A Complete Guide : To the Best Lakes on the East Coast
March 23, 2024
Here you will find the best lakes along the East Coast of the U.S. I grew up in upstate New York, where I’ve spent a lot of time in Lake George and Lake Placid. Thus, I’ve done my far share of boat and lake life, which I love! I’ve done a lot of traveling along the east coast and have seen a lot of great lakes and beaches. I wanted to share some awesome fun lakes to travel to. So, here are the best lakes on the east coast and in the north/south east of the US.
In this post, you will learn about, the best lakes on the east coast, the best lakes on the east coast to vacation, the best swimming lakes on the east coast, the best boating lakes on the east coast, the best lakes on the south east coast, the best lakes on the east coast for families, the best lake towns in America, and the best lake vacations in the northeast.
This post is all about the best lakes on the east coast.
Best Lakes on the East Coast
Maine
To start off our list, I’m going to start from the top, geographically (from North to South). Which is, the state of Maine. Maine, is home to Acadia National Park, which is filled with many breath-taking and serene lakes.
Eagle Lake in Acadia National Park. Eagle Lake is first on our list because of its beauty and size. It is the largest fresh water lake in Acadia, located on Mount Desert Island. You can easily access Eagle Lake from the town of Bar Harbor, from Route 233, from two different parking lots.
Echo Lake is also in Acadia National Park. It has it’s own beach, and is located near the popular hiking trail of Beech Mountain. People siting on the beach often see hikers walking along the famous cliffs apart of this hiking trail. This is a great fresh water lake to swim at with amazing scenery.
Jordan Pond is next on our list and is also in Acadia National Park. There is no access to it, other than hiking, but there is a house, the Jordan House, that serves tea, lunch, and dinner, that you can stop by on your hike.
Moosehead Lake is the largest mountain lake within all of the East Coast, and use to be home to many moose. It’s also home to 80 different islands, and has over 390 miles of shoreline. It is quite the lake.
Rangeley Lake offers a variety of fun activities to do, such as, kayaking, swimming, canoeing, fishing, nearby hiking, and much more. It is located in Rangeley, Maine which is about two and a half hours from Portland.
Sebago Lake is Maine’s second largest lake, that services many different camp grounds, sailing, swimming, fishing, and much more! The Crazy Tourist Website gives 11 more awesome lakes to visit in Maine.
The next state on our list is, New Hampshire. New Hampshire is placed right in the middle of the beautiful White Mountains, and home to the tallest mountain in the east, Mount Washington. New Hampshire has spectacular scenery, wherever you go, it’s breath taking.
Lake Winnipesaukee is New Hampshire’s largest lake, encompassing over 200 islands, multiple inlets, and over 280 miles of shoreline. There are many different resorts, inns, and campgrounds that offer various outdoor activities, such as swimming, kayaking, fishing, and more.
Mount Sunapee is New Hampshire’s fifth largest lake and has 7 different sandy beaches for people to swim at. It is also right below the ski mountain/resort, Mount Sunapee.
Winnisquam Lake is New Hampshire’s fourth largest lake and is a popular fishing destination. It offers a lot of hiking, mountain biking, and snowshoeing in the winter.
Conway Lake has a public beach, many camp grounds, and amazing wildlife all around. It is located right in the town of Conway, which is a little under an hour drive from Dover (about 20 minutes from Portsmouth, NH, on the coast).
Echo Lake is located in the heart of the White Mountains, at the bottom of Cannon Ski Resort. This truly is a beautiful lake with gorgeous scenery all around it. There is a great swimming beach that many people go to, to see the views and swim at.
White Lake is a lake formed by past glaciers, during the ice age. When the ice began to melt after the ice age, it created a dip in the land, that was slowly filled with water, hence the creation of the lake. Many people love to swim and camp here.
Chocorua Lake is great for swimming, canoeing, hiking, fishing, and much more. From the lake, you can enjoy views of Mount Chocorua, with many lush green forests surrounding it as well, which makes it great for pictures. Many people launch their boats from here. Also, many people hike from the lake to Mount Mount Chocorua, or catch the lake on the way back from their hike to cool off.
Silver Lake has a 1,000ft sandy beach for swimmers to cherish. There are also different hiking trails around the lake, with many picnic spots and canoeing areas. Lastly, here is a great website that informs of you of even MORE lakes and ponds within the state and here is a great article with again, even more lakes/ponds within New Hampshire.
