Lake Living on Old Hickory Lake, TN

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Old Hickory Lake, Tennessee

There’s more to the music city than just music. If you take a 35-minute drive outside of Nashville, you will find Old Hickory Lake. Located 25 miles upstream from Nashville in north-central Tennessee on the Cumberland River, it sits on a body of water with much to offer someone looking for a lake home close to the city but not quite in the city. Old Hickory Lake is a man-made reservoir formed by the Old Hickory Lock and Dam. The lake spans five counties: Davidson, Sumner, Wilson, Trousdale, and Smith, and was named after President Andrew Jackson, whose nickname was “Old Hickory.” He lived in the vicinity of the lake at his home, The Hermitage, where it served as his final resting place.

Big City, Small Towns

Nashville was named one of the Top 15 Cities in the U.S. in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards. (July 2019). Image by Garrett Hill from Pixabay

The Old Hickory Lake area provides all the convenience of being located near Nashville, with the perks of living in a big city while living in a small town. Nashville always has something to do. Local concerts range in genres, professional sports are popular, and many community-based events keep the city lively.

Old Hickory Lake is also only a 40-minute drive from Nashville’s International Airport, allowing easy access to national and international travel.

Hendersonville is located along the shores of Old Hickory. Known as the “city by the lake,” many celebrities have called Hendersonville home. Johnny and June Cash called this area home for over 35 years. Another country music great, Conway Twitty, and his house, “Twitty City,” were also located in Hendersonville. Trinity Broadcasting Network now owns the home and has changed the name to Trinity Music City.

Landlocked Lakelife

Photo by Tomasz Filipek via Pexels

Although Tennessee is a landlocked state, it is in no short supply of bodies of water. Among the many lakes in the state, Old Hickory Lake is often overlooked due to the popularity of J. Percy Priest Lake, which has more visibility in the Nashville market. That makes Old Hickory a hidden gem for families and those who love adventure.

Outdoor Recreation

Old Hickory Lake is known for fishing, boating, and camping. Paddleboarding, kayaking, and swimming satisfy the healthy activity set. There are many places to rent equipment for participating in all these activities. Higher Pursuits offers kayaking and canoeing classes for various skill levels. You are paired with an American Canoe Association-certified instructor; the sessions are three hours long, and you will learn how to navigate the boat and discover which type of kayak fits you best.

If you are into a peaceful and Zen way of life, Nashville SUP & Yoga offers stand-up paddleboard yoga. You can book classes, and they encourage you to use their rentals, but you can bring your personal board. The classes take place rain or shine unless the conditions are not favorable to the safety of all. You must be able to swim, and children can tag along. Kids under the age of 13 must wear a life vest, and those who are under the age of 9 can share a board with a parent.

Two boys canoeing

At Shady Cove Resort and Sweetwater Pontoon Rentals, you can rent canoes, Jon Boats, and Pontoons. There are also many full-service marinas located on Old Hickory Lake. They offer services like annual dockage, covered wet slips, and dry storage. Many of the marinas have restaurants, ship stores, boat ramps, gas docks, and various hookups. There are 41 access points for boats, which makes it easy to enjoy the lake with friends and family.

Dining for Every Occasion

While on the lake, you can grab a bite to eat at one of the many waterfront restaurants. The Rudder is located in Hendersonville and offers a menu featuring American Eats, a tiki bar, and weekly live music. Moby Dicky’s is a relaxed seafood restaurant and sports bar. This restaurant provides lots of TVs to enjoy various sporting events and patio seating so you can enjoy the vista. Sam’s Sports Grill at Blue Turtle Bay offers multiple TVs for your viewing pleasure and is never in short supply of a beautiful view of Old Hickory Lake. Their made-from-scratch menu features hand-battered chicken tenders, various pizzas, Angus burgers, slow-cooked ribs, and the best wings in town.

Classical Music with a Twist

Historic Rock Castle, Old Hickory Lake, Tennessee
Photo courtesy of Historic Rock Castle.

Not only is Old Hickory Lake a great place to spend time on the lake, but Old Hickory offers many events that are either on the lake or take place in local towns. You can discover the nearby history, hear local artists, and shop and eat locally.

During the summer months, the Nashville Symphony hosts a concert on the banks of Old Hickory Lake at the Historic Rock Castle. Rock Castle is a stately home completed in 1796, which was also the same year that Tennessee became a state. The concert is part of the Symphony’s Free Community Concert Series. Vendors sell food and beverages, but attendees are welcome to bring their own. The family dog can also attend! Local boaters enjoy this event as well! Large speakers are placed on the bank so attendees can enjoy the show from their boats! There is also a petting zoo set up for all to enjoy. Several local musicians and singers perform as warm-up acts to the main stage show by the Symphony.

Retirement Benefits

Retirees paddle boarding

Tennessee’s Department of Revenue does not collect property or state personal income tax, which is a significant draw for retirees. However, residents are still liable for paying local property taxes. The average age of those shopping for a home in Tennessee ranges from 55-64, which correlates well with Tennessee’s affordable living standards.

In Sumner County, located along Old Hickory, you can experience the old and the new. Sumner County is located only minutes away from Nashville and offers many appealing aspects for retirees. The county experiences all four seasons; the summer months of July and August are usually the warmest, while the winter months have an average low temperature of 46 °F. Spring offers many blooming flowers and trees that provide colorful vistas that those who love the outdoors will appreciate.

