Lake Vacation in the Northeast? You were a great help last year!

[lisabees]

Last year, you all helped me find Camden, Maine.  We had an amazing house on Lake Megunticook.  It was a hit.  

 

We have 6 kids - between the ages of 12 and 22.  We'd like a house on the water, within 10 mins of a great, safe town (not tacky) with great food (we are all foodies). 

 

I imagine a house with a great dock and kayaks.  I imagine great hiking in the area.  Biking would be a bonus.

 

The year before last, we went to Bar Harbor and we are all ready to do that again.  But there has to be other options, which are just as wonderful.

 

Thousand Islands?  Moosehead Lake?  Niagara on the Lake?  Lake Champlain?

 

Not interested in the Finger Lakes.

 

 

Edited May 3, 2016 by lisabees

[whitestavern]

Squam Lake in NH is lovely. We also like Lake Sunapee. Winnipesaukee has some nice spots. Personally I'd stay away from the more developed areas and find something more quiet, like Center Harbor or Wolfeboro.

 

i have no personal experience at Lake Willoughby in VT, but it's been on my list of places to visit for years. I've always heard good things about it.

[Kalmia]

Sebago Lake in Maine which is between Portland (foodie mecca) and the North Conway, NH and the Mt. Washington/White Mountain area. Or the Burlington, VT area.

Edited May 3, 2016 by Kalmia

[MEmama]

Ooh, seconding Lake Winnipesaukee!

 

Thousand Islands are beautiful. Kingston is a fun college and should have plenty for your teens to do.

 

Moosehead is way more isolated than Bar Harbor or Camden and will have a much more rurstic vibe--more hunting lodge than hipster.

 

Lots of people like Lake Sebago in southern Maine. It's good for motor boat type recreation rather than kayaking type, IMO. The towns are pretty sprawling and not very interesting, though. IIRC from last year your teens enjoyed having the opportunity for some independence in town.

[lisabees]

Ooh, seconding Lake Winnipesaukee!

 

Thousand Islands are beautiful. Kingston is a fun college and should have plenty for your teens to do.

 

Moosehead is way more isolated than Bar Harbor or Camden and will have a much more rurstic vibe--more hunting lodge than hipster.

 

Lots of people like Lake Sebago in southern Maine. It's good for motor boat type recreation rather than kayaking type, IMO. The towns are pretty sprawling and not very interesting, though. IIRC from last year your teens enjoyed having the opportunity for some independence in town.

 

Oooh yes - hipster is definitely the vibe we want!  Thank you all for your insights so far.

 

Gonna check out Kingston!  Any thoughts on Niagara on the Lake?

 

Which town on Lake Winnipesaukee?

Edited May 3, 2016 by lisabees

[Amy in NH]

Sebago or Newfound

[MEmama]

Oooh yes - hipster is definitely the vibe we want! Thank you all for your insights so far.

 

Gonna check out Kingston! Any thoughts on Niagara on the Lake?

 

Which town on Lake Winnipesaukee?

I know I've been to Niagara on the Lake but it was so long ago I can't comment.

 

On Lake W we stayed at a camp near Meredith. We were there for a friend's wedding (they were married on a dock, with the misty water and loons calling all about...so lovely!) so we didn't explore the town much. Hopefully someone else can suggest specifics for you. I'm hoping to get back to explore more this year.

 

Have fun planning! :)

[lisabees]

Ooh, seconding Lake Winnipesaukee!

 

Thousand Islands are beautiful. Kingston is a fun college and should have plenty for your teens to do.

 

Moosehead is way more isolated than Bar Harbor or Camden and will have a much more rurstic vibe--more hunting lodge than hipster.

 

Lots of people like Lake Sebago in southern Maine. It's good for motor boat type recreation rather than kayaking type, IMO. The towns are pretty sprawling and not very interesting, though. IIRC from last year your teens enjoyed having the opportunity for some independence in town.

 

Yes, you recall correctly from last year!  The kids need some freedom.  We brought two cars with us and that worked perfectly.  Dh and I also planned an in-town scavenger hunt for all six of them; they loved that!

[Bluegoat]

Would you come to Canada?

 

We go to a great place, Milford House, in the summer.  Often just a few days though we are going a week this year.

 

It used to be a place where wealthy Americans left their wives and kids while they went off into the wilderness with guides.  There are two lakes, surrounded by a variety of cabins.  There is also a main lodge where people have most meals, (though a few of the cabins have kitchens so you can cook if you want.  But having meals is a huge bonus for me because although I like cooking it is a big part of my work.)

 

There are canoes you can rent or you can bring your own, and fishing, games like croquet, a playground, two beaches.  It is right next to a major national park and a wilderness area with some unique forest.  It's in an area that a dark sky preserve, so great star watching.  Also the little town nearby is one of the oldest in North America and very charming.  It's quite near actually to Port Royal, where Champlain among others first tried to settle.

 

 

[lisabees]

Bluegoat, Nova Scotia?  That's a little bit too far for us this year.  It's on my bucket list, however!

 

 

[Crimson Wife]

My parents used to own a condo on Newfound Lake in NH. They were in Bridgewater but Bristol is the bigger town and has surprisingly decent restaurants for being more off-the-beaten path.

 

Winnipesaukee is way more developed and touristy than Newfound. The North Shore (Moultonborough, Holderness) is less so than the South Shore (Meredith, Laconia, Gilford).