Alright, next on our list, is the Green Mountain State, Vermont. Now, all you outdoor lovers, definitely already know about Vermont, for their endless ski resorts, but here are some more great spots to enjoy when the weather heats up.
Lake Champlain is first on our list, and rightfully so, this is a HUGE lake, it even goes through New York from the south end and to Canada from the North. You can see it from Burlington, not too far from Church Street. It is the 6th largest body of freshwater in the U.S. There are many different state parks, campsites, boating, swimming, hiking, kayaking, and so much more here.
Lake Saint Catherine has gorgeous coastlines that have snorkeling, boating, water skiing, scuba diving, and so much more. It is a little over an away hour from Lake George, New York.
Lake Willoughby is surround by the Willoughby State Forest, formed again by glaciers, and has amazing views of Mount Pisgah and Mount Ho. It offers many different fun outdoor activities.
Lake Bomoseen is one of the biggest freshwater lakes within Vermont. It has a recreational public beach for boat launches with a marina as well. And so many fun outdoor activities.
Griffith Lake is in the heart of the Green Mountains National Park, with many different campsites that run through both the Long Trail and Appalachian Trail (both very popular hiking trails).
Caspian Lake is situated in the middle of the Green Mountains with beautiful views of the mountains, and is a popular vacation spot for New Englanders. Caspian is a super calm lake with ever clear blue waters, which makes it a perfect lake to relax, sail and or boat on.
Lake Elmore is beautiful with views of Elmore Mountain. This lake has the nickname, “The Beauty Spot of Vermont.” This lake is extremely popular for recreational outdoor activities, such as hiking.
Next on our list, is Massachusetts. Massachusetts has some great fresh water lakes and ponds along Cape Cod. Cape Cod is a GREAT beach region, specifically in Wellfleet and further out. Here is an article that explains more of Massachusetts beaches.
Lake Cochituate State Park is actually composed of 3 ponds that interconnect to make one large lake, Lake Cochituate. Many people come to Cochituate to enjoy swimming, boating, kayaking, and much more. It’s situated in the towns of Natick, Wayland, and Framingham, which are about 30 minutes from Boston.
Onota Lake is located in Pittsfield, Massachusetts with beautiful homes along its shorelines, offering many different recreational activities on the lake. It is a popular vacation destination for many Massachusetters.
Lake Chaubunagungamaug is in Webster, MA, because of this, people often call this lake, Webster Lake too. It’s name is from an indigenous name, meaning “lake divided by islands.” Many boaters and hikers come here to boat, and walk the surrounding hiking trails.
Lake Quinsigamond State Park is near the town of Worcester. Many people plan picnics, sailing, fishing, and swimming on this lake. This is the most popular lake to use for rowing competitions, so don’t be surprised if you see one, while you’re there.
Lake Attitash is a great lake for fishers, boaters, swimmers, and much more. Attitash has two popular beaches with many summer homes along the coastline. This is a great vacation spot for people.
Lake Boon has four different inlets that make up the lake, that many Boston residents seek for peace in the summer months. Located in Charlestown, MA, it is only a 10 minute drive from Boston.
Walden Pond is again, great for any outdoor activities in the summer. It was formed by glaciers, over thousands of years ago. In addition, Henry David Thoreau lived on this pond for quite some time, and referred to this lake many times in several of his writings.
Lake Massapoag is a beautiful lake, located about 30 minutes from Boston. “Massapoag” means “large water” in Algonquin. It’s a quiet serene lake in Sharon, MA, which allows you to do many activities, such as, swimming, sailing, kayaking, and much more.
Gull Pond, is located in Wellfleet, and starts our lakes and ponds within Cape Cod! It is a great beachy pond, that offers swimming and kayaking.
Great Pond is also located in Wellfleet. It’s a nice little hideaway place for people wanting to escape the crowds of the beaches. However, on weekends, this pond can get quite crowded too, just not as bad as the beaches. It is right next to Cahoon Hollow Beach.
Duck Pond, is another fresh water pond. Not many people know about this pond, because it is off the beaten path. It use to be accessible through Paine’s Campground. However, since the last time I camped there, it was sold to another company, so I’m not sure how to get to the pond by foot anymore. But there is a way to get there by car, but it does encounter unpaved roads.
