The plan is straightforward: take Bell Road east from South Nashville, arrive at Hamilton Creek Recreation Area before 9 a.m. to secure parking, spend the morning on the water, and move to Seven Points in the afternoon for the swim beach. The 2026 Genesis GV70 handles all of it -- the gear, the distance, the July heat inside the cabin -- without asking you to compromise anywhere along the way.
Summer in Nashville has a rhythm. Broadway gets loud by noon, Centennial Park fills up, and at some point the pull of open water wins. Percy Priest Lake sits about ten miles east of the city, managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and covers 14,400 acres with 213 miles of shoreline. It is close enough for a weekday morning and spacious enough that you can disappear into a quiet cove.
What's the Plan at a Glance?
| Stop | What to Do | Best Time | Parking Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton Creek Recreation Area | Launch kayaks/paddleboards, walk the shoreline trail, watch rowing teams | Before 9 a.m. on weekends | Free; gravel lot near sailboat area, separate lot for trailers |
| Elm Hill Marina | Browse the waterfront, grab lake supplies, quieter dock-and-dine vibe | Midday | Paved lot, ample on weekdays |
| Seven Points Recreation Area | Designated swim beach, picnic tables, restrooms | Early afternoon | Day-use area; arrive early on summer weekends |
| Nashville Shores Marina | Boat rentals, waterpark, family amenities | Flexible | Larger lot; busier on summer weekends |
Hamilton Creek Is the Right Place to Start
Hamilton Creek Recreation Area sits on Bell Road -- which is also the address of Genesis of South Nashville at 1635 Bell Rd -- so the drive there from the dealership is a straight, unhurried shot east with no interstate required. The Metro Nashville Parks facility has been operating since 1980, offers a public boat ramp, and is home to the Vanderbilt Rowing Club and Nashville Rowing Club. Early on a summer weekday, the water is calm, the rowing shells are the only traffic on the creek arm, and the tree canopy keeps the launch area several degrees cooler than open Tennessee air.
Nashville Paddle Company operates out of Hamilton Creek and offers kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals, which means you can arrive without a trailer and still get on the water. The protected cove gives beginners a forgiving place to find their footing before heading into the main lake. If you bring your own gear, the GV70's cargo hold delivers 29 cubic feet with the rear seats in place -- room for a full cooler, two paddleboards (secured to a roof rack), dry bags, and a proper set of towels without rearranging the whole cabin.
The Route to Seven Points and Nashville Shores
After Hamilton Creek, Bell Road connects you back to I-40 westbound for a few exits, then south to Old Hickory Boulevard and into Seven Points Recreation Area, one of the lake's designated swim beaches. The area has sandy beach access, picnic tables, and clean restrooms managed by the Corps of Engineers. It is more sheltered from wind than the lake's open water, which matters in July when afternoon breezes can kick up small chop on the main body.
Nashville Shores Marina, just past the Percy Priest Dam, is the logical next stop for anyone who wants to extend the day. The GV80 is the better choice if you are hauling four passengers plus gear, but for a pair or a small group, the GV70's rear bench -- with generous recline and genuine leather on Advanced and Sport Prestige trims -- handles the drive home comfortably. Nashville Shores offers boat rentals across several vessel types, and the waterpark next door gives families an easy reason to stay through dinner.
Percy Priest Lake is considered one of the finest largemouth bass fisheries in Tennessee, and the Corps' 18,854 acres of surrounding public land keep the shoreline largely undeveloped. That is part of what makes the lake feel spacious even at peak summer. Party Cove, on the open water near the lake's center, draws dozens of anchored boats on summer weekends -- a genuinely Nashville scene if you want it, and easy enough to avoid if you prefer the quieter creek arms.
Why the GV70's Engineering Maps to a Percy Priest Summer Day
The GV70 earns its place on this specific drive through a few decisions that are easy to overlook on a spec sheet. Genesis lists the 2026 GV70's towing capacity at 3,500 pounds when properly equipped, which is enough for a small jon boat, a kayak trailer, or a jet ski -- practical for families who keep watercraft in the garage and want one vehicle to handle both the commute and the lake run. The 2.5T turbocharged four-cylinder produces 300 horsepower and 311 lb-ft of torque, rated by the EPA at 20 city and 28 highway for the standard AWD model; the extra stretch of I-40 on the way back into Nashville keeps the highway figure relevant.
Inside, the 2026 refresh brought a 27-inch OLED display that spans the instrument cluster and the infotainment screen in one continuous surface. For navigation out to Hamilton Creek -- where the access road splits between the Marina entrance and the BMX park before reaching the main boat ramp -- a clear, large-format map makes the difference on a first visit. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard across the lineup, so the navigation app of your choice connects without a cable.
The front seats on Advanced trim and above offer ventilation and a massage function. After three hours on a paddleboard in July Tennessee sun, that matters. Genesis also fits the GV70 with dual-pane windows that keep road noise measurably lower at highway speeds, so the return drive on I-40 feels quieter than the day itself. This is not a coincidence; it is the result of a compact luxury SUV designed to make the end of the day as composed as the beginning.
The lake will still be there in August, and September, and on every other July morning when Nashville's pace needs a counterweight. When you are ready to see the GV70 in person -- or talk through which trim makes sense for the way you actually use the car -- the Genesis of South Nashville team is on Bell Road, a few miles west of the water.
