Rangeley Lake State Park boasts 850 acres of mountainous terrain, making the area a perfect hiking destination as well. But that doesnt mean the rest of the 99% cant get in on the waterfront action. The drive to Wolfeboro is about two hours from Boston and five from New York City. Saugatuck, Michigan. In addition to lakeside living, residents also take advantage of the prime fishing, picnic, and camping spots, and a scenic paved trail for bikes and pedestrians that winds through the town and around Lake Kampeska. Kick up your feet at the Inn on the Square between grub sessions at Good Times Brewing at The Mill House and the Cheeseburger House. The community is nestled between the southern shores of the lake and the foothills of the Coeur d'Alene Mountains. Covington, Louisiana. There's a stretch of great small towns north of Lake Pontchartrain in southern Louisiana. Its basically the complete opposite of Bransonaside from, you know, the lakes. Located near Lake Toxaway, the largest private lake in the state, Cashiers has long been a favorite vacation spot and has also inspired people to relocate there for retirement. Located in the Adirondack Mountains and surrounded by rivers famous for fly-fishing, cliffs made for climbing (and jumping), and lakes ideal for a host of water sports, Lake Placid is one of the most sought-after vacation spots in New York. Best Lake Towns To Retire To in the South, 12 Lesser-Known Southern Destinations Our Editors Can't Wait To Visit In 2023, The Best Mother-Daughter Vacations to Take This Summer, 10 Prettiest Places for Fall Foliage in Tennessee, Pass Christian Is the Mississippi Beach Town You've Probably Never Heard Of, Affordable Florida Beach Towns Perfect For Your Next Vacation, 18 Perfect Fall Girlfriend Getaways To Plan Immediately. An upscale and heavily golf-oriented resort community on the Gulf Coast, Diamondhead is . Those who want to be on one of the larger bodies of water like East Okoboji Lake should expect to pay more, such as this five-bedroom on the market for $289,000. Big Bear Lake is a year-round California destination because, much like Tahoe, it transforms from a ski town in the winter to a lake town in the summer. The region boasts seven lakes, with the three largest natural bodies of water located in the town proper: Big Spirit Lake, West Okoboji Lake, and East Okoboji Lake. To help narrow down that search, one website has chosen three cities in North Carolina as some of the best lake towns in the country to live in. Even in the gated community, affordable homes can still be found. Its possible to get a single-family home right on one of the smaller lakes in the $100,000 range, like this three-bedroom on Center Lake for $119,800. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Watch: Home Buying Update: Where to Aim Highand Bid Higher. Rent a house along the water - on either the Nevada or California side - or stay at Edgewood Tahoe, the only five-star resort right on the water with gorgeous architecture, golfing, and an idyllic pool overlooking the lake. Even though it has dropped a couple of spots, Sandusky remains a popular vacation spot for Midwesterners looking for lake living at affordable prices. Realtor.com has rounded up its list of the most affordable lake towns where you can find a home that is either directly on a lake or close enough to get a great view. Canyon Lake. Those looking to move to Cheboygan are finding plenty of affordable homes for sale, including this four-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom house listed for $169,900. Lake Wylie covers over 13,000 acres, with a shoreline of 325 miles. Buyers can get a home and land, such as this $225,000 one-bedroom log cabin overlooking Shagawa Lake. House hunters who want easy access to entertainment after paddleboarding, kayaking, or boating across 43,000 acres of water will appreciate one of the many waterfront homes on Table Rock Lake. Prices generally range from $400,000 to . The past few years of the COVID-19 pandemic brought hordes of well-heeled buyers into vacation destinations, bidding up prices and purchasing any and all available real estate. Copyright 2022 Travel + Leisure Co. All Rights Reserved. Nothing says summertime bliss like hanging out in a lake town, watching the glowing sun set in the company of friends and family, sightseeing, visiting the local farmers market for fresh veggies and kicking back in a cozy cabin. 