Here are more fresh water ponds if you’re interested and don’t want to drive as far out as Wellfleet. Also, if you want to find some more lakes and ponds within Massachusetts, here is a great website.
Alright, onto our next state, New York. I grew up in upstate New York, so I know the most lakes in this state. Mainly, I know several great lakes and ponds in northern New York, within the Adirondacks, because that’s where I’ve spent a lot of my summers. So, get ready, this will probably be the longest list, so let’s get started.
Lake George is great, specifically for all you boaters. Seriously, this is a great lake for boating, there are so many different restaurants that you can pull up to on your boat. There are a TON of different GREAT happy hours to go to. There’s loads of cliff jumping areas and different islands you can camp at (only accessibly by boat).
Lake George is surrounded and encompassed by the Adirondack Mountains, which offers a lot of different hiking. Lake George does go all the way up to Lake Champlain, so, yes, this is a big lake. It is also known as the, “Queen of American Lakes,” and is rated as second for greatest lakes in the U.S. It does get REALLY crowded and the water gets very choppy, on the weekends in the summer (June through Labor Day), so I would keep that in mind as well, if you visit. This is one of the best boating lakes on the east coast.
Saratoga Lake & Lake Luzerne are two great lakes as well, if you don’t want the crowds of Lake George. Saratoga Lake is about three thirds to half the size of Lake George, but does not get as crowded as Lake George. It still receives a good amount of traffic, just not nearly as much as Lake George. Now, Lake Luzerne is MUCH smaller than both of these lakes, and it does not allow motorized boats on it. However, it does have a nice little beach area for people who just want to swim or kayak.
Avalanche Lake is BEAUTIFUL! If you enjoy hiking, I’m sure you’ve heard of this lake, and have pasted it many times. It is located in the heart of the Adirondack High Peaks, and can be accessed by parking at the Adirondack Lodge, near Lake Placid and hiking to it. Many people camp here, then hike different high peaks surrounding it. This lake is only for swimming. It also gets VERY busy during the summer months, so again, I would just keep this in mind, and plan your trip early.
Lake Erie is in western New York, on the border of New York and Pennsylvania, it is America’s 13th largest lake, and is one of America’s five Great Lakes. Many people like to scuba dive here to see many different shipwrecks, as well as, kayak and fish here.
Skaneateles Lake, Cayuga Lake, Conesus Lake, Canadice Lake & Honeoye Lake are all lakes that are apart of the Finger Lakes of New York. Skaneateles is fairly close to Syracuse, NY, its Syracuse’s main water source, and is one of the purest lakes in the state. Cayuga is the longest Finger Lake, located in Ithaca, NY. It’s great for boaters and fishers. Canadice Lake is one of the smaller Finger Lakes located near Rochester, NY. Conesus has many different campgrounds and beaches you can go to. Honeoye is one of the smallest Finger Lakes, located in the city of Richmond, NY.
Sacandaga Lake & Saranac Lake are two great lakes in the Adirondack Mountains. Sacandaga Lake is near Speculator, NY, while Saranac Lake is near Lake Placid, NY. Both lakes offer great outdoor activities, like sailing, kayaking, swimming, and much more.
Chapel Pond,Round Pond, Ausable Chasm/River, Lake Placid,Mirror Lake, & Cascade Lake are all lakes within the Adirondack High Peaks region. They are all spread throughout Keene Valley and the Lake Placid area. Chapel and Round pond are both great for after hiking. Ausable Chasm/River has a great spot for rock jumping. While the other three are great for kayaking and swimming. In addition, Lake Placid is by far one of the best lake towns in America, it has SO MUCH to offer!
Cranberry Lake has a great hiking loop, that will take you about 3-4 days to complete (50 mile loop). Thus, it is more for backpackers, but still is a beautiful area.
Blue Mountain Lake, Indian Lake, Long Lake, Loon Lake & Schroon Lake are all great smaller lakes, good for swimming, kayaking, canoeing, and more. Some of these lakes allow motorized boats, but not all. This is a great website that will give you all the details about these lakes and even more lakes and ponds within New York.
Finally, on to the next state, Maryland. I haven’t spent too much time in Maryland, but I have been on the Potomac River (and swam in it), but have been told about some of these other great lakes.
