Tennessee may be best known for the Appalachian Mountains and beloved artists like Dolly Parton, but this too is a fantastic place to go boating and to enjoy water recreational activities. In fact, we'd argue that if you love lake boating and paddling or otherwise cruising down navigable rivers, then Tennessee may just be the perfect state for your next water-filled vacation.
The state of Tennessee has more than fifty rivers spanning an incredible 1,000 miles of commercially navigable waterways, and twelve great lakes that feature their own outstanding water activities. The largest and most popular of the state's lakes is Douglas Lake. Situated just north of Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg, and the Great Smoky Mountains, this lake gets around 1.7 million visitors every year. There are plenty of boat rental opportunities here, including kayak rentals, luxury motorboat rentals, simple jon boat rentals, party boat pontoon rentals, and houseboat rentals for those who don't want to leave the waters at night. Douglas Lake spans 513 miles of shoreline and over 30,000 acres of water and is well known among fishing enthusiasts for its large supply of crappie, catfish, bass, and bluegill.
Want to combine a more city vacation with some fun boating action? Go to Nashville and plan to spend an afternoon or a day with a boat rental on Percy Priest Lake. Percy Priest Lake is a man-made reservoir lake that features dozens of nature-filled islands to explore (and even camp on) and acres upon acres of water to fish, tube, and ski across. Other similar great Tennessee lakes to enjoy include Dale Hollow Lake, Reelfooot Lake, and Center Hill Lake which features a massive waterfall.
Sometimes, the best boating experiences can be found in landlocked states. If you're looking for a fun and exciting lake or river boating experience with mountain backdrops, then plan your next vacation with a boat rental in The Volunteer State.