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Old 02-23-2008, 07:06 AM
 
Location: ♥State of the heart♥
1,118 posts, read 4,758,007 times
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For those of you familiar with both areas - if you were a 50-something couple looking to semi-retire, kids in college, enjoy restaurants, 'playing outside' and making new friends; which would you choose? Thanks!
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Old 02-23-2008, 08:11 AM
j1n
 
Location: Southeast of the Northwest Territories
1,245 posts, read 4,660,333 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Adream View Post
For those of you familiar with both areas - if you were a 50-something couple looking to semi-retire, kids in college, enjoy restaurants, 'playing outside' and making new friends; which would you choose? Thanks!
SML is so spread out, and with not much of a "town center" or "downtown". I know there is the Westlake area, but that isn't exactly built to be conducive to mingling and making friends...more for shopping. If you are friendly folks, I think you'll make friends anywhere.
I think Charlottesville would be your best bet, as it has the restaurants, the "outside" factor, etc.
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Old 02-23-2008, 08:18 AM
 
Location: ♥State of the heart♥
1,118 posts, read 4,758,007 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by j1n View Post
SML is so spread out, and with not much of a "town center" or "downtown". I know there is the Westlake area, but that isn't exactly built to be conducive to mingling and making friends...more for shopping. If you are friendly folks, I think you'll make friends anywhere.
I think Charlottesville would be your best bet, as it has the restaurants, the "outside" factor, etc.
Thank you for your reply! Yep, we're friendly folks - we just need to meet them. It's helpful to be in a place where there is that opportunity. Thanks again for your insight!
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Old 02-23-2008, 08:43 AM
j1n
 
Location: Southeast of the Northwest Territories
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Adream View Post
Thank you for your reply! Yep, we're friendly folks - we just need to meet them. It's helpful to be in a place where there is that opportunity. Thanks again for your insight!
Sure. Actually...to expand on that a little bit...
C-ville has such great access to Skyline Drive and Shenandoah National Park for that 'outside factor'. You folks could run up there on a whim and picnic or hike or camp, even. You won't get views like that near SML. And remember that SML is almost the opposite of "natural beauty"...it's nice in that it's a big body of sparkling water, but it's a man-made lake, a flooded valley.
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Old 02-24-2008, 05:36 AM
 
Location: Apex, NC
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I'd recommend Smith Mountain Lake over Charlottesville for a 50 something couple with the interests you have in mind! SML is spread out (500 miles of shoreline) but Westlake is actually a town unto itself with new retail/restaurants opening up every few months. The Smith Mountain Lake Association (Smith Mountain Lake Association Home (http://www.smlassociation.org/ASPSMLA/news05a_home.asp - broken link)) is 1,400+ members strong and the group is influential in protecting the lake's natural resources. Not sure why J1n doesn't think there aren't restaurants on SML. By my last count there are about 24 restaurants on SML and the number is growing.

For a time, I was on the founding committee for the SML/Franklin County Virginia Master Naturalist Chapter and of the 20 odd people almost half were from SML and all were in their 50s. A real interesting mix of folks!

Charlottesville would be a great place also and has a larger overall population at its core, but it's an entirely different setting so it's hard to compare it with SML. I'd recommend spending a week during the late Spring in each place, where you can enjoy some festivals in both locations and spend some time getting to know some folks in each area. Then I think you'll have your answer.

Sean
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Old 02-24-2008, 12:28 PM
j1n
 
Location: Southeast of the Northwest Territories
1,245 posts, read 4,660,333 times
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Originally Posted by seanpecor View Post
Not sure why J1n doesn't think there aren't restaurants on SML. By my last count there are about 24 restaurants on SML and the number is growing.
Wow! I had no idea there were that many restaurants out at the lake! My bad! You learn something new every day. Maybe I'll have to check some of them out!
I think Sean's advice is great...spend some time in both places and see what the best "fit" is!
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Old 02-24-2008, 02:42 PM
j1n
 
Location: Southeast of the Northwest Territories
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Does Homestead Creamery count as being a "restaurant" and "at the lake"?
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Old 02-24-2008, 04:00 PM
 
Location: Apex, NC
1,341 posts, read 6,189,943 times
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I don't think so But if it did, it would be one of my favorite ones

A good many of the restaurants are located in country clubs, so they would lean to the higher end and not be terrible visible from the main drag through Westlake, but most are a few minutes away down one of the about a half million side roads around the lake itself (all of which are pretty neat if you ever get the chance to take side trips down some of them; you really begin to realize where all the people on the lake are hiding )

Sean
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Old 02-24-2008, 09:29 PM
 
Location: Charlottesville, VA
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When visiting Charlottesville, make sure to check out Glenmore and the Downtown area.
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Old 07-10-2008, 07:13 AM
 
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Default Smith Mountain Lake or Lake Norman, NC??

If anyone has experience with both of these areas, I'd love to hear your opinionsl. I am married with two young kids (3rd & 6th grade)...so schools, athletics, good neighborhoods are essential. I would just like those good neighborhoods to be on the lake?? Which lake would be better for a young family? I'm coming from Northern VA - where the Potomac is my playground.
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