What Do You Do All Week at Tennessee National?

Photos of a community never answer the question that decides a move: what do you do all week? The worry behind most relocations is not the house. It is the empty Tuesday afternoon.

We are not going to invent a resident's diary. Nobody's week is typical, and a made-up one would tell you nothing. Here are the real pieces a week is built from, and how to check them yourself.

What is there to do on an ordinary weekday?

More than one thing, and most of it is inside the gates. Tennessee National is a golf cart community on 1,492 gated acres.

For a meal out there is Kendall's restaurant at the clubhouse, or a drive to town. The amenities page lists what is inside the gates. Ask the club which amenities come with owning a home and which need a membership.

How social is it, really?

As social as you want it to be. The structure is there either way.

Tennessee National has 22 social clubs. Wine, books, cycling, tennis and cards are among them. There are 180+ events a year, including trivia, live music, Nashville Nights, wine tastings and holiday parties. With that many, the calendar is rarely empty.

We do not print days and times here because the calendar changes. See events for what is coming up and social life for the clubs. Ask for this month's calendar when you visit.

If you are not a joiner, that is fine too. Nobody takes attendance.

Do you have to golf or boat to fill the week?

No. Nobody has to play golf, and nobody has to own a boat.

Plenty of what fills a week needs neither: the trails, the pool, the courts, the clubs and the events. If you do not own a boat, there are still ways onto the water. Do you need a boat at Tennessee National covers them. How golf membership works is a question for the club.

What does a town day look like?

Short drives. "Away from it all" here is a few minutes from ordinary life.

• Loudon, about 5 minutes. Groceries and quick errands.
• Lenoir City, about 15 minutes. Everyday shopping.
• Farragut and Turkey Creek, about 20 minutes. Big stores and more restaurants.
• Knoxville, about 30 minutes. Hospitals, the university, dinner out and live music.

McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS) is about 35 minutes away when family flies in. For a bigger day out, the Great Smoky Mountains are about an hour and Chattanooga is about an hour and a quarter.

How does the week change by season?

The pieces stay the same and the mix shifts. East Tennessee has four seasons and mild winters.

• Spring. Golf and the trails come back to full green.
• Summer. The lake takes over. Early tee times, pool afternoons, evenings on the water.
• Fall. Cooler air and color in the hills. Easy weather for golf and long walks.
• Winter. Quieter. More of the week moves indoors to clubs, events and the clubhouse.

What the four seasons are like goes deeper.

How do you find out what your own week would look like?

Build it on paper, then test it in person.

1. Get the calendar. Ask for the current month of clubs and events.
2. Circle what you would really go to. Be honest. Three things is plenty.
3. Ask the practical questions. How does golf membership work? How do residents without a boat get on the water? What do guests have access to?
4. Spend two days here, and make one a weekday. The two-day visit plan shows how.
5. Ask a resident. Ask how their week really goes and what surprised them. Their answer beats this page.

The honest part

A community gives you options. It does not give you a personality. If you do not join things where you live now, a calendar will not change that by itself. The good news is that with 22 clubs, a first step is easy to find.

A few more plain truths:

• You will drive for some things. A specialist, a flight, a big shopping trip.
• It is not a city. If you want to walk to a different restaurant every night, a lake community is the wrong fit.
• Some weeks are slow. Winter weeks especially. For many people that is the point.

The real product of a community is not the house. It is the shape of an ordinary week. If the pieces above sound like a week you would want, come and test it. See whether Tuesday afternoon feels empty or full.

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.