5) CityFlatsHotel: A sister property to the CityFlats in downtown Grand . The Lake of the Woods area is perfect for spending one's golden years of retirement. We set out on our annual hot-season quest to find the best affordable lake towns in the United Statesplaces with lots of well-priced homes, lovely and fun water scenes, and no shortage of things to do on dry land. Located along the Guadalupe River, Canyon Lake is one of the most picturesque places to own a home, and it just so happens to also be the most affordable. Lake Tahoe is one of the most popular year-round destinations in California - and when you see the sunshine ricochet off the lake in the summer months, you'll see why it's just as enticing in June as it is in the height of ski season. 24. On Lake Winnipesaukee, Wolfeboro is fast becoming the best lake town in the Northeast. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwest Virginia, Abingdon is one of those small towns in the south that is known for its combination of artsy vibes and historic charm. The Tennessee River runs between the two, and the stretch between Wilson Dam and Wheeler Dam is known as Wilson Lake, a popular reservoir for fishing. Buyers can find single-family homes just blocks from the water starting in the $400,000s, like this $419,000, three-bedroom house just outside town. Connected to Marion through a water bridge called the Diversion Canal, Lake Moultrie is a smaller lake but is still the third largest lake in South Carolina. Check out five lake areas with lake homes listings that have been included in the top 10 most affordable lake areas in the country. Located just south of the Iowa-Minnesota border, Spirit Lake sits on the western shore of East Okoboji Lake, in the Iowa Great Lakes region. Here are the 25 most affordable places for renters currently, according to Zillow. * The average of monthly, median list prices for all homes in the city (not just lake houses) from January 2022 through May 2022, using Realtor.com data. Editor's Note: Those who choose to travel are strongly encouraged to check local government restrictions, rules, and safety measures related to COVID-19 and take personal comfort levels and health conditions into consideration before departure. Fun fact: hundreds of Bigfoot sightings have been reported on the Texas side of Caddo Lake since 1965. - Port Isabel, TX - Port Isabel is a beach town and a popular resort, as well as being a retirement destination. 3. Paducah and the small towns that surround it offer up fun on the area's many lakes and rivers. Aurora, New York sits on Cayuga Lake, one of the largest of the 11 Finger Lakes. You can drive 30 minutes to Austin to go out for a meal or take in some live music, or unwind in the quieter suburb of Lakeway, where you'll still find great barbeque and Tex-Mex. The lake is named after the town of Burton which is now situated at the bottom of the lake. Lake Sara has a bit of everything. People are moving back to the area, either after retirement or because they can work from their lake cottage, she says. Buyers might want to check out the Hideout, a planned residential community with 3,200 single-family homes nestled into the Poconos. 10. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, at twilight. Just 85 miles outside of Atlanta sits one of the most charming lake destinations in the South: Lake Oconee. Cliff Billingsley/Getty Images. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Those four-season attractions have made the areas lake homes a hot commodity among second homeowners. This charming Missouri town is nestled in the Ozarks on the shores of Table Rock Lake and has lots of outdoor activities happening in and around the lake year-round, as well as indoor attractions including museums, galleries, and a historic downtown district filled with shops and restaurants. But in todays overheated housing market, is the concept of owning your own waterfront home a punishing fantasy or an achievable reality? California, Omaha, and Minnesota are among the most popular transplant states. Check out Margaritaville Lake Resort for a family-friendly vacation in Osage Beach. The pinnacle of Montana lake culture is spending the summer months on Flathead Lake. The roughly 2,000-square-foot house sits on a third of an acre and has a fenced backyard. The outdoor offeringswhich often include boating, fishing, picnicking, hiking, golfing, and lounging on the shoresare great ways to spend newly free hours during the weekdays and weekends. The region's McGhee and North . Known as a major vacation destination, Lake Ariel is surrounded by the gently rolling hills of the Poconos Mountains. Catering to guests from around the world, this working dude ranch offers guided