The best gifts for someone who loves Smith Mountain Lake bring SML home or get them back on the water: a hoodie or hat with the lake's outline, a ceramic ornament for the tree, or a real SML experience like a weekend in a state park cabin, a guided striper trip, a pontoon day, or dinner at a restaurant you can boat to. For the family that loves Virginia's parks, an $85 Virginia State Parks annual pass covers a year of parking.
Smith Mountain Lake is a 20,600-acre lake near Roanoke, in Bedford and Franklin counties (Virginia DWR). Below are 18 ideas, grouped by the kind of SML person you're shopping for. Every product links to its own page, and every local experience has a website and a Google Maps link.
Quick picks
| Gift | Best for | Price (as of Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Smith Mountain Lake Hoodie | Cool mornings on the dock | from $54.99 |
| SML Ceramic Ornament | Christmas, stocking stuffer | $19.95 |
| SML Trucker Hat | Boat days, no sizing | $37.99 |
| Virginia State Parks annual pass | Park regulars | $85 |
| State park cabin weekend | Couples and families | from $126 a night |
For the one who's always on the water
1. Smith Mountain Lake Hoodie (from $54.99)
Early rides out of the cove and fall evenings on the dock get chilly in the Blue Ridge foothills. A hoodie with SML's outline gets worn all season. There's also a back-printed version.
2. Smith Mountain Lake Dri-Fit Shirt (from $44.99)
A long sleeve, moisture-wicking shirt for anglers and anyone who spends all day in the sun.
3. Smith Mountain Lake Life Trucker Hat ($37.99)
The safest gift when you don't know their size.
4. Smith Mountain Lake Life Heavy Cotton Tee (from $29.99)
The everyday lake shirt for cookouts, the marina, and the drive up for the weekend.
5. Smith Mountain Lake Women's Racerback Tank (from $27.99)
For summer days at the state park beach or on the pontoon.
6. Smith Mountain Lake Long Sleeve Tee (from $44.99)
For spring and fall, when a tee is too little and a hoodie is too much.
For the SML lake house
7. Smith Mountain Lake Canvas Gallery Wrap (from $44.99)
Their lake on the wall, at the lake house or at home in town.
8. Smith Mountain Lake Square Pillow ($34.99)
An easy way to make the porch or the couch feel like the lake.
9. Smith Mountain Lake Jigsaw Puzzle (from $34.99)
A rainy-day lake house activity in 252, 500, or 1,000 pieces.
10. Smith Mountain Lake Ceramic Ornament ($19.95)
A reminder of the lake every Christmas, and a nice extra for someone spending their first holiday in an SML house.
11. Smith Mountain Lake Kids' Tee ($29.99)
For the youngest member of the lake crew. Pair it with a matching adult tee for family photos on the dock.
Local Smith Mountain Lake experience gifts
Experience gifts are perfect for people who already have everything. Every option below was checked on the business's or agency's own website in October 2026.
12. A weekend in a state park cabin
Smith Mountain Lake State Park in Huddleston has 20 cabins, including 8 with water views. Nightly rates run $126 to $183 depending on the cabin, the season, and residency (rates effective May 2025, plus tax). The park also has 50 campsites, hiking trails, a fishing pier, a boat launch, and a 500-foot swimming beach with lifeguards from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. If you'd rather let them choose the dates, Virginia State Parks sells gift certificates in any whole-dollar amount.
Links: Park website · Reserve a cabin · Directions · Call 800-933-7275
13. A Virginia State Parks annual pass ($85)
The Naturally Yours Passport covers parking and admission at every Virginia state park for 12 months, including Smith Mountain Lake State Park, where parking is $7 a day. It's $85, or $40 for seniors 62 and older. For boaters, the $180 boater version also covers launch fees (as of October 2026). Virginia State Parks suggests giving a gift certificate for the amount of the pass, so the pass is issued in the right person's name and address.
Links: Pass options · Buy a pass
14. A pontoon rental day
Give them a day on the water without the cost of owning a boat.
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Parrot Cove Boat Rentals (Moneta): a 24-foot pontoon is $155 a day in the discount season (through October 31) and $200 a day in peak season. Renters must be 21 or older, with a $200 deposit (as of October 2026).
Links: Pontoon details · Book online · Directions · Call 540-592-4411 -
Bridgewater Marina & Boat Rentals (Moneta): a newer fleet with several pickup spots, including one by the state park beach. Drivers must be 16 or older with a driver's license, and the deposit is $1,000 to $1,500. Check current prices on its booking site.
