Smith Mountain Lake is a refreshingly different destination in the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. It’s renowned for its scenic natural beauty, rural charm and amazing recreational activities.
Since 1998, the SML Insiders’ Guide has been the go-to website for those looking for a family-friendly vacation spot, remote work retreat or idyllic location for a permanent or second home. We recently launched a quarterly magazine, too!
Become an SML Insider
We invite you to sign up for our weekly e-newsletter where we share news and events, travel planning tips, excursion inspiration, deals and more!
current issue
Winter 2024-25 Magazine
Read the Winter 2024-25 issue of the SML Insiders’ Guide online now! This 68-page, full-color glossy magazine celebrates the best of Smith Mountain Lake in the cooler months.
Flip through the digital version or read individual stories, including:
staying here
Smith Mountain Lake Vacation Home Rentals
In a hurry? Use our handy interactive map to search for SML vacation properties at a glance, then quickly book SML home rentals and hotels with ease.
SML self-catering vacation rentals are offered by the week, long weekend, month and longer – directly from homeowners and from vacation rental property managers.
Rates vary by season, size of rental and included amenities. Most are bargains compared to other lakefront, oceanfront and resort vacation rentals in the USA. Some Smith Mountain Lake house rentals include a dock for your boat (or the one you can rent while you’re here).
alternate accommodations
Other Places to Stay at Smith Mountain Lake
In addition to Smith Mountain Lake house rentals, our region offers a variety of other options for lodging, including cabins, hotels, resorts, houseboats and bed and breakfast inns. We break it all down and offer expert recommendations on our extensive SML lodging page and as a free, downloadable eBook.
when to go
Tourism Seasons at SML
peak-season:
June-August rates for most waterfront Smith Mountain Lake vacation rentals run from $700-$15,000 per week, with size, amenities and geographic location the primary determinants of cost. During peak season, you’ll typically need to check in and out on a Saturday, and rent for a full week.
mid-season:
In the 4-6 weeks preceding and following summer you can expect warm pleasant weather, fewer visitors, modest discounts from peak rates, flexible check-in and check-out dates – plus weekend and daily rate options.
low-season:
Generally, in mid-October through mid-April, you can expect mild weather, fewer visitors, discounts of 20-50 percent on your vacation rental, flexible check-in and check-out dates – plus weekend, daily, and monthly rate options.
on and off the water
Family Fun Year-round at Smith Mountain Lake
Visiting Smith Mountain Lake is a real treat, especially for outdoor lovers. Among the lake’s many water activities are power boating, canoeing, sailing, swimming, fishing, water skiing, wakeboarding, wakesurfing, standup paddleboarding and jet skiing.
SML’s lakefront includes six free public boat launching sites, plus paid launches at more than a dozen marinas. In addition, some lakeside developments maintain their own private ramps. Get more details from our directory map of boat ramps and local marinas.
Off-water you’ll enjoy sightseeing that includes many spectacular views of Smith Mountain Lake’s gently mountainous 500-mile shoreline, plus peaks and ridges along the nearby Appalachian Trail and Blue Ridge Parkway.
Four challenging golf courses surround the lake (two private, two public).
The SML State Park and Franklin County’s Smith Mountain Lake Community Park both include public access beach areas and miles of hiking trails. Smith Mountain Lake beaches are also available at a number of vacation rental homes.
The lake also offers picnicking, camping, hunting, antiquing, shopping, and relaxing. Restaurants on the waterfront and nearby offer everything from pizza and sandwiches to prime rib buffets and gourmet cuisine.
Well-maintained, winding roads with often-narrow shoulders make bicycling unsafe. (Drivers: Please pay careful attention to the road ahead at all times.) Most land and water activities are available at the State Park or within a short drive… so rent a lakeview or lakefront vacation home, and enjoy yourself for a week or two!
Smith Mountain Lake Directory Information
At Smith Mountain Lake, you’ll find a wide range of businesses open year-round and friendly merchants eager to help you.
Lodging Options at SML
Restaurants at SML
Things to do at SML
SML Boat Rentals
Public Boat Ramps
Real Estate Directory
SML Gifts & Apparel
Churches at SML
Smith Mtn Lake FAQS
getting on the water
Boating on Smith Mountain Lake
When you boat at SML, please be careful and courteous. The Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources is an excellent source of information about safe boating, boating laws, and public access launches/ramps. Below are some important highlights for new boaters at SML.
