Water activities get top billing, of course. Whether you go for skiing, wakeboarding, tubing, or touring the lake in a pontoon boat, you can rent all you need at any of Russell Marine’s marinas: Kowaliga, The Ridge, River North and Real Island—and at Wind Creek State Park. For information, call Russell Marine at 866-355-8050. Call Wind Creek at 256-329-0845.
• Hikers, cyclists, and horseback riders will want to explore Russell Lands’ 80 miles of forest trails. For details, call 877-215-7011. Wind Creek State Park also has two hiking trails and one horse trail.
• Golfers can get their fix at the state park’s Lakewinds Golf Course and Willow Point Golf and Country Club (private), or the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Grand National course, and FarmLinks Golf Club, both about an hour from Kowaliga.
• The Fourth of July means the annual floating parade, with decorated boats gathering at Kowaliga Marina at 10 a.m. to show off their colors. In the evening, a concert and fireworks display at the Lake Martin Amphitheater end the day with a blast.
• AquaPalooza, a festive gathering of boaters and landlubbers for an afternoon of fun, is set for July 23 at Kowaliga Beach.
Lucy Merrill