Lake Norman
Lake Norman (LKN) is an artificial freshwater lake located in southwestern North Carolina, approximately 15 miles (24 km) north of Charlotte. Look for it 3 mi west of Cornelius. The first name on our list around it is Bank of America Stadium, 18 mi away.
A lake, 3 mi west of Cornelius
Cornelius is the nearest base
Cornelius is 3 miles east, with 7 places to stay. Where to stay ↓
Best months: Apr, May, Sep and Oct
April, May, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 72–82°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures and Wikipedia.
The year’s weather
Every month near Lake Norman is set out below.
Lake Norman
Lake Norman (LKN) is an artificial freshwater lake located in southwestern North Carolina, approximately 15 miles (24 km) north of Charlotte. Created between 1959 and 1964 during the construction of Cowans Ford Dam by Duke Energy, it is the largest man-made body of freshwater located entirely within North Carolina. The lake is named after former Duke Power president Norman Atwater Cocke.
- Type
- Lake
- Wikipedia readers
- 56K a year
Where to sleep near Lake Norman
To stay close, try Charlotte (288) and Mooresville (20).
- 1Bank of America Stadium
- 2Carowinds
- 3Sullenberger Aviation Museum
- 4Bojangles Coliseum
- 5Truliant Amphitheater
- 6Ovens Auditorium
Charlotte
The closest town with somewhere to stay.
964,784 people
20 mi south of Lake Norman
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Lake Norman | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte | 20 mi south | 30 min | 288 259 hotels · 16 motels · 7 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins · 2 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 964,784 | $386K | D |
| Mooresville | 9 mi northeast | 15 min | 20 19 hotels · 1 motel | 55,842 | $391K | C |
| Huntersville | 6 mi southeast | 10 min | 13 13 hotels | 68,535 | $473K | B− |
| Cornelius | 3 mi east | 5 min | 7 7 hotels | 35,094 | $559K | B |
| Concord | 18 mi east | 25 min | 35 31 hotels · 1 motel · 3 campgrounds | 114,598 | $354K | B |
| Lake Norman of Catawba | 9 mi north | 15 min | 6 1 hotel · 3 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 9,906 | $493K | — |
| Statesville | 21 mi north | 30 min | 29 17 hotels · 6 motels · 4 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins | 32,181 | $248K | D |
| Kannapolis | 16 mi east | 25 min | 15 10 hotels · 3 motels · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 61,708 | $276K | C+ |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Around Lake Norman
Places worth adding lie within 66 miles.
Big draw118 mi Stadium & arenaBank of America Stadium
226 mi Theme parkCarowinds318 mi MuseumSullenberger Aviation Museum70K visitors a year
421 mi Stadium & arenaBojangles Coliseum
66 mi MountainGrandfather Mountain517 mi TheatreTruliant Amphitheater
59 mi Stadium & arenaAllegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium621 mi TheatreOvens AuditoriumPhoto credits
Bank of America Stadium: HangingCurve, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Carowinds: Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Bojangles Coliseum: James Willamor, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Grandfather Mountain: Original uploader was KyleAndMelissa22 at en.wikipedia, Public domain · Allegacy Federal Credit Union Stadium: BobHWS, CC BY-SA 3.0
Lake Norman: common questions
What town is Lake Norman near?
Cornelius, NC, about 3 miles east.
When is the best time to visit Lake Norman?
April, May, September and October, with highs of 72–82°.
How far is Lake Norman from Greensboro?
About 75 miles northeast of Greensboro, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Lake Norman?
Concord-Padgett Regional (USA), about 14 miles away. The nearest big hub is Charlotte Douglas (CLT), about 19 miles.
Where should I stay near Lake Norman?
Charlotte (20 mi, 288 places to stay), Mooresville (9 mi, 20 places to stay) and Huntersville (6 mi, 13 places to stay).
Local tips in Cornelius
There are no tips yet, so start one in Cornelius’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.