Four popular East Tennessee lake communities offer very different lifestyles. Here’s how they compare.
If you are looking for a home in an East Tennessee lake community, there is a good chance these four names will come up:
- Tellico Village
- Rarity Bay
- Tennessee National
- Grande Vista Bay.
All four offer access to beautiful East Tennessee lakes, but they are not interchangeable.
Some are built around golf. Some feel more private and quiet. Some have large social calendars and extensive amenities. Others focus more heavily on the lake itself, with peace and quiet.
The best community is not necessarily the one with the longest amenity list.
It is the one that fits the way you actually want to live.
Tellico Village: Established, Active and Full of Amenities
Tellico Village is the largest and most established of the four communities.
Located along Tellico Lake, it has been developing since the late 1980s and today offers a very broad range of amenities and neighborhoods. Tellico Village has three championship golf courses, recreation facilities, a wellness center, walking and hiking trails, boating facilities, and the Yacht and Country Club.
The community is especially well suited for buyers who want an active lifestyle and plenty of opportunities to meet people.
There are different neighborhoods within Tellico Village, so the experience can vary depending on where you live. Some areas are close to golf, some are closer to the water, and others offer more privacy or mountain views.
One important distinction: Tellico Village is not a gated community.
Tellico Village may be a good fit if you want:
- A large and established community
- Lots of clubs, activities and social opportunities
- Multiple golf courses
- Several boating and marina options
- Fitness and recreation facilities
- A wider variety of homes and price points
- Easy access to restaurants and services within or near the community
Tellico Village describes itself as an active adult community, but it is not age restricted. It offers a very wide range of ages!
Overall feel:
Active, established and social.
If you want plenty to do and plenty of people to do it with, Tellico Village is difficult to beat.
Rarity Bay: Gated, Scenic and More Intimate
Rarity Bay sits on a peninsula surrounded by Tellico Lake near Vonore.
Compared with Tellico Village, it has a much more private and intimate feel.
The community includes an 18-hole championship golf course, Country Club (containing The Bay Bistro and The Bay and Barrel Pub), swimming pool, tennis and pickle ball courts, fitness facilities, walking and riding trails, dog park, community garden and an equestrian center (right outside it’s gates). Rarity Bay also has more than 10 miles of shoreline along Tellico Lake.
The mix of lakefront, golf, mountain views AND equestrian facilities are one of the things that truly set Rarity Bay apart from other lake communities in East Tennessee.
Rarity Bay is also gated, which appeals to buyers looking for a more private, controlled-entry environment. It is a 24/7 fully manned gate, please stop by the Lakefront Living Real Estate office (first building on your right after passing the enterance sign) to get a tour and additional information.
Rarity Bay may be a good fit if you want:
- A gated community
- Tellico Lake access
- Golf without living in an enormous community
- An active social environment
- An equestrian option
- Mountain and lake views
- Waterfront, golf-front and interior home options
- A community that feels a little more private
Overall feel:
Upscale, scenic and close-knit.
Rarity Bay is often a good middle ground for someone who wants amenities and an active community but does not necessarily want the larger scale of Tellico Village.
Tennessee National: Golf, Marina Life and a Growing Resort-Style Community
Tennessee National is located in Loudon on Watts Bar Lake, rather than Tellico Lake.
That difference alone can matter to buyers.
The community is built around a Greg Norman Signature 18-hole golf course and a large private marina with more than 140 slips, and additional being built. Tennessee National currently does not have any private docks. It also offers dining, fitness facilities, walking and biking trails, pickleball, community events and other amenities.
One of the biggest differences between Tennessee National and the other communities is that it is still young and actively growing.
New amenities have continued to be added, including trails, pickleball courts and development around the Marina District. Additional waterfront dining and gathering spaces have also been part of the community’s future expansion, as well as additional phases being added (some of which their infastructure is still in the works).
That gives Tennessee National a newer, resort-style feel.
Tennessee National may be a good fit if you want:
- A gated community
- A strong golf lifestyle
- A full-service marina
- Watts Bar Lake access
- Newer homes and new construction opportunities
- An active social calendar
- A growing community with new amenities being added
- A resort-style atmosphere
Overall feel:
Newer, polished and golf-centered.
For buyers who place golf and marina access near the top of their wish list, Tennessee National deserves serious consideration.
Grande Vista Bay: Quiet Lake Living on Watts Bar
Grande Vista Bay is also located on Watts Bar Lake, near Rockwood.
But its personality is quite different from Tennessee National.
Instead of centering the community around a golf course, Grande Vista Bay is much more focused on the lake, views and quieter residential living.
The gated community encompasses roughly 1,200 wooded acres and seven miles of Watts Bar Lake shoreline. Amenities include a clubhouse, swimming pool, community boat docks and three large community boat docks. Roads are paved, and the community has underground utilities including water, sewer, natural gas, electricity, internet and cable.
That makes it particularly appealing to buyers who want to live inside a planned lake community but do not necessarily want their lifestyle centered around golf or a country club.
