The first thing to understand about Reynolds Lake Oconee, the Southeast’s premier lakefront development, is the sheer scale of it. Nearly the size of Manhattan, it sprawls across 12,000 acres, encompassing 25 percent of the Lake Oconee shoreline. Within this expansive community, residents enjoy unparalleled access to a myriad of water sports. But that’s just the beginning. Tucked within this outdoor sanctuary are seven world-class golf courses—one for each day of the week. These luxurious amenities, complemented by five marinas and six golf clubhouses, serve as irresistible attractions for prospective residents. However, it’s the community spirit that sets Reynolds Lake Oconee apart, fostering multigenerational ties among its residents.
David Short, Reynolds Lake Oconee senior vice president, has seen this magnetism at work for years. “We have property owners here from forty-eight states and certainly our golf and amenities on the lake are a draw, but we’ve evolved so much in the past ten years that with so many activities and 4,000 members, any anxiety about Will I meet anybody? Will they like me? evaporates almost immediately once people get here.”
Suffice to say, you don’t have to be a golfer or pontoon boat owner to fit in. “We’ve got one group called the Suzanne club. They’re just ladies who all have some variation on that name—Suzy, Susan, Susannah. Their primary charter is just to get together once a month and have great wine,” Short says.
For lifelong learners on the property, Reynolds Lake Oconee offers the Linger Longer Living series, weekly cultural lifestyle experiences such as a talk about Duke Ellington, a conversation about Georgia’s native grasslands, or a culinary do-it-yourself class with a great guest chef.
With more young families settling in, lake entertainment programming has evolved as well, and that’s been a boon for music lovers. Around the community, you can find live music almost every night of the week throughout the year. More than one hundred artists make up the regular rotation. Among the standout events is Sandy Creek Sessions, a beloved weekend affair featuring acoustic performances by a roster of Nashville’s finest singers, songwriters, and storytellers. Equally anticipated are Rhythm & Brews, an annual festival that has graced Lake Oconee with stellar acts like Gin Blossoms, Drivin N Cryin, and Collective Soul, and outdoor concerts at the Sandy Creek Barn with Little Big Town and Tyler Hubbard.
Naturally, dining is a big attraction, especially with the property’s five-star fleet of eleven restaurants. The sleek ESSĒ restaurant, just reopened and featuring a stunning octagonal bar, keeps residents well fed with its menu of elevated American favorites like Wagyu beef burgers, seasonal oysters, and crispy sweet heat wings.
But perhaps Reynolds Lake Oconee’s best-kept secret is that it’s a magical place to be a kid. With more than 1,400 youths, not to mention the grandchildren, nieces, and nephews of residents within the community, Reynolds Lake Oconee offers an idyllic childhood that’s hard to find these days. Kids trade Nintendo Switches for stand-up paddleboards and TikTok for tennis matches.
“I saw a young family recently at the National Tavern. They bought a house three years ago and come out to the lake on weekends from Atlanta. I asked the father, who was there with his two sons, ages twelve and fourteen, how life had changed since buying their cottage,” Short says. “He said, ‘Four years ago on a Saturday, my boys would be on the other end of an Xbox controller all day. And now we’re out here every weekend and they’re in the golf camp. They’re meeting some cool people. They learned how to wakeboard. They love the lake. And tonight, when we walked in the restaurant, I didn’t say a word to them and they both took their hats off.”
“Like most members,” Short says, “I doubt that if I asked him about the value of his cottage, he’d answer with what he paid for it.”
While etiquette lessons aren’t part of the club membership, at Reynolds Lake Oconee the benefits of lake living go far beyond what meets the eye.
Find your home on Reynolds Lake Oconee at reynoldslakeoconee.com