Potomac River is a great spot for boating, kayaking, and restaurant hopping. It’s not the cleanest body of water, but I have swam in it, then taken a shower immediately after, and I was fine. But, I really don’t know if you’re suppose to swim in it. But it’s a lot of fun to cruise on. Here are some other great rivers within the area.
Deep Creek Lake is Maryland’s largest body of water. And is a great spot for swimming, fishing, water-skiing, any water sport, and much more. It is surrounded by lush forest areas and mountains, making it a very popular tourist destination.
Jennings Randolph Lake has peaceful campgrounds, hiking, picnics, kayaking, swimming, and much more. It also has Shaw Beach for people to relax and swim at.
Copper Lake & Lake Artemesia are beautiful and peaceful lakes. Copper is a serene little lake, surrounded by nature. Fishing is very popular here. It’s also good for mountain biking, kayaking, and cross-country skiing. Artemesia is also great for hiking, biking, and birdwatching.
Wheatley Lake is apart of Gilbert Run Park. It’s great for rowing, canoeing, fishing, and more. Also, if you are looking for some more lakes, this website has more.
Virginia
Next on our list is Virginia. Virginia has beautiful lakes surrounding the state, with awesome little spots for picnics and quick little day trips to take.
Smith Mountain Lake is great for boat lovers, and water skiing, wake-boarding, sailing, swimming, and more. It is the largest lake in Virginia, that is situated in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Kerr Lake & Lake Gaston offer camping, jet-skiing, tubing, and more. It is a popular destination of Virginia and North Carolina residents.
Mountain Lake, Philpott Lake & Lake Drummond are two natural lakes within the state. Mountain lake is surrounded by amazing scenery with mountains and more. Drummond is next to the Great Dismal Swamp, but don’t let this fool you. Many people like to boat, hike, fish, kayak, swim, and paddle board on this lake.
Burke Lake is a freshwater lake located in Fairfax County. It’s good for fishing and walking/running along the lake trails. Also, you can find more bodies of water here.
North Carolina
Next, on our list is North Carolina. North Carolina has so many wide open gorgeous lakes to swim, boat, paddle board, and more to do at, so let’s get started.
Lake Norman is the biggest body of water within North Carolina. It has great fishing, boating, and more. It is only a 30 minute drive from Charolette.
Lake James is in the western mountains of North Carolina, that has awesome views of the Appalachian Mountains. You can jet ski, camp, fish, and swim here.
Bear Creek Lake is one of North Carolina’s best kept secrets. Hard to find, Bear Creek Lake is great for fishing, camping, and having some solitude. It’s within the Blue Ridge Mountains, thus it’s scenery makes it even more appealing to its visitors.
High Rock Lake,Lake Glenville, & Badin Lake are smaller lakes within the state. High Rock has awesome fishing, that has held many fishing competitions. While Glenville and Badin are both great for quiet peaceful getaways.
Belews Lake,Lake Lure, & Hyco Lake are all great for camping. Belews has great boating and fishing. Also, Lake Lure was where the movie, Dirty Dancing was filmed. Hyco Lake also has great hiking near it.
Alright, next on our list is, South Carolina. Now, South Carolina is usually known for its beaches, but there are a lot of lakes, that people visit as well. So, here they are.
Lake Murray is a great lake located near the state capital, of Columbia. It’s a nice hidden lake with lots of trees and blue sky surrounding it. It has a nice beach area for people to relax at, and you can enjoy swimming, kayaking, canoeing, and more along this lake.
Lake Marion has great fishing, and is the largest lake within South Carolina. Many find other amazing wildlife along the lake as well, like deer, alligators, hawks, foxes, and more.
Lake Jocassee is also great for fishing because it is cool year round. Its water comes from the Appalachian Mountains. It’s also encompassed by part of the Blue Ridge Mountains. A lot of scuba divers and swimmers come here. In addition, this lake was featured in the Hunger Games and Deliverance movies.
Lake Storm Thurmond is the state’s second largest lake, and borders Georgia. There are lots of campgrounds, boating, and horseback riding within this lake.
Lake Keowee is a good spot for sailing, swimming, kayaking, and more. It also has surrounding campgrounds next to it.
Lake Greenwood is great for all you boaters. It has many different marinas, boat clubs, and more. This is perfect for cruising and all the fun water sports. It is also apart of a state park, which increases the amount of campgrounds and picnic areas this lake has.
