North America: From Maine to California

Speaking of North America, we mean simply Alaska, Canada, the East and West Coast of the US as well as the Great Lakes in between. The following articles should also cover some of Mexico – but we will dean separately with the rest of it as well as other Central American and Caribbean nations.

A lighthouse off the coast of MaineThe coasts of North America unite many good features: great scenery, safe and clean facilities in most ports, supply of excellent repair facilities and a diverse range of environments and climatic regions for every level of sailing. Cruisers with special needs will be pleased as much as the sailor on the quest for adventure.

In terms of drawbacks, North America might lack cultural diversity in comparison to regions such as the Mediterranean. The tight security regulations after 9-11-2001 made US ports even more homogenous than they were before.

Bay area, Great Lakes, Florida: a sailor's dream

The Great Lakes can be accessed via the St. Lawrence River or via canals from New York City. They are the largest inland cruising area not only in North America, but in the World. As we started sailing in Ohio on Lake Erie, this makes us proud. However, many extensive canals make other regions in the US and Canada attractive inland destinations beyond the Great Lakes.

A pier in the San Francisco Bay AreaThe East Coast is a special gem on the continent. The “gentlemen yachting” of the 1920ies was really big in this area and ports of New England you can still smell some of the exclusivity of these golden days. University sailing is a great way of exploring more of this. The West Coast is generally more casual, but the big money of the Silicon Valley and other regions of California boosted the interest in expensive sailing vessels. Texas and the Southwest provide access to the Gulf of Mexico and inland lakes and rivers respectively.

Especially the Southwest is hugely popular with elderly people and others on the run from the cold during the winter months. This applies for the South as well; Florida and New Orleans are great gateways into the Caribbean. The only way one could summarize this gorgeous continent: no matter what you are looking for, you will almost certainly find it!
 

Destination guide by country and region

Canada - Mexico - United States

Further Reading

Back to "vacations"

United States Sailing Association

American Sailing Association

The Open Directory Project on Sailing in North America

 

Other Regions

Mediterranean and Black Sea Region - North America: From Maine to California - Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico - South and Central America - Southeast Asia and East Asia - Australia and Pacific Ocean Islands - Western Europe and North Atlantic - Northern Europe: Of Fjords and Jaghds - West Africa, Antarctica, South Atlantic - Indian Ocean and Red Sea

 

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