5 reasons living near the J. Percy Priest Lake is the "best"

The following post contains some but not a predominant amount of sarcasm, hence the quotations in the title. Anyone with difficulty deciphering such a tone should proceed with caution. 

You've just moved to Nashville, whether for a job, a spouse's career, or simply the silent tug of opportunity. More than likely, you've moved from a less popular, less populated city, perhaps another metropolitan area that just hasn't had the same development or community investment as Nashville. There was nothing wrong with your old home, in general. In fact, in a lot of ways, you quite liked it. But now you're living somewhere with a fun, youthful, unique atmosphere and seemingly endless chances to succeed and build a life. So, where do you live? While the city offers several unique neighborhoods, all with their own signature style and atmosphere, don't count out some of the less popular options that may not initially be on your radar. One such location is near the eastern shores of J. Percy Priest Lake.

5. Nature

As you can see, even the deer feel comfortable with the living arrangements near J. Percy Priest.

"But I'm in Nashville," you might be thinking. "Why would I want to live near a lake rather than in the middle of downtown, where life happens, man?" Well, firstly, you sound like a hippie. And secondly, why wouldn't you want to live in close proximity (meaning a 5-10 minute drive) to nearly half a dozen parks, all on the waterfront? Sure, once you see one water-front park, you've essentially seen them all. But don't count out the value of having choice. If one park is overrun with beer bottles and bikini bottoms, then go five more minutes down the road to the next one. And if all the official parks are off limits (because they charge you admission or they're currently hosting some sort of Burning Man Tribute event), then just find your own hidden adventure spot. Just step outside of your apartment complex and find the nearest patch of suspicious looking woods. Inevitably, you'll find a path that leads straight to the lake.

4. Proximity to airport

Another panorama view of the lake. It's from a different place than the first picture, I swear.

Moving from a place you called home for two years, five years, or your entire life, means that you probably left behind some important people. You want to see those people, but you don't expect them to drive anywhere from six to eight hours just to see you. But if they already have a reason for coming to Nashville, or they can just afford the flight, then at least your home at the Lake gives you the perfect opportunity to pick them up and take them to the nearest Panera Bread for lunch. And if they have an early flight out, then where better to stay the night than somewhere less than five minutes from their departure gate? Never discount the convenience to an airport when making a decision about living situations. (And if you're lucky, wherever you move will have included some sound dampening in the construction to drown out any of those low-flying arrivals.)

3. 15-20 minute drives to everything

A path to the lake. And possibly a drifter.

Here's a run-down of approximate travel times to our most visited Nashville areas:

• Five Points in the heart of East Nashville: 19 minutes
• The Frothy Monkey, center stage of 12 South: 23 minutes
• Trader Joes, the cheapest, healthiest grocery option in Green Hills and all of Nashville: 24 minutes
• Broadway, most famous and, thus, most touristy section of Downtown Nashville: 17 minutes

So, why live in any of those places, when you can get to each in the same time it takes to listen to half of a podcast, or a 20 minute block of Lightning 100 (and count how many times you hear "Left My Woman" by The Wild Feathers and "With Your Two Hands" by The Wind and The Wave). Which brings me to the 2nd reason living near the J. Percy Priest Lake is the "best":

2. Less traffic than "popular" neighborhoods

Five o'clock traffic is bad everywhere, so of course there's still going to be a line of cars somewhere along your commute to the Lake. However, anyone who drives home to any of the major neighborhoods in Nashville thinks that traffic in their area is the worst. And they're all right. East Nashville and 12 South are full of people for a reason: they're popular, so people want to move to one of those places first. More people who are planning to move to the area see that growth and think that they want to be a part of it too, thereby increasing the popularity and, of course, the population. So, forget the hassle and move to a place that no one knows exists -- until they need to go to the airport or Nashville Shores. Plus, who really wants to live near local coffee shops, lively bars, free concerts and movies in the park, and locally owned bookstores? Come on now.

You though it'd be a picture of one of the other neighborhoods? Nope - tricked you again. More lake.

1. You're in Nashville

Finally, the main reason that living at the J. Percy Priest Lake is the best is the zip code: 37214. You may be right on the edge, but you're still in Davidson County, and you can still add "Nashville" to the end of that address line. Being able to write that zip code, knowing you're a part of something kinetic, energetic, and proud, instills in you a personal sense of pride and appreciation for the city you call your new home. So, no matter what brought you here, no matter how hard it was to leave your old home, and no matter what hidden reason for being here you may still be searching for, you can at least drop the job search for a little while, find the nearest free music venue (likely about 20 minutes away), and remind yourself that you're in Nashville, Tennessee. And it's good to be home.



Another Disclaimer: In all seriousness, I love it out here. While Sarah and I are both looking forward to looking for a house somewhere in the East Nashville and 12 South neighborhoods (hence the focus on just those two throughout the article), I'm thoroughly enjoying living out here, near the water. It feels like a great start to our new lives.