We decided to spend a long weekend at Lake Gaston. Gaston is a huge reservoir with over three hundred miles of shoreline. It saddles the Virginia/North Carolina border. Fisherman flock here for catfish, bass, and walleye. Families enjoy cruising around in pontoon boats. Often, you’ll see inflatable tubes trailing behind them. Wakeboarders, jet skis, and bass boats navigate the main lake. But, in the quieter coves, you’ll find paddle boards, kayaks, sunbathers enjoying the decks of boathouses. The towns around the Lake aren’t much to write home about. People generally spend their days on the water and their evenings on their porches. Giant homes line the shore, each with their own covered boat dock.
Lake life is low-key and slower paced. We arrived late Friday night and woke up to a sunny crowded Saturday for Memorial Day weekend. We were sharing the lake house with my parents for the holiday. The morning was spent playing Uno and fishing for whatever would bite. We ordered great pizza from Lake Gaston Pizza, they make homemade crust, are generous with the cheese, and very friendly.
The rest of the day, my kids enjoyed finding toads and lizards around the house, swimming around the dock, and making S’mores in the fire pit. Then, we snuggled and watched movies and read magazines until everyone was nodding off.
My little boy loves it on the lake, he’s up bright and early getting slathered in sunblock. With a baggie of pancakes in one hand and a fishing pole in the other, he heads out with his daddy in the morning to try out every lure in his tackle box. At night, as the sun is setting, he’s bobbing around the dock in his red life jacket, happy as a lark.
Sunday, we cruised around the lake, stopped for bait and candy bars at Holly Grove Marina, and fished for a while before heading back to the house for steaks on the grill and canasta. Holly Grove also has a deli and they rent out pontoon boats by the day or week.
You can rent a home on the water or there are campgrounds. Rental houses vary but often include kayaks, paddle boards, or various types of boats. This campground has a pool, playground, and mini golf. This campground does too. But, it also offers cabins.
Lake Gaston is a great place to unplug and just relax. Bring along monopoly, a swimsuit, or a good book. Prop your feet up and enjoy the sunsets on the water. Enjoy “Lake Life” at Gaston.
