Alarka Marina

My family and I decided to rent a pontoon boat from Alarka based on the Google reviews, a nice website, and price. (The nearby Almond Marina was comparable in ratings but $50 more in price.) When we arrived, the first thing we encountered was a sketchy parking situation. We have navigated this kind of thing before when renting boats, so we don’t hold that against them. The first strike came when they informed us that they do not have a restroom. We were instructed to use a single port-a-potty that was located in the parking area. It had not been cleaned in some time, it was a poor experience to say the least. Secondly, the marina itself was being run by three young adults (who were very nice - but) they did not seem to care about cleanliness or the condition of the floating building they were using as the marina. The life jackets were moldy and smelled awful. The boats were fine but not well cleaned. They charged us $5+ per gallon for gas, (we have not paid that much at other marinas). They had an off leash dog (very sweet) but it made existing the boat a challenge as she wanted to get into all of our stuff. They also let her walk up to the parking area which made navigating a sketchy situation even more precarious. We would not recommend this marina if you are looking to match your experience with the price you are paying.

Very tidy marina. Staff was exceptionally helpful, and our pontoon rental was immaculate. They were very friendly and as soon as we returned they were right there to help us get the pontoon docked. Easy to find and their rental policies are very friendly to the renters. Highly recommended!!

We rented a boat and tube last year and had such fun, we rented again!!! Seriously, what a blast. It’s a family owned business and those are always the best in my opinion. Last year the staff pointed out a waterfall and also a rope swing and we visited the dam. We just had a re-do of the fun last year. All our kids said it was one of the most fun days of their lives! Highly recommend. The boats were brand new and perfect!

We rented a tritoon from the Marina. Sarah and the guys were super helpful and accommodating. Price was $50 per hour + gas. We stayed out for a few hours on the lake and drove up to Fontana dam and back. Gas was a little expensive ($5.95 gal i believe) but overall a great experience.

I didn't do enough research before renting a pontoon at a much higher rate than Alarka. I could have saved hundreds per day if I had found Alarka Marina first. I did use their services for mooring overnight for 3 nights and filled up the gas tank twice while there. Sarah was the only marina associate I dealt with while there. She was friendly, helpful and professional. I would recommend, and I will be back next summer with my family. Parking started getting tight by the weekend, but it's a mountain lake and flat land is hard to come by.

Enjoyed a fantastic day on the lake. Everything was very easy and great communication worth the booking process and when we called to extend the rental from a half day to a full day. Highly recommend!

Outstanding people working the marina New, clean, and fast tritoon boats. Had a blast on beautiful Fontana Lake. Highly recommend to anyone visiting the area.

Would highly recommend this place to anyone visiting the Bryson City Area. You can’t beat the prices, service, and boats provided. The views on lake Fontana are beautiful. Great place to go with kids! You have the option to rent tubes to pull behind the boat.

We have rented boats on Fontana Lake for several years - and Alarka Marina is the best! Their boats are brand new, spotlessly clean, and have plenty of power for a fun day of tubing! Additionally, their staff is friendly, helpful and informative! It feels more like borrowing a boat from a friend than actually renting from a marina! Last but not least - their rates are very competitive! Don't waste your time and money with other companies!

We were impressed and we'll definitely be renting from them again. Our pontoon boat was like new and extremely clean. Fontana Lake is beautiful and it's easy to find secluded inlets for fishing and swimming. The staff at Alarka Marina are all friendly and very accommodating.

The owners/staff were amazingly helpful. They showed us the best part of the lake on the map and how to get there. The boat was nice, clean, comfortable and in great shape. We had a great time and would definitely return! Also, best boat rental rates in the area that we could find. Would recommend highly.

Great place to rent a pontoon boat! Ours looked brand new! Brian was super nice and friendly. Was a little hard to find. Rates are very reasonable. The lake is gorgeous!

This family owned marina is awesome! Our party rented one of their Bentley Pontoon boats. It was clean, in great shape and filled with gas. The staff was friendly, funny and informative. This was our first trip to Lake Fontana - it's a beautiful lake. Make sure you have some sort of GPS/ phone to get you back to the Marina. Lots of boating fun!

We had an awesome experience with our boat rental and with Tony in particular. He was very accommodating when we arrived late and honored the 4 hour rental. The boat was like new and was clean and ran perfectly. We even returned late because we got lost on the lake and he made no issue of it at all. He said if you didn't then you weren't exploring. If you are looking to rent a boat when you come to Fontana lake, look no further, Tony is the man and will take care of you.

We rented a pontoon boat on vacation to tube and cruise on Fontana. The guys at the dock are super friendly and helpful. Pontoon boat was brand new 24 ft with 115hp motor. Great for tubing

This year was our second time using Alarka Boat dock. Both times we rented a pontoon boat for the day and had a blast on beautiful Fontana Lake. The staff are always very helpful and the boats are newer and clean. You can rent a tube to pull behind the boat and this was the kids' (and my husband's) favorite part. It's a great and inexpensive way to spend the day. We liked it so much the first time we came back for more!

My wife and I and 2 labs rented a pontoon boat here in July. Tony and his crew were exceptionally friendly, helpful, and omg honest. Upon leaving we left a few bags on the dock including my wife's purse. Tony called before I even got home, but I couldn't pick up until next day. Not unexpectedly everything was intact when picked up next day. This place is casual yet professional,,fairly priced, and we will be back every year!

This past weekend was my 3rd weekend in a row and this marks the 3rd summer I have been using Tony as my go to dude for the pontoon season. My ol lady and I rented a jon boat on MDW and spent a night on an island away from all the nonsense that goes on in downtown that we love but needed a break from. It was great. We had packed up all the necessities we needed, called ahead and they had the boat ready to load up and get out to set up camp. Now, I rated this 5 stars because it is the most fun you can have on a Saturday for $15 a person. Most of the time we rent a pontoon with 13 other lucky passengers that get to enjoy it. Pack an aux cord, make the perfect playlist and get to the nearest bikini store because this is where the fun begins. You cruise out on the open lake surrounded by the Smokey Mountain national park, and let god take the wheel. You'll end up either jumping off a cliff, jumping off a bridge, swinging off a rope or you can stay on the boat and take body shots off your neighbor. Either way, you're going to have a blast. They are dog friendly, keg friendly, and just all around good people that know the good life. Cheers guys and be safe out there. Stay away from the man.

Easy to make reservation for a pontoon, friendly staff, and great boat. Bryan gave great suggestions on areas to visit, to make our experience memorable, including providing a tube to pull off the back for the kids for a small charge, and telling us about places to swim too. Enjoyed that area was not crowded, we felt like we had the lake to ourselves. Highly recommend!

Alarka Boat Dock is a wonderful place to rent boats and pontoon boats. The proprietor was very friendly and helpful. My sons, husband and I took out a pontoon for the afternoon. And we had a great time riding around the river. The boats are clean, and the porta potty was pretty decent. There's a large selection of life jackets. They rent by the hour, half day or day. Highly recommend this place, although it's a little hard to find because there's no visible signs.