Before leaving our daughter at college in August, we had a great family vacation on Smith Lake in Alabama. It was truly a blessing to have time together as a family before being apart. We found a great house on the water to enjoy our stay in. The lake lies somewhat between Huntsville and Birmingham and actually crosses three counties. It is known as one of the cleanest man made lakes in the country. A few years back I actually saw it on “Lakefront Bargain Hunt” and had been interested in visiting there ever since. We were right in our element, deep in the woods and on the water.
This mama got some much needed exercise over the next few days, hauling little ones up and down all the stairs! By the time our trip was over, we accurately nicknamed this 3 story house “The House of Stairs”.
We, of course, spent the majority of our time outside. Being that it was August in the South, I was concerned the heat would dampen our stay. However, we ended up blessed with clouds and short showers most of the time that made the heat bearable. The weather ended up being perfect for enjoying the outdoors!
Smith Lake has over 600 miles of shoreline and covers over 21,000 acres, so there are no shortages of places to fish. It is also the deepest lake in the state with a maximum depth of around 264 feet! We stayed in a fairly private area that provided a few nice coves for fishing. Some large catfish were caught and one day we saw a large school of gar go by from our deck. People can easily mistake these beasts for alligators.
This was our new baby girl’s first trip to Alabama. I think she enjoyed it. Here we are taking a little hike in the woods down the long driveway. It was so long we actually turned around before getting there, but had a nice walk none the less.
Our littlest man down below didn’t want to turn around, however, and was making sure I knew it. I took my husband’s advice and kept walking away, and eventually it worked and he decided he would come along.
Well, this place was just what we needed. It was quiet and very secluded. The one time my husband and I ventured out to get something from a store, we thought we’d never get back. We didn’t exactly know where we were going, but it’s my experience that most good stories begin that way. Besides, our toddler really needed a nap and sometimes a car ride is the only way to get him there.
We all love kayaking and so it was a great blessing to find a place that already had plenty of water toys. Of course we can be a competitive bunch, so there were a few races.
My big baby girl and I got some time on the water before the trip was over. We had a good time talking and rowing along. It started to storm a little around us, but never really hit us, though it made for some extra excitement. It was a sweet time spent, though I think we both appreciated the time more knowing that we would be moving her into her dorm the next day. We hurried back in the thunder and pitter patter of rain beginning to fall and of course it ended in a race. I’ll admit, she won this time and this mamas gotta get in better shape!
So we ended up having a great family vacation on Smith Lake. Being in nature with our family and enjoying God’s creation together is one of my favorite things in life. I thank God for special places and times like this. If you’re looking for a fun and relaxing getaway and find yourself in the area, I would recommend Smith Lake.
Learn more about Smith Lake HERE.
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