smith mountain lake

Growing up on the east coast there was nothing better than the shore. A few years ago, for vacation we decided to try a lake. We went up to the Adirondacks to Schroon Lake which was nice but not impressive at all. Mosquitoes were terrible water at the lake was OK but nothing we would want to revisit. We figured that we would give another lake a try. Did some research and decided on Smith Mountain Lake. We rented a house for a week, brought our boat and was amazed. The water quality was beautiful where we did all kinds of water sports, fished, and cruised the lake. The sights were unbelievable with the mountains as a backdrop. No mosquitoes!!!!After that trip I couldn't believe how that lake and area impressed our whole family. For the entire year we thought about that vacation and decided to check out real estate and eventually bought a townhouse right on SML. We have been going to the lake every chance we get. Long weekends and vacations. Winter...Spring...Summer...Fall. Every season is unbelievable.Visit SML and you wont be disappointed!!!

I live about 20 minutes from the lake and there something about it that attracts people to it! Something about being on the lake and the local shops and restaurants that make it a great getaway'

We stayed in the cabins for a few days to celebrate Thanksgiving and a family reunion. The location is gorgeous and serene. The cabins were modern enough. They could have been cleaner, but they had pretty much everything we needed to be comfortable. I'd definitely go back.

Fall trip to see the colors did not disappoint. Lake front laced with reds, yellows, orange and gold. Quiet, tranquil setting with minimal travelers.

We have friends who own a beautiful home on this lake and have been invited to visit for a weekend twice - once in the summer and another time in the fall. The lake is HUGE, and you can take hours exploring this area by boat. I understand it can get very busy on holiday weekends, but both times we have visited it has been very quiet and not a lot of traffic on the lake. If you are looking for a scenic area to escape and relax, Smith Mountain Lake is your spot to get away from the noise and chaos of daily life!

Beautiful mountains, pristine water, not too busy and so much to see on this lake of 550 miles of shoreline. Don't miss it!

Had a long weekend at SML and enjoyed the striper and catfish fishing. The water was clear and cool and we enjoyed fishing from the boat and dock. This is a great lake to boat, sail, fish or just relax and watch the sunsets. I would recommend this destination for a fun family vacation.

We just got back from a long weekend and Smith Mountain Lake. We rented a house with two other couples and our children. We had a great time. Although all of our children are young (five and younger) there was plenty to keep them busy. They enjoyed swimming and fishing from the dock at the house that we rented and we enjoyed the beautiful surroundings. I would have said peaceful surroundings but we had four small children with us. The water was a little cool this time of year, but we all had no problems swimming. We brought some kayaks with us and there were plenty of secluded coves to explore. We also rented a pontoon boat for the day and I would highly recommend this. The lake is huge and it was great to cruise the shore line looking at all the homes. We did anchor at the state park to allow the kids to swim from the boat and they had a great time. I would think that during high season things might be a little crowded. I think that the only downside about this lake is that it is very spread out and if you rely on your car to get around, things seem to take long to get to. A trip to the Food Lion took twenty minutes even though it was only six miles away. Travel by boat was much faster and more fun. We all had a great time and certainly would visit again.

This is a beautiful lake with clean, clear, cool water, with some nice shops and restaurants right on the water and you can use your boat to do most things. However, there are houses on just about every acre of the lake, and the boat traffic can get hazardous - just be careful, cause some of the other boaters are not....with so much traffic, the water can get rough too, especially on the holidays or weekends....If you are looking for a place to camp - forget it - there are very few spots for non-seasonal campers....the best place is really the state park, which is very nice....like most things, stuff at SML is expensive, and it is hard for the "common" man, especially with accommodations....some are more expensive than going to the beach.....our family did enjoy the lake, and I bet yours will too.....

We work here ,play here,&love it here!Been her over 30yrs.,Awesome lake to fish &swim.It is such a friendly &down to earth destination with southern hospitality!Many opportunities to ski ,sail,kayak,or just enjoy beautiful sunsets!Excellent state park with hiking & a swim beach to enjoy.You just can't beat the beauty of the mountains ,sunsets & star studded nights at Smith Mountain Lake,It's the place for tranquil moments &fond memories!

We live at the lake and it's beautiful . The lake is 42 miles by 15 miles large enough to sail or power boat . Busy on the weekend. Can rent a boat at the bridge and spend the day on the water. Fun restaurants right on the water and reasonably priced . We like Jake's and Mango's but there are others .

We just had 5 days at SML. Although it rained 2, we had lots to do aside from being in the water. We hiked, shopped, visited several sub-divisions of the lake, had a brewery tour and a winery visit. Mostly we sat on the dock or deck and just watched the lake. In the early morning, ducks and kayakers quietly slide by. Next come the fishing boats and sightseeing pontoon boats, and when it is the warmest part of the day the wake boarders and jet skis shoot by. Then in the evening, it all quiets down again, the ski is lovely and pink and the stars come out. On this visit due to the rain, the water was a bit cold, but we did jump off the dock and experience the lake.

Great place for a family getaway, beautiful lake, great place for a boating expedition and plenty of places to stop and swim or eat and drink. Really enjoyed the family fun.

We headed to the lake and took in the view and went on to the Dam as we were just passing through. When you get to the dam there is a small parking area at the pond/park. Plenty of benches for your picnic and you can walk all around the pond. The public toilets were very well maintained for such a rural location. You then get back in the car and cross the river climbing up the hillside to the dam parking lot and overlook. There is a small visitor center (no toilets here so go at the park at the bottom), that tells you about the building and maintenance and purpose of the dam. The overlook is accessed via slope so wheelchair friendly. The view from the top is stunning, the mountains, the lake and the inner workings of the machine/dam. We were there an hour, which was surprising for such a small place but we were so taken by the view. We also got to hear the siren go off and the water start flowing through the dam which was fun. It's a little off the beaten track but well signposted and totally worth 2 hours out of your day.

My husband and I were very excited to rent a pontoon boat to spend a day on the lake. We had been fishing the lake on the shore throughout the week on our vacation and thought we would have better luck in the pontoon and get to enjoy seeing more of the Lake. We had a really relaxing time but didn't catch any fish. The lake is so deep . It is a hard lake to fish.. plus it was really hot. But we had alot of fun swimming and touring this beautiful lake. There are many beautiful homes along the lake and little coves to fish in.