lake norman

[Whitetail15]

does anybody here rent vacation homes on lake norman. where is the best place to stay. is there alot of boat traffic. the rental places seem so nice with nice docks. i am sure the water and weather would also be nice. if anybody can help, please provide some info

[SkiTower]

Lake Norman is a VERY busy lake. I grew up going there, my grandma has a place very close to the 150 bridge. It used to be sweet. As with most lakes, during the week and out of season is tolerable, but busy weekends you don't want to be anywhere near the main channel. My recommendation would be to stay north of the 150 bridge. The intersection of 150 and 77 is where most of the restaurants and shops (Target, Walmart, Dick's Sporting Goods, Gander Mountain) are, and that's where most of the traffic is too. Don't go through there on race weekend. Also, there is a lakeside restaurant on the north side of the 150 bridge, but I haven't been there.

Unless you have ties to the lake, I personally would try somewhere else. Highrock, Badin, & James in NC, Smith-Mountain in Va, and Keowee & Hartwell in SC, as well as several in Tennessee come to mind (I'm assuming you're somewhere in the area). I've been on High Rock, Smith-Mountain and Badin, but the rest are others I want to try.

[Miljack]

I live in the Charlotte area, but not on Norman. It depends on what you want to do while you're on the lake, if you want good water, plan on skiing or boarding early during the week. If you want to party and have fun, then the south end of the lake is where most of the activity/restaurants/bars are, and BOATS!! On weekends, VERY busy area, and if you want to do watersports on the weekend, be in the boat waiting for the sun to rise...

[Whitetail15]

lake norman then is not for me. i want nice water all the time. too many kids to teach, it just takes too long. the water must me warm too. i am not going to vacation on water that is 70 and nobody wants to get in and learn new stuff. any other options?

[Gasman87]

i love LKN !!! just like anything it has pros and cons !! sometimes we just chill,listen to tunes with friends ,surf,wakeboard . we seem to find the water conditions we are looking for . o yes major holiday weekends are a major pain but we love to go and people watch !!!! hope to see you out on LKN in the near future !!!
GOD BLESS OUR TROOPS

[SkiTower]

where are you starting from, what's your range, and when are you thinking of doing this?

[Whitetail15]

starting in pgh pa. wanna me less than 8 hours. looking for 7 day vacation for whole family in july or aug. wanna stay on a lake with private dock.

[ajskigirl]

Vacationing on Lake Norman

The lake has changed over the years, but one thing hasn't changed, it is a wonderful place to be for a vacation. There are vacation rentals available, Lake Norman Realty has some. The lake is quite busy on during the summer weekends during peak times, but during the week, especially during the mornings and afternoons, skiing is awesome! So, if you are coming for skiing, try to book some time during the week, and take advantage of the glassy, calm, mornings!

[pfm]

i like Norman, but rarely get to go. it sounds like you might be more interested in something like Badin like someone said, or, i spend almost every wknd at lake Tillery, and i love it. sounds like you would too from what you said in your post, i can tell you all about it if you have any ?'s just message me on here or you could try lakehousevactions.com or vrbo.com they both have houses on tillery for rent.

[jchamlin]

Smith Mountain Lake in VA, or Norris Lake in TN. My parents have a house at Smith Mountain and there are lots of rentals. The water is so clear! You'll have to look at the route though since it may take you through Jefferson National Forrest and looks like you'd have to climb some hills. Do you have a diesel?

Some friends have rented a house boat at Norris and said great things about the lake but I have not personally been there.