Here at Memphis Boat Center we are often asked, “where is a good place to go boating around here?”  Today we will tell you our favorite locations to take out our boats, and we will tell you some of our pros and cons of each lake. Hopefully they can become your favorite locations to go boating as well. Don’t have a boat? No worries!!! Which ever lake you chose, we have the boat for it!

Pickwick Lake, TN.**: A local favorite, this lake has it all! Its the perfect lake if you want to socialize with other boaters and enjoy its landmarks. Pickwick is a great lake to take the family for the weekend and holidays. Its has great local restaurants and great marinas to store your boat. If your looking for smooth water to wakeboard, ski, or wakesurf, the Tombigbee waterway is the perfect spot to find smooth water at all times. This lake is a great lake to celebrate the fourth of July with your family while watching the firework show over the lake.

Horseshoe Lake, AR.*: Located only 40 minutes from downtown Memphis, this lake is a great lake for a day trip out on the water. Being so close to Memphis, this lake is one of our top choices to take our boats out to film. Due to the shape of the lake, it can have rough waters, and since its a shallow lake (10-25ft), the wake will sometimes not develop completely for surfing and wakeboarding.  Horseshoe is a great lake for those warm sunny days where you decide to go to the lake last minute, but still be able to have a full day on the water.

Tunica Cutoff, MS.*: This hidden gem provides calm buttery water everyday, no matter the time or weather. The Tunica Cutoff is an old river oxbow lake, that not many people know about. Wakeboarding and skiing are awesome here and you will always enjoy the smooth water since not many ski boats are out there. To get to the cutoff, you do have to drive through a trailer park, but for smooth waters, we see it as worth it.

Arkabutla Lake,MS.*: Another Lake that is really close to Memphis, Arkabutla delivers a great “day” get-away lake. This lake is a Corps lake so you do have to wear life jackets at all times. The boat ramps at this lake are awesome, but there is very few docks, making it hard to load and unload passengers. Arkabutla Can get crowded and rough from time to time but in general it is a great lake to go out to for the day.  It’s important that you know the lake as it can be shallow and there are stumps.

Sardis Lake, MS. *: Sardis is a great for for any water activity that you might be into. Sardis is a big lake and welcomes fisherman, waterskiers and wakeboarders year round. The lake was built for flood water control purposes, but not many of the average 5 million people that visit each year know this. the lake has and abundance of bass and is great for watersports and camping. Sardis is located about an hour away from Memphis, making it one of the hot spots for the summer.  Smooth water can be a little bit harder to find.

Pin Oak Lake, TN.**: Pin Oak is part of the Natchez Trace State Park, which provides ample campsites for an amazing weekend outdoor getaway. The lake is small, but it is protected from the wind creating an awesome lake for fishing and water sports. The campgrounds are quiet and private which allow you to really have a peaceful and enjoyable getaway.  This is another of our hidden gems that we love to visit.

Moon Lake, MS.*: Relatively close, Moon Lake provides some beautiful surroundings. you may experience some rough water at Moon Lake, but you will always be able to find smooth water around the bend.  The cypress trees provide a beautiful backdrop to a day on the water.

The Tennessee River, TN.**: Being able to put your boat in the river and ride is one of our favorite things to do. The benefits about riding on the river, is that you don’t get as much choppy water from other boats around you. For water sports the river is always great, if you find your self in choppy waters, then just go around a bend or two and you will find the smooth buttery water again.

Greers Ferry, AR.***: Greers Ferry is a beautiful lake located in Arkansas. It is a bit of a drive to get there, but it is a beautiful lake on which to spend the weekend. During the summer this lake turns into an awesome hot spot for boaters. The clear water and awesome scenery make for a great weekend out on the water.

Smith Lake, AL.***: Another beautiful lake with clear water, Smith lake provides another weekend get-away location that will always put a smile on your family’s face. This lake can get crowded from time to time, but it is still one of the premier lakes in the south. Great for surfing and wakeboarding, take your boat down there for a weekend of progression in your riding.

This summer, make sure to create memories with your family and go visit one of these lakes that are close to our location. A boat is not just an asset, a boat makes memories to last a lifetime with your family. 99.9% of the time that your out on a boat on a nice summer day, your smiling….if you are not, you should be.

Distances:

• *1.5 hours or less
• **1.5-2.25 hours
• ***3+ hours

For Blog ideas or questions feel free to contact us at any time: enrique.martinez@memphisboatcenter.com