[MariaNYC]

Your question compelled me to register! I grew up just north of Lake Norman and, in fact, pre-date it. My college had a lake campus there so I'm pretty familiar with swimming in it - boating not so much. As others have noted, Lake Norman is man-made so the bottom can be muddy and mucky. Since the predominate soil type there is red clay, you may come up with a film of red dirt after swimming. A friend who lives on the lake could not fathom that I would consider scuba diving here - her reaction, based on Lake Norman and many southern lakes - was how could you possibly see anything through the murk in a lake. Folks who spend more time there can perhaps address whether the frequent traffic tie-ups on I-77, the main artery, affect their ability to get there and around. Finally, the areas around Lake Norman are in the process of becoming Charlotte suburbs, and much of the development visible from and around the lake has been charm-free although individual condo or home developments can be attractive. And a couple of the towns are taking advantage of the increasing affluence to start up nice restaurants and such. But nothing akin to a Wolfeboro or Meredith, nor the retro charm of Weirs Beach. Maybe Davidson, a college town, comes closest. Much of he lake is about a half hour from Charlotte, which has professional sports and the like, which could be an advantage depending on your interests.