trail rides, horseback riding lessons, stocked fishing ponds, and an all-inclusive resort experience. With Lone Star College . LindaZ74 / Shutterstock. This waterfront home . Cost of living . Browse Art on the Lake, where a variety of local art can be viewed and purchased; enjoy a zipline adventure at Screaming Eagle at Lake Guntersville, where you'll catch a great view of Northeastern Alabama forests and learn about the efforts Guntersville has made to restore the North American Bald Eagle population; and finish your stay with the best of lakeside cooking at Wintzell's Oyster House. This Georgia city is set on the shores of Lake Lanier, which is a busy spot in summertime and a lovely place to live year-round. Minocqua's quieter lakes are perfect for swimming lessons and sand castles. Spanning 2,600 acres, the lake of the Woods master-planned lake paradise offers residents exclusive access to its on-site equestrian center, 18-hole PGA golf . Maya Kachroo-Levine is the luxury and experiences editor at. Treat your family to a boat tour aboard the M/S Mount Washington, which has been cruising the lake for nearly 150 years, and if you're looking for a charming hotel, Pickering House Inn is just the place. And while plenty has changed over previous years, one thing remains constant: an overwhelming desire among many Americans to head to the waterand, just maybe, consider what it would take to own a house there. Sandusky, OH. Share of household income . Caddo Lake / Shutterstock. Covington is an excellent one, with state parks, biking trails, easy access to the lake, a great brewery in Abita Springs, coffee shops, restaurants, and waterways streaming through. Darien is one of the best family beach towns in Georgia, with plenty to see and do. Its very close to pricier Lake George as well as Gore Mountain Ski Resort. The family-friendly area boasts water sports and a drive-in movie theater in the summer months with plenty of hockey, ice fishing and other outdoor winter sports during the colder parts of the year. It sits on 1.5 acres across from Templar State Park on Big Spirit Lake. In terms of housing, though, Dillon is much cheaper than those numbers suggest. Methodology: GOBankingRates found 25 affordable waterfront cities by evaluating 112 of the United . Families love heading to the rides and entertainment at Cedar Point Amusement Parkthe self-proclaimed roller coaster capital of the world., We have a lot of second-home buyers that come here for their getaway homes, says real estate agent Jenny Craig of Russell Realty Company. Next: 25. Asheville, North Carolina. Set on the banks of Lake Erie, the popular vacation destination offers a revitalized downtown with good shopping and dining. And those who get seasick can avoid the water altogether with local wine tastings. Alaska might not be the first place most folks think of when they envision summer lake towns. In the past, many people have viewed buying a vacation home as a combination of a family amenity and a revenue opportunity, said Wedgeworth. But buyers willing to share rights could find a home starting in the $300,000 range, like this three-bedroom log cabin with a deeded dock on private Friends Lake listed at $339,000. That said, you'll also find an amusement park in town and, next to White Lake (heading toward neighboring Elizabethtown), a picturesque 18-hole golf course. The dock area of a home for sale in Crane Lake, where most listings are under $226,000. However, the Salmon Capital of the World, as Ketchikan is known, is built up along the waterfront due to its steep and mostly forested terrain. Median home sales price: $175,000. Then we ensured these were the kind of places buyers want to be, by searching for the towns with the most water-based businesses, like marinas, restaurants, and activities, using U.S. Census Bureau data. Source: ESB Professional / Shutterstock. Credit: John Noltner. But this year looks a bit different. for much of the year. Chattanooga, Tennessee. The word is getting out. Halfway between Minneapolis and Chicago, the area has become a popular year-round destination for urbanites seeking an escape from city life. Its also a prized destination for great shopping and local activitieslike a top-notch weekly farmers marketand its welcoming community vibe, says Jen Schaben, real estate agent with Stauss Realty in Okoboji. For anyone who wants some waterfront privacy, this certainly is the place. Just a three-hour drive, the idyllic glacial valley, located across the Cascade Range in the high desert, centers on the crystal-clear waters of Lake Chelan.