Service, Downtown Appeal Earn Paducah Dock Ninth Award

While the transient boat dock in Paducah, Kentucky, is steps away from food, shopping and entertainment and provides amenities like fuel, power and seasonal water and pump-out sewer services, what sets it apart is the service.

“We regularly get compliments about our staff and our customer service,” Paducah Parks and Recreation Director Amie Clark said. “Even though the dock is not staffed on site, we respond quickly during operating hours and are able to meet the needs of the boaters in a timely manner. We also hear numerous compliments about Paducah’s downtown since it is located within walking distance of wonderful restaurants, shopping and cultural amenities.”

Service and Hospitality
Those cultural amenities include the National Quilt Museum, the River Discovery Center, floodwall murals depicting the town’s history by nationally known artist Robert Dafford, numerous art galleries and the Carson Center for the Performing Arts, which seats more than 1,800 people for a wide range of concerts and performances.

For these reasons and more, Paducah’s dock has won a Boaters’ Choice Award from marinas.com for the ninth consecutive year.

The award recognizes marinas and docks that consistently deliver excellent service and hospitality to the boating community, as reflected by positive online reviews and ratings from boaters.

Paducah Mayor George Bray said earning the award was a true honor.
“This award points to two key strengths: the dedication of our Parks and Recreation Department in supporting boaters and making them feel welcome and the vitality of Paducah’s downtown,” he said.

In 2025, Paducah’s transient boat dock had 388 reservations with boaters spending a total of 569 nights. The dock received 33 online reviews with an average rating of four or more stars out of five.

The reviews praised the transient boat dock for its well-maintained floating docks as well as cleanliness, price and location.

One reviewer noted that the water at the dock was deep even when the Ohio was lower.

“Thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Paducah transient dock,” another review read. “The dock attendant and staff at the parks department were terrific, and the town was very welcoming.”

Convenient Location

Paducah constructed its transient boat dock in 2017, and its first major renovations were in 2025 with the replacement of the sewer lines, Clark said. It is 340 feet long and located just downstream from the heart of historic downtown Paducah and within easy walking distance from the more than 5-mile Clyde F. Boyles Greenway Trail for hiking and biking.

Dock amenities include diesel and marine grade gasoline and power pedestals. Water and sewer pumpout services are available seasonally and winterized during colder months to prevent freezing.

“The dock is located approximately a quarter mile from our downtown Farmers’ Market,” Clark said. “The market is open on Saturdays from April through October. This market and the dozens of vendors that regularly attend make sure that boaters have access to locally grown and locally made goods and entertainment. Plus, the heart of downtown’s restaurants, retail shops and businesses are only another couple of blocks away from the market. Boaters can easily see the heart of downtown and walk to a variety of amenities.”

Paducah is located where the mouth of the Tennessee River empties into the Ohio River, making it a hub for the towboat and barge industry and a routine stop for cruise boats and river tourists.

“Paducah has had a bustling business from riverboats and river cruise excursions,” Clark said. “However, until the construction of this transient dock, we could not serve the boaters, especially the wonderful group of adventurers known as the ‘Loopers,’ who were travelling in personal watercraft and small yachts. The transient dock makes us a well-rounded and safer river city since larger riverboats are docking near the Broadway floodwall opening, and the smaller boats are using the transient dock, which is a few blocks downstream.”

A variety of boaters use the transient boat dock, from last-minute travelers to returning boaters and those looking to book dock space ahead of time for their river adventures.

“Before Paducah’s transient dock, boaters didn’t have a fuel stop for miles,” Clark said. “Many small boats struggled to make it from the Mississippi River to the Land Between the Lakes area without a fuel stop. Paducah is an important fueling location; however, our downtown makes it a destination stop as well. Boaters enjoy spending the afternoon touring downtown or a few days exploring our attractions. Therefore, our hope and plan for the construction of the transient dock many years ago was to allow boaters to have fuel, power, and other functional amenities, and to draw people off the river into our vibrant downtown.”

She said that receiving the award affirms that the city is impacting its citizens and visitors in positive ways.

“This award is even more special since it’s based on boaters’ reviews,” she said. “We appreciate all of the feedback and use it to grow and improve.”
Ongoing Improvements

One of those improvements currently underway is a park that will include terraced seating, walkways and landscaping. It is expected to open in 2026.
“When construction is complete, boaters will be able to enjoy ample park and green space, viewing areas, trails and, from time to time, events on the lawn to include vendor tents, festivals and music right next to the docking area,” Clark said.

Bray said he is confident that as the city moves forward with its riverfront revitalization project, he is confident that the city “will continue to honor its deep connection to the Ohio River and remain a premier destination for boaters and tourists alike.”