Life on Lake Lanier: Everything You Need to Know
What is life like on Lake Lanier? How big is it? Is it safe for my family and is there really a town under the lake? Today I’m answering all of those questions and more–including the most popular question I get which is ‘where are my favorite spots to eat at on the lake.’ Ok, no one asks me that but you should know! Lake Lanier is a 38,000 acre reservoir that is located about an hour north of Atlanta and spans through 5 counties, primarily Gwinnett, Hall and Forsyth in the foothills of the blue ridge mountains. It is a huge tourist destination and we welcome almost 12 million tourists each year. Lake Lanier came to be in 1956, when the Corps of Engineers completed Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River by blocking the water flow. The Corps built the lake to manage navigation and flood control of the Chattahoochee River, provide hydroelectricity, and supply water for the city of Atlanta. And Lake Lanier is named after Georgia native Sidney Lanier who was a poet and novelist. In fact, when the lake was built, it was actually built on top of communities. 700 families had to move to make way for the lake. Some moved their homes, but others just moved their belongings. Any buildings and structures that would be tall enough to extend above a water depth of 35 feet at the high water level were removed. The 160 islands that grace this beautiful lake are actually the hilltops of those farms. In fact, a drought in 2007 exposed part of the stadium stands of an old race track that was flooded over when the lake was constructed, which you can see in this picture. The lake encompasses 38,000 acres or 59 square miles of water, and 692 miles of shoreline at normal level, a “full pool” of 1,071 feet above mean sea level The states of Georgia, Alabama and Florida all have rights to the water of the reservoir, as it feeds rivers going through those areas. Lake Lanier was also hosts to the rowing and canoeing events during the 1996 Summer Olympics. Not only is Lake Lanier a huge tourist destination but it is also a popular place to live. On the lake, you will find a variety of home styles, neighborhoods and prices. You will find everything from small single family bungalows to sprawling estates priced in the millions, the popular active adult community, Cresswind on Lake Lanier, and apartment complexes that give you pretty great views–there is something for everyone. As mentioned before the Army Corp built the lake and they also manage and control the lake and its surrounding properties, including issuing dock permits. The Army Corp stopped issuing permits in 2016 which has caused the prices of lake homes to increase steadily along with strong demand that we have in this current real estate market, and the demand in the North Metro Atlanta area. Some other things to note are you don’t (always) own all of the land leading down to the lake. It depends on the property lines, but sometimes the chunk of land right next to the water is owned by the Corps. And as with anything in the government you have a lot of rules and regulations about what you can and can’t do on that property. If you aren’t familiar with Lake Lanier, most visitors and potential lake home buyers are surprised to find that the docks on Lake Lanier are floating docks. As I mentioned earlier, the water levels vary because of the Buford Dam. Docks have to be floating in order to give way for higher levels, and when levels drop. This creates the need to go out and bring in your dock if you are in a cove with lower water levels, as well as bring your dock in during periods of heavy rain. Many potential homeowners are also surprised to find that you need to get the Army Corps approval before doing anything to your dock on Army Corp land. The size of the dock permit is what is allowed at the property, you can go smaller, but cannot go bigger than what is permitted for. I mentioned that Lake Lanier is a huge tourist attraction and you don’t have to live on the lake to enjoy it. You can access the lake through 76 boat ramps you can bring our boat to and put in at. User fees are charged for launching at most boat ramps, and most boat ramps are open year-round, but may close due to low water levels. If you don’t have a boat, no problem. There are a variety of boat rental companies offering everything from jet skis to pontoons and mega cruisers. There are nine marinas that serve Lake Lanier throughout the five counties it is located in. Combined, they can hold over 7,500 boats in their wet and dry slips. They are open year-round and offer complete boating amenities. There is gas available which is super handy. Some of the marinas have lakeside restaurants, so there are several places to eat right on the lake, many of which you can ride your boat right up to. I made a whole video about restaurants on Lake Lanier on my YouTube page, but my favorite has to be PigTales which is located at Aqualand Marina. Lake Lanier is also huge for fishing. The BassMaster Elite Series often takes place on Lake Lanier, which you’ll know if you are big into fishing is pretty cool. If you