vacation

(ord27) · (ord27) **Join Date: Oct 2005** 06-12-2007, 6:55 PM

hey everyone
I know yall can help!
I wanna take the family on a wakeboarding/surfing vacation...that's not at the family cabin

I really need to leave Texas....so that it feels more like a vacation

we were thinking about Tennessee or maybe Kentucky(it would be a drive...but that's part of the fun)

kinda wanna hit some diff lakes along the way....but have a rented cabin at an end destination

can anyone between Texas and Kentucky offer some suggestions

thanks

(chris_b) · (chris_b) **Join Date: Feb 2007** 06-13-2007, 4:44 AM

Check out Kentucky Lake, it is in southwest Kentucky and is a big lake.

(worththewake) · (worththewake) **Join Date: Nov 2006** 06-13-2007, 5:30 AM

i would be careful boating in Kentucky lake because if you aren't in the main channel it can get pretty shallow. Try checking out Lake Cumberland in Kentucky, Rough River, or Dale Hallow. All three are awesome places to board. Let me know if you want any more info

(forenku) · (forenku) **Join Date: May 2007** 06-13-2007, 5:38 AM

Check out Norris lake also. It's very nice.

(ord27) · (ord27) **Join Date: Oct 2005** 06-13-2007, 6:31 AM

thanks guys

(ord27) · (ord27) **Join Date: Oct 2005** 06-13-2007, 7:22 AM

Cumberland looks fantastic
looks like it's a 12 hour drive from my house

does anybody think that renting a small houseboat for a family of 4 would be extreme overkill?

(ronnyboy27) · (ronnyboy27) **Join Date: Nov 2005** 06-13-2007, 7:25 AM

It all depends on how much you can spend. That seems pricy, but a ton of fun.

(ord27) · (ord27) **Join Date: Oct 2005** 06-13-2007, 7:37 AM

yup
a bit pricey
but the kids are only young once

looks like the dam on Cumberland is busted and the lake is down 50'

guess we won't go there

(chris_b) · (chris_b) **Join Date: Feb 2007** 06-13-2007, 8:16 AM

I wakeboard in Kentucky Lake on the Tennessee side. We put in at Springville, and it is called the old pumphouse. It is about a 15 mile long cove that is shielded from wind. Awesome water!!!

(worththewake) · (worththewake) **Join Date: Nov 2006** 06-13-2007, 9:18 AM

Cliff, don't let the low water scare you away! There is still plenty of water to boat on. You will just want to go boarding in the morning or early evening because there aren't many coves any more to get nice flat water. Good luck with your choice.

(phat_in_cincy) · (phat_in_cincy) **Join Date: May 2003** 06-13-2007, 9:44 AM

Norris is awesome. If you go during the week you are probably guaranteed good water just about anywhere. On the weekends certain parts can get crowded in the later morning and thru the afternoon.

Cumberland is awesome too, but I haven't been there since the dam fiasco.

Norris
Upload

(ord27) · (ord27) **Join Date: Oct 2005** 06-13-2007, 10:50 AM

wow Paul
that looks fantastic!
thanks for all of the input

is there one lake more than others that has more off water activities close to it?
mini golf
historical stuff...etc....

(ironcross25) · (ironcross25) **Join Date: Jul 2006** 06-13-2007, 11:29 AM

Dale Hollow is more cost effective if you go the houseboat rout. Norris looks super nice though. I used to go to Dale Hollow as a kid and went back 2 years ago and it was awesome. Going this august again. Check out dalehollow-lake.net and look at the marinas tab. You will get all the prices.

(ord27) · (ord27) **Join Date: Oct 2005** 06-13-2007, 11:51 AM

thanks Snippy

(phat_in_cincy) · (phat_in_cincy) **Join Date: May 2003** 06-13-2007, 1:17 PM

Cliff,
I'm not sure about the off water lake stuff. We are normally on a houseboat or at a lakehouse. Definitely a lot of outdoors stuff to do.

Pigeon Forge ( Link to Pigeon Forge info. Another link ) is 'in the area', but really closer to Douglas Lake and Cherokee Lake east of Knoxville. I'm not sure about those lakes, but I think there's a Knoxville wakeboarders site you might find and ask.

