Lake Norman Memorial Day Weekend 2022

[Joshua Miller]

Thinking about getting an Air BnB at Lake Norman this year. Looking for a family-friendly experience. Any spots to stay away from? How's the boat traffic on holiday weekends? Is this a bad idea altogether?

 

[BlkGS]

Do yourself a favor and go to lake hickory instead.

Lake Norman is super busy and crowded, let alone on holiday weekends.

 

[Joshua Miller]

Do yourself a favor and go to lake hickory instead.

Lake Norman is super busy and crowded, let alone on holiday weekends.

Is lake hickory big enough for water sports? Any place you recommend I launch from?

 

[BlkGS]

Is lake hickory big enough for water sports? Any place you recommend I launch from?

People wake board and waterski pretty regularly there. Tubing is popular too. It's not a giant lake, so you'll end up kinda going down the lake. We always launched at Whitten burg access when we weren't in the marina. It was pretty easy.

Lake Wylie also go a lot of praise in the area, it's further south of Charlotte vs hickory that's northwest. Never been on it, but people seemed to like it.

 

[Shookie]

Hey Josh, great to see you got a new toy!

im actually renting a house on Norman Memorial Day weekend. Have had it booked for months now.... it’s in the Sherrils Ford area on the west side of the lake. I know it will be busy, but screw it. got a nice house with plenty of space..... I’ll need it! Each of my 3 kids is bringing a couple friends so I’m looking at 11-12 people total.

 

[BlkGS]

Hey Josh, great to see you got a new toy!

im actually renting a house on Norman Memorial Day weekend. Have had it booked for months now.... it’s in the Sherrils Ford area on the west side of the lake. I know it will be busy, but screw it. got a nice house with plenty of space..... I’ll need it! Each of my 3 kids is bringing a couple friends so I’m looking at 11-12 people total.

Sherrils Ford is like a different lake up north there, way less crowded that lake Norman is in the huntersville/Cornelius area to the south. If you're staying up in that area it'll probably be pretty quiet. But if you go west towards Mooresville, or south towards Denver, it'll get busier.

 

[Shookie]

Ok appreciate the info. If anyone is planning to be out on Norman that weekend, let me know. Right now, looks like I’m gonna have 10 kids along with my wife and I. Boats gonna get a workout!

 

[Shookie]

Greetings from Lake Norman!

 

[jmargo]

Is Lake Norman that busy ? We are looking to retire there in a couple years.

 

[Weeb]

Is Lake Norman that busy ? We are looking to retire there in a couple years.

On weekends in the summer it can be crazy. I retired to here five years ago and go out during the week and it’s nice. The northern part of the lake is less congested. Let me know when you are ready and I can give you some insight.

 

[jmargo]

On weekends in the summer it can be crazy. I retired to here five years ago and go out during the week and it’s nice. The northern part of the lake is less congested. Let me know when you are ready and I can give you some insight.

Thanks, we were looking around the Denver area but the housing market went crazy. I don’t think we can afford to be on the water anymore. May have to be lake view with a deeded slip.

 

[Weeb]

Thanks, we were looking around the Denver area but the housing market went crazy. I don’t think we can afford to be on the water anymore. May have to be lake view with a deeded slip.

Definitely try to get a deed slip. My slip has gone from $2300 to 3600 over the last three years. All the marinas are full now with waiting lists. This area is nice though.

 

[BlkGS]

Is Lake Norman that busy ? We are looking to retire there in a couple years.

South and east sides are. Northwest, less so.

I will continue to say to anyone who will listen, unless you work in Charlotte, Hickory area is 10000x better than Lake Norman area. Better people, less traffic, less crime, less expensive... Really a nice little town, but has everything you could need. Only 45 minutes to Charlotte too (you'll spend that getting to Charlotte from Mooresville because of traffic).

 

[Shookie]

Is Lake Norman that busy ? We are looking to retire there in a couple years.

Late responding….. I realize it was Memorial Day weekend and great weather, but I found boating on Norman stressful and not fun. 2 of the 3 days I went north where the river comes in and it was hard to find space to pull kids on the tube. There were boats coming from 10 different directions and it was just stressful. Add to the major waves from wind and a million wake boats all over and it was rough…

I loved the house we had and it was in a nice quiet cove. That part of the trip was awesome but the rough water and traffic left me wondering if I’d ever go back.

