From 2004 to 2019, Atlanta was the backdrop to some of the best years of my life. My consulting career was on a steep upward trajectory, life was fast-paced, and, like every active Atlantan, I spent an exorbitant, almost unthinkable amount of time staring at tail lights on Georgia 400 and I-285. From Alpharetta and Johns Creek to Buckhead, I feel like I covered every square inch of the city running to and from events and meetings every day.
First, a Weekend Escape
By 2015, my family decided we needed an escape: a vacation home where we could unwind. Naturally, our eyes initially turned toward the Gulf Coast. We loved the idea of white sand and ocean breezes, but the math just didn't add up. Packing up after a long work week to face a 5- to 6-hour trek down I-85 simply wasn't realistic for a long weekend. The drive time killed the bliss before we even arrived.
So, we pivoted to Georgia’s area lakes. We toured several stunning spots across the region, but no matter where we looked, we kept physically and mentally coming back to Lake Oconee. It had a pull we couldn't ignore. In 2015, we threw caution to the wind and made a beautiful, thrilling impulse buy on a lakeside property.
We were so in love with the area that we got married at Reynolds Lake Oconee in 2016. Check out the dance floor below!
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It completely transformed our weekends. Depending on traffic, you can walk out of your Atlanta office or home and be sitting dockside, cold drink in hand, in as little as an hour and fifteen minutes.
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Now It's Home
Then came 2020. When COVID shifted our work into a virtual environment, a lightbulb went off. Why were we saving our absolute favorite place on earth for just forty-eight hours a week? We made the decision to sell our home in Dunwoody and transition to Lake Oconee full-time.
Moving here permanently opened our eyes to just how rich and complete this community is. We truly lack for nothing. Beyond having effortless access back into Atlanta whenever we need a big-city fix, our daily necessities are right at our doorstep. The area features top-rated schools, robust regional and national banks, trusted financial advisors, local primary care doctors, and a modern, full-service hospital. We have two convenient Publix grocery stores, boutique shopping, a movie theater, and a dining scene that ranges from casual dockside taco joints to polished, world-class fine dining.
But convenience is just the backdrop. The lifestyle is why we’re really here.
Our days revolve around the water, from boating and waterskiing to sunset cruises, intertwined with world-class golf, tennis, and an endlessly competitive pickleball scene. We personally landed in Reynolds Lake Oconee, and we couldn't love our community more. But what makes this entire region so special is that it isn't isolated into siloes. Over the years, we’ve built incredible friendships in Harbor Club, Cuscowilla, and all the vibrant pockets of community in between. The entire lake functions as one warm, connected, and thriving haven that continues to evolve in the best ways possible.
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Take the Next Step
If you’ve been sitting in traffic dreaming of a long-weekend getaway, or realizing, like we did, that your full-time life could be lived at a higher quality, let’s talk. Contact me today, and let’s find your piece of paradise at Lake Oconee.
Justin Cullifer
[email protected]
706.817.4426
