7 Best Virginia Lakes to Buy Lakefront Property

Virginia is known for its rolling hills, expansive valleys, and snow-capped mountains. But how about its lakes? Home buyers desiring waterfront living will find no shortage of lakefront property. The lakes in Virginia are a destination for water sports. Their waters have some of the best fishing in the region and tend to be less crowded than the towns along the Atlantic seaboard and the Chesapeake Bay.

Come for the scenic views, stay for the lifestyle. Discover a few of the best lakes in Virginia to buy a home.

Claytor Lake

Imagine waking up every day to lake views…and mountain views! That’s the appeal of Claytor Lake, a long, winding reservoir along the ancient New River in the Blue Ridge foothills. The reservoir was formed after the Appalachian Power Company finished the Claytor Hydroelectric Dam. Claytor Lake covers just under 4,500 acres of Pulaski County in western Virginia.

Claytor Lake is perfect for rural lakefront living and outdoor recreation. The premier attraction is Claytor Lake State Park. Visitors from around the state, particularly the nearby city of Roanoke, come for its outdoor recreation. On land, find hiking trails and mountain biking. In the warmer months, hit the clear lake waters for swimming, boating, or fishing. The lake has a full-service marina where residents can rent pontoon boats or a boat slip.

Nearby communities to explore include Radford, Draper, Pulaski, Hiwassee, and Dublin. In June 2024, 14 homes were for sale on the shores of Claytor Lake. Their median home price ranged from $215,000 to $2.35 million.

Smith Mountain Lake

Smith Mountain Lake is a significant body of water covering over 20,000 acres of land and featuring around 500 miles of shoreline. As the second largest lake in the state, it spans three counties: Franklin, Pittsylvania, and Bedford. It has seen significant development since its formation following the construction of the Smith Mountain hydroelectric dam in 1963.

Residents across Virginia and beyond come to this popular lake for all its outdoor activities. Smith Mountain Lake is a top tourist destination because there is so much to do. Its Blue Ridge Mountains location gives access to more trails for hiking and biking than you’ll ever be able to cover. Take the seven-mile trail to the peak of Smith Mountain for amazing panoramic lake views. Smith Mountain Lake State Park has cabins and campsites to rent. Other popular attractions for landlubbers are four golf courses, six wineries, and four craft breweries.

On the lake itself, swimming, boating, and fishing opportunities abound. In fact, the lake is known for its abundance of striped bass. February starts National Fishing Tournaments, like the Smith Mountain Lake Crappie Fishing Tournament Series. The Big Bass Tour hits in May.

To get out on the lake jet skiing or power boating, find numerous marinas with boat launches and rentals along the various arms of the lake.

If you’re looking for homes on or around Smith Mountain Lake, most of the towns are concentrated on the lake’s west-southwest side. Look in Virginia towns like Hardy, Glade Hill, Moneta, Union Hall, Wirtz, Huddleston, or Penhook. Many of these communities have waterfront homes along the branches and arms of the lake.

June 2024 had 768 homes for sale near Smith Mountain Lake. including vacant residential lots ranging from $7,500 to $7.7 million. Existing lakefront homes ranged from $265,000 for a studio apartment to $4,000,000 for a three-bedroom, 3.5-bathroom lakefront home on 2.5 acres.

Leesville Lake

If you’re looking for more rural-style lakefront lifestyle while keeping access to the nearby cities of Roanoke and Lynchburg, consider Leesville Lake. Smith Mountain’s sister lake is much smaller, covering just 3,270 acres of water and featuring 110 miles of shoreline. The lake is part of a complex hydroelectric system that utilizes Leesville Lake for pumped water storage. It sits within Pittsylvania, Bedford, and Campbell counties along the Roanoke River.

Despite its smaller size, the lake still has a robust choice of recreational activities. Water sports enthusiasts still have boating, water skiing, wakeboarding, swimming, and fishing. It shares Smith Mountain Lake’s reputation for a high striped bass population. The amenities and facilities surrounding the lake include a small marina, fishing pier, and picnic facility.

If you’re interested in purchasing property in or around Leesville Lake, consider the towns of Pittsville, Gretna, or Lynch Station.

John H. Kerr Reservoir

The John H. Kerr Reservoir is directly on Virginia’s southern border and extends into North Carolina. The Roanoke and Danke Rivers feed its peaceful waters, also known as Buggs Island Lake. Virginians and North Carolinians come here to relax and enjoy lake life.

