When Adam and I decided that our life in Chicago was no longer working for our family, we went into research mode.
We knew that we needed a town with a much cheaper cost of living if I was no longer going to work at Google. We also knew that we needed somewhere south, because trying to manage two crazy, chaotic, always-on-the-move boys inside for nine months out of the year was not only impossible, but also miserable. And finally, we knew that we wanted to stay on the east coast where almost all of our family members lived.
Those facts lead us on a road trip through North Carolina and Tennessee. We planned a weekend, flew into Raleigh, and went driving through all the different towns that we had already researched as potential new home bases. The result? A move to Mooresville, NC, to be close to Lake Norman (LKN)!
There were many factors that led us to Mooresville, including but not limited to its proximity to Charlotte, its small-town feel, the good school ratings, and many more things that may be covered in a future post. But one of the main reasons was the lake. We absolutely loved the lake.
Lake Norman is North Carolina’s largest man-made freshwater lake. It is over 32,500 acres, and has hundreds of islands with natural trees and wildlife that can be visited and explored by boat. One lunch at the Blue Parrot Grill in Mooresville, right on the water, and I was sold. As I looked out over the calming stretch of water, surrounded by all different variations of greens and yellows in the copious volume of trees, I knew this was my happy place.
Adventures on LKN have become a staple for the Hopkins household. Whether on our own boat, or eventually via a boating membership with Aquaventure Boat Club, where we spend the day swimming, tubing, fishing and exploring the different islands. Or a visit to Jetton or Ramsey Park in Cornelius where we follow walking and biking paths along the lake’s edge. And finally trips to Lake Norman State Park to go to the beach that allows swimming in the lake and sand toys for the boys.
Lake Norman is one of the reasons that Mooresville has been the perfect move for our family. It has brought many happy memories for our entire Hopkins household, and is somewhere we try to visit when we need an escape from the chaos of our weekly grind. Whether you have a lake nearby or not, finding your own happy place will help ensure you are recharged for the next round of chaos coming your way. I encourage you to find it!
