The best US lakes for recreation

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The United States has a ton of great recreational lakes around the country that provide opportunities for all different types of activities, both on and off the water. We’ve gathered a list of our top ten favorite lakes from around the US.

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Lake Powell

Lake Powell is a reservoir in Glen Canyon National Recreational Area between Utah and Arizona. The blue water snakes through the red rock canyon, offering plenty of recreation. Its location near the Grand Canyon and Monument Valley is another bonus.

© Gleb Tarro / Getty Images

Lake Lanier

Lake Lanier is located in North Georgia, about an hour from Atlanta. It's a man-made reservoir made by damming the Chattahoochee River. More than 10 million people visit the lake annually, with many using the Lanier Islands as a recreational hub.

Lake of the Ozarks

The lake sits in the middle of Missouri and offers many land-based activities, eateries and accommodations. There are countless marinas available to rent or store a boat, and camping is available nearby at Ozarks State Park or Ha Ha Tonka State Park.

Pickwick Lake, Tennessee

Pickwick Lake is on the border of Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi, just outside Memphis. Yellow Creek Cove on the lake is a constant party in the summer. Camping can be found at Pickwick Landing State Park, which offers a marina and boat rentals.

Pickwick Lake © Laura Brown / Lonely Planet

Big Bear Lake

Big Bear Lake in Southern California prides itself on being open all four seasons for water recreation. Big Bear offers a mountain atmosphere, with hiking, winter skiing, and summer swimming. Its heart is Big Bear Village, a charming small town.

Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe sits on the border of California and Nevada. It is the second deepest lake in the United States and is known for its clear water and vibrant colors. Visitors can access hundreds of miles of hiking trails or rent paddleboards and kayaks.

Lake Tahoe © MariuszBlach / Getty Images

Lake Mead

Lake Mead lies outside of Las Vegas, and is the largest reservoir in the US, formed by the Hoover Dam. Boating is popular here, with four marinas available to rent or store boats. Lake Mead also offers some of the best sport fishing in the country.

Lake Placid

Lake Placid in the Adirondacks is a classic New York mountain town that has hosted the Winter Olympics twice. In the winter, the area has opportunities to snow ski and snowboard. In the summer, the lake offers waterboarding and tubing.

Lake Placid © Chuck Robinson Photography / Getty Images

Lake Winnebago

Lake Winnebago is a glacial lake in eastern Wisconsin. It's known for fishing in the summer and winter, with a prominent ice fishing industry. Boaters have access to more than 18,000 acres of water, including Lake Butte des Morts and the Fox River.

Lake Winnepesaukee

Explore more than 250 different islands in New Hampshire’s Lake Winnepesaukee, or hike in the nearby White Mountains. There are lots of small, charmingly distinctive villages on the shores of the lake that can be reached by either boat or car.

Carefully crafted collaboratively between GEICO and Lonely Planet. Both parties provided research and curated content to produce this story. We disclose when information isn’t ours.


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