Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Smith Mountain Lake offers visitors a multitude of outdoor adventures. With more than 500 miles of shoreline, the Lake is great for power boating, water sports, sailing, swimming at the beach, and fishing. The best catch in the lake is striper, but there are also plenty of channel catfish, walleye, musky, white bass, rock bass, and redbreast sunfish. Smith Mountain Lake State Park has an annual deer hunt, hiking trails, picnic areas, and a shelter that can be reserved for groups of up to 50.

The park hosts 2 triathlons, one in September and one in May; as well as a junior fishing clinic in late June. Nearby attractions include golf courses, miniature golf courses, wineries, and the Blue Ridge Parkway, "America's Most Scenic Drive".

Though Smith Mountain Lake is a permanent home to only 18,000 residents, the area is nearby Roanoke and Lynchburg, Virginia, which both boast over 70,000 people. These cities provide all of the metropolitan amenities you could ever need, from an exciting nightlife to upscale shopping and dining.

Smith Mountain Lake is a moderately deep lake, with a maximum depth of 250 feet near the dam (though depths of 150 feet are more common). The purity of the water in this area of the Blue Ridge Mountain is outstanding, and the temperature of the water is great for swimming May through September.