Sumner County offers the convenience of being near TriStar Hendersonville Medical Center, which is only 15 minutes outside of Nashville. The hospital is the first accredited Chest Pain Center in Sumner County, a certified Primary Stroke Center, and one of the only community hospitals in the area with an accredited Joint Center. Also located close to Old Hickory Lake is Highpoint Health – Sumner with Ascension Saint Thomas, which offers a wide range of services to the community.

Woman standing on deck

Wondering who is looking for homes in Tennessee? It might surprise you to learn that 72% of potential buyers come from outside the state. Chicago is the number one metro area for those searching for homes in the Tennessee market, followed by Atlanta.

If you’re looking for more than the average lake home, Old Hickory Lake has it all! 

The Waterfront’s Finest Wines and Vineyards

Article co-authored by LakeHomes.com intern Sam Harvey

Simply being near the water can increase your sense of calm and alleviate stress and anxiety – a phenomenon called the “blue mind effect.”

However, owning a lake home also tends to make you the most popular person in your friend group, which can create a few stressors.

Sometimes it’s nice to take a break from entertaining guests, taking the kids tubing, and cleaning up lake toys. You need an activity that’s more, shall we say, adult.

“Wine” down every once in a while at any of these award-winning waterfront wineries located on your favorite lakes. 

Pleasant Valley Wine Company

Nestled along the shores of Keuka Lake in Upstate New York is one of the oldest wineries in the Finger Lakes region.

Built in 1860, the Pleasant Valley Wine Company offers connoisseurs a variety of 31 products ranging from the official champagne of the National Women’s Hall of Fall Induction ceremony to a refreshing strawberry white Zinn and some of the finest cooking sherries in the country.

A trip to Keuka Lake is not complete without a tour of the Pleasant Valley Wine Company facility, comprised of eight stone buildings recognized on the National Register of Historic Places. You will also find the equipment from the original establishment and wine-making displays.

Offered from Memorial Day through mid-November, Pleasant Valley tours are self-guided beginning at 11 a.m., daily. The last tour group of the day departs at 3 p.m. and concludes with a complimentary wine tasting.

Bottles are also available for purchase on-site and online, ranging in price from $3.50 to about $30. Among the winery’s most popular beverages is the Pleasant Valley Chocolate Lab, made of labrusca grapes and flavored with rich chocolate.

The winery recommends mixing this dessert wine with their Autumn Frost Strawberry White Zinfandel or Blackberry Merlot and pairing it with blue cheese.

Lake Michigan Vintners

Lake Michigan Vintners, situated just 10 minutes from the Lake Michigan waterfront, is the Midwest’s only teaching winery.

Part of the Lake Michigan Shore Wine Trail, this world-class facility boasts products made with locally sourced ingredients, producing wines comparable to those made in the Bordeaux and the Piedmont regions of Italy.

The Lake Michigan Vintners tasting room is open from noon to 5 p.m. on Mondays and Sundays and from noon to 6 p.m., Thursday through Saturday. For just $10, winery guests can enjoy a sampling of five wines of their choice.

Lake Michigan Vintners produces all wines in small batches, so availability is limited.

Among those wines currently available for tasting and purchase is the Grüner Veltliner, characterized by green apple aromas, a hint of lime and lemon shortbread cookies. This beverage pairs nicely with goat cheese and mozzarella.

Also available this summer is the Wavelength White, which features floral aromatics, jasmine, and hints of honey.

For red wine lovers, the Lake Michigan Vintners Pinot Noir tastes reminiscent of cherry pie and baking spices. Serve with savory dishes like pot roast and grilled lamb.

Rosemont of Virginia Winery

Conveniently situated on the Virginia-North Carolina border, just two minutes from beautiful Lake Gaston, the Rosemont of Virginia Winery invites guests to tour their 25 acres of grapevines and sample their 15, 100% estate-produced wines.

The Rosemont Estate, housed on 450 acres, dates back to the mid-1700s, during which time its grounds served as farmland for vegetables, hay, tobacco, soybeans, corn, and peach trees.

Winery construction began in 2006 and today is complete with an underground state-of-the-art gravity-flow production facility.

Tours and tastings are hosted daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday and from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. With a $10 tasting fee, winery visitors can sample each of the venue’s current vintages and receive a commemorative Rosemont wine glass at the tour’s conclusion.

Unique to the Rosemont of Virginia Winery is their Adopt-a-Vine program, through which wine lovers can donate $300 to the facility in exchange for access to exclusive events and their own vine of Chambourcin grapes.

Adopt-a-Vine program members can learn to prune and trim their vines, help harvest their grapes and receive a bottle of wine made from their fruits for three harvest years.

One of the winery’s most popular wines is Traminette 2017, a semi-sweet, dry, white wine characterized by touches of citrus and spice and bright floral notes. The winery recommends pairing this beverage with spicy cuisine or light summer salads.

Also, a Rosemont favorite is their 2016 Cabernet Franc, which features light oak and dark cherry aromas alongside hints of berry and pepper.

This Cabernet Franc is a delicious red, aged for 20 months. It has the perfect complement to earthy flavors such as those found in olives and feta, fontina, and goat cheese.

Rosemont of Virginia Winery sells its products outside Virginia in North Carolina, Maryland, Washington D.C., New York, Florida, Michigan, and California. Bottles range in price from $14 to $33.

For more local flavor, be sure to check out our article “Tastes of the Lake: A Spotlight on Your Favorite Lakeside Restaurants“!