Looking for some local info, found this area in our retirement search and it looked pretty good. Trying to find a place with good boating(sail and kayak) and decent weather. So far all I have found it tourist type info but it does have some appeal and we are considering a week or two visit this summer. Anyone out there live nearby or spend time there? Looking for info on decent campgrounds on the water and how the wind is for my hobie.
TIA
Nothing really to add, except I grew up in Blacksburg (1980-1987) and had we a 22' sailboat on Smith Mountain Lake until moving to NC. I remember being introduced to the Illusion Mini 12. I still want one.
It's a beautiful area. I've stayed several times in a co-worker's house that he built on land purchased in the 1960's. I suspect he's seen his property value go up a good bit over the years. Probably worth 100 times what he paid for it.
It's got a crazy lot of shoreline, so the areas are going to differ somewhat. My experience was over on the Union Hall side of the lake. Pretty remote back in the '90's, but I suspect a lot of the lakefront has been developed by now.
No horsepower limit on the lake, so it can get noisy in the summertime. Lotsa big V8's tearing up the lake.
Franklin County is the moonshine capital of Virginia, so it's got that going for it.
So, rednecks, V8 boats, and moonshine. What's not to like?
My mom lives there (contentment island) and owns a second property there (Bernard's landing). I go there quite frequently. When I was growing up it was our family vacation spot (80s/90s)
Most of the campgrounds are gone and replaced by single family homes. The state park still has campsites though.
You can live on the lake and easily be very far from everything on land.
If you live there, you don't go out on the water Labor Day, July 4th, or Memorial Day weekends.
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