I agree about Normandy. That's not a vacation destination lake. IMO Dale Hollow is what you're looking for. Several nice resorts with cabins... never had a bad day there... even when skunked.. By far the most beautiful of the mid TN lakes.

Lake Barkley
 

Lake Barkley has a little color always and would make a great vacation choice lots of areas to camp or cabins and Kentucky lake nearby as well but it is clearer water than Barkley.Both lakes have a shared area that that can fish in Tn or Ky parts of the lakes with just the one states fishing license.