My review is about our RV experience. We tow a 5th wheel and we towed our jet skis behind that...It was harrowing to get to their place and we were there in the middle of the day. Some areas of the road could only fit 1 vehicle at a time, with a drop off on one side and a mountain on the other. Thankfully, we didn't encounter anyone on our way in or out. I had seen someone saying they had a hard time getting in and I had called ahead of time to ask if we could easily get in and the lady that answered acted like she had no idea what I was talking about. Once we arrived, I immediately didn't want to stay and went to look for something else, but there was no cell service. The signs were all faded, so not sure where to go to check in. We finally figured it out and went to the marina to check in. If you have any mobility issues, you will not be able to get down the ramp to get to the marina. One of the reasons we chose to stay at this place was because they had an on site restaurant. Once I saw the marina, I didn't want to eat there. Everything is run down and seemed dirty...Maybe it was just run down and old. They are listed as a resort...I can't imagine what part of this place is resort like. The pool hasn't been usable in years or maybe even decades and is fenced off. There is no where to swim or enjoy the lake, other than with your water toys. The lady (I think there's only 1 person and she may be the owner) that checked us in said we may or may not be able to pull through in our pull through spot, but that we can back in. There was a small ditch in front of the spot, so backing in was not possible. By the way, there are a few full time RVs and a few cabins and only 1 spot open for overnight guests. So, it's really not a campground or RV park. We squeezed in and lost a couple trim pieces along the way. Then when we got parked, our front door is just steps away from the back of a cabin. So there was no sitting outside and enjoying the lake or the scenery. Only 4 good things about our stay...They had a nice, wide ramp to put your boats and skis in. The person that maintains their grounds does a pretty good job. They have gas and good WiFi (our WiFi didn't work, as there was no service). I really don't like leaving bad reviews, but this place did not feel restful and vacation like. I wanted to save others from the same experience. read more

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The pizza was really good. The other food was just ok. I would have just stuck with the pizza if I went back again. I am not a huge fan of smoking and they allowed smoking in the dock where everyone was eating. I get that it's a free country, but maybe have them smoke away from families with young children? Overall the kids liked the pizza and their pretzel and cheese so they were happy. Not a bad option if you are on the lake and want something to eat. read more

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We took a 3 day adventure to Norris Lake TN and rented a cabin at Hickory Star campground and Marina. The accommodations were not impressive! A squeaky ceiling fan prevented us from running it in the back bedroom which made it hot in our room. Maintenance finally fixed it on the second day, and that helped tremendously. The kitchen was not stocked with enough plates, silverware, etc. one of the frying pans did not even have a handle. Again, we asked maintenance, and they supplied us with some new pans. I called before our trip asking if our cabin would be supplied with paper towels and dish soap. They told me yes. When we arrived, these items were not supplied. We had to purchase them at the Marina.. There were ants in the shower, and the door to the cabin did not properly fit in the frame. This left a gap at the top of the door, and even when locked it was not secure. The staff was very friendly and helpful, and the pool was also very nice and clean. We were satisfied with our boat rental as well. Overall our stay was nice, and we made the best of it. When planning our next visit to Norris Lake, I will definitely be checking out other resorts. The folks at Hickory Star were super nice, but the upkeep at this place needs to improve! read more

I'm pulling out the chainsaw on this review because this place, and the adjoining campground deserved to be massacred! This place borders on being criminal and dangerous, especially the campground. There are no signs anywhere telling you where the campground is and believe me, there are some harrowing roads up steep cliffs that you NEVER want to have a trailer hitched behind you. And of course, the road dead ends. The campground is basically a gravel parking lot with a picnic table with no where to pitch a tent. This is a residential neighborhood too, with a few junkyards around. The campsites are right next to the road, so you can hear every car that goes by. You can also hear all the drunken revelers on the lake and there's plenty of them late on a Saturday night and oh yeah, a band blasting away until 11pm. I never realized how much difference there are amongst the marinas on Norris Lake, I'll try to avoid this at all costs in the future. Not to mention that the staff at the marina were not at all helpful or informed. We had reserved a marina slip to dock for the night and when we got there, of course, someone was there in it already. So, those of you out there, you can just pull up at whim and park anywhere you want if you want to listen to the band. This place strikes me as a locals only place. Lesson learned. read more

I rented the event center to use for my wedding. I found the entire staff at Hickory Star to be incredibly accommodating and easy to work with. The main room seats approximately 80-90 people and the tables/ chairs/ linens were included. The booth side had additional seating & was the perfect space to set up the buffet for food. We rented the space for two days for set up, rehearsal dinner, and the wedding ceremony & reception. This is a do it yourself space- I brought in my caterer, beverages, dishes, decor, etc.- but the space was a FRACTION of the cost of most venues. We did have to do basic clean up - pick up and bag all trash, but not clean tables/ linens/ floors. No big deal. The majority of the guests were able to stay onsite. We ended up booking out the entire place which allowed us to enjoy the celebrations without having to be on a timetable and few had to drive anywhere afterwards. It also allowed our wedding to be a weekend long party with our friends and family. So fun! Our guests enjoyed staying at Hickory Star and loved waking up at the lake. All in all, we got married for a fraction of the cost charged by most wedding venues & we had a beautiful backdrop for our day. If I could do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing. read more