Spring is here and summer is fast approaching. It’s time to get away from it all and relax on the open water – feel the wind rush through your hair, smell the ocean breeze, and let the sun touch your skin. You deserve fun and adventure, so that’s where we come in! There’s over 90,000 miles of coastline and hundreds of lakes to explore so it’s time to plan accordingly and take a trip in the upcoming months. These are our top five favorite boating destinations in the southeast (in no particular order)!
1. Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Referred to as the “Venice of America,” this city is embraced by 300 miles of waterways. It’s one of the few locations in the world that has fresh water and salt water areas within 20 minutes of each other. The city is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, New River, and several other scenic inland waterways making it one of our favorite places to boat throughout the year. Besides the heavenly ocean breeze, it has a documented 3,000 hours of sunshine, which highlights it’s semi-tropical climate. In addition to the beautiful weather, there’s more than 200 fresh water species that can be caught in the country’s lakes and there’s multiple deep sea fishing fleets at several of the ports. With boaters coming from all over to, some say it’s the “boating capital of the world.” We’ll let you be the judge of that!
langan.com
2. Beaufort, North Carolina
Named one of the best small towns in America, Beaufort is definitely a community that is in love with all things boating. It connects to minor and major bodies of water, including the Beaufort Inlet, the Atlantic Ocean, and a number of other smaller channels. At it’s core, Beaufort is a nautical town featuring restaurants with fresh seafood, maritime stores, and hundreds of docks that meet Front Street. This unique destination is rich with history and offers fantastic views to compliment its tourism. This town caters to day-trippers, week-long tourists who wish to admire the coastal scene, or fishermen. Whether you want to try your hand at fishing inshore for the seasonal red drum or head out to the open sea to try for blue marlin, Beaufort presents you all of the opportunity.
agefriendly.com
3. Lake Lanier, Georgia
With several millions of visitors each year, Lake Lanier is one of the most popular boating locations in the southeast. It’s one of the largest lakes in Georgia having 700 miles of shoreline stretching over 38,000 acres. There’s something for the whole family to enjoy when you visit – fishing, camping, day-boating, kayaking, water skiing, and swimming. With over 40 parks and 10 campgrounds lining the shore, there’s always something to suit your needs. There’s plenty to do off the water as well including a wide variety of restaurants, shopping and entertainment in the surrounding areas. You can make it to Atlanta or the North Georgia mountains in 30 minutes for whichever scenery your heart desires. I’ve personally been experiencing the tranquility of the water and enjoying the recreational facilities at Lake Lanier for the last 20 years so I’m telling you that you won’t regret it!
lanierislands.com
4. Norris Lake, Tennessee
Located in the Norris Highland, this is your next family vacation destination! Named TVA’s cleanest lake, this is a prime location for any water related recreational opportunity! Norris Lake is popular for fishing, boating, skiing, and relaxing on the waterways with its maintained warm temperature. With 34,000 acres of water, the activities are endless. Along the 809 miles of shoreline, you can enjoy 3 state parks, secluded coves, 20 marinas, hiking, two wildlife management areas, golfing, horseback riding, and more! There’s 50 miles of islands, caves, cliffs, and beaches. Norris Lake has over 56 species of fish and is best known for its striper fishing.
findrentals.com
5. Charleston, South Carolina
You know we saved the best for last! Charleston has been ranked, “The World’s Best City,” for a reason! It’s the largest and oldest city in South Carolina, with 30 people moving here per day and those new residents are taking to the water thanks to the year-round boating season. With multiple marinas and boating clubs, Charleston is the go-to place for boating leisure. Sooth your soul by getting out of the city and enjoying one of the four major beaches – Folly, Sullivan’s, Isle of Palms or Kiawah, head to Shem Creek to enjoy the lively restaurants and bars, aim for seclusion while relaxing on Morris Island, or wind around Cooper River to reel in all the redfish your heart desires. The boating opportunities are endless in this historic city! And if you need a boat to help you explore, the Longshore Boats dealership has got you covered! 🙂
Hope this helps you set sail, take the wheel and enjoy some full-speed ahead aquatic fun to these new and exciting places!