This beautiful lake covers a whopping 50,000 acres for 850 miles of shoreline. It’s not just one of the largest lakes in Virginia but one of the largest reservoirs in the Southeastern US. The North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation maintains seven naturalized areas around the reservoir. On the Virginia side, there are 30 more recreation areas. Collectively, the parks are known as the Kerr Lake State Recreation Area.

The things you can do here seem endless. The scenic lake has 26 wildlife management areas with wooded shoreline and attractors for smallmouth bass fishing. Find camping access, waterfront cabins, swimming beaches, and public boat launches.  The lake has more perks, like an amphitheater, community buildings and picnic shelters, and a visitor’s center with interactive exhibits about the lake’s creation and local wildlife. Two privately owned marinas offer boat storage and rentals.

Nearby towns with homes for sale include Clarksville and Boydton. In June 2024, 150 waterfront properties were listed on Kerr Lake. Several vacant lots allow you to custom-build a lakefront home. Existing homes ranged from $250,000 for a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home to a four-bedroom, five-bathroom new construction home listed at $1.75 million. Alternatively, you can try nearby Lake Gaston, a sister lake also on the North Carolina border.

Lake Anna

This 13,000-acre reservoir in northeastern Virginia is about 17 miles long and situated within Louisa, Spotsylvania, and Orange counties. After the North Anna Dam finished construction in 1972, the resulting reservoir quickly became a popular Virginia lake for recreation and leisure. Its central location between I-64 and I-95 makes its water activities about an hour from Richmond and two hours from the DC metro.

Like the other lakes listed here, Lake Anna is also a popular destination for swimming, water sports, and fishing. A unique feature is the Goodwin Gold Mine, which was formed in the 1800s after gold was discovered nearby. The tour guides are happy to highlight the remnants of mine shafts and industrial equipment. The kids will have fun panning for gold at the visitors’ center.

Within Lake Anna State Park, there are 15 miles of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails. In addition, campsites, cabins, and yurts are available to rent.

Adults may want to visit one of the local breweries or wineries. Check out Wilderness Run Vineyards, Mattaponi Winery, 1781 Brewing Co, or Coyote Hole Ciderworks.

Are you interested in purchasing a home in the Lake Anna area? Homes are available in Mineral, Spotsylvania, Louisa, Beaverdam, Bumpass, and Orange. There were 255 properties for sale in the area, including vacant lots starting at $45,000. Lakefront homes ranged from a three-bedroom, two-bath cottage with a list price of $285,000 to a large eight-bedroom, eight-bath home listed at $2.68 million.

Lake Chesdin

Lake Chesdin is a small, rural reservoir in southeastern Virginia within Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, and Amelia Counties. It is one of the smaller lakes on this list, with a surface area of only 3,100 acres. The sparsely populated area around the lake contains an affluent community. Being 45 minutes from Richmond, it’s an easy getaway and weekend vacation spot for locals.

Prized for its waterfront views, the lake has several private developments, two marinas, and the Lake Chesdin Golf Club.

Year-round fishing is the main attraction of Lake Chesdin. Under the waters await a wide variety of species, including largemouth bass, crappie, bluegill, walleye, channel catfish, gizzard shad, and white perch. Water skis and jet skis skim the top of the calm, narrow waters. Owning a waterfront home here is not required to enjoy some fun activities.  Get out on the waters through a public boat ramp and three privately run marinas.

Its isolated nature means properties for sale in and around Lake Chesdin are prized. If you’re interested in living nearby, consider the towns of Chesterfield or Sutherland.

Philpott Lake

The distinction of the smallest among our best lakes in Virginia goes to the pretty Philpott Lake. At just 2,900 acres, there’s still plenty of room for all your favorite water sports. It has six sandy beaches for swimming and ten public boat ramps spread across its 100 miles of shoreline.

The gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains form the scenic backdrop of its serene waters. Much of its shoreline is protected land. Inside these carefully managed woodlands are mountain bike trails, hiking trails, picnic facilities, and campgrounds. Fairy Stone State Park touches parts of the lake. Two peninsulas are designated recreation areas: Horseshoe Point and Goose Point. On the water, a paddling Blueway trail takes you to hidden coves, stunning rock formations, and waterfalls. Deer Island is a boat-access-only camping ground out on its waters.

As a place to live on the waterfront, homes and lots are prized for being quiet escapes. Bassett is the nearest town to Philpott Lake.s

Buying on a Lake in Virginia

As you can see, if you’re interested in finding a lake house in Virginia, there is no shortage of options! Just imagine the fun activities waiting here in Virginia, where you can enjoy beautiful mountains and the lake life. We recommend contacting a local real estate agent to explore all the lakes in Virginia. They can help decide which lakefront home in Virginia is right for you.