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Driven to Roam

4 charming lake towns perfect for your next weekend getaway

August 2025
4 min read
An overlooking landscape view of Seneca, South Carolina

Whether you want to relax or play, lakes allow you to do a little bit of everything — and plenty of towns in the Southeast rest right on the shoreline.

Match the water activities with shopping and dining, and you’ve got a weekend getaway on your hands. Here are four Southeastern lake towns worth a visit.

 

Seneca, South Carolina

Sunset at Lake Keowee , Aerial Panorama - Seneca, South Carolina
About 26 miles long and three miles wide, Lake Keowee was built in the 1970s to help generate hydroelectric power.

Once a bustling 19th-century railroad hub, Seneca, South Carolina, is now a quaint community as lavish in nature as it is in small-town charm!



Seneca boasts a unique geography. It’s tucked in the foothills of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, and it also hugs the shore of Lake Keowee. But that’s not the only lake you can enjoy — Lake Hartwell lies just east, and Lake Jocassee can be found 15 miles north.



Lake Keowee is particularly popular for boating, fishing, and watersports. Look for Jumping Rock, a 30-foot boulder on the lake's edge that calls to the adventurous, and Party Cove Falls, a wooded nook marked by a cascading waterfall!



Meanwhile on dry land, Seneca is chock full of activities. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Downtown Seneca in particular is a treat — especially Ram Cat Alley, which features boutiques, home decor shops, and even a bookstore! If you’re feeling fancy, consider checking out the area’s top restaurant, Vangeli’s Bistro, which is known for its steak, seafood, and other fresh dishes.



Click here to learn more about Seneca.

Milledgeville, GA

Milledgeville is home to three colleges — including Georgia College & State University, which is marked by a clock tower.

Did you know that Atlanta wasn’t always Georgia’s capital city? Until 1868, it used to be Milledgeville, a town now known for its blend of history, college life, and lake living.

Milledgeville is just minutes from Lake Sinclair, a sprawling body of water with more than 500 miles of shoreline. A favorite spot for locals and visitors to convene is Rocky Creek Park. It has everything you need for a day at the beach, from picnic tables and grills to a boat ramp and fishing pier.

For the hiking savvy, another popular getaway is Oconee River Greenway Park, where you’ll find paths and boardwalks to walk or bike. True to its name, it hugs the Oconee River, which feeds into Lake Sinclair in the north. The river is mostly undeveloped, so you’ll get to spot native birds and plants.

Inside the town itself, a suite of history awaits. You can visit Georgia's Old Governor’s Mansion, a 19th-century building that has been restored to how it was when the state’s governors used to live there, or Andalusia, the home of the famed Southern gothic writer Flannery O’Connor. Also popular is Lockerly Arboretum, which features 50 acres of gardens around a historic home.

Click here to learn more about Milledgeville.


Mount Dora, FL

Dramatic skies over Mount Dora's Lighthouse, located at the Port of Mount Dora in Grantham Point Park, Florida, USA.
While only 35 feet tall, the Mount Dora Lighthouse still guides boaters on Lake Dora and the interconnected Harris Chain of Lakes.

Orlando gets all the press, but less than 20 miles northwest, you’ll find Mount Dora — a town that lacks rollercoasters but more than makes up for it in antique stores and lakeside activities.

Mount Dora is right on Lake Dora, and one of the best places to get a view of the water is Grantham Point Park. On the waves' edge is a red and white-striped lighthouse, beckoning boaters back to the shore. Another option is Palm Island Park, an 8-acre natural preservation area with picnic tables, trails and a boardwalk.

Like most waterways, Lake Dora isn’t isolated. It’s part of the seven Harris Chain of Lakes, which are connected by canals and celebrated for their abundant largemouth bass. The lakes are ringed with charter services ready to take you out on the water for hours. Piers also abound — Simpson Cove, for instance, has three!

But perhaps the biggest draw to Mount Dora is its culture. Known as “Festival City,” Mount Dora is home to more than 40 festivals each year, each of which attracts thousands of visitors. It’s also flush with antique stores, like Renninger's Vintage Antique Center & Farmer's Flea Market and Village Antique Mall, where dozens of vendors sell their unique finds.

Click here to learn more about Mount Dora.

 

Guntersville, AL

Ariel view of the Highway 35 Bridge crossing the Tennessee River on Guntersville Lake in Scottsboro Alabama, USA.
Lake Guntersville offers fishing for bass, catfish, crappie, and several other species.

It doesn’t get more on the nose than in Guntersville, which is known as “Alabama’s Lake City.” The title is no exaggeration — the city sits on a peninsula and is surrounded by Lake Guntersville, the state’s largest lake.

One of the city’s biggest draws is Lake Guntersville State Park. Made up of more than 6,000 acres of woodlands, the park boasts an 18-hole golf course, a beach, 36 miles of hiking and biking trails, and more! You can even camp overnight or rent a cabin for an extended adventure.

Another favorite is City Harbor, a waterfront development full of shops, restaurants, and live entertainment. If you’re out fishing, you can even dock your boat on its boardwalk to grab a quick bite before heading back out! It’s also the site of City Harbor Suites, a boutique hotel with unforgettable views of the lake.

After a long day of lake activities, wind down with a walk in Downtown Guntersville. The historic area offers an array of unique gift shops, clothing stores, more local restaurants and bakeries, and even some antiques.

Click here to learn more about Guntersville.

 

Make a splash

A good lake day is in order! And thankfully, your Toyota is ready to take you there. Whether on the water or staying dry on land, you're sure to have a blast at these unique lake towns.

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