The short answer
Mostly the winter changes when you move to Tennessee from Indiana. Tennessee National is a private, gated lake and golf community on Watts Bar Lake in Loudon, Tennessee, about 30 minutes from Knoxville and most of a day by car from Indianapolis. East Tennessee has four seasons and mild winters, so the golf and lake seasons run longer. You stay a one-day drive from home. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Key facts
- Tennessee National is on Watts Bar Lake in Loudon, Tennessee, about 30 minutes from Knoxville.
- Indianapolis is most of a day away by car, on a route that ends on I-75.
- Most of Indiana shares Eastern time with Tennessee National.
- East Tennessee has four seasons and mild winters.
- Watts Bar Lake is a 72-mile navigable TVA reservoir with 722 miles of shoreline.
- Tennessee has no state income tax.
If you are leaving Indiana, it is probably not because of the summers. It is the long stretch between the last leaf and the first tee time.
East Tennessee shortens that stretch without putting you two days from home. Tennessee National is a private, gated lake and golf community on Watts Bar Lake in Loudon, Tennessee, about 30 minutes from Knoxville. Here is what changes when you come from Indiana, and what does not.
What changes when you move from Indiana to Tennessee?
Mostly the winter. The clock and the lake habit change less than you might think.
| What | Does it change? | The short version |
|---|---|---|
| Winter | Yes | Shorter and milder. You keep four seasons. |
| Golf and lake season | Yes | Longer. Ask the club and the marina about the cold months. |
| The clock | Not for most of Indiana | Tennessee National is on Eastern time. |
| The trip home | It becomes a day's drive | Most of a day from Indianapolis. |
| State income tax | Only if Tennessee becomes your primary home | Tennessee has none. Check your own return. |
| Summer | Yes | Longer, hotter and more humid. |
How far is Tennessee National from Indiana?
Most of a day by car from Indianapolis, and a one-day drive from anywhere in the state.
There are two common routes from Indianapolis. One takes I-65 to Louisville, I-64 to Lexington, then I-75 south. The other takes I-74 to Cincinnati and I-75 south from there. Either way you finish on I-75, and Tennessee National is about 10 minutes from the interstate.
From Fort Wayne or South Bend the drive is longer. From the Indiana side of Louisville it is shorter. Map your own route before you plan around it.
From Indiana, driving is usually the simple choice. If you would rather fly, McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) is about 35 minutes from the gate. Check current routes from your airport.
One thing does not change at all. Most of Indiana is on Eastern time, and so is Tennessee National. Only the northwest and southwest corners of Indiana run an hour behind.
What happens to winter?
It gets shorter and milder. East Tennessee has four seasons and mild winters.
You keep the parts of the year worth keeping. Leaves still turn in the fall. Spring still shows up. What you lose is the long freeze in the middle.
Be clear about the word mild. It does not mean warm. There are cold snaps, gray days and now and then a little snow. But the stretch with no golf and no boat gets a lot shorter. Ask the club and the marina how the cold months work. For more, see four seasons at Tennessee National.
How is Watts Bar Lake different from Indiana lakes?
It is a river you can travel. Indiana knows lake life, and Monroe and Wawasee are lakes you may already know. Watts Bar Lake is a TVA reservoir on the Tennessee River.
TVA lists more than 39,000 acres of water and 722 miles of shoreline. The navigable reservoir runs 72 miles, with locks that connect to the rest of the Tennessee River system. You can spend a full day moving through new water.
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.
Tennessee National has a full-service marina with 140+ boat slips inside the gates. The boat can stay in a slip, and you ride a golf cart to it. Ask the marina about open slips. See marina and lake life.
Why stop in Tennessee instead of driving on to Florida?
Two reasons come up: the drive home and the seasons. From Tennessee National, Indiana is one day in the car, so a long weekend back home is realistic. And you keep four seasons.
That cuts both ways. If you want no winter at all, East Tennessee is not that, and Florida may suit you better. Our lake vs. beach comparison lays out both sides.
What changes on taxes when you move from Indiana?
The income tax lines on your return are the place to look. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Pull out your last Indiana return and find the income tax lines. If Tennessee becomes your primary home, those are the lines to ask a CPA about. Owning a second home here is not the same as changing your residency.
After that, set your own bills side by side. Property tax, insurance and sales tax all work differently from state to state. Get real quotes for a Tennessee address.
What is there to do at Tennessee National?
Golf, the lake and a full calendar, on 1,492 gated acres in a golf cart community.
- A Greg Norman Signature golf course. 18 holes, 7,393 yards, par 72. See golf.
- Pontoon cruises, kayaks and sunset runs on the days you are not playing.
- 22 social clubs and 180+ events a year, from trivia and live music to wine tastings.
- A clubhouse with Kendall's restaurant, a pool, a fitness center, pickleball, tennis and walking trails.
Knoxville, about 30 minutes away, covers hospitals, restaurants and the University of Tennessee. Tennessee National is not age restricted.
Can you buy now and move from Indiana later?
Yes. One plan that works well from Indiana has two steps. Buy the homesite while you still live and work up north. Build when the move is real. That works because there is no deadline to build after you buy a homesite. Our guide to buying now and building later covers it.
There are five ways to own: The Timbers (wooded homesites), lake homesites, waterfront homesites, Land & Home packages, and townhomes. Homes are custom built. Pricing is in the info pack.
The honest trade-offs
- Summer runs longer and stickier. If you leave Indiana to escape heat, this is the wrong direction.
- Do not count on a white Christmas. Some people miss snow more than they expect.
- A day's drive is still a day's drive. You will miss some birthdays and ball games.
- Knoxville is a football town. Your basketball loyalties will get tested every fall.
- Mild winter is not no winter. You will still own a coat.
Come twice if you can. Once in summer for the lake, and once in January to see what mild really looks like.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Tennessee National from Indianapolis?
Tennessee National is most of a day from Indianapolis by car. Most routes pick up I-75 in Kentucky or at Cincinnati and follow it south to Loudon, Tennessee. Tennessee National is about 10 minutes from I-75.
Is Tennessee National in the same time zone as Indiana?
Mostly, yes. Tennessee National, in Loudon, Tennessee, is on Eastern time, and so is most of Indiana. The northwest and southwest corners of Indiana are on Central time, one hour behind Tennessee National.
Are winters at Tennessee National milder than in Indiana?
Yes. Tennessee National on Watts Bar Lake has four seasons and mild winters. Mild still means cold snaps and gray days, so ask the club and the marina how the cold months work before you plan a full year.
What happens to state income tax when you move from Indiana to Tennessee?
Tennessee has no state income tax. What changes for you depends on the income tax lines on your own Indiana return and on when Tennessee becomes your primary home. Ask a CPA about the year of the move before you budget around Tennessee National.
Can you buy at Tennessee National and keep living in Indiana for now?
Yes. There is no deadline to build after you buy a homesite at Tennessee National. You can buy while you still live in Indiana and build when the move is real.
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.