The Cumberland area has some historical stuff pertaining to the Civil War, but not sure that's what you're looking for.

I have also heard Dale Hollow is nice, but I've never been there. I think it's west of Cumberland, so maybe a little closer to you?

(Message edited by P-hat in Cincy on June 13, 2007)

(ord27) · (ord27) **Join Date: Oct 2005** 06-13-2007, 5:20 PM

still just brainstormin
that's kinda what I do

does anyone know anything about Nolin lake?

http://parks.ky.gov/findparks/recparks/nl/gallery/

I like the idea of beaches for the kids

thanks

(mjfan23) · (mjfan23) **Join Date: Nov 2003** 06-13-2007, 6:00 PM

Would recommend Dale Hollow over Cumberland... But Norris lake is a sweetttttt place.

It depends what you plan on doing.. If staying on a houseboat, no doubt Dale Hollow is AWESOME. There are so many coves and places to put the houseboat, mostly butter on the weekdays as well.

Norris has some amazinggg houses to rent.

(Message edited by Mjfan23 on June 13, 2007)

(ord27) · (ord27) **Join Date: Oct 2005** 06-14-2007, 5:16 PM

Norris it is!
turns out, we have some friends that have been going there for years

I guess even at the end of July, the water temp prob won't compare to Texas water temps.....

thanks everyone

(darty) · (darty) **Join Date: Nov 2003** 06-14-2007, 8:55 PM

i would recommend cumberland...its awesome now that everyone is afraid of coming...

(cwb_fooguitarlz)

Lake Patoka in Indiana isn't too bad.

(phat_in_cincy) · (phat_in_cincy) **Join Date: May 2003** 06-15-2007, 6:27 AM

"I guess even at the end of July, the water temp prob won't compare to Texas water temps....."

Upper 70's to 80 F too cold!?!?! The water has to be at least a little refreshing to slide in.

Have fun!

(ord27) · (ord27) **Join Date: Oct 2005** 06-15-2007, 6:45 AM

anything below 75 and the kids get kinda whiney

my youngest has no body fat and will turn purple quickly :-)

at least there is a heater in the new boat

I know....kinda goofy

but at least I got them wakeboarding

(reddig82) · (reddig82) **Join Date: Oct 2006** 06-15-2007, 8:05 AM

Why go all the way to Kentucky. Come to Hot Springs, AR. Four lakes (Ouachita, DeGray, Catherine, Hamilton) within 30 miles of each other. The biggest nicest being Lake Ouachita (One of the cleanest lakes in the US)and you can rent a house boat on either Ouachita or DeGray. You also got all of the old stuff to see and do in Hot Springs as well as a small amusement park with a water park built into it. Check it out on the web. If you do not like the house boat thing there are cabins and other resorts to stay in. At Ouachita I recomend Shangri La Resort clean, really cheap and the people are down to Earth and really friendly. Great food at the Cafe as well. Just a thought. If you are interested I will dig up some links for you. Houseboats are a blast though.

(ord27) · (ord27) **Join Date: Oct 2005** 06-15-2007, 9:23 AM

John
that is good advice
I have been going to Arkansas lakes since I was a kid
Degray is fantastic and you can never go wrong with Hotsprings
I guess I am just looking for something new
besides, oddly enough, I like the drive
it makes me feel more like I am on vacation

and the kids will always have the memories of fighting in the back seat
I know that I do...while on vacation...fighting with my 2 brothers...and driving my mom crazy

thanks

(bbking) · (bbking) **Join Date: Dec 2006** 06-15-2007, 10:18 AM

not much thats interesting in tennessee... i lived there, not sure lakewise but in arkansas there is... o shoot whats it call lake norfork, it was beautiful when i was little (8 years ago, when i was 7)...
i remember talking to my dad (who lived in tennesee for 35 years or something memphis to be specific) said not many lakes on the west side of TN but more towards chattanooga

just stating by memory, have fun

(mjfan23) · (mjfan23) **Join Date: Nov 2003** 06-15-2007, 10:28 AM

Cliff you wont have to worry about water temps I wouldnt think.. My cousins going down to Norris this week, and Ill ask him what its at now.. BUt by July it should be in the low 80s. Its a beatiful lake have fun on your trip. Do you know what resort you where lookin into stayin out of?