Hear from current residents themselves explain why WindRiver is the premier lakeside planned community in East Tennessee.
The friendliness of this community made our move one of the easiest transitions we’ve ever experienced.
We have called Tennessee home for 34 years because we fell in love with the lifestyle it offers with its 4 seasons, the mountain and lake views, the biking and walking trails and loving Southern hospitality. We actually toured WindRiver in 2008 looking for waterfront property and felt this would be an incredible place to live one day, but we weren’t prepared to make the move at that stage in our young family’s life. We circled back to WindRiver in 2020 and we are so happy we decided now was the time to turn our dreams of waterfront living into a reality! Driving through the gated entrance not only gives a sense of security but acts as an unveiling of the beauty to follow with the rolling hills, abundant wildlife, exceptional golf course and colorful landscaping.
We were made to feel welcome immediately by several neighbors with gifts of candles, food and wine, along with invitations for cocktails, meals and boat rides. The friendliness of this community made our move one of the easiest transitions we’ve ever experienced. We jumped into the social scene here as quickly as we could with all the different activities, sports and games played year-round. We encourage any newcomers to do the same, just dive in and embrace the fun. The people of WindRiver are an eclectic group from so many cities around the U.S. and some are world-travelers, adding to the unique cultural experience. WindRiver feels like family, and we can’t imagine enjoying life more anywhere else.
– Rob & Robin S.
It wasn’t one thing that brought us to WindRiver, it was a combination of several… the land, the lake, and the people all combine to make WindRiver the very special place we call home.
– John & Wendy L.
… the very special place we call home.
… gives us the most “you are home” feeling.
WindRiver is our slice of heaven. Our careers have taken us across several states and thirteen moves. We are thrilled that we settled at WindRiver. Of all the places we have lived, WindRiver is the place that gives us the most ‘you are home’ feeling. WindRiver inspires that “at home” feeling in many ways; the beauty of its rolling lush topology sprawled against a beautiful sky, the streaming sunlight dancing on the surface of the lake, or the breathtaking colors of a winter sunset. It’s there when we watch a storm roll in off the Smokies and you see the trees dancing and waves rippling on the lake. The feeling is there when WindRiver’s staff greets us around the community. That “at home” feeling is magnified by the residents who are welcoming and caring and, who quickly transition from acquaintance and neighbor to friend and extended-family.
Additionally, WindRiver is a great place to live because it is close to real-life living necessities. We are not only blessed to be surrounded by WindRiver amenities, but it’s a hop, skip, and a jump to real world necessities such as banks, grocery stores, gas stations, medical facilities, and other services. WindRiver is also within reasonable drive time to theaters, restaurants, schools; as well as many other things to entertain guests or keep us busy having fun. All things considered, we are just really happy, on all fronts, to be a part of the WindRiver living experience.
– John & Pam S.
Our move to WindRiver has been everything we had hoped for in our “forever home”. The setting is spectacular. A welcoming knock on our door, a friendly conversation while walking the dog, or a warm, strong handshake with an introduction has shown us that WindRiver is a special community with very special people. Yes, we are still growing, but in a healthy direction. The enthusiasm for such activities as pickleball, bocce, a community garden, golf, social clubs, and more join us together in one way or another, and at one’s own pace. We are here to stay… happily enjoying our WindRiver life.
– Carol & Jim W.
We have not looked back!
WindRiver is a great place to live and call our home.
During our first visit to WindRiver, as we made our way through the first four curves, we observed the rolling hills, beautiful tall brown grasses, trees, and wood fences that surround the golf course, and we knew that this community was something special and unique. And this initial impression made us want to be here. Later, after purchasing our lot, we learned that most of our WindRiver neighbors experienced this same type of emotion during their initial visit, which we feel is one of WindRiver’s signature elements—its physical layout within the community’s natural landscape.
Beyond WindRiver’s community design and natural beauty, it met or exceeded all our main search criteria for our forever home community that would support our desired lifestyle.
WindRiver has great on-site recreational facilities for golf, pickle ball, hiking, boating, and swimming, which were must-have for us. And with the construction of the new Clubhouse Village, newer facilities for exercising and training will expand the availability of personal health improvement activities. Plus, the closeness of the surrounding mountains, hiking and biking trails, TVA lakes with locks, and numerous golf courses all enhance the expansion of our desired outdoor recreational activities.
WindRiver’s close proximity medical care, shopping, business services, dining and major airports and cities is a major plus as well. Being near Knoxville and the University of Tennessee provides us access to major entertainment, sports, and a wide array of university activities.
One of the greatest things we like about WindRiver though is the people who live and work here. Everyone is so friendly and makes you feel welcome. WindRiver residents are from all over the US and have different life experiences, which makes for a great social environment.
