What Is America’s Great Loop?
America’s Great Loop is one of those trips that tends to get boaters talking.
Often considered the ultimate long-distance cruising adventure, the route forms a massive circle through the eastern United States and parts of Canada, connecting rivers, canals, lakes and coastal waterways into a journey that can stretch roughly 6,000 miles.
Depending on their route, Loopers may cruise past major cities, small waterfront towns, historic ports and some of the country’s most recognizable waterways. Some complete the journey in a single extended trip. Others break it into sections, returning season after season until the Loop is complete.
Either way, the route is only part of the experience.
A Journey Built Around the Stops
A typical Great Loop route may include the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, Chesapeake Bay, New York waterways, portions of the Great Lakes, inland river systems and the Gulf Coast before eventually reconnecting with the starting point.
There is a route, of course. But few Loopers are interested in simply checking off miles.
Cruisers often plan their schedules around the places they want to experience along the way. Some stay only overnight. Others settle in for several days to explore a new city, wait for favorable weather, restock supplies or simply enjoy a break from being underway.
South Shore Harbor Marina makes it easy for New Orleans to be one of those places.
Part of the Community
One of the things that makes the Great Loop different from an ordinary long-distance cruise is the community that forms around it. Loopers swap route notes, marina recommendations, weather updates and favorite stops as they travel, often crossing paths with the same boats more than once along the way.
A good stop has a way of becoming part of that conversation, passed from one crew to the next as Loopers compare notes on where they have been and where they are headed. For South Shore Harbor, welcoming Loopers is an opportunity to become part of that larger network of cruisers while giving them an easy way to work New Orleans into the journey.
Adding New Orleans to the Loop
Every great adventure deserves a good side quest.
New Orleans is not on the most direct Great Loop route. Then again, taking the most direct route is not really the point. For Loopers who want to work the city into their trip, South Shore Harbor Marina provides a place to tie up on Lake Pontchartrain and spend some time ashore.
A turn toward Lake Pontchartrain puts Loopers within reach of a city known around the world for its food, music, architecture and culture. There is no shortage of ways to spend the time, whether that means wandering historic neighborhoods, finding live music, enjoying a long dinner or simply trading a few days on the water for a different pace.
A Strategic Stop on Lake Pontchartrain
South Shore Harbor Marina is New Orleans’ Gateway to the Gulf, with dockage available for Loopers passing through the area.
For crews that have already put plenty of miles behind them, a few days at the dock can be well timed. It is a chance to:
- Rest and reset
- Restock provisions and supplies
- Take care of routine boat needs
- Keep an eye on the weather
- Map out the next leg
- Head into New Orleans and enjoy the city
The boat stays secured on the lakefront while the crew goes exploring. When it is time to move again, you are back aboard and on to the next stretch of the Loop.
More Than Another Marina Stop
Nobody finishes the Great Loop talking only about how many miles they covered.
For cruisers already traveling the Gulf Coast, South Shore Harbor Marina presents an opportunity to make New Orleans part of the itinerary. Rather than passing the region by, Loopers can secure a slip, spend a few days ashore and then continue on with another good story to tell.
Planning your route?
Make South Shore Harbor part of your Loop.
