Family reunions and group trips on Norris Lake

Can 27 people stay together on Norris Lake?

Yes. Lakefront Paradise sleeps 12 and Blue Haven sleeps 15, and both sit on Paradise Point, a private 13-acre point at 164 Paradise Pt., New Tazewell, Tennessee, across the cove from Norris Landing Marina. Every guest, infants included, counts toward those numbers.

The two homes share the point, the private road and the boat launch. Zen Island Way runs down to the launch and the docks. The cove sees very little boat traffic, so it's a calm place to swim and paddle, and a family of bald eagles lives across the cove.

Each home has its own kitchen, covered dock, two kayaks and fire pit. Two families can spread out, then meet up for dinner on one deck. Between them the homes have 8 bedrooms and 15 beds.

How do Lakefront Paradise and Blue Haven differ?

Lakefront Paradise has the game room and a two-slip dock. Blue Haven sleeps three more and has a big swim deck and a step-free main floor. Both have 4 bedrooms, check in at 4 PM and check out at 10 AM.

• Sleeping: Lakefront Paradise sleeps 12 in 4 bedrooms with 7 beds and 2 baths. Blue Haven sleeps 15 in 4 bedrooms with 8 beds and 2.5 baths.
• Docks: Lakefront Paradise has a private 25-foot, two-slip covered dock with a swim platform and about 250 feet of shoreline. Blue Haven has a covered single-slip dock with a 32 x 20 ft swim deck.
• Getting to the water: Lakefront Paradise is about 50 steps down to the lower level and dock. At Blue Haven you can take a short path or drive down to the dock and launch.
• Games and play: Lakefront Paradise has a garage game room with a pool table that converts to ping pong, a retro arcade machine in the sunroom and two cornhole sets. Blue Haven has two family rooms, cornhole and an open, grassy backyard.
• Meals: Lakefront Paradise has a sunroom dining table for 10 and covered patio dining for 6. Blue Haven has a kitchen with a double oven and prep island, dining for 8 inside and 6 outside.
• Comfort: every room at Blue Haven has its own heat and air thermostat. Lakefront Paradise has a stone fireplace in the great room and a ceiling fan in every room.
• Pets: Lakefront Paradise takes up to 2 pets on request at $100 per pet. Blue Haven takes up to 2 dogs for a fee, no cats. Assistance animals are welcome at both.
• Parking: room for 6 cars at Lakefront Paradise and 4 at Blue Haven.

How do you book both homes for the same dates?

Pick the same check-in and check-out dates on each home's calendar and book the two homes one at a time, or call or text Kathy at 865-585-5865 and she will help. The calendars show live availability, and open dates book instantly with secure card payment. You deal directly with Kathy, the owner, who lives nearby.

Check both calendars before you send dates to the group, because minimum stays can differ. From fall through spring both homes usually ask for 2 to 3 nights. In summer Lakefront Paradise usually asks for 4 to 7 nights and Blue Haven 3 to 4. The calendar shows the minimum as soon as you pick a check-in day.

Book more than 30 days ahead and you pay a deposit now and the balance 30 days before arrival. Inside 30 days, you pay in full. Cancel 30 or more days before arrival for a full refund, or 14 or more days before for 50%; the exact policy for your dates is shown at checkout. Code WELCOME takes 10% off stays of 3+ nights in 2026.

The house rules are short: no parties, no smoking inside, and the person booking must be at least 25. Both homes have self check-in with a smart lock.

Which home works best for older relatives?

Blue Haven, because its main floor is step-free. The highest step into the house is a 2-inch threshold, and the driveway comes straight to the deck, so you can park right there.

The main floor has a king suite with its own bathroom, a queen bedroom, the kitchen and the great room. Bedroom and bathroom doors are 34 inches wide, and the French door opens to 60 inches if needed. The suite's bathroom has grab rails, a walk-in shower and a handheld shower head. The flat gravel path to the front door is lit at night by solar post lights.

Blue Haven's lower level, with the second family room, another king suite and more beds, is reached by stairs. To get to the water, guests can walk a short path or drive down to the dock and launch. At Lakefront Paradise, plan on about 50 steps down to the lower level and dock.

