South Holston Lake, situated in the beautiful mountains of Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia near Bristol, TN/VA, is far and away one of the most spectacular lakes in the country. Clean, placid waters surrounded by breathtaking mountain vistas and lazy, private coves, provide an abundance of natural beauty for recreational boating enthusiasts.
It takes a special marina to live up to the beauty of such surroundings, and as visitors crest the hill that overlooks Laurel Marina & Yacht Club, it is clear that the marina nestled up against the mountains is the only place to be.
Laurel Marina & Yacht Club was the first marina on South Holston, which is the first lake in the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) chain. The marina has been in continuous operation since 1950. After purchasing the marina in 1976 from his uncle, current owner and general manager, Dale Thomas, returned home in 1994 to assume operations of Laurel Marina.
The sprawling full-service dealership, service facility and marina that comprises Laurel Marina & Yacht Club today, bares little semblance to the marina that began more than five decades ago. The transformation began in 1989, when Laurel Marina was the first to introduce covered slips to South Holston and the growth has continued. Recently, the first phase of a 390-slip expansion project was complete bring the total mooring capacity to more than 600, including slips for large houseboats over 100 feet long.
