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  3. Best Lake Towns To Retire To in the South

Best Lake Towns To Retire To in the South

Southern Living May 2021 Cover
By Southern Living Editors October 29, 2021
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Paducah
Credit: JT Crawford/Getty Images

When looking for a place to retire, lake towns make a strong case. The outdoor offerings—which often include boating, fishing, picnicking, hiking, golfing, and lounging on the shores—are great ways to spend newly free hours during the weekdays and weekends. Add that to the shops, restaurants, and galleries that fill these charming small towns, and you'll find inviting places to spend your retirement years. From big lakes to small ones, natural ones to human-made, there are plenty of bodies of water calling out for you to explore them—and maybe even make your new home in one of the lovely towns on their shores. For more places to explore, check out The South's Greatest Lakes and The South's Best Small Towns.

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Branson, Missouri

Branson
Credit: JeremyMasonMcGraw.com/Getty Images

This charming Missouri town is nestled in the Ozarks on the shores of Table Rock Lake and has lots of outdoor activities happening in and around the lake year-round, as well as indoor attractions including museums, galleries, and a historic downtown district filled with shops and restaurants.
Plan a visit.

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Clarksville, Virginia

Clarksville
Credit: soulofages/Getty Images

Virginia's only lakeside town is located on Kerr Lake and has become a hub for outdoor enthusiasts, who enjoy the boating, fishing, swimming, camping, and hiking opportunities at Occoneechee State Park.

Plan a visit.

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Davidson, North Carolina

Lake Norman
Credit: jdwfoto/Getty Images

Retire to Davidson and you'll find all the small-town charm you crave near North Carolina's Lake Norman, plus proximity to the bustling Charlotte metropolitan area. Don't miss the restaurants, like Kindred, located on the downtown stretch across from Davidson College.

Plan a visit.

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Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Eureka Springs
Credit: JeremyMasonMcGraw.com/Getty Images

Eureka Springs is situated near several bodies of water, including Lake Leatherwood in the city limits and the enormous nearby Beaver Lake, as well as Table Rock Lake, which is located just across the Missouri border.

Plan a visit.

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Gainesville, Georgia

Lake Lanier
Credit: Marilyn Nieves/Getty Images

This Georgia city is set on the shores of Lake Lanier, which is a busy spot in summertime and a lovely place to live year-round. Located about 50 miles northeast of Atlanta, Gainesville has city draws along with a branch of the Atlanta Botanical Garden, a nature center, visual arts center, and a history center.

Plan a visit.

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Greensboro, Georgia

Lake Oconee
Credit: Lora Benz/Getty Images

Located about 85 miles outside of Atlanta, Greensboro is situated on Lake Oconee, a 19,000-acre lake that's also a popular destination for golfing, boating, and fishing. The charming red-brick downtown is filled with fun shops and restaurants.

Plan a visit.

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LaGrange, Georgia

West Point Lake
Credit: Allen Allnoch/Getty Images

Find a warm welcome in LaGrange, a cozy West Georgia town located on West Point Lake. Meander the historic district, then break out your boats or find a picnic bench along the shore to take in a few relaxing hours in LaGrange.

Plan a visit.

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Lakeway, Texas

Lake Travis
Credit: RoschetzkyIstockPhoto/Getty Images

Set your sights on Lakeway, Texas, which is located in the Hill Country near Lake Travis, and you'll have bountiful opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, and kayaking in the picturesque landscape of the sunny Lone Star State.

Plan a visit.

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Mandeville, Louisiana

Mandeville
Credit: tyalexanderphotography/Getty Images

On the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain is Mandeville, Louisiana, a locale with lots of natural beauty and places to explore in the outdoors. Sandy beaches and waters for boating and kayaking are inviting spots to spend the afternoons.

Plan a visit.

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Paducah, Kentucky

Paducah
Credit: JT Crawford/Getty Images

Paducah and the small towns that surround it offer up fun on the area's many lakes and rivers. The Ohio, Cumberland, and Tennessee rivers have their confluence at or near Paducah, and nearby are two long lakes, Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, with the Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area situated between them.

Plan a visit.

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    1 of 10 Branson, Missouri
    2 of 10 Clarksville, Virginia
    3 of 10 Davidson, North Carolina
    4 of 10 Eureka Springs, Arkansas
    5 of 10 Gainesville, Georgia
    6 of 10 Greensboro, Georgia
    7 of 10 LaGrange, Georgia
    8 of 10 Lakeway, Texas
    9 of 10 Mandeville, Louisiana
    10 of 10 Paducah, Kentucky

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