If someone in your group uses a wheelchair or walker, call or text Kathy at 865-585-5865 to talk through the layout before you book.

How should you plan a Norris Lake reunion?

Pick the season first, since it sets both the minimum stay and the lake level. TVA's summer recreation season runs from June 1 through Labor Day. After Labor Day, TVA starts lowering Norris for winter, and in a year with normal rainfall the level changes about 29 feet between summer and winter.

Summer has the warmest water: the Norris Lake Marina Association lists average water temperatures of 80°F in June and 86°F in August. In fall, East Tennessee valleys usually peak for color in mid-to-late October, and October is the driest month in Tazewell. When the lake is low, TVA warns of sandbars, exposed banks and submerged stumps, so take extra care if you bring a boat.

Coming for a graduation? Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate is about 40 minutes from Paradise Point. LMU's next main commencement is Saturday, December 12, 2026, at 10 a.m. in Tex Turner Arena, and the spring commencement is May 8, 2027, at 10 a.m.

Shop in New Tazewell on the way in. Walmart (432 S Broad St, open daily 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.), Ingles (406 S. Broad St) and Food City are about 25 minutes from the point. Linens, towels and firewood are provided; bring HE laundry detergent, extra paper goods and soap, boat towels, and life jackets for the kayaks.

Share rides where you can, since parking is for 6 cars at Lakefront Paradise and 4 at Blue Haven. Boat trailers can't come to the houses: launch on Zen Island Way and leave the trailer at the mailbox by Island Rd. and Paradise Pt.

Split the checkout chores the night before. Check-out is 10 AM, and both homes ask you to clear out leftover food, bag the trash for the outside cans and wash or run the dishes.

Relatives coming from several cities? Estimated drive times from Paradise Point:

• Downtown Knoxville: about 1 hr 10 to 1 hr 20 min
• Knoxville airport (TYS): about 1 hr 30 to 1 hr 50 min
• Asheville, NC: about 2 hr 20 to 2 hr 55 min
• Lexington, KY: about 2 hr 50 min to 3 hr 15 min
• Nashville: about 3 hr 55 min to 4 hr 30 min
• Downtown Atlanta: about 4 hr 25 min to 5 hr 10 min

What can a big group do together on Norris Lake?

Most group days start at the docks. Swim off Lakefront Paradise's swim platform or Blue Haven's 32 x 20 ft swim deck, and share the four kayaks, two at each home. Bring a life jacket for everyone who paddles: none are supplied at either home, and Lakefront Paradise's kayak paddles don't float. Anglers 13 and older need a Tennessee fishing license, sold online 24/7 at GoOutdoorsTennessee.com.

For a boat day, Norris Landing Marina, across the cove, rents pontoons (including a double-decker) and a jon boat for 1 to 12 hours. It doesn't rent jet skis. Renters must be 21 or older with a valid driver's license, and anyone born after January 1, 1989 must show a TWRA boating safety certificate or an approved out-of-state card. In Tennessee, kids 12 and under must wear a life jacket on the open deck of any boat that isn't anchored, moored or aground.

In summer, Jimmy's Place at the marina is a lakeside bar and restaurant with live entertainment, and boaters can tie up there. As of mid-October 2026 it is closed for the season.

Evenings stay close to home. Both homes have a fire pit with firewood provided, a gas grill, cornhole and board games. Lakefront Paradise adds the garage game room, with a pool table that converts to ping pong.

Day trips within about an hour of Paradise Point:

• Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, about 45 minutes: no entrance fee. The visitor center in Middlesboro, Kentucky is open daily 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Ranger-led Gap Cave tours run May through August for ages 5 and up, with up to 20 people per tour; reserve at 606-248-2817.
• Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum at Lincoln Memorial University, about 40 minutes: groups of 10 or more pay $3 per person.
• Big Ridge State Park, about an hour: a sandy beach, open in summer, on 45-acre Big Ridge Lake, which is dammed so Norris's seasonal drawdowns don't affect it.