Central North Carolina, also sometimes known as the “Piedmont,” is home to the state’s largest cities like Raleigh, Durham, and Chapel Hill, but also has some of the best lakes in the eastern United States. When visiting a lake, the best accommodations are vacation rental homes, as they are usually cheaper, more spacious, and closer to the water than larger hotels. This is true with the main lakes in North Carolina, Lake Lure, Lake Norman, and Lake Gaston, all of which are surrounded by natural beauty and are perfect for outdoor recreation. LakeRentals.com has properties available for rent on the best lakes in North Carolina and the United States as a whole. Read on to learn more about North Carolina’s lakes and adjoining Piedmont region, or head over to LakeRentals.com now and start planning your getaway!

Lake Gaston, located along the border of North Carolina and Virginia, has experienced a real estate boom and has many great lake houses ready for your family vacation. With mild temperatures year round (42 degrees in the winter, 76 degrees in the summer), visiting Lake Gaston is great for any season. And at 34 miles long with 350 miles of shoreline, Lake Gaston has room for everyone. Its clean water is great for swimming and boating, tubing, water skiing, wakeboarding, and fishing. Game fish abound in Lake Gaston, like striped bass, rock fish, large mouth bass, crappie, sunfish, and catfish. For fun out of the lake itself, there are plenty of restaurants (on the shores of Gaston and in the surrounding communities), gold courses, annual barbeque competitions, fireworks displays during summer, and plentiful shopping. Check out all of the Lake Gaston vacation homes listed on LakeRentals.com.

Lake Lure, west of Lake Gaston in the Blue Ridge Mountains region of North Carolina, is well-known in the area for its sandy beaches which are perfect for relaxing or enjoying some outdoor recreation with your family. With the mountains visible against the beautiful water, you’ll be able to enjoy cool temperatures in the summer and even colder temperatures in the winter, making the area great for winter sports. Other activities include visiting the nearby community of Asheville, home to the Vanderbilt family’s Biltmore Estate, the largest private residence in the United States. Now a National Historic Landmark, tours are available of Biltmore, showcasing the enormous house’s swimming pool, bowling alley, and two-story library. In Lake Lure itself, there are bluegrass festivals to enjoy, hiking trails in the forest, several golf courses, canoe trips, and rafting adventures. Browsing through the vacation properties in Lake Lure on LakeRentals.com is the first step towards planning your vacation.

If you plan on visiting the Charlotte or Winston-Salem areas of North Carolina, make sure you leave time to visit Lake Norman. The largest body of fresh water in North Carolina, Lake Norman was created by the Cowans Ford Dam in 1963 and is fed by the Catawba River. Providing power to this portion of the Piedmont in North Carolina, Lake Norman is surrounded by several small communities, such as Mooresville, Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville, Westport, and Catawba. With 520 miles of shoreline, Lake Norman is a huge draw for visitors to the area, and vacation rentals are plentiful in every price range. Fishing is popular in Lake Norman, as crappie, perch, and bass are all abundant. One of the more unusual aspects of the lake is “Normie,” a legendary creature which supposedly inhabits Lake Norman, not unlike the Loch Ness Monster. Despite monster sightings, swimming and boating are the most common activities on the lake, with several places offering boat rentals and public access to the lake. Power boating and sailing are both popular, as are the associated water sports. On a related note, the International Jet Sport Boats Association makes tour stops in Lake Norman, and are quite the sight to see for amateurs and professionals alike. For a great time outside of the water, check out Lake Norman State Park, which is located adjacent to the “inland sea” of Lake Norman. Camping, hiking, mountain biking, and picnicking are all fun family events in the park. If you plan on heading to Charlotte, you’ll definitely want to check out Lake Norman vacation rentals at LakeRentals.com!

Vacations to North Carolina can be as varied as anywhere in the nation: the rolling hills and lakes of the Piedmont, the cool temperatures and fantastic vistas of the mountainous region, and the warm sandy Atlantic coast in the east. North Carolina is easily accessible from any of the eastern states, and the lakes region is especially easy, being located near highways 77, 85 and 95. Check out the various lake destinations in North Carolina and check out the myriad vacation rentals located on each lake. Visit LakeRentals.com for more information!