Smith Mountain Lake is beautiful year-round, but it is particularly striking in autumn. The rustic browns, yellows and reds of this time of year reflect on the water, surrounding viewers with breathtaking natural beauty. Local television network WDBJ7 recently highlighted Smith Mountain Lake as one of the top five locations to take in fall foliage in Southwestern Virginia. We heartily agree. And don’t just gaze at the scenery from the shoreline, it’s still warm enough to get out on a boat for the best vantage point - on the water.  As WDBJ7 points out, boat rental may be less expensive this time of year, making it an ideal time to do a family boat outing with camera in hand. Head toward the SML Dam, snapping photos along the way. Dock at a marina for a quick family portrait. Pack some f... 10/12/2012

We are so excited that fall has come again to Smith Mountain Lake. Our skies are brilliantly blue, the water is gentle and the surrounding mountains are on the verge of gorgeous color. Lakers have a plethora of opportunities to enjoy this season, including several major annual events like the Antique & Classic Boat Show, Wine Festival and Home Tour. In between, we encourage visitors and would-be residents to go for a memorable drive along the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway. It is one of SML’s main attractions.     Take your family for an unbeatable Appalachian mountain drive along the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway. Bring your best camera and a picnic lunch and stop at one of the frequent overlooks offer breathtaking views and photo opportunities. Picnic and camping grounds are complete with... 09/11/2012

Most students of Smith Mountain Lake returned to the classroom last Monday or within the past few days. As they enter into a new year of education, there are many areas and topics relevant to Smith Mountain Lake we would love to help you learn more about. The best way to begin a learning tour of SML is at the place it all began, and the impressive engineering that holds it together - the Smith Mountain Dam and Visitor’s Center. The Joseph H. VippermanVisitor’s Center was recently renovated and is a fascinating place for all ages. You and your family will enjoy seeing models of and learning about the workings of the massive hydroelectric dam there.  Go to the dam and visitor’s center to check out the origination of Smith Mountain Lake, how Appalachian Power built the dam in 1960 and why ... 09/04/2012

School buses, football schedules and crisper temperatures are making a reappearance at Smith Mountain Lake. It’s nearly fall, one of the most anticipated seasons for many here who appreciate its colorful Appalachian beauty. Soon, SML will host several of its most popular annual events - the antique boat show, the wine festival and the home tour. In between these exciting occasions is a perfect opportunity to take your family to an apple orchard.  The Fall 2011 issue of the Laker Magazine contains a useful guide for apple picking in the Smith Mountain Lake area. Its bordering Franklin and Bedford counties, along with slightly more distant Gretna, Roanoke and Botetourt locations   are fantastic apple picking destinations complete with seasonal attractions such as corn mazes, apple pressin... 08/21/2012

It’s been another wonderful Smith Mountain Lake summer. We hope you have been able to enjoy the endless water recreation, local amusement hot spots, tasty eateries and especially time well spent with friends and family. As summer vacation wraps up, don’t forget to snag a few Smith Mountain Lake souvenirs. You and your guests will want to take home some memorabilia to mark great memories and show your friends a piece of one of the most exciting and relaxing vacation destinations anywhere.  Check out a lengthy list of perfect Smith Mountain Lake souvenir shops in the July/August issue of the Laker Magazine. Get and adult daughter or mother a lovely SML charm from a local jeweler, or a print or mug painted with SML scenes from an art shop. Pick up a pack of fudge or golf-ready polo shirt f... 08/07/2012

Residents of Smith Mountain Lake are often the chosen hosts for family and friends gatherings. And it’s no wonder the relatives with that idyllic summer vacation property are particularly popular this time of year. A summer gathering at Smith Mountain Lake is a wonderful way to treat loved ones to a thrilling getaway.  When guests do arrive, there are anniversaries, birthdays and milestones to celebrate. Engagements, babies, new careers, graduations and retirements are all excellent reasons to incorporate a special event. What better place to gather for a festive party than your own SML patio? HGTV has a few tips for planning a great outdoor party, and with the backdrop of the lake, you won’t have to do much to liven up the atmosphere.  Recruit a few helpers to plan for, shop and set th... 07/31/2012