Grande Vista Bay may be a good fit if you want:
- A gated community
- Watts Bar Lake
- Large wooded homesites
- Lake and mountain views
- Community boat dock and boat ramp access
- A clubhouse and pool
- A quieter atmosphere
- Less emphasis on golf and organized activities
Overall feel:
Peaceful, spacious and lake-focused.
For someone whose priority is simply enjoying the water, scenery and privacy, Grande Vista Bay can be especially appealing.
How Do They Compare?
| Tellico Village | Rarity Bay | Tennessee National | Grande Vista Bay | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake | Tellico Lake | Tellico Lake | Watts Bar Lake | Watts Bar Lake |
| Gated | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Golf | 3 courses | 1 course | Greg Norman course | No community golf course |
| Marina/Boating | Yes | Yes | 140+ slip full service marina | 3 large community docks |
| Pool/Fitness | Extensive | Yes | Yes | Pool/clubhouse |
| Social Activity | Very high | Very High | Very High | More relaxed |
| Equestrian | No | Yes | No | No |
| Community Style | Large & established | Private & upscale | Resort-style & growing | Quiet & lake-focused |
Of course, even within each community there can be significant differences from one property to another.
What If Golf Is Important?
If golf is high on your list, three of these communities stand out.
Tellico Village gives you the most variety with three golf courses.
Rarity Bay offers a single championship course within a private gated setting.
Tennessee National centers much of its identity around its Greg Norman Signature course.
Grande Vista Bay is the outlier because golf is not the centerpiece of the community.
For buyers who love lake living but couldn’t care less about golf, that can actually be a major advantage.
What If Boating Is the Priority?
All four communities provide access to the water, but the experience is different.
Tellico Village and Rarity Bay are both on Tellico Lake, while Tennessee National and Grande Vista Bay are on Watts Bar Lake.
Grande Vista Bay emphasizes lake access through its three large community docks and privately owned docks.
Tennessee National has a particularly strong marina component, with more than 140+ slips but has no private docks currently permitted.
And in Tellico Village or Rarity Bay, buyers can find everything from interior homes with community dock access to true waterfront properties with private docks.
That is why I always recommend deciding how you plan to use the lake before deciding which community you prefer.
What If You Want a Big Social Scene?
This is where Tellico Village really stands out.
Its size creates a huge number of clubs, activities, golf groups and recreational opportunities.
Tennessee National has also placed a strong emphasis on organized events and clubs.
Rarity Bay provides an active social environment from bird watching to euchre groups to jet ski clubs and more.
Grande Vista Bay tends to appeal more to buyers who enjoy community amenities but prefer a quieter pace.
What If Privacy Matters Most?
If having a gated entrance is important, that immediately separates the group.
Rarity Bay, Tennessee National and Grande Vista Bay are gated.
Tellico Village is not.
That does not necessarily make one better than another, but it can make a big difference in how the community feels.
Rarity Bay offers a smaller, more intimate gated environment. One main gate, higher security and no through-traffic.
Grande Vista Bay offers a peaceful residential setting with larger wooded areas and larger lot sizes overall.
Tennessee National combines gated living with a more active resort-style atmosphere.
The Biggest Mistake Buyers Make
One of the easiest mistakes when researching these communities online is comparing them based solely on amenity lists.
A community can look perfect on paper and feel completely different when you actually drive through it.
Someone who loves Tellico Village’s activity and energy may find Grande Vista Bay too quiet.
Someone who falls in love with Grande Vista Bay’s privacy may find Tellico Village much busier than they want.
A serious golfer might immediately gravitate toward Tennessee National.
And someone who wants Tellico Lake, gated living, golf and a private community may feel right at home in Rarity Bay.
There really isn’t a winner.
There is simply a better fit for your lifestyle.
So Which East Tennessee Lake Community Is Right for You?
Here is probably the simplest way to think about it:
Choose Tellico Village if:
You want the largest selection of amenities, golf, clubs and social activities.
Choose Rarity Bay if:
You want gated Tellico Lake living with golf, beautiful views and a tightknit community atmosphere.
Choose Tennessee National if:
You want a newer resort-style community built around golf, a marina and an active social lifestyle.
Choose Grande Vista Bay if:
You want gated Watts Bar Lake living with beautiful scenery, larger homesites and a quieter, lake-focused atmosphere.
And for many buyers, the answer does not become obvious until they have actually toured all four.
Sometimes you know within five minutes of driving through the gate — or in Tellico Village’s case, into the neighborhood — which one feels like home.
Ready to Compare Them in Person?
If you are considering Tellico Village, Rarity Bay, Tennessee National or Grande Vista Bay, seeing them on the same trip is one of the best ways to understand how different they really are.
Lakefront Living Realty can help you compare available homes, lakefront properties, homesites, community amenities and the little differences that are hard to see from online listings alone.
The goal isn’t to find the “best” lake community in East Tennessee. It’s to find the one that fits you.
Posted by: Kaylee Keyes – Lakefront Living Realty