Atlanta sits in the middle of Georgia with no natural coastline, which means the region's boating scene revolves around man-made reservoirs: Lake Lanier to the north, Lake Allatoona to the northwest, Lake Oconee to the east, and several smaller lakes scattered around the Metro.

Where you store your boat depends almost entirely on which lake you use, what type of boat you have, and how often you go out. The calculus is different for a wakeboard boat that hits Lake Lanier every weekend versus a pontoon that makes it to Lake Oconee four times per summer.

Your boat lives in the water, tied to a dock. This is the most convenient option—you show up, untie, and go. But it's expensive ($300-800+/month depending on boat size and marina quality), requires marina availability (many have years-long waitlists), and isn't always great for the boat.

Boats that live in the water deal with constant hull fouling, potential storm damage, and the slow degradation that comes from 24/7 water exposure. For frequent users, the convenience outweighs these issues. For occasional users, you're paying premium prices for a boat that's slowly deteriorating.

The marina lifts your boat out of the water and stores it in a giant rack structure. When you want to go out, they launch it for you. Dry stack rates typically run $200-500/month.

This solves the hull fouling problem and protects against storms, but limits your flexibility—you're dependent on marina staff schedules and capacity. On a busy Saturday morning at a popular lake, you might wait 45 minutes for your boat to get launched.

Your boat sits on its trailer at a storage facility away from the lake. You tow it to the ramp when you want to use it. This is the most economical option ($75-200/month) and gives you complete flexibility—you can go to any lake, any time, without depending on marina services.

The trade-off is effort. You need a tow vehicle capable of handling your boat, you need to be comfortable backing a trailer, and you need to account for the time to load/unload at ramps.

If you have the space and your HOA/neighborhood allows it, keeping your boat at home is free and maximally convenient. Many Atlanta-area subdivisions prohibit this, and even where it's allowed, a 25-foot boat and trailer takes up a lot of driveway.

The most heavily used lake in the Atlanta Metro, with the most storage competition. Marinas are often full with waitlists, and dry stack facilities during peak season can feel chaotic. Trailer storage facilities north of Atlanta (Buford, Gainesville, Cumming areas) serve Lanier users.

If you boat Lanier regularly and want marina convenience, expect to pay for it. If you trailer, factor in that Lanier's boat ramps get extremely crowded on summer weekends.

Slightly less pressure than Lanier, with a good mix of marina and trailer-storage options. The northwest corridor (Acworth, Cartersville) has multiple facilities serving Allatoona users.

About an hour east of Atlanta, Lake Oconee has a more relaxed vibe and generally less ramp/marina crowding. For Atlanta-area boat owners who trailer to Oconee, storage along the I-20 corridor (Conyers, Covington, Oxford) can make geographic sense—you store near home and tow east when you want to boat.

If you go the trailer storage route, here's what matters:

Access and maneuvering space — Boats on trailers are awkward. You need room to back in, turn around, and pull out without performing circus acts. Visit the facility with your tow vehicle to check.

Security — Your boat, motor, and trailer represent significant value. Gated access, lighting, and camera coverage matter.

Surface condition — Gravel is fine; mud is not. Ask what the lot looks like after heavy rain.

Height clearance (for covered storage) — If you want covered parking, make sure your boat with its T-top, radar arch, or tower actually fits.

Convenience to your home AND the lake — Ideal storage is somewhere on your route to the lake, or at least close to home. Driving 30 minutes in the wrong direction just to get your boat adds frustration to every trip.

Whether marina-stored or trailer-stored:

1. Flush and drain all water — Winterize if storing through cold months
2. Clean the hull — Don't let growth dry and harden
3. Stabilize fuel — Fill the tank and add stabilizer for storage over 30 days
4. Disconnect batteries — Or use a maintainer if you have shore power access
5. Cover the boat — Cockpit covers prevent UV damage and debris accumulation
6. Check trailer tires and bearings — Trailers that sit for months can develop problems

Oxford RV Storage offers trailer storage for boats alongside RVs and other vehicles. Located in Oxford, GA—between Atlanta and Lake Oconee along I-20—the facility makes geographic sense for boat owners who trailer to lakes east of the city.

The site has space for various boat sizes on trailers, gated access, and the maneuvering room needed to handle boats and trailers without drama. For boat owners in the Conyers, Covington, or east Metro area who primarily use Lake Oconee or occasionally trailer to Lanier, it's worth evaluating against options closer to specific lakes.