 

[Shookie]

South and east sides are. Northwest, less so.

I will continue to say to anyone who will listen, unless you work in Charlotte, Hickory area is 10000x better than Lake Norman area. Better people, less traffic, less crime, less expensive... Really a nice little town, but has everything you could need. Only 45 minutes to Charlotte too (you'll spend that getting to Charlotte from Mooresville because of traffic).

I’ve never boated there but it sounds good. Houses on it?

 

[suke]

Late responding….. I realize it was Memorial Day weekend and great weather, but I found boating on Norman stressful and not fun. 2 of the 3 days I went north where the river comes in and it was hard to find space to pull kids on the tube. There were boats coming from 10 different directions and it was just stressful. Add to the major waves from wind and a million wake boats all over and it was rough…

I loved the house we had and it was in a nice quiet cove. That part of the trip was awesome but the rough water and traffic left me wondering if I’d ever go back.

Lake Norman is a zoo. It's nearly turned into LOTO. Gaston is unfortunately slowly becoming mini lake norman as people look for slower lakes that aren't as busy and/or as expensive.

 

[BlkGS]

I’ve never boated there but it sounds good. Houses on it?

Yeah, lots super nice, lots less fancy. It's a river reservoir so there's houses all along it.

 

[suke]

IF this is the lake he's talking about it looks like it does have houses on it.

Lake Hickory, Granite Falls, North Carolina - Lake Info

We can help you find that ideal lake place in North Carolina! Call NClakefront.com at 800-517-5899!

www.nclakefront.com

Also owned by Duke power, which begs the question when will Duke start letting you build on Harris lake? They've been quietly selling lake front property, but I haven't heard about any possibility of allowing docks and such.

 

[BlkGS]

IF this is the lake he's talking about it looks like it does have houses on it.

Lake Hickory, Granite Falls, North Carolina - Lake Info

We can help you find that ideal lake place in North Carolina! Call NClakefront.com at 800-517-5899!

www.nclakefront.com

Also owned by Duke power, which begs the question when will Duke start letting you build on Harris lake? They've been quietly selling lake front property, but I haven't heard about any possibility of allowing docks and such.

The only downside of lake Hickory vs any other lakes in the area is Lake Hickory didn't have any successful restaurants on the lake. There used to be a pizza place at the western end, but it closed (I think it turned into an oyster bar later), and there was a nice restaurant by the 321 Bridge (with a less fancy outdoor section and bar downstairs), but that also closed and the building was demolished.

Lake Norman does have a few restaurants and bars and stuff like that on the water.

Lake James is further west and even nicer. It's a bit on the remote side, but it's a real lake (in addition to a reservoir - one of the few natural lakes in the area). There's houses on it and it's quite large, but it's not really near much for cities. Marion and Morganton are somehwt close, but they're both fairly small towns. If you still work, you're not commuting to very many jobs from lake James. Really nice lake though.

 

[suke]

The only downside of lake Hickory vs any other lakes in the area is Lake Hickory didn't have any successful restaurants on the lake. There used to be a pizza place at the western end, but it closed (I think it turned into an oyster bar later), and there was a nice restaurant by the 321 Bridge (with a less fancy outdoor section and bar downstairs), but that also closed and the building was demolished.

Lake Norman does have a few restaurants and bars and stuff like that on the water.

Lake James is further west and even nicer. It's a bit on the remote side, but it's a real lake (in addition to a reservoir - one of the few natural lakes in the area). There's houses on it and it's quite large, but it's not really near much for cities. Marion and Morganton are somehwt close, but they're both fairly small towns. If you still work, you're not commuting to very many jobs from lake James. Really nice lake though.

I think that's why Lake Gaston is starting to get so dang busy. Restaurants and fuel on the water, clean/clear lake with consistent lake levels, and what used to be affordable land/houses. Three years ago you could get an awesome lake front house with deep water and really nice boat house for high 300-low 400's. Now those same houses are over $1 mill.