Reminiscing about my Labor Day weekend last year, it was probably one of the best summer-end holidays that I’ve had in a long time. I spent the weekend with my family and despite the beautiful and warm weather, my local lake was unusually empty. I guess I can thank the nearby state fair for that.
I know I wasn’t the fastest boat on the water that weekend, but I do know I had the fastest boat…with a grill. I watched mouths drop open as these little speed boats took a second pass just to make sure their eyes hadn’t failed them. I’m sure the aroma from the grill lured them in. When I saw other boaters I just waved with my spatula as I cooked up burgers and corn on the cob from the back deck.
It shouldn’t surprise anyone who knows me that I keep my boat stocked with all kinds of food and snacks. I’m confident that you can typically find chips and sandwiches on board when you tag along with me. But there is just something about grilling from a boat that I can’t fully describe. If it were up to me, all pontoons and deck boats would come standard from the factory with some type of grill. It’s nearly as important as the steering wheel, but maybe that’s just me.
While grilling from the boat is at the top of my list, the next best thing might just be to travel by pontoon or deck boat to a restaurant to eat. The current or trendy phrase right now is “dock ‘n dine,” but it’s basically stopping by fun places to eat that you can visit by boat.
One of the first trips I ever took for this job was to Green Turtle Bay Marina on Lake Barkley in Kentucky over 20 years ago. I remember how great the Turtle Burger was and when I returned to the area recently I just had to look the place up again. After all of these years, it’s still one of the best marinas to grab a burger at.
Yes, it is possible to drive by car to some of these places instead, but it’s really not the same if you don’t come and go by boat. I’m guessing a place such as the Flippin’ Cow in Elkhart, Ind., gets more car traffic than boaters, but it’s still a place I like to visit either way. Even if you do come by car you can still enjoy looking out at all of the boats tied up at the docks on Simonton Lake while you eat. I’d just prefer to leave by boat when I’m done if possible.
I’m always on the hunt for great places to eat that can be accessed from the water so I could use your help. Post your favorite place to dine ‘n dock on our Facebook page and help others find restaurants worth tying up for.