Lake Wylie is in both North and South Carolina, that has many different celebrations on it. They have many different festivals and fireworks held on this lake year round. The Highway 26 ride, offers a very scenic drive to the lake as well.
Georgia
On to our next state, Georgia. Home to the Blue Ridge Mountains, Georgia has some exceptional lakes to visit and swim at with beautiful scenery.
Carters Lake is great for people who love the outdoors. It has many different camping sites, hiking, backpack hiking, paddling, mountain biking, and more.
Lake Allatoona is a good spot for boating, fishing, camping, and more. This lake crosses through 3 different counties, Cherokee, Cobb, and Bartow.
Lake Seminole is only a 45 minute drive from Atlanta, it’s a great place to go to for a break from the busy city life. It’s good for goose hunting and camping as well.
Lake Lanier is great for all you competitors. The rowing and canoeing races of the 1996 Olympics were held on this lake. Lake Lanier in addition has awesome fishing, tubing, swimming, and more.
Lake Blue Ridge is great for boaters, has it has many different access points for boats, and people who want to cruise and relax.
High Falls Lake is situated at the bottom of the Appalachian Mountains, it has beautiful views around it. There are many hiking trails and waterfalls along this lake, it’s also great for fishing and kayaking. Motor boats with more than 10 horsepower are not allowed on this lake.
Lake Chatuge has awesome golf, fishing, rafting, horseback riding, and more on this lake.
Lake Seed is a smaller lake, so it’s good for people who don’t like big crowds. It is great for fishing, as it attracts many different types of fish. It also has a couple different golf courses nearby if you are a golfer. Here are some other smaller lakes too if you’re interested.
Okay, this brings us to our last and finally state, Florida! Florida is a lot like South Carolina, where you might think there’s only beaches, but there is so much more. So, let’s get started.
Lake Tohopekaliga also known as Lake Toho, it is very close to Kissimmee and Orlando, Florida. This is great if you don’t want to go to the crowded beaches, you can escape to the lake instead. Many people come here to boat and enjoy the crystal blue water.
Lake Okeechobee means “water big”, which is very fitting for this lake, as it’s the largest one in Florida. It crosses 5 different counties, and links to the Okeechobee Waterway, that joins the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. Many of the locals like to fish here, as there are so many different types of fish you can find here. There’s also a lot of camping near the lake too.
Crescent Lake also known as Dunn’s Lake, it’s located in North Central Florida. It’s got lots of different fish, and amazing wildlife near and in the lake. It’s also got a conservation area at it. Kayaking and canoeing are allowed on the lake but motorboats are not permitted.
Blue Cypress Lake is beautiful. This is super picturesque with cypress trees all around with very blue water, and gorgeous coastlines. This is an amazing lake for canoeing and kayaking, as it looks like it’s straight out of a movie.
Lake Kissimmee has great hiking trails with many different species of trees, and lush forests. Many people fish here too because many different species of fish live here.
Lake Eustis is great for fishing, specifically for bass. Many people come here for boating, swimming, sailing, kayaking, and much more. People like, “The Walk,” to hike during sunset.
Lake Talquin is a beautiful lake for fishing. It’s also where the Florida State University Crew Club practice. Many people also boat, sail, canoe, and more here.
Lake Istokpoga is the 5th largest lake in the state and is shaped like a rectangular. It’s a freshwater lake in Florida’s Highlands County. Many people come here for fishing and boating.
Lake June in Winter has a public beach, where people can launch their boats and canoes. They also have picnic areas and fishing piers for people to use. It is situated on the western side of Lake Placid.
Lake Harris is near Orlando, Florida, where many photographers come for exquisite pictures of the tress and different wildlife. Many fishers and water lovers come here to enjoy all their activities.
Lake Griffin has giant oaks and marshes with peaceful waters, and exotic wildlife, like, alligators, turtles, and tons of fish. Many people enjoy the walking trails, boating, and kayaking.
And that wraps up our list of the best lakes along the East Coast. I hope you found some new places to swim, kayak, paddle board, and much more at. Thank you so much for reading, and comment below if there are ones I missed. Thank you again, take care, and get exploring.
This post was about, the best lakes on the east coast, the best lakes on the east coast to vacation, the best swimming lakes on the east coast, the best boating lakes on the east coast, the best lakes on the south east coast, the best lakes on the east coast for families, the best lake towns in America, and the best lake vacations in the northeast.
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