Houseboating is an excellent way of spending vacations on a lake or rivers. Nothing can match the unique view of crystal clear water while spending all day on a houseboat. Life nowadays is full of work stress, professional life stress and many other types of stress. People need a break to overcome the stress (mentally), but due to the time required for their work, a long vacation is not possible for everyone. So, people try to find unique ways to spend their vacations to take full advantage of their time. Houseboating can be really fruitful to all these kinds of people.
What are the best places to go houseboating? Some of the best places to go houseboating are:
Lake Cumberland
Dale Hollow Lake
Lake Lanier
St John’s River
Green River Lake
In this article I will go into some more details about those 5 specific houseboat destinations as well as give you some more information about houseboating in general.
The U.S. is the 3rd largest country in terms of area. There are a large variety of lakes and rivers with many of them being perfect for a houseboat vacation.
All lakes and rivers are unique by themselves. All of these lakes and waterways provide different types of houseboating trips with their own challenges and opportunities. With each of them you can feel and hear the nature around you and often it can help you feel better than any prescription could ever provide.
All the lakes and rivers of the U.S. have unique views and different flora and fauna so you will never have the same experience twice. People can rent houseboats to enjoy the sights of these lakes and rivers while living on them for a few days.
The best feature of a houseboat lies in the fact that the view of the surrounding changes with the passage of time. There are hundreds of different lakes and rivers in the U.S that are large enough for a houseboat trip, out of these the best places for houseboating are:
1. Lake Cumberland
Lake Cumberland, a reservoir in Kentucky is one of the best places in the U.S. for a houseboat vacation. It is also a major source of tourism in the U.S. along with being one of the most beautiful sites in the U.S. for houseboating. Here the houseboats range from compact design to the luxury ones, which should fit just about everyone’s needs.
If you get some time free from house boating, you can do other activities as well. Lake Cumberland is also well known for fishing, jet-skiing, hiking, bird watching and even camping. You can do horseback riding as well if you so choose. Cumberland Falls is also a major source of attraction here. Known as Little Niagara, it is located near Cumberland river and is approximately 68 feet high. Lake Cumberland provides a complete vacation package for all of its visitors so not only can you enjoy houseboat living but the surrounding sights as well.
2. Dale Hollow Lake
Located not very far from the Lake Cumberland, we have Dale Hollow Lake. Known for its impressive beauty, it also provides visitors with a unique houseboating experience.
With so much greenery around the banks of the lake, it is a beautiful place to visit. The lake is situated on the Kentucky/Tennessee border. Lake Dale Hollow was formed by the damming of the Obey River. Since then, it has been a major destination for people looking to spend time on a houseboat.. Surrounded by beautiful islands, it is a gorgeous place with plenty of other places to explore as well.
Geiger Island is the main island of this lake. People like to come here and enjoy visiting the lake in their houseboats or one that they rented for their trip. This lake is also suitable for other activities as well such as fishing, boating, and sightseeing, Fishing is the main source of recreation at the Dale Hollow Lake as there have been many record breaking smallmouth bass caught there in the past.
3. Lake Lanier
Lake Lanier is another beautiful place for houseboating. It is located in the northern portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. Since 1956, when it was created by the completion of Bulford Dam on the Chattahoochee River, it has served its visitors with its fantastic beauty and recreational activities.
Apart from houseboating, you can visit the River Forks Park in Gainesville. You can also stay at various resorts around the banks of the lake. Many people enjoy renting a houseboat for a few days and just going around the edges of the lake while beaching their boat every evening. The sights and sounds of nature are sure to amaze you and there is nothing quite like nature’s sounds to help you go to sleep at night.
The sights and sounds of the lake are sure to create lasting memories for you and your family and friends. Whether you choose to visit this lake while houseboating or simply camping nearby, it is sure to be an enjoyable time.
4. St. John’s River
St. John’s River, located in Florida, is the state’s longest river. It is a river formed by the combination of various lakes. The various lakes which combine to make St. John’s River are Blue Cypress Lake, Lake Hellen Blazes, Sawgrass Lake, Lake Poinsett, and a few others.
As this river is formed by the combination of these beautiful lakes which are unique in themselves, you can enjoy an unforgettable houseboating experience while sailing up or downstream. The St. John’s River is 310 miles long and as wide as 3 miles at some points.
Being that you will travel through multiple smaller lakes it is a far more diverse trip than just visiting a single lake. Visitors can spend a couple of days going up and down the river in their houseboats. You can enjoy the scenic waters while still continuing to travel and enjoy the different towns located near the river.
Green River Lake
Green River Lake is another wonderful piece of craftsmanship of nature. Located in Kentucky in the section known as Highland rim, the Green River Lake can quickly turn you into a houseboat addict. Once you’ve spent some time on the water here you will never want to go back to a traditional vacation on land!
One of the nearby places you can visit on your trip is the Green River Lake State Park. With so much beauty in one place you will have a hard time being in a bad attitude while vacationing here.
As the name suggests, Green River Lake is a lake that is surrounded by greenery. When you are staying in your houseboat, you will get to experience the greenery all around you. Once it gets dark, you will get to enjoy the sights and sounds that the evening provides as well. Stargazing is a great way to pass the time since you are so far from a man made light you will be able to see far more stars than you normally would. The lovely sounds of nature from the lake are sure to heal your mind and add a lot to your houseboating experience. Surely, you will never forget the views of this lake after visiting here.
If you were to visit these lakes in an RV or just camp on their shores they would make for amazing backdrops to your vacation but being on board a houseboat can multiply that experience many times over.
The best part of houseboating on these lakes and rivers is that you will start loving nature again once you visit them. Take a break from your busy schedule and spend some time unwinding. Your family and friends will thank you as no one wants to spend time with someone who is always stressed out!
When you rent or borrow a houseboat and spend some time on the water, you will want to go again and again. That is why many people in the USA are turning to living on board a houseboat when they retire from their jobs. They enjoyed a week long vacation on one so why not spend the rest of your life enjoying that peace and quiet?
For many people a houseboat vacation is a rare experience so when you do go make sure to do all that you can to make everything as perfect as possible.
When buying a houseboat, you'll be curious to know how much fuel it holds. If you're wondering how much gas a houseboat can hold, the answer depends on a few factors such as size of the houseboat as...
If you have a large group, houseboating is an excellent choice. You can split up the group for the day and engage in group activities during the night. Houseboats are generally 800 to 1,100 square...
