From flooded volcanoes to world-renowned wetland areas, here’s where to go for a lakeside getaway.
No matter what time of year, some sort of fishing is in season.
Duluth, Minnesota, and Bayfield, Wisconsin, are among the charter hubs.
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It’s an ideal place to try out yourbeginner’s inflatable paddleboardor just rent one from theTexas Rowing Center.
Bookending the longer hike are rides on the legendaryLady of the Lakesteamer.
Without a deep-sea submersible, you won’t be able to reach the absolute bottom (1,943 feet).
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In winter, the lake converts to a natural rink for sail-powered ice racing.
Keep an eye out for wildlife along the shore, from bears and bald eagles to otters and wolves.
Flanked by snowcapped peaks, thick boreal forest, and whitewater rivers, the 42-mile-long lake is quintessential Alaska.
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But it’s not just quantitythere’s a beach for nearly every taste.
Wineries with spectacular waterfront locations includeBelhurst Estatein Geneva andThirsty Owlin Ovid.
Spin your own high-adventure tale on a houseboat cruise through the red-rock desert wilderness.
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Ice racingcars speeding around the frozen lake surfacetakes place on winter weekends on a groomed track near Greenville.
Sailors can overnight at special campsites on the lake’s secluded (and roadless) south shore.
Hairy, apelike figures have reportedly been sighted around the lakeshore dozens of times.
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Vintage “thunderboats” are on display at the nearbyHydroplane and Raceboat Museumin Kent.
Other dude ranches in the Flathead Valley can organize multiday packhorse camping trips into the surrounding wilderness mountains.
Seven world-class golf courses frame the lakeshore.
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Among them is the Tom Fazio-designed National Course and the Jack Nicklaus signature, Great Waters.
Environmental initiatives over the decades have brought the birds (and many other creatures) back to the lakeshore.
The lakeshore’s competitive triathlon, held each August, is dubbed the Scenic Challenge.
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From Swedish massages to organic green tea wraps, soothing treatments are the hallmark of this lakeside retreat.
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Courtesy of The Inn at Bay Harbor – A Renaissance Golf Resort
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