Boating Courtesy and Safety at Smith Mountain Lake
Smith Mountain Lake is Virginia’s busiest recreational freshwater body of water. In 2006, the Virginia Assembly increased funding for enforcement of boating safety and noise laws; Virginia’s Department of Wildlife Resources (formerly the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries) increased the number and visibility of patrols on the lake’s 20,600 acres.
In 2007, the Virginia Assembly passed a law mandating safe boating education for operators. If you don’t have a valid Virginia boater’s license and plan to rent rent from an SML marina, you must present a valid driver’s license so you can be temporarily licensed by watching a safety video and completing an in-person orientation.
SMLA successfully lobbied for the boater safety education mandate, but their request for boating speed limits failed to pass the Virginia legislature in 2007 and 2008. There are currently no boating horsepower limits on SML.
Boat Rentals and Sales at Smith Mountain Lake
Several companies on SML’s shoreline rent and/or sell power boats – pontoon boats, deck boats, ski boats, PWCs, fishing boats, house boats, and more. Many also sell marine gas and rent kayaks, paddle boards, tubes, skis, wake boards, knee boards, and more. For more information, see our list of boat rental companies.
Smith Mountain Lake Public Boat Launches / Ramps
Public boat launch ramps are plentiful here, so getting on the water won’t take all day. Visit our SML public boat ramps and marinas page for a complete list.
Smith Mountain Lake Marinas
Full-service marinas around the lake are a great place to park your watercraft and enjoy a lake day from land. Many marinas here are also a great place to rent watercraft, fill up your gas tank, get snacks or even a stop at a restaurant to grab breakfast, lunch or dinner.
View our digital map of SML Marinas or download a free, printable version.
RELOCATION PRIMER
Smith Mountain Lake Real Estate
Smith Mountain Lake offers a wide range of housing types and real estate prices, on the water and off. From one-bedroom starter condos to magnificent waterfront estates, you’re sure to find the perfect spot to call home here. Read more.
Considering a move to SML? Visit our Real Estate Agent Directory for a list of experienced professionals that service the entire SML area.
Getting to Smith Mountain Lake, VA – Driving & Airport Info
If you’re traveling by car, there are many ways to reach the lake. Most approaches involve mountain roads that can be challenging, especially at night.
Here’s a route that’s not the shortest possible, but it’s nearly free of bad curves. Follow I-81 toward Roanoke, then I-581 east approximately 7 miles to State Rt. 24 (I-581 Exit 6). Follow State Rt. 24 east for about 22 miles until you reach State Rt. 122. Follow State Rt. 122 southwest about 6 miles to Moneta. Moneta is just north of the only major bridge that crosses Smith Mountain Lake and offers easy access to any part of the lake.
If you enjoy driving winding mountain roads, consult a map and try approaching Moneta daytime via Rt. 43 (toughest), Rt. 116 “Windy Gap,” the Blue Ridge Parkway to its Virginia Rt. 24 exit, or Rt. 634 “Hardy Road” (easiest).
Smith Mountain Lake Map
For a map and driving directions, start with this interactive map: Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia – courtesy of Google.
If you plan to arrive by private airplane, there’s a general aviation airport, Smith Mountain Lake Airport (airport identifier: W91), with a 3,100-foot paved runway. It’s located in Bedford County on the north side of the lake, about 2 miles from SML State Park, at 1090 Cutlass Rd., Moneta. Contact: 540-297-4859.
You can also check W90 (New London Airport), to the north of the lake in Forest Virginia, near Lynchburg as an alternative airport.
If you’re not flying your own plane, three commercial airports are nearby. Roanoke Virginia Airport (ROA, 40+ flights daily) is located 30-75 minutes northwest of SML.
The smaller Lynchburg Virginia Airport (LYH, 5 flights daily to and from Charlotte, NC) is located to the northeast, 30-75 minutes from the lake.
The Greensboro NC Airport (GSO, about 60 flights daily), aka Piedmont Triad International Airport is located 75-120 minutes south of the lake.
Airport drive times vary widely because the lake itself is 40 miles long. Be sure to check airfares at all three airports.