Did you know the Smith Mountain Lake community contains well over 50 extracurricular clubs and organizations? And that only includes “official” groups. It’s easy for residents here to find a group related to their interests and hobbies to get involved in. Some of the most on-the-water oriented groups include the SML Powerboating Association, the SML Boating Association, two Yacht clubs which we recently blogged about here, a local chapter of the Antique & Classic Boat Society, SML Waterski Club, The Crusty Boarders and many more.   In addition to clubs for boating, water sports, fishing, competitions and sailing, there are plenty of off-water clubs that get together. The SML Arts Council, Bedford Little Town Players, New Crusty Minstrels and the Smith Mountain Lake Garden Club are examp... 07/16/2012

July 1 brings an important change in boating education requirements. The change is part of a series of increased boat driver expectations implemented by the Virginia Department of Games and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF). An increasingly popular and busy lake like Smith Mountain Lake is safer and more enjoyable when boat drivers understand traffic laws, safety requirements and, more importantly, abide by them while on the water.  According to a recent article in The Roanoke Times, the July 1 changes include a mandatory authorized boating education course for boat operators (powered by a 10 horsepower or larger engine) 30 and under. Authorized boating education courses are available online and in classroom, often in coordination with local marinas.  Be sure you or your family’s boat driver is ... 06/21/2012

This weekend, Smith Mountain Lake will welcome triathletes from around Virginia and several states beyond for the annual Appalachian Power Smith Mountain Lake sprint-distance triathlon. The event takes place in one of the state’s top parks, the Smith Mountain Lake State Park in Huddleston. It takes advantage of SML’s spacious recreational amenities with miles of private roadway for 20K bike route and 5K run, and a calm beach area for the 750-meter swim.   In addition to the spring sprint event, the Big Lick international-distance triathlon is held at the same location each September. Smith Mountain Lake is a hub for athletes and fitness lovers, supported by two local YMCA gyms, plenty of roadway for biking, walking and running and, of course, water sport athletes in abundance. Sports li... 05/04/2012

The Smith Mountain Lake area boasts high quality destinations in every category. Historic landmarks, pristine recreational locations and top notch golf courses are just a few local draws. Education and community centers are also abundant in the southwestern Virginia region surrounding the lake. One place in particular even takes advantage of the water, encompassing picturesque grounds along the Smith Mountain Lake shoreline. The W.E. Skelton 4-H Educational Conference Center in Franklin County is as high quality and comprehensive as it gets.  At the 4-H Center, school-aged children learn valuable skills through horseback riding, team building exercises, archery, canoeing, sports, leadership opportunities and creative workshops. Camps run all summer long and the center is a popular educa... 04/30/2012

At Smith Mountain Lake, moving in, moving up or helping neighbors and friends move is a common activity. The community is attracting more new residents each year and those that have been here a while are completing dream homes or finding the perfect property to retire at. If you’re preparing for a move, it’s always helpful to plan ahead for large items. Most notably, furniture. HGTV.com offers many articles about moving and one in particular for thinking through interior arrangement and placing furniture well. We thought it would make a difference for Smith Mountain Lake home buyers to have a little help moving and utilizing furniture in a new home.  Arranging furniture first can help pull together the rest of the interior design choices you face such as paint colors, flooring accessori... 04/06/2012

Fishing is a favorite pastime of Smith Mountain Lake locals and visitors year-round, but spring is the beginning of serious angling season. Avid SML fishermen are drawn to the lake’s challenging waters to catch perch, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, carp and one fish species in particular - the striper bass. Smith Mountain Lake is known for its plentiful striper bass population, a fish breed difficult to support and sustain in many freshwater lakes. In fact, fishing enthusiasts considering a guided fishing expedition will notice most of the fishing experts here emphasize finding and catching stripers.  In addition to being an excellent striper bass fishery, Smith Mountain Lake boasts great smallmouth and largemouth bass. Varying in depths and large in overall size, Smith Mountain Lake... 03/28/2012

Lake water has its own kind of seasonal weather pattern. As temperatures warm or cool in the spring or fall, lakes such as Smith Mountain Lake experience lake turnover. Southwestern Virginia is experiencing an early rise in temperatures this late winter/early spring, meaning the spring lake turnover may already be underway. As the National Geographic educational page on Lake Turnover illustrates, summer’s warm temperatures heat the top layer of water in a lake, causing it to be less dense than the coldest layer lying at the bottom depth. In Fall, cooling temperatures means a cooling lake surface, causing the layer to drop down through the others. In Spring, the adverse happens as the surface warms, winds stir up the waters and temperatures change and the layers mix once again.  For more... 03/16/2012