Links: Website · Book online · Directions · Call 540-721-1639
Good to know: Virginia requires a boating safety course for anyone operating a motorboat with 10 hp or more, and for personal watercraft operators 14 and older. Renters can complete the rental business's Dockside Safety Checklist instead (Virginia DWR).
15. A guided striper trip
Virginia DWR says Smith Mountain Lake "has gained national attention for its striped bass fishery" (Virginia DWR). SML Wicked Striper Guide Service (Capt. Tommy Moore) lists $450 for a 4-hour half day for 1 or 2 people, $650 for 6 hours, and $850 for 8 hours, plus $25 per extra person (as of October 2026). Booking is by request form, and the captain confirms the date.
Links: Website and booking · Call 434-610-3255
Pair it with a Virginia fishing license. A resident annual license is $28 (as of October 2026), and kids under 16 don't need one.
16. Dinner by boat
Two SML restaurants make a great "drive the boat to dinner" date. Plan the night, or call ahead to ask about gift cards:
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Tiff's Lakefront at Mariners Landing (Huddleston): the resort says there are more than 70 boat slips right in front of the restaurant.
Links: Website · Reserve a table · Directions · Call 540-721-3028 -
Portside Grill & Bar at Virginia Dare Marina (Moneta): its website promises plenty of dock parking for boaters.
Links: Website · Directions · Call 540-297-7100
17. A cruise on the Virginia Dare
The Virginia Dare is a 63-foot replica paddlewheeler that runs 2-hour narrated cruises from spring through fall, plus specialty cruises like Mother's Day and Father's Day brunches and Fourth of July fireworks. Prices aren't posted on its website, so the easiest gift is a Virginia Dare gift card, which lets them pick the cruise next season. Call ahead to confirm the schedule before you buy.
Links: Cruises · Gift cards · Directions · Call 540-297-7100
18. A tasting at a lake winery
Ramulose Ridge Vineyards has a tasting room on Hendricks Store Road in Moneta, near the lake. Plan an afternoon tasting for two, or pick up a bottle as a hostess gift for the next lake weekend.
Links: Website · Directions · Call 540-797-6056
Stocking stuffers under $40
Pair the $19.95 SML ornament or the $37.99 trucker hat with a few practical lake extras: a floating keychain, a waterproof phone pouch, an insulated can cooler, or a $28 Virginia fishing license.
Fun fact for the card: the 1991 Bill Murray comedy What About Bob? was filmed at Smith Mountain Lake, even though the movie calls it Lake Winnipesaukee (Boston Globe).
How to pick the right SML gift
- Not sure of their size? Go with the trucker hat, ornament, canvas, pillow, or puzzle.
- They have a lake house? Decor (canvas, pillow, ornament) always finds a place.
- They have everything? Pick an experience: a cabin weekend, a striper trip, or dinner by boat.
- Order ahead for the holidays. Our products are made to order, and we estimate delivery in about a week, so give yourself extra time in December.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I buy Smith Mountain Lake shirts?
Our Smith Mountain Lake collection has tees, long sleeves, dri-fit shirts, hoodies, tanks, kids' tees, and trucker hats with the outline of the lake.
Is there a Smith Mountain Lake Christmas ornament?
Yes. The Smith Mountain Lake Life Ceramic Ornament is $19.95 (as of October 2026).
What can I get someone who has a house on Smith Mountain Lake?
A canvas of the lake for the wall, a pillow for the porch, and an ornament for their first Christmas at the lake make a great housewarming set. Add a planned dinner by boat to make it even better.
What experience gifts are there at Smith Mountain Lake?
Popular options include a state park cabin weekend, a Virginia State Parks annual pass, a pontoon rental, a guided striper trip, dinner by boat at Tiff's Lakefront or Portside Grill, a Virginia Dare cruise, and a winery tasting in Moneta.
Find their SML gift
Shop the full Smith Mountain Lake collection. Shopping for someone who loves a different lake? Choose their lake here.
Prices and details checked October 3, 2026, and may change. Call ahead or check each website before you book.
Sources: Lake Life Designs: Smith Mountain Lake collection, Virginia State Parks: Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia State Parks: Cabin fees, Virginia State Parks: Passes, Parrot Cove pontoons, Bridgewater Marina, Virginia DWR: Boating education requirement, SML Wicked Striper, Virginia DWR: Licenses, Virginia DWR: Smith Mountain Lake, Tiff's Lakefront, Mariners Landing dining, Portside Grill & Bar, Virginia Dare cruises, Ramulose Ridge Vineyards