The short answer
Tennessee National is about three hours from Atlanta by car, almost all of it on I-75 through Chattanooga. The private, gated lake and golf community sits on Watts Bar Lake in Loudon, Tennessee, about 10 minutes from the interstate and about 30 minutes from Knoxville. That makes it a full-weekend lake home or a full-time move, not an after-work lake.
Key facts
- Atlanta to Tennessee National: about three hours by car, mostly on I-75.
- Chattanooga, the usual stop, is about an hour and a quarter from Tennessee National.
- I-75 is about 10 minutes from the gate.
- McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) is about 35 minutes from the gate.
- Watts Bar Lake has more than 39,000 acres of water and 722 miles of shoreline.
- Atlanta and Tennessee National are both on Eastern time.
Most Atlanta lake searches start with names you may already know, such as Lake Lanier and Lake Allatoona.
There is another option a lot of people in Atlanta do not have on the map. Stay on I-75 past Chattanooga for about another hour and a quarter. That is Watts Bar Lake. Tennessee National, a private, gated lake and golf community, is on it.
How long is the drive from Atlanta to Tennessee National?
About three hours in normal traffic, and it is one interstate almost the whole way. You take I-75 north through Chattanooga and keep going toward Knoxville. Tennessee National is about 10 minutes from I-75 in Loudon, Tennessee.
| Leg | About how long |
|---|---|
| Atlanta to Chattanooga | A little under two hours |
| Chattanooga to Tennessee National | An hour and a quarter |
| Tennessee National to Knoxville | 30 minutes |
| Tennessee National to McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) | 35 minutes |
Two things move that number. From the northern suburbs the trip is shorter. On a Friday afternoon it is longer, because Atlanta traffic is the part nobody can promise.
The route itself is easy. It stays on the interstate, with no mountain pass and no long two-lane stretch at the end. That matters for a place you plan to visit often. A drive you dread is a drive you stop making.
These are estimates. Time it yourself on the day and hour you would really leave.
Can you fly from Atlanta instead?
Yes. The airport for Tennessee National is McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS), about 35 minutes from the gate. Check current nonstop routes on the airport's site.
Door to door, the drive is usually simpler from Atlanta. A flight helps more for guests who are coming from farther away. Our guide to flying to Tennessee National covers the airport.
How does Watts Bar Lake compare with the lakes near Atlanta?
The difference is in how you would use it. Lake Lanier and Lake Allatoona are lakes you may already know. Watts Bar Lake is about three hours from Atlanta, and its nearest city is Knoxville, about 30 minutes from Tennessee National.
| What to compare | Tennessee National on Watts Bar Lake | Ask about any other lake |
|---|---|---|
| Drive from Atlanta | About three hours | Time it from your own driveway |
| How you would use it | Full weekends, long stays or a full-time move | How often would you really go? |
| Who runs the lake | TVA | Who manages the water and the shoreline? |
| Golf | A Greg Norman Signature course inside the gates | Is there a course, and where? |
| Where the boat lives | A full-service marina with 140+ boat slips | Where does the boat live? |
| State income tax | Tennessee has none | Check your own Georgia return |
Watts Bar Lake is a TVA reservoir on the Tennessee River. TVA lists more than 39,000 acres of water, 722 miles of shoreline, and a 72-mile navigable reservoir with locks that connect to the rest of the river system.
Like other TVA lakes, the level moves with the seasons. Summer pool runs about 740 to 741 feet and the winter minimum is 735 feet, a change of about 5 to 6 feet.
Confirm current details for Lake Lanier or Lake Allatoona with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and for any community with that community. For a longer side-by-side, see Tennessee National vs. Lake Lanier.
Does a Tennessee lake home change your Georgia taxes?
That is a question for a CPA, because it turns on where your primary home is. Owning a second home is not the same as changing your residency.
Tennessee has no state income tax. That matters most when Tennessee becomes your primary home. Some people start with weekends and later decide to move. If that could be you, look at the state income tax line on your own Georgia return and ask a CPA what would change and when.
Our guide to establishing Tennessee residency explains the steps in plain words.
What is at Tennessee National once you get there?
1,492 gated acres on Watts Bar Lake. Inside the gates:
- Golf. A Greg Norman Signature course. 18 holes, 7,393 yards, par 72. See golf.
- The lake. A full-service marina with 140+ boat slips. You ride a golf cart from the house to the boat. See marina and lake life.
- People. 22 social clubs and 180+ events a year. Trivia, live music, wine tastings, holiday parties.
- The rest. A clubhouse with Kendall's restaurant, a pool, a fitness center, pickleball, tennis and walking trails.
Tennessee National is a golf cart community. It is not age restricted and is open to buyers of any age.
How do you own at Tennessee National?
There are five ways to own: The Timbers (wooded homesites), lake homesites, waterfront homesites, Land & Home packages, and townhomes. Homes are custom built.
One detail matters if you are keeping a house in Atlanta. There is no deadline to build after you buy a homesite. You can buy the homesite now and build when work, school or a home sale lines up.
Pricing is in the info pack.
The honest trade-offs
- Three hours each way is a commitment. Sunday evening on I-75 south is not the best part of anyone's weekend.
- It is not a Tuesday night lake. If you want to be on the water an hour after work, stay closer to home.
- It is built around golf, the lake and the club calendar. If you want a quiet cabin in the trees and no golf, this is a different kind of place.
- The lake level changes. About 5 to 6 feet between summer and winter. Ask how that looks from any homesite you like.
Here is the test. Make the drive on a real Friday, at the hour you would really leave. Spend Saturday inside the gates. If the drive home on Sunday feels worth it, you have your answer.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Atlanta to Tennessee National?
Tennessee National is about three hours from Atlanta by car. The route is I-75 north through Chattanooga to Loudon, Tennessee, where Tennessee National is about 10 minutes from the interstate. Atlanta traffic can add time.
Is Tennessee National right off I-75?
Close to it. Tennessee National is about 10 minutes from I-75 in Loudon, Tennessee, between Chattanooga and Knoxville. Drivers coming from Atlanta stay on I-75 for almost the entire trip.
Can you fly from Atlanta to Tennessee National?
Yes. The airport for Tennessee National is McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) in the Knoxville area, about 35 minutes from the gate. Routes and times change, so check current nonstop routes on the airport's site.
Is Tennessee National closer to Chattanooga or Knoxville?
Knoxville. Tennessee National is about 30 minutes from Knoxville and about an hour and a quarter from Chattanooga. The community is on Watts Bar Lake in Loudon, Tennessee.
Does a second home at Tennessee National change my Georgia income tax?
That is a question for a CPA. Tennessee has no state income tax, and that matters most when Tennessee becomes your primary home. Owning a second home at Tennessee National is not the same as changing your residency, so ask a CPA about your own Georgia return.
Facts about Tennessee National come from the community. Lake facts come from TVA. Rules, taxes, loans and insurance change, so confirm anything that affects a purchase with the right office or professional before you buy.