don’t have a boat and want to experience the lake and summer fun, make sure you check out Margaritaville at Lanier Islands (formerly known as Lake Lanier Islands and still referred to that by locals) has a huge water park that was recently revamped and is an awesome place to take the kids and your whole family year round for some fun. They upgraded the islands, added an awesome new RV park, and added fun new adventures like their Margarita Cruises where you ride around on the huge boat, drink margaritas, and enjoy the scenery. Also a great way to enjoy the winter on the lake with their Lakeside Lights Spectacular. During the summer, you can drive there or ride right up on your boat. One of the questions I get asked frequently is how crowded does the lake get and does it have a party atmosphere and I have to tell you–that all depends on what you are looking for. It is not uncommon for the lake to be crowded in the main parts of the lake during the weekends and holidays like Memorial Day, 4th of July, or Labor Day. If you want to cruise around and people watch, this is a great time to do that. If you are seeking a party atmosphere, well, it’s not uncommon to find 5-6 boats tied up in a cove or quieter area of the lake to create their own party atmosphere. Families will often meet up together in one spot and claim it for the day. and of course you can always head to Cocktail Cove or Sunset Cove, these two areas of the lake are known for a more party-style atmosphere. If you are looking for a family friend atmosphere–you can find that no matter the day or time of the year. Because Lake Lanier is so huge, there are tons of places for families to gather and find peace and quiet. You’ll often find pontoons and small cruisers beached on the beaches of the islands, and it is so much fun to pull up to a beach and hang out for the day. You kids can play on the beach, have a picnic, and soak up some sun. You’ll hear music playing, kids splashing and dads grilling out on the beaches. You’ll also find plenty of room for tubing, water skiing, and the ever popular wakeboarding and wake surfing. Again, because the lake is so big, you don’t have to worry about the crowds–any day on the lake is a great day! If you don’t have a boat and you don’t want to go to the waterpark, you can find four different campground parks for a unique lake experience, or visit one of the many public uses day parks that the lake has. There are 12 different parks that have public beaches, picnic tables, and playgrounds to enjoy. These are really popular and very beautiful areas to spend the day enjoying the lake without needing to rent a boat or any other equipment. Lake Lanier offers something for everyone and you should definitely visit. In fact, many people love it so much they decide to make it their year round vacation spot, or buy a second home. I help buyers and sellers from all over buy and sell property on and near Lake Lanier, and I would love to do the same for you. If you have any other questions about what it’s like living on Lake Lanier or want to know more about the area, head to my YouTube channel where I post all kinds of videos talking about just that.
Is Lake Lanier Really Haunted?
Pretty much anytime I make a video talking about Lake Lanier, I get comments that say “don’t you know Lake Lanier is haunted?” “Do you know the story of Lake Lanier?” So. Is Lake Lanier haunted? Lake Lanier is a manmade lake that’s visited by over 10 million people every year. The lake takes up 38,000 acres, or 59 square miles of water, and has 692 miles of shoreline at normal level. It stretches through 5 different counties and has 10 marinas, 2 of which are the largest inland marinas in the world. However- did you know that even with almost as many yearly visitors as Disney World’s Epcot Theme Park, the lake was not originally made for recreation? If Lake Lanier is not a naturally occurring lake, why was it made- and how? In 1950, the United States Army Corps of Engineers kicked off a six year project of constructing the lake. The lake’s original purposes were to provide hydroelectricity, navigation, and flood control of the Chattahoochee River, and provide water for the city of Atlanta. It was made by the completion of Buford Dam on the Chattahoochee River in 1956. In order to build the lake, 57,000 acres of land was purchased to build on, and 39,000 of those acres were cleared and flooded to make the lake. It took several years to clear the land to prepare for the lake. Over 700 families had to move out of their homes and leave the area, and land was bought from these people by the government at a measly average of $30 per acre. Some believe that many people weren’t actually paid for their land, but rather were run off of it, or refused to leave and were lost when the area was flooded. Several covered bridges were removed, graves were relocated, and some concrete and brick structures were actually left in place and covered by the water. Many trees and buildings were left standing if they were going to be at least 35 feet below the full level of the lake. Keep in mind though, the lake has not always been