5 Marinas with unique offerings
Four marinas along Norris Lake, each strategically placed, have something unique to offer:
Stardust Marina & Resort in Andersonville; Beach Island Resort & Marina, Maynardville; Lakeview Marina & Campground in Sharps Chapel [Union County] and Mountain Lake Marina & Campground in Rocky Top.
One added bonus: “Norris Lake is ranked as one of the cleanest lakes in the state of Tennessee,” said Larry Collier, director of management and operations for Waterfront Investments. “It has over 800 miles of shoreline.”
A popular destination when discovering Tellico Lake, along state Hwy. 411 about 20 miles south of Maryville, is Sequoyah Landing Marina, Resort & Cabins in Vonore [Monroe County].
“Tellico is a clean and friendly-to-use lake,” Collier said.
Among the five marinas, “each location is totally different,” Collier said.
• Stardust Marina & Resort “is one of the largest marinas on Norris Lake with over 500 slips,” Collier said. “It’s a TVA-certified ‘clean marina.’ That’s important because we have to go through certain steps and meet certain criteria in order to gain that status. Not everybody on the lake has that status.
“Stardust, just a few years ago, was ranked as one of the top five marinas in East Tennessee” according to a Knoxville television station poll, Collier added.
“The Harbor Grill, the restaurant there at Stardust, features a wide variety of food. And it’s home of the 2-Pound Cheeseburger Challenge.”
If you meet the challenge, which is eating the 2-pound cheeseburger in 30 minutes or less, “you get a free T-shirt,” Collier said.
On Friday nights at the restaurant we feature “Steak & Seafood Night.”
Another feature is “Sundown Saturday during season,” which is Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. “We have entertainment on the patio from 6 to 10 p.m. every Saturday night during the season,” Collier said. “At Stardust we have some of the best entertainment on the lake, like ‘The Chillbillies’ and ‘Super Dave 5.’ Top of the line entertainment.
“Of course, we have various rentals available: ski boats, pontoon boats, party pontoon boats,” Collier added.
For more information, call 865-494-7641.
“And if you’re looking for a great place to get away and stay on Norris Lake, we have condos and houses there for rent by the day or by the week,” Collier said.
For more information, call Vacations on the Water at 888-464-8761.
To reach Stardust, go northbound on Interstate 75 in Anderson County “and you take the Clinton-Oak Ridge exit and head out toward Andersonville. And just follow the signs,” Collier said.
• Beach Island Resort & Marina, 170 Beach Island Road adjacent to Hwy 33 bridge in Maynardville, “is the proud home of Bubba Brews,’ ‘the hottest place on Norris Lake with 1,200 square feet of floating fun,’” Collier said about “a full-service sports bar; there are very few on Norris Lake.
“The restaurant there, we feature a wide variety on the menu: from fresh pulled pork nachos, burgers, seafood and much more,” he added. “And Bubba’s has
entertainment on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays all three” also offering “top of the line” talent such as “The Chillbillies” and “Super Dave 5.”
As for water recreation, “Beach Island is a full-service marina offering 80-foot houseboats for rent; small to large cabins and a campground with full hookups,” Collier said. “Of course, we have ski boats, pontoon boats and party pontoon boats available for rent. … Somewhere around 350 boat slips.
“And we have an on-site 24-hour state-of-the-art fitness center,” he added.
For more information, call 865-992-3091.
• Lakeview Marina & Campground, 280 Lakeview Road, Sharps Chapel, “is geared toward the fishermen and people who love to camp,” Collier said. “We have a large ship store there where we stock a large variety of supplies and your favorite cold beverages. And, of course, ethanol-free gasoline.
“Lakeview Campground is actually a large, gated campground — you’ve got to have a card to get through the gate,” Collier added. “We have new boat slips available there. … We’ve probably got 300, 350 there. … A boat ramp, live bait.”
For more information, call 865-278-3666.
• Mountain Lake Marina & Campground also offers campsites plus “from 175 to 200” boat slips. The Lindsey Mill Grille “serves up a wide variety of food,” Collier said.
For more information, call 865-630-1221.
• Sequoyah Landing Resort, Marina & Cabins, 801 state Hwy. 411 in Vonore, “Is a full-service marina with a range of log cabins, that will sleep anywhere from four to 12 people, overlooking the lake,” Collier said. “They can be rented on a nightly or weekly basis.
“The Lakehouse Grill serves up the best food on Tellico Lake, from our fresh-smoked chicken wings to burgers, salads, wraps and many other items,” Collier added. “We have entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights.”
Collier estimates “about 300” boat slips at Sequoyah.
For more information, call 423-884-2770.
All five marinas open on weekends “beginning in mid-April,” Collier said.
Beginning with Memorial Day weekend, ‘Then we go seven days a week up through Labor Day,” he added. “Then we go back on a limited schedule up through October. We usually close all of the locations by the first week of November.”
Hours of operation are 8 a.m. until 9 or 10 o’clock at night,” Collier said.
