There’s nothing like being on “lake time.” Everything feels slower, calmer and more agreeable. Tension just slips away as soon as you hear the water gently lapping against the shoreline, and the days blend one into another with a sense of serene bliss. Without a doubt, it’s a feeling that you crave all year long. But who says you should only have access to that wonderful experience when you’re on vacation?

Here in metro Atlanta, lake time is something you can actually enjoy anytime, as both natural and man-made lakes abound throughout the area. And all along those lovely lakes are communities that beckon you home. Whether you decide to reside at the lake full-time or become a weekend warrior, you have plenty of options when it comes to lake living. Furthermore, you’ll find that the additional amenities offered at the many lake communities in metro Atlanta will surpass your wildest expectations, providing you with the kind of resort-inspired way of life that you’ve always wanted. And to start your search for the perfect lakeside living adventure, KNOWAtlanta suggests adding the following communities to your list.

Lake Arrowhead

2419 Lake Arrowhead Drive
Waleska, GA 30183
(770) 720-2700 • lakearrowheadga.com

If you’re looking for a secluded spot that’s still close to everything you love about metro Atlanta, then Lake Arrowhead is the community for you. Situated just outside of Canton in the northwestern suburbs, this expansive community provides access not only to the dazzling 540-acre lake itself, but also to the foothills of the North Georgia Mountains. The setting is peaceful and transforming, and there’s no doubt that you’ll find the home of your dreams somewhere along the lake’s 21 miles of shoreline.

Lake Arrowhead is comprised of three neighborhoods: The Woodlands, which features ranch homes on heavily wooded home sites starting in the mid-$200s; Highlands Vista, which boasts new ranch-style homes that begin in the low $300s; and Sanctuary Cove, the community’s premier luxury lakeside neighborhood that includes homes with individual deep water docks that are priced from the $300s to the $800s. Additionally, homebuyers will soon have another neighborhood option that features maintenance-free Master Down Town Homes located adjacent to the iconic Great Festival Park (floor plan offerings and pricing will be released to the public soon).

Lake Arrowhead

Of course, fishing and boating are available on the stream-fed Lake Arrowhead, which has been ranked one of the cleanest lakes in Georgia. From the north part of the lake, known as The Narrows, to the big basin at its southern end, there’s nothing but serenity as far as the eye can see. And when you return home, you can enjoy a host of amenities, such as several resort-style pools, more than eight miles of hiking and nature trails, a tennis and pickleball court complex and the lakeside marina, which offers boat rentals, boat slips, dry storage and more. And because no lake community would be complete without exceptional golf amenities, Lake Arrowhead also offers residents access to the 18-hole Highlands Golf Course, which is open daily for play.

What’s more, because the Lake Arrowhead community is a short drive from an array of amenities in Cherokee County, residents can access everything from the state-of-the-art Northside Hospital Ð Cherokee to the Cherokee County Regional Airport. It’s like being away from it all while being close to everything.

Harbor Club on Lake Oconee

1111 Polo Circle
Greensboro, GA 30642
(706) 453-7855 • HarborClub.com

Harbor Club, the award-winning Georgia golf and lake community, is nestled within 1,000 acres of beautiful wooded hills and bordered by the picturesque Lake Oconee shoreline. The gated community, which is located on Lake Oconee halfway between Atlanta and Augusta, is proud to be selected as a Southern Living Inspired Community. It has been owned and operated by the Matney family since 1992 and has grown exponentially.

Homes within Harbor Club on Lake Oconee range in style and price, making it ideal for families, empty nesters and everyone in between. New construction homes in The Village Series start in the $290s, while Southern Living-inspired homes begin in the $500s. Homebuyers can find golf, lake and pond front homes, as well as interior wooded homesites, built by Patriot Builders, a company exclusive to Harbor Club.

Of course, Lake Oconee is the magnificent jewel of this beautiful community, which meanders along nine miles of majestic water frontage. Residents can get out on the water from the Boathouse Marina, a 72-slip dry stack boat storage facility (which will soon be built out to include 300 slips, making it the largest marina on the lake). Once out there, you can enjoy pontoon boats, jet skis, paddleboards, kayaks and more. And for the avid angler, there’s fishing like you’ve never experienced before. In fact, Lake Oconee is recognized as one of the best bass fishing lakes in Georgia. And when you have your catches for the day, you can enjoy a delicious meal and a cold beer at the Harbor Club Boathouse Restaurant, the only “boat-up” restaurant on the lake.

Harbor Club on Lake Oconee

Within the gates of Harbor Club, there are myriad amenities through which residents can experience resort-style living year-round. The Grove, a 12-acre fitness, recreation and special event campus, includes a 2,000-square-foot gym that features an array of fitness equipment and classes; a quarter-mile track; walking trails; a sports field for soccer, football, frisbee and more; pickleball courts; a sanctuary pond; dog parks; the Victory Garden; and The Stables, which offers banquet space, a bridal suite and an outdoor wedding chapel. And because lake living and golf go hand-in-hand, the community is also home to a Weiskopf-Morrish-designed 18-hole course that has been ranked the number four golf course in Georgia by Golf Magazine, as well as one of the top three places to play golf in the state by Golfweek. With so much available, you’ll feel like you’re living at a spectacular retreat every day of the year.

Big Canoe

54 Wolfscratch Village
Jasper, GA 30143
(770) 893-2773 • bigcanoe.com

Why live in a community with one lake when you can live in one that has three? If that sounds especially appealing to you, then you must start your lake house hunt in Big Canoe. The trio of lakes at the center of this Blue Ridge Mountain community include the spring-fed Lake Petit (known for its exceptional rainbow trout fishing), Lake Sconti (also recognized for leisurely fishing expeditions) and Lake Disharoon (the best spot for swimming and water sports recreation). And those three treasures are just the beginning.

Big Canoe is a private residential community that offers an array of home styles in various neighborhoods, from small southern cottages to large lakeside estates ranging in price from the $150s to $3 million. And because the community is in both the mountains and on the lakes, you actually get the best of both worlds at a price that will fit your particular budget. You can purchase an established home or build a new home, depending on what meets your needs. Prices vary based on what you plan to purchase, so it’s best to contact and work with a real estate professional who knows Big Canoe well and can help you navigate the options in front of you.

No matter what type of home you live in, you’ll have access to a wide array of outstanding amenities throughout the community. The Swim Club, which allows residents to enjoy both Lake Disharoon and a 110,000-gallon free form pool, is great for all ages; another pool can be found at the Wildcat Recreation Center. Residents also enjoy award-winning hiking trails, a racquet club for tennis and pickleball, a 17,000-square-foot fitness center and adjacent spa and dining and shopping options both inside and outside of the gates. And for golfers, the 27-hole championship Mountain Course designed by Joyce Lee offers the most beautiful backdrops for hitting the fairway. The community also is home to the Choctaw, Cherokee and Creek courses, which are nine holes each.

It’s no wonder why Big Canoe has garnered so many awards over the years, including recognition like the Bliss Award for Tennis Community of the Year in 2017 and the 2014 Master Planned Community of the Year from the National Association of Home Builders. And with the community being located only an hour north of Atlanta, you can be part of it all in the metro area and then return home to a lakeside oasis like no other.