Beat the heat at SC's lakes: Here's why two of them were voted among the nation's best

Is your electric bill rising because of the heat? Are you keeping the freezer open to get a cool breeze? Before cranking up the air conditioning, try diving into these South Carolina lakes instead.

Lake Jocassee and Lake Murray were recently announced as USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards winners. In the "Best Lake for Swimming" category, Lake Jocassee took the crown at No. 1.

Lake Murray took spot No. 2 in the category "Best Lakes for Water Sports."

Here's why USA TODAY readers voted these lakes among the best in the country.

Lake Jocassee has 'no shortage of rushing waterfalls to admire'

Beat the heat at Lake Jocassee, located in Devils Fork State Park. Revered by locals for its clear, clean water streaming in from the Appalachian rivers, this scenic lake is only an hour and 20 minutes away from Greenville, making for a fun summer day trip.

Those who enjoy fishing can reel in sunfish and trout. Per USA TODAY, "....there's no shortage of rushing waterfalls to admire along the shore." And if you aren't much of a swimmer, go on a hiking adventure in the woods along the Bear Cove Trail or Oconee Bells Nature Trail.

Take refuge from the heat at Lake Murray

This SC jewel is close to downtown Columbia, offering dozens of boat landings, ramps, and marinas to park your boat. USA TODAY recommends visiting the lake during summer's dog days when it will serve as a "particularly inviting refuge from the South Carolina heat."

Local, state and national fishing tournaments are held yearly at the lake. In 2023, Bassmaster named Lake Murray the "Top Lake in the Southeast." During the same year, Best Bass Fishing ranked the lake No. 4 in the country. If you prefer to spend time in nature watching wildlife, keep your eye out for the Great Blue Herron, striped bass, and migrating purple martins.

USA TODAY 10Best's Top 10 Best Lakes for Swimming

? No. 1: Lake Jocassee, South Carolina

? No. 2: Geneva Lake, Wisconsin

? No. 3: Lake Erie, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania

? No. 4: Norris Lake, Tennessee

? No. 5: Lake Superior, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin

? No. 6: Lake Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin

? No. 7: Deep Creek Lake, Maryland

? No. 8: Lake Chelan, Washington

? No. 9: Grand Lake, Colorado

? No. 10: Lake Charlevoix, Michigan

USA TODAY 10Best's Top 10 Best Lakes for Water Sports

? No. 1: Lake Erie, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania

? No. 2: Lake Murray, South Carolina

? No. 3: Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri

? No. 4: Lake Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin

? No. 5: Lake Martin, Alabama

? No. 6: Lake Havasu, Arizona, California

? No. 7: Big Bear Lake, California

? No. 8: Lake Superior, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin

? No. 9: Lake Champlain, New York, Vermont

? No. 10: Lake Mendota, Wisconsin

Nina Tran covers trending topics for The Greenville News. Reach her via email at [email protected]

This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Lake Jocassee, Lake Murray on USA TODAY's 10Best Readers' Choice list