Boating Vacation in the SE???

[Msajecki]

I live on a small private lake in Tampa Fl. I've never taken my old boat (1988 MasterCraft) or my new boat (2005 Air Nautique 226) anywhere other than in my back yard.

With my new boat, with more capacity, more seating, more comfort, I'm thinking I'd like to take the boat and my family where we can explore. I'd like to put the 226 on a trailer and drive somewhere this summer within 10-12 hours of West Central Florida.

Ideally, a place where we can launch the boat, and dock it behind a hotel or condo or house, and spend a week.

Since our boating experience is only on our 100 acre lake, I'd love to have access to restaurants and areas we can access on the boat.

I grew up on Lake St Claire in Michigan and enjoyed the ability to go to different towns, areas, restaurants, shops and parks.

Any ideas of locations?

Lakes with lots of lodging with marinas, accessible towns via water?

I'd like to stay in one place, but have some variety of what we do and where we go each day on the boat.

Thinking late June or early July.

Ideas or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[SkiTower]

Smith Mountain Lake VA is my first thought. Lots of lakes in Eastern Tennessee but not sure about accommodations on those lakes. Keowee or Hartwell in SC are candidates as well. With you being a flatlander 😉 I would try some deep mountainlakes


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[cedarcreek216]

Lake of the Ozarks. Has everything you need on land and water to keep everyone entertained.


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[NautiqueJeff]

All good suggestions above. I live on Lake Norman, near Charlotte, NC. It is a great place to spend time. The water is great during the week (gets a little busy on the weekends, like anywhere else). Plenty of restaurants, lots of watersports activities happening all summer, good places to hang out on the water, islands to explore, lots of houses for rent, etc.

[Bdillonwake]

SML, VA is definitely a good lake for all you have mentioned. Only downfall is busy on weekends, Just as Jeff stated about lake Norman.

[tphillips98]

Been there / done that. I live on a small lake in Orlando and every few years we get the itch to trailer the boat and see something new. While there are many more exotic places to choose from, we stayed closer to home so that the logistics would be simpler and could accommodate 3 day weekends if desired.
Here are the places we’ve been that I recommend:

3 day trips… or longer if you desire:
Winter Haven Chain of Lakes
Boatel Lodging available on Lake Roy or rent a private house on any of the lakes. Several bars and restaurants on the lakes and you can even park on the artificial reef (String of floating tires) in front of LEGOLAND (old Cypress Gardens) and watch ski shows while having a picnic in your boat. There also used to be a drive through package store on the lake where you drove your boat by the cashier window.... I have to believe that somebody would have stopped that by now...

St. John's River
Too many restaurants and bars to name. Put boat in Sanford and travel north up to Astor where there are a number of rustic lodges. Further north still and you get to Lake George where you can spend a day or two at Silver Glen Springs and stay the night on the river north of Lake George at a bed & breakfast (several to choose from Welaka through Palatka). Travel further north still for even more restaurant and lodging options in St. Augustine & Jacksonville. We timed one trip to coincide with the Palatka Blue Crab festival....was tons of fun.

Harris Chain of Lakes / Ocklawaha River
Put in at Mt. Dora... plenty of restaurants and lodging on the Harris Chain of Lakes. Great burger place on Dead Man River, Great Mexican on Lake Eustis, Quaint resort on Mt. Dora. If you are more adventurous, pack the boat for camping and head up to the north end of the chain and it feeds into the Ocklawaha River which runs the western border of the Ocala National Forest. The river narrows and you will feel lake Burt Reynolds in the movie Gator as you run the river through tight turns.Eventually the Silver River joins the Ocklawaha and we camp just past where they meet and go into Silver Springs to see the sights. Its eerie to see half the river crystal clear and the other heavy with tannins from the Cypress trees.


Week long trips:
Smith Mountain Lake
Loved it. Plenty of lodging and restaurants. Deep water and cliffs you can dive from. The novelty of boating over flooded towns is neat especially when you see roads that disappear into the lake.

Lake Glenville, North Carolina
Similar to Smith Mountain, not as big but a little closer. Same novelty... stay at Trillium or rent a private house. Cashiers or Highlands are great towns to visit nearby

Hope this helps...

[trip33]

We were considering a trip to Lake Blue Ridge over the summer. That is probably another you could add to the list.


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[Guntersville230]

Not saying its the BEST place in the whole SE but Lake Guntersville in NE Alabama is a large lake with 4-5 places to go and grab a bite to eat on the water with lots of rental houses and a hotel on the water. Additionally, there are multiple camp grounds and probably the best state park lodge in AL to stay at. The downtown has little "hometown" stores that are great for the wife to shop at. If you come mid june there is a large contest called Spring2Summer with tons of riders, typically a rail jam the night before and a demo the day before as well...just a thought. Again there may be better places but just a thought from the state of Alabama!

http://www.russellmarine.net/Page.as...ournament.aspx