Think about the amenities you are wanting from a marina. Restaurant, pool, mechanic, fuel? Also, consider which areas of the lake you will boat on - Kelley' s, Put in Bay, the firing range. It's a lot cheaper to drive your car to a marina that is close to your boating area than it is to cruise a long distance by boat. Also, think about the restaurants, supplies that you will want on every trip to the lake. All of the above made Catawba island marinas an obvious choice for us. Yes, the marinas tend to be a little higher cost than some other locations but we have more than paid for that by fuel savings.