an early-morning pickup window (8–9 AM) — late pickups lose hours from a “day.”
  • Return time. Strictly enforced. Late returns incur per-hour penalties.
  • Weather contingency. Read the rental contract’s storm/weather clause. Most allow rescheduling but not full refunds.

Public boat ramps and pay-to-launch

If you’re trailering your own boat, Lake Anna has fewer truly-public ramps than its 13,000 acres might suggest — public access has been a moving target as state and county leases come and go. Here’s the current picture, verified against the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources Lake Anna page.

Free public ramps

The previous Route 522 ramp is closed — Virginia DWR lost its lease on the site. Efforts are reportedly underway to establish a replacement free public access point, but as of 2026 there is no firm timeline.

Marina pay-to-launch

Most cool-side marinas allow ramp access for a per-launch fee (typically $10–25). Useful when the State Park lot is full, when you want a launch closer to your destination cove, or when you’re already slipping at the marina. Marinas with public launching access:

Call ahead — daily ramp fees, hours, and trailer parking availability change seasonally and vary by marina.

Practical tips

  • Get on the water by 8 AM on summer Saturdays. The State Park ramp parking can fill by mid-morning; the smaller free ramps fill too.
  • Have a backup. If the State Park lot is full, the closest marina ramp is usually faster than driving across the lake to The Boardwalk.
  • Boater education card required. Virginia requires a one-time online course for most operators — get it before you arrive via the Virginia DWR boating education page, which lists approved free and paid course providers.
  • Lights and registration. Make sure your trailer lights work for the drive home and your boat registration is current — local enforcement checks both on busy weekends.

What to bring on a rental day

  • Sunscreen. Reapply every two hours; the lake reflects sun.
  • Polarized sunglasses. Cuts glare; helps you see structure underwater.
  • Cooler with water, snacks, drinks. Marina food and drink prices are vacation-mode marked up.
  • Towels and dry bags. For phones and wallets.
  • A way to keep phones dry. Cheap waterproof phone pouches sold at any marina ship’s store.
  • Cash or card for fuel. Most marina pumps accept either.
  • Hat and a long-sleeve UV shirt if you burn easily.
  • Bug spray — late afternoon mosquito activity on calm coves can be intense.
  • Boating license / boater education card.
  • First aid basics — Band-Aids, antiseptic. Wet wood and dock cleats lead to small cuts.

Etiquette and basic rules

  • Wake awareness: keep your wake small near docked boats, kayakers, and swimmers.
  • No-wake zones: typically posted near marinas, the State Park beach, and certain narrow creek arms. Follow them.
  • Right of way: standard Coast Guard rules apply. Bigger boat / less maneuverable boat usually has right of way.
  • Don’t tie up at restaurant docks if you’re not eating. The restaurant pays for that dock space.
  • Garbage stays in the boat. Lake Anna doesn’t have lake-surface trash collection — what goes overboard stays.
  • Quiet hours vary by area; respect signage in residential coves after dark.
  • Boating and drinking: Virginia DUI law applies to boats. Designate a sober driver.

Where you can’t go

A reminder, because it surprises visitors:

  • The warm (private) side of the lake is off-limits to public-side boats. The three dikes that separate the sides block boat passage and approaching them is a Dominion Energy safety violation.
  • The North Anna Power Station’s water-intake zone is marked and patrolled. Don’t enter.
  • Some coves on the cool side are quasi-private (community-only docks); they’re not legally restricted but locals will not be happy if you anchor in their swim area.

For more on the two-sides setup, see our Private vs. Public Side guide.

Frequently asked questions

How early should I reserve a pontoon for a July weekend? At least 4–6 weeks. For July 4th itself, 6+ weeks is safer.

Do I need any license to drive a rental pontoon? You need a Virginia Boater Education Card (one-time online course, ~$30, ~3 hours). Most rentals require it. Some marinas offer a temporary day-of orientation in lieu, but plan on having the card.

Can I bring my own life jackets? Yes — most renters do, especially for kids. Rental life jackets are USCG-approved but rarely well-fitting.

Is gas at the marina much more expensive than gas at the road? Yes, usually $0.50–$1.50 more per gallon. Factor it into your day budget; refueling off-water means trailering home and back, which is rarely worth it for a one-day rental.

Can I bring a pet on a rental boat? Varies by marina. Many allow well-behaved dogs; some don’t. Ask before booking. Bring a doggy life jacket and a towel.

Are there sunset cruises or charters? A small number of operators run sunset cruises and lake tours on Lake Anna — typically pontoon-based, 2–3 hour trips with a captain. Inventory and operators change year to year.

What’s the latest I can be out on the water? Sunset for navigation safety, but Virginia allows night operation with proper lights. Most casual renters return at dusk. The dock-up restaurants stay open later if you’re handling night navigation.

Can I rent a boat for multiple days? Yes — most marinas offer multi-day discounts. Three-day weekends and full-week rentals work out to substantially less per day than single-day rentals.

Marinas and rental operators change. Current rates, slip availability, and hours should be verified directly with the marina before you arrive. If you see something out of date here, tell us.