at “full level.” There was even a racetrack that was used by drivers who were training for NASCAR, called Gainesville‘s Looper Speedway, that was abandoned and left to be flooded. There are 160 small “islands” that line Lake Lanier, and they are actually the hilltops of some of the farmland that was flooded to create the lake. The area was predominantly occupied by African-Americans who many say were forced out and the idea that they were paid for their land is bogus. The creation of the lake is where the idea that it is haunted came from. Since an entire town was flooded to create the lake, and some cemeteries and buildings were left behind, or the idea that some people refused to leave their land- that’s where people get this idea that it is “haunted.” We talked about how trees and other items that were going to be 35 feet below the “full” level of the lake. Something that didn’t take into consideration was that the lake is not always at that full level. In 2006, it was discovered that a lake gauge had been replaced and the new one did not properly calibrate, so it incorrectly read that the lake was 2 feet above what the actual level was. This caused nearly twenty-two billion gallons of ‘excess’ water to be released. Georgia was already having very dry conditions at the time, and there was very little rainfall, so this caused a severe drought through 2007. During this time, the lake was obviously extremely low, and many people’s docks ended up sitting on dry land. Some of those trees that were left because they were below the ‘full’ level when the lake was constructed were now a lot higher up in the water, and this was quite a safety hazard. The stadium seats to the old racetrack we talked about earlier resurfaced during the drought, along with other trash and debris that had been either thrown in the lake or left there when it was constructed. Recently, the state of Georgia and the Army Corps of Engineers agreed to pay $71 million dollars for permanent water storage at Lake Lanier. This creates a greater certainty of water supply, which will hopefully ensure that we don’t have record low water levels like we have seen in the past. People have differing opinions or reports on how many people have died on the lake. Some news reports claim that more than 200 people have died in swimming and boating accidents on the lake since 1994, while others say that number is closer to 170. Some state that since the lake was created, over 500 people have died. One detail that everyone can agree on though, is that there are 27 bodies that have never been recovered over the years. Ok, so maybe that’s why people say the lake is haunted? There are plenty of old stories that have been told over the years, like the story of Susie Roberts and Delia Parker Young, dubbed as “The Lake of Lake Lanier.” In April 1958, Susie lost control of her car while going over what is now known as the Jerry D. Jackson bridge. After the accident, neither Susie, or her passenger Delia Parker Young or the car they were in were found. Eighteen months after the accident, the body of Delia Parker Young was found floating under the bridge. Fast forward to November of 1990- 34 years later- when crews began dredging out the lake bottom to set pillars for the new bridge . Low and behold, they found Susie Robert’s and her car filled with mud, half buried at the bottom of the lake. Another popular “legend” of Lake Lanier came about when a chicken truck crashed on Thompson Bridge and overturned. When divers went down into the lake to investigate, they claim they saw catfish so large, they were eating the wet chickens whole. Now, my husband has never caught anything nearly that big, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be true. While those numbers of drownings sounds horrible, and it is, these are similar statistics that you will find on any major body of water. Take Lake Michigan or the Lake of the Ozarks for instance. They both have a significant number of deaths per year. Any huge body of water that is highly visited by boaters will. Hopefully the increase in water supply because of the lawsuit we talked about will keep water levels high and help minimize the accidents that happen on Lake Lanier. Boater safety is definitely something that you need to study up on and take very seriously if you decide to live on the lake, or choose to visit it. So, does the lake sound haunted to you? I have lived on the lake for several years now and I have never thought it was haunted. I do however feel for those who had to relocate and lost their land in order for the lake to be constructed though. Since the lake was never meant to be used for recreation, I think it is fascinating how it has become a place for just that- boating, fishing, water skiing, kayaking, you name it. Like we talked about earlier, the lake is visited by over 10 million people each year who come to enjoy its beauty and have fun, but many people have a tough time accepting its past. Everyone always has a story to tell. To learn more about Lake Lanier and the rest of Georgia, follow me on my YouTube channel to be updated with new uploads weekly!