WindRiver is a great place to live and call our home.
– David B.
After living 35 years in beautiful Naples, Florida, we knew as soon as we crossed the front gate at WindRiver, this is where we wanted to retire. Everyone is always amazed that we chose to move to Tennessee rather than stay in Florida. Most people dream of retiring to Florida. WindRiver definitely changed our minds. The combination of the golf course, the lake, the rolling hills and the view of the Great Smoky Mountains just couldn’t be beat. We love our home, our neighbors, and the community as a whole. We have never regretted our decision. It’s the perfect paradise.
– John G.
It’s the perfect paradise.
We love the energy of WindRiver.
Marion and I have a strong link to this area. We were both raised hiking, camping, horseback riding, and boating in East Tennessee. I loved trout fishing the “Little T” river and camping at Hoss Holt’s land just below the Chilhowee Dam long before Tellico became a lake.
We love the energy of WindRiver. The lake trails, fishing, boating, golf course, and marina are a delight! Our children and grandchildren stay busy for weeks at a time! Fresh air, great views are all part of our “Volunteer Spirit” at WindRiver! We also like the 25 MPH speed limit when we walk or drive the golf cart to the pool and marina. THANK YOU WINDRIVER!
– Marion & Old Beau H.
When my husband and I first drove through the gates and down the main road, we were struck by the beauty and a sense of magic that WindRiver offers. We thought we were buying a lot and building our dream house. We in fact did just that, but we discovered so much more. We started to immerse ourselves in the social life that this community has created. Our lifestyle is rich with the friendships we have formed, the memories we have made and the experiences we have shared with our WindRiver neighbors and friends. Our future here is built on the bonds of mutual interests, true affection for one another and a deep sense of joyful living. We initially came to WindRiver for many reasons. The most unexpected result was a lifestyle filled with a multitude of interesting activities and friendships that have enriched our lives beyond our imagination.
– Betsy & Steve H.
Activities and friendships that have enriched our lives beyond our imagination.
It felt like home almost immediately.
Twenty years ago, we became informed of the Tellico Lake area beauty and came down for a discovery weekend at a gated community near Vonore. We never forgot the beauty of the area. As retirement approached, we came back to visit friends who had made “the move”. They drove us around for 5 days and we always returned to WindRiver, bought an existing home, and made “the move” ourselves. We have never looked back. The location is 30 minutes from the airport, Knoxville, or Maryville. Our neighbors are the best we have ever had, and it felt like home almost immediately. The feeling of driving through the gate and entering the community is amazing. We feel blessed every day to be here.
– Michele H.
We did a great amount of research regarding cities and communities in which to retire and selected Knoxville for many reasons. It has a significant university presence, an attractive cost of living, beautiful scenery, and proximity to the Smokies, arts and culture opportunities, and great healthcare options. In looking for a community, WindRiver was ideal as it provided us with everything we were seeking. It is a lakefront community of unparalleled beauty situated in an ideal location convenient to Knoxville, the McGhee Tyson airport, and the Smoky Mountains.
In addition, WindRiver also has a strong sense of community. The residents are very welcoming, and we felt right at home from the beginning. There are numerous activities in which you can participate – there’s virtually something for everyone.
For us, WindRiver was the complete package, and we feel fortunate each day to call WindRiver our home.
– Randa M. & Bruce T.
WindRiver also has a strong sense of community.
WindRiver has exceeded our expectations.
When we first drove in the entrance of WindRiver, Ray knew this was the place. The gracious tree lined curving road with beautiful green grass and landscaping spoke to him! We are very happy here. WindRiver has exceeded our expectations. The natural beauty of East Tennessee, combined with the friendly and interesting people in the community, makes WindRiver the perfect community for us.
– Ray & Ellen P.
We have lived in Knoxville for 40-plus years and have gradually moved a little closer to Lenoir City/Tellico Lake because we enjoy boating…in fact we LOVE boating. Having grown up on freshwater lakes, we knew when we decided to slow things down a bit, we needed to be close to water. We traveled up and down the east coast looking for that special place, thinking we didn’t need to limit ourselves to Tennessee. But the more we looked, the more it became apparent, heaven was in our backyard! WindRiver is a place that’s beautiful on the outside – the grounds, the marina, the lake, the golf course, the pool, but the “inside” is what makes it a special place to live. While the property is beyond spectacular, it’s the friendships, fellowship, and the neighborly spirit that make this a very unique community.
– Robyn U.
It’s the friendships, fellowship, and the neighborly spirit that make this a very unique community.
We both feel that we have found that perfect community.
