For generations, families in the Atlanta metropolitan area have headed north to the Blue Ridge Mountains and the shores of Lake Lanier in Hall County, Georgia. As word got out about this idyllic retreat in the mountains, more and more people have discovered this 38,000-acre lake. With a luxury RV resort planned to open in April, even more are likely to find their way to Lake Lanier.
“Our proximity to Atlanta’s thriving metropolis has led to Lake Lanier being the “Hamptons” of the south where people living and working in the city escape to their lake homes and houseboats on the weekends and holidays,” said Stacey Dickson with the Lake Lanier Convention and Visitors Bureau. “Lake Lanier is the most visited Corps of Engineers lake in the country.”
Last year, 8 million people visited the lake, Dickson said.
When the Margaritaville RV Resort opens this April, it is likely to attract even more visitors. A project of Safe Harbor Development, the resort will open this spring with 45 sites set up to accommodate luxury motorhomes. According to Darby Campbell, president of Safe Harbor Development, future are for an additional 80-100 sites to be completed late 2019.
The sites are set up with 22-feet wide concrete pads up to 50 feet long. Full hookups are provided, with 30 and 50 amp plug-ins, fiber optic wifi and cable television.
“As a luxury RV resort, guests will have access to modern conveniences while still enjoying the natural beauty of Lake Lanier,” Campbell said. “Margaritaville RV Resort at Lanier Islands will be part of a much larger property complete with marina, large beach area, on-site dining options, water-park, golf course and much more.”
Margaritaville has a thriving portfolio of hotels and resorts, with 17 lodging locations and another 20 in the pipeline, according to Campbell. Recent projects involving Safe Harbor Development include the Margaritaville Island Hotel, a 130-room upscale hotel located in the heart of Pigeon Forge on the Island and The Island in Pigeon Forge, 280,000-square foot retail, restaurant and entertainment complex.
“We are also developing Margaritaville’s first urban escape, a 217-room hotel in Downtown Nashville, which will open later this year,” he said.
Aerial view of Margaritaville location at Lanier Lake and gorgeous beach [Photo/Lake Lanier Convention and Visitors Bureau]
Dickson said the area draws a large number of people touring in their recreational vehicles. Summer is the busiest time, but the lake is open year-round.
“As the gateway to the Smoky Mountains via the Blue Ridge, Lake Lanier provides a wonderful place to stop and do some hub and spike tourism by visiting Atlanta and the scenic Northeast Georgia Mountains,” she said.
Campbell is counting on the scenic appeal of Lake Lanier and the enhancement his company has planned to draw even more people to this spot in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
“The area is beautiful and has so much to offer travelers – especially now, with all of the enhancements we’ve made, and will continue to make,” Campbell said. “We’re less than 50 miles from downtown Atlanta, so this really is the ideal location for either a quick escape from the city or an extended vacation.”
The Margaritaville RV Resort is hoping to capitalize on the year-round appeal of Lake Lanier. Two other campgrounds on Lake Lanier are managed by Safe Harbor and the RV resort will be the third option for travelers.
“We do also currently manage Blue Ridge and Shoal Creek campgrounds which were existing during our take-over of the property, but not developed by Safe Harbor,” Campbell explained. “All of these facilities offer something different, and with our newest development, we are further diversifying our offerings by creating an RV Resort geared towards the high-end luxury market. These three properties will all offer distinct differences in appeal, from tent-camping sites to accommodations suited for the largest luxury RV available.”
In January 2018, LLI Managembt Company LLC, who owned Lanier Islands since 2005, announced a partnership with Campbell’s company to assume management of LanierWorld- the marina and campgrounds.
“Over the last eleven years, the Williams family has been committed to elevating quality, product and service standards at Lanier Islands, in order to create a venue that Georgians can be proud of,” said Virgil Williams, Chairman of the Board for LLI Management Company, LLC in the press release announcing the partnership. “We have been searching for a long time to find a creative financial and operations partner who shared our vision of what Lanier Islands could and should be. Darby Campbell and his team at Safe Harbor not only share that vision but also our passion for providing an unsurpassed guest experience,” he said.
Safe Harbor owns and operates marinas across the eastern US, Campbell said.
“As a natural extension of that, we’ve ventured into RV Resorts on these lake-front properties which have received an overwhelmingly positive response,” he said.” The most recent is Safe Harbor RV Resort at Elm Hill in Nashville, completed in 2016.”
Dickson sees the Margaritaville brand as a positive for Lake Lanier as well as the surrounding area.
“The global brand of Margaritaville is a great match for the fun and sun found at Lake Lanier,” Dickson said. “Many of our visitors already enjoy living a Margaritaville lifestyle and frequent their locations when traveling - now they can find the brand they know and love closer to home.”
The area offers many outdoor recreational opportunities.
“There are about 50 lakeside parks including Don Carter State Park and Lake Lanier Olympic Park - both of these gems are unique to the area and offer abundant recreational options,” Dickson said. “Don Carter State Park has gorgeous camping facilities and a new series of equestrian trails.”
Margaritaville at Lanier islands is a family-friendly destination that offers activities and amenities for guests of all ages. Most of the guests who have visited come from Georgia and the surrounding states, Campbell said, but he is hoping to widen the destination’s horizons.
“We’re looking to attract travelers from across the Southeast and beyond,” he said. “It’s our hope and expectation that with our new Margaritaville RV Resort, we’ll do just that.”
Guests who stay at the Margaritaville RV Resort will also have access to Margaritaville at Lanier Islands. According to Campbell, this includes Paradise Beach, Georgia’s only inland beach, a Water Park and LandShark Landing.
The Landing includes the LandShark Bar & Grill, as well as a full entertainment complex with other new restaurants, tiki bars, special events and live music, Campbell points out. “We also opened our winter attraction this past November, License to Chill Snow Island, which features the fastest snow tubing hill in North America.”
Lake Lanier was formed when the Buford Dam was completed on the Chattahoochee River in 1956. Its purpose was for flood control and water supply. The lake has 692 miles of shoreline.