Find peace and tranquility

Tellico Lake — Tennessee

Tellico Lake stretches for 33 miles through the Little Tennessee River Valley in the state’s eastern mountain woodlands. Established in 1979 with the construction of Tellico Dam to control floods and create hydroelectric power, Tellico Lake today is home to resort-style communities with recreational amenities like waterfront golf courses and full-service marinas. Along more than 350 miles of shoreline are countless coves stocked with bass, bluegill, and trout, while the lake’s clear and tranquil waters make it ideal for swimming, sailing, and paddling. Boaters and kayakers can also visit two adjacent historic sites on the lakeshore: Fort Loudon State Park, with its faithful reconstruction of the 18th-century frontier outpost, and the Sequoyah Birthplace Museum, which honors the legacy of the famous Cherokee leader.

Lake Keowee — South Carolina

Lake Keowee and its sister Lake Jocassee are the sparkling jewels of upstate South Carolina. Set in the Blue Ridge foothills, Lake Keowee is 26 miles long with 300+ miles of shoreline in a Christmas-tree shape of still waters that are perfect for exploring by kayak and paddleboard. The fishing in shaded inlets and around wild islands is excellent, with yellow perch, rainbow trout, and three types of bass among the most popular catches. Boaters often meet up on summer evenings at Waterfall Cove and the 30-foot-tall boulder called Jumping Rock. On the north end of the lake are scenic waterfront hiking trails in Keowee/Toxaway State Park, while the town of Seneca is on the southern shore that’s just a 10-minute drive to the Clemson University campus.

Eastman Lake — New Hampshire

A 335-acre mountain lake for warm-weather swimming, fishing, and paddling, surrounded by cross-country skiing trails for winter recreation

Smith Mountain Lake — Virginia

A popular summer vacation destination in the Blue Ridge Mountains for water skiing, wakeboarding, and evening sailboat cruises

Fawn Lake — Virginia

The deep-water lake located 12 miles from Historic Fredericksburg offers activities that include water skiing, windsurfing, and award-winning golf

Lake Lure — North Carolina

A 720-acre mountain lake that’s a family-vacation destination for swimming, fishing, rock climbing, and hikes to the summit at Chimney Rock State Park

Lake Thurmond — South Carolina

On the Georgia-South Carolina border, featuring 1,200 shoreline miles, year-round fishing, paddling trails, and Hickory Knob State Resort Park

Lake Ononee — Georgia

Halfway between Augusta and Atlanta, with lakeside campsites, signature waterfront golf courses, and a Ritz-Carlton hotel and spa

Lake Lanier — Georgia

A day-trip and vacation site just north of Atlanta with lakefront resorts, 90 public parks, and two dozen swim beaches along 680 miles of shoreline

Lake Kissimmee — Florida

The Sunshine State’s third-largest lake, a prime destination for freshwater fishing, kayaking, and horseback riding on the surrounding nature trails

Lake Ouachita — Arkansas

Just 13 miles from Hot Springs, with 975 miles of mostly undeveloped shoreline in the heart of the 1.8-million-acre Ouachita National Forest

Lake Powell – Arizona

A 2,000-mile-long reservoir on the Colorado River, a popular recreation destination for Phoenix area residents

 

Reposted from an article in Ideal-LIVING Magazine, 2023 Summer Issue – Best Places to Live