We are long-time residents of the Knoxville area as we were both employed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for our careers. Our first two homes were in Farragut, but we always we longed to be closer to the water. Over the years we purchased two properties in surrounding lakeside communities with plans to build as we got closer to retirement. Each time we got ready to pull the trigger a new world or personal event would derail our efforts. Obviously, a sign that there was something better in store for us. Ultimately friends who had a home in WindRiver encouraged us to look at an existing house for sale. Our first few sunset-drives through the neighborhood to what is now our home on Southern Way had us hooked and sold immediately, and the views have never grown old. A gated community, the relaxing drive through a beautiful golf course, along with water and mountain views just cannot be beat. We were welcomed warmly by the few residents that were already here at the time, around 20 homes in 2013. Those numbers have increased significantly since then, and we struggle to keep up with all the new homeowners, but we have found a common theme amongst those new members we have met… a successful search for a truly wonderful community. We both feel that we have found that perfect community here at WindRiver. We love it here.
– Rob & Karen P.
Every place that we’ve lived, there’s always one thing about it that we say ‘Oh boy, that was what we really liked about it.’ And then we moved to Tennessee, and we think about it. We think about enjoying the lake. It’s a clean lake. It’s a deep lake. There’s so much activity on the lake that you can do with our friends around. Anything, if you want to go to the Smokies we do that. If you want to go shopping or to the nail salon with the women; it’s very active here and just lovely people. We’re playing pickleball. There’s just so much to do that we just love it. We just love it. I think we’ll stay here. This is definitely home. It just feels right. It’s the best decision we’ve ever made.
– Steve & Gina W.
This is definitely home.
It’s just a beautiful community.
We searched for about 18 months and found that this had everything that we needed and WindRiver specifically, is a great location. You have the backdrop of the Smoky Mountains and Tellico Lake; it’s just beautiful. You’re only 10 minutes away from anything you imagine needing to do; shopping, business, medical. So, you have the best of both worlds. It’s a lot of fun. I think one of the most special things about WindRiver is the people. I’ve never seen such a wonderful collection of people with such a wide variety of backgrounds; just very interesting people. We really fell in love with WindRiver. We took one trip here and fell in love. It’s just a beautiful community.
– Dave & Colleen B.
When we drove through the gates, I was immediately surprised by how beautiful the community was. It has this beautiful lake with probably the best marina in the area. So, between the golf, the lake, the hiking trails that they have here, to me it has everything that we were looking for in retirement. For us it was moving toward retirement and wanting to remain active in retirement, everything that this Eastern Tennessee region offers. To be outdoors doing everything we love, the golfing, the boating, and exploring the region, the area just has so much to offer. Everyone is so happy and welcoming and that certainly influenced our decision to be here. We couldn’t ask for a better place to live.
– Joel & Allison T.
Everyone is so happy and welcoming.
The neighbors in WindRiver are the happiest and friendliest of any place.
We have lived in the East Tennessee area all of our lives. The WindRiver community will be our last lap. Both of us can honestly say that WindRiver is the greatest place we have ever lived in our 58 years of marriage. We moved into our home in 2008 and have enjoyed our lives being transformed with the many great friends we have made. Truly, the neighbors in WindRiver are the happiest and friendliest of any place. The lake, hiking trails, marina, picked ball, corn hole, golf are all wonderful ways we have enjoyed our neighborhood. There is no doubt that we are living our lives on the fun side of the WindRiver gate. If I would give any advice to those wondering if they should buy here, it would be, jump at the chance and enjoy the rest of your lives in the greatest place in East Tennessee.
– Steve & Kaye M.
The Search. Our search for the right retirement community spanned five states and five years. At WindRiver we found all our search criteria—water, golf, gated-security, privacy, excellent medical care, and close proximity to shopping and amenities. We had found this unique combination extremely difficult to find and have enjoyed the convenience. Living Here We enjoy the immediate access to the Great Smoky Mountains and to the huge variety of sports, university activities, and entertainment choices available in Knoxville. We also like the innovative and insightful development ongoing at WindRiver that promises continuously evolving community facilities and the potential for growing property values. We are enjoying a secure, friendly, and thriving development. We are glad we came, and plan to stay.
– George F.
Glad we came and plan to stay.
Advice to anyone searching for lake property:do not wait!
My wife Evy and I are about to move into the second custom home that we have built in WindRiver in three short years. Being a resident and real estate agent at WindRiver, it became very apparent the demand for lakefront & lakeview property was accelerating rapidly with so many buyers moving from high tax states; so we immediately purchased a lakefront homesite which we are now building on. My advice to anyone searching for freshwater lake property, with resort lifestyle in the southeastern US… do not wait, the demand is quickly accelerating and supply shrinking!
– Tom C.
Visit WindRiver & Discover Life on the Lake
Take a Discovery Tour and experience our residents' active adult lifestyle.