When you live on a recreational lake such as Smith Mountain Lake, a common concern is water pollution. Residents want to be sure they, their children, grandchildren, friends and pets are safe when swimming and sporting around the lake. This month, local publication Laker Magazine includes an article on SML water safety that is both thorough and helpful for understanding water health and how the lake itself rates in cleanliness. You may appreciate knowing the article states Smith Mountain Lake’s water quality is excellent. While the article is a one-time summary of the science and results behind lake health, there are people and organizations advocating for a clean, useable lake all year long. The Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce and Smith Mountain Lake Association are two communi... 03/08/2012

Good news for real estate - a recent article on MSN states new home starts are expected to rise by 10 percent in 2012. We’re encouraged by this and to see several new construction sites arising here at Smith Mountain Lake. So what is on the radar for the future of home building? The perks of practicality. More home builders are thinking of the future when it comes to their home’s design. Whatever is efficient, helpful and practical is in for 2012. The MSN article specifically points to the preference of fewer stairs to climb, bathrooms safe for  the handicapped and aging folks, garages fit for more storage, main living area nooks instead of whole rooms devoted to offices and projects and energy efficiency.  We’ve seen these and similar trends emerging at Smith Mountain Lake in recent ye... 02/28/2012

In a recent post on todayonline.com, concerned writer Julia Ng makes several statements about the future of retirement living. She points out the difference in the financial status, lifestyle expectations and health of current generations approaching retirement versus those previous. In summary, she states today’s retirees expect a longer, higher quality of life through retirement than the previous generation and they have the financial means and physical care and stamina to have it.  Here at Smith Mountain Lake, with a large population of retirees and soon-to-be retirees investing in second homes at the lake, we understand how the dynamics of retirement living has changed. Like Ng writes, retirees are looking for a community that offers excellent and accessible healthcare, community ce... 02/23/2012

We’ve mentioned before one of the most recent highlights of living at Smith Mountain Lake - the making of a feature film inspired by the producer’s own experience at SML and filmed entirely at the lake called “Lake Effects”. We are proud to follow those posts with an exciting new update. “Lake Effects”, starring Jane Seymour, has been swept up by the Hallmark Movie Channel. The film will make its television debut on Hallmark on May 19th at 8 p.m.  Whether you’re already an SML fan or curious about the mountain setting of the lake, its atmosphere, homes and scenic shoreline, the film is a breathtaking tribute to the lake’s beauty, capturing the serenity and wholesome community spirit found in here in reality. We are thrilled to be a town inspiring more than just local residents. The embr... 02/16/2012

Smith Mountain Lake residents love to taut the privacy and rare seclusion offered by this community. Though it is a quiet place to live, with plenty of space and properties enclosed in their own personal pocket of acreage, privacy doesn’t mean we’re far away from the most important conveniences. Healthcare, for example, is a top priority at Smith Mountain Lake. Residents are never far from excellent clinics, hospitals and physicians. Area health care companies are expanding to meet the needs of a growing SML community, ensuring every lake family has access to medical care located within just a few miles or less.  Two area healthcare networks have state-of-the-art locations at or near Smith Mountain Lake. Roanoke-based Carilion Clinic meets the needs of local residents through their West... 02/10/2012

The Virginia Tourism Corporation is giving away a phenomenal five-day, four-night Smith Mountain Lake vacation as part of its Love Aquatic “Fun on the Water” sweepstakes. The Washington Post reported on the travel sweepstakes on January 30th, mentioning the relaxing pontoon rental getaway at Smith Mountain Lake. The prize includes roundtrip airfare, accommodations for four, a four-day pontoon boat rental, family fun pass at Bridgewater Plaza, dinner for four at two popular local restaurants, a rental car for five days and a $200 cash card.  What an opportunity for the winner to experience beautiful Smith Mountain Lake and so many of its superb amenities. In five days, a family can certainly be won over by more than their vacation. Certainly the unbeatable waterscape, endless luxury home... 02/02/2012

Before long, spring will show up at Smith Mountain Lake, bringing beauty of a blooming landscape, the brightness of summer, and....weddings! Which means now is the time for brides and grooms to plan the what, when and where of their big day. In recent years, Smith Mountain Lake has emerged as a prime wedding location for locals who are already familiar with its attraction and quite a few distant couples who find it to be a wedding day dream come true. In the winter 2012 issue of our local Laker Magazine is its annual wedding guide, highlighting SML as a lovely, affordable wedding destination. If you’re looking for the perfect place to have a memorable wedding day, the stories included in the guide will secure this place as a desirable choice.  If you’re a bride planning a Smith Mountain... 01/25/2012