*South Grand Lake

Where the yacht club set hangs out and just a 45-minute drive from Tulsa

South Grand Lake—Where the Action Is! This slogan aptly describes the Grand Lake Chamber of Commerce and the business community as it promotes more events than any other part of Grand Lake.

Only a 45 minute drive from Tulsa, South Grand is a large and integral part of the lake’s dynamic growth. This trend began with the construction of Pensacola Dam in the 1930’s when its construction workers established homes nearby. In the 70’s the area became a weekend resort for Tulsa families and businesses.

Since the Dam was built creating Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees, home sites purchased in 1940 have now passed through three generations.

Original one-room cabins have undergone numerous changes becoming charming and unique second homes and full-time residences. With just an hour drive from Tulsa, homes began to spring up at a steady pace during the oil boom of the 70’s and have continued to blossom to an unheralded pace from 2000-2006.

South Grand has become home to the Yacht Club set from Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Wichita, and Kansas City. A lakeside lot costing $15-20,000 years ago now brings $45,000-$400,000. But don’t let that discourage you. There are still excellent buys if you find the right realtor and don’t insist on living a short drive to Duck Creek.

The Grand Lake ‘experience’ frequently begins with a vacation visit that becomes so irresistible that a second home purchase becomes a weekend escape from the city and finally a peaceful and serene retirement home. It’s easy to understand why Rand McNally consistently places Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees among the top five retirement communities in the United States, and why The Wall Street Journal lists Grand Lake for 10 years as the number one place in the country to retire.

South Grand has become home to the Yacht Club set from Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Wichita, and Kansas City. A lakeside lot costing $15-20,000 years ago now brings $45,000-$400,000. But don’t let that discourage you. There are still excellent buys if you find the right realtor and don’t insist on living a short drive to Duck Creek.

Clearwater Bay Marina

MIKE WHARTON, CLEARWATER BAY MARINA

For years, Mike Wharton was a faithful Grand Laker, traveling from Tulsa on weekends and spending vacations boating on the lake. As director of development for the Tulsa Housing Authority, his days were full and his life hectic. But all that changed in 2006 when he decided to make the lake his full-time home and purchased Clearwater Bay Marina where he’d stored his own boats for years. Today, Mike and his wife Lindy live on-site at the marina where they enjoy the area’s relaxed pace. But while they’ve escaped the city’s hustle and bustle, they continue to stay busy expanding the marina’s services. If your boat’s needing mechanical or body repair or has a bottom full of sludge, just pull into Clearwater Bay Marina where Mike and Lindy will be glad to help you out. You can call Clearwater Bay Marina at (918) 435-5101.

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Real Estate

With lake front property in such high demand, real estate on or near Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees is a great investment. The amenities of the cities surrounding Grand positively affect real estate values in the entire vicinity and real estate varies from one end of the scale to the other.

There are areas consisting of one-room cabins and those with palatial estates fit for a king. As of the 2000 census, the Cleora, or Duck Creek Area, was second only to Nichols Hills in Oklahoma City for homes in the top price range. Because of this, and also because the lake encompasses such a vast area, real estate and its related businesses are major industries.

The landscape of Grand lends itself to every want and need. There are gentle slopes to beautiful cliffs. There is deep water for boating and shallows for wading and swimming. There are dense forests and there are pristine shorelines.

Vintage, an exclusive development east of Duck Creek, is a new, gated community offering a wide range of home styles and plans. Colony Cove is the newest development in the area, where sales of two and three bedroom town houses right on the water have been brisk. Butler Real Estate continues to grow in an ever-expanding market.

Marinas East of the Dam

Cruising the Dripping Springs area is like dragging Main Street in the ‘50s, as boats navigate in and out of Gray's Hollow on the south end of Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees.

Folks of all ages drag Dripping Springs as crowds wait for the next fearless cliff-jumper. Everyone cheers, applauds and honks for the courageous thrill-seekers who jump from cliffs 60 feet high into 50-foot deep water. Then they buy the “I Survived the Jump” t-shirt at Dripping Springs Yacht Club & Marina. Dripping Springs —definitely a not-to-miss fun place during your stay on Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees.

Sam & Miranda Luke, the new owners of Marina have opened "The Drip",the new get to go pizza and cheese burger spot. AND, they will deliver to your boat.

Clearwater Bay Marina provides a quality home for your boat or RV on Raper Hollow Cove and High Lift Marina offers complete service six miles east of Disney.

This area is also home to Pictures In Scripture Outdoor Amphitheater between Disney and Jay, featuring elaborately costumed theatrical biblical productions.