Enjoying Lake Lanier without living on it
Many people love Lake Lanier but don’t necessarily want to live on it or want to take advantage of it without having to pay the hefty price tag that comes with living on it. My team and I specialize in helping families relocate here to North Georgia. Lake Lanier is a trendy place that many of these clients are interested in being near, but not everybody wants to invest that kind of money into a home. So, how can you enjoy the lake without living on it? For starters, Lake Lanier is a massive lake that runs through five different counties, which means there are many other places and towns you can access it from. If you already have a boat, you can pay to keep it at one of the many marinas spread all across the lake. I recently made a video talking about all of the primary marinas, and I go into detail about what each one offers, so that video would be a great one to check out if you already have a boat. If you are moving to town and you have a boat but don’t want to live right on the water, or you end up finding a home that doesn’t have a dock, you can pay to store your boat at one of these many marinas. Many of these marinas also have fantastic waterfront restaurants if you want to sit by the water and have a nice meal. If you don’t have a boat and still want to spend time out on the water, there are many different rental companies that you can rent, jet skis, pontoon boats, party yachts, all sorts of various watercraft to use for the day. They can be a little pricey, but if you aren’t huge into boating and think you wouldn’t need your own, this is a great option to enjoy going out on the water without all of the maintenance, upkeep, and cost of your boat. Say you do have a boat of your own that you store at your house; there are 76 different boat ramps on the lake that you can use to launch into the water if you want to haul it in yourself. Another terrific way to enjoy the lake is to rent a sailboat or charter a sailboat ride for the day. I think this would make a fabulous gift to someone who enjoys fun experiences over tangible things, or just an excellent way to spend a weekend, especially if you have visitors in town and want to do something special with them. You can also take a sunset cruise or a margarita cruise out of Margaritaville on the lake. Every weekend during the summer months through October, you can jump on a margarita cruise out of Margaritaville and have someone drive you around while you relax and enjoy a drink and the beautiful scenery and not have to drive. Suppose you’re nervous about going on a boat or anything like that. In that case, this is another excellent option because somebody else does all of the heavy lifting for you, and you can sit back and enjoy the views and a good drink and have an entertaining night out on the water. If camping is more of your thing, there are a ton of different campsites that you can go to, whether you have a camper or an RV or if you’re planning on pitching a tent. You can camp at the state parks or visit them for the day, have a picnic, or go hiking, fishing, or kayaking. There are many options for boat rentals. There are also many options for paddleboards or kayaks if that’s more your speed. People often host sunrise yoga sessions at the different parks on the lake or host meet ups for groups to go fishing together or hiking together; there are fishing tournaments, paddleboarding clubs, you name it, there’s probably an activity for that. In the summer, there’s an event called food truck Fridays that takes place at Lake Lanier Olympic Park, so you can go and grab some food and listen to live music, and hang out by the water. We talked about Margaritaville at Lanier Islands a little bit earlier, but again, this is a great place to get the whole lake experience without living on it. They have those margarita and brunch cruises that we talked about earlier; they also have a bar and Grill and a huge water park that’s a super popular destination. You can also rent a boat here, and they have a campsite as well. It’s a pretty full-service spot in an excellent way to spend time on the lake with everything you need right in one area. They also blow in fake snow during the wintertime, and you can go sledding, ice skating, and that kind of thing later in the year as well. If golf is more your item, you can do that too! You can have a spa day at the tranquility spa at Lanier Islands if you’re more of the indoor-sy type. There is no shortage of things to do here. When clients from out of town are trying to decide if they want to live on the lake, the great idea is to stay at an Airbnb that sits on the water so you can get a feel for what it is like to live on the water and see if that’s even right for you. Or, if you want to book a fun weekend with your friends, you can rent one of the massive estates that sit on the water and have a little getaway weekend right here in town. There are many different ways to experience the beauty and fun of Lake Lanier without having to live right on it. If you’ve visited before, what was your favorite thing to do? Be more informed and updated weekly through subscribing to my YouTube channel! Don’t forget to leave your comments and suggestions down there!
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