Norris Lake, TN

e’re not normally the kind of people who spend the day at the lake, floating along on our pontoon. In all honesty that could be because we don’t have a pontoon or that we’ve never really lived by a lake... either way, we got to live out all of our lake life dreams on Norris Lake. The lovely innkeeper of Olde Mill Inn, Kim, took us out on her pontoon to show us the Norris Lake house boats. People had been talking about these since we arrived, and we were expecting your typical house boat, like we would see in our Florida hometown. But, y’all, these are HOUSE boats. Not a boat with living quarters below deck. These were full on houses floating on the water. Call us easily amused, but this was one of the coolest things we’d ever seen. The lake had everything from modest single-family floating homes to floating mansions. Kim let us take a quick tour of her house boat, and when you’re inside you’d never know you were on the water. These house boats are permanently docked, so you can’t just unhook and float your little house down the lake. There are several marinas along the lake, all of which offer

different ammenities like event spaces, bars and restaurants. Houses can be found for rent and for purchase at varying price points. Kim actually offers a rental package for her house boat, so you can get a taste of lake life without the huge committment of purchasing a boat house of your own. As we were floating down the lake in the pontoon, Joanie B. and I both thought for a second, just a second, that we could be lake ladies. Get ourselves a cute little house, a pontoon boat, maybe a couple kayaks and we’d be living the dream, right? But I think the sweeping mountain views may have gotten us carried away. Can you blame us? It’s kind of spectacular.

If you’re looking for some lake-side dining, look no further than Shelly Belle’s Restaurant. They’re located right beside the lake, and offer a varied menu for all palates. At Shelly Belle’s you can get everything from seafood to pasta and burgers. It’s a great stop after a long day at the lake with family or friends. Or, Shelly Belle’s can be a destination in and of itself. They offer kayaking or, if you’re looking for something more relaxing, you can grab a tube and hop into one of their vans for a short drive to the launch point. You’ll put your tube (and yourself) into the water and float all the way back to Shelly Belle’s. This definitely sounds more our speed. But, if you’re like Jenni and have a little (or huge) fear of water, Shelly Belle’s also offers another fun activity... Axe throwing! This is something we’ve been wanting to do for years. I mean, nothing says family fun like axe throwing, right? Well, maybe not for the entire family. It’s a great activity for couples or families with older children. Grab some axes, throw them at the targets and work up an appetite.

On our visit, we’d already had a full day so we came strictly for the food. Joanie B. had the catfish, and she said it was yummy. Coming from a Florida girl, that’s pretty good. I had their burger with pepperjack

cheese, and it was absolutely delicious. We sat outside on the deck, and that just made the experience even better. You can feel that nice We didn’t see any wildlife while we were there, but Shelly Belle’s is located in the mountains, so keep your eyes peeled for all kinds of fun animals while you’re there. Since moving to the area, we’ve been back to Shelly Belle’s and they’re always a bustling place. If you want to enjoy one of their delicious

desserts, make sure to get there early. They sell out quick! But imagine sitting on the deck, eating a nice slice of creamy cheesecake, with that glorious view. Y’all, I don’t think it gets better than this. You can visit their website to learn more about the activities they offer as well as daily menu specials you can enjoy.breeze, and watch tubers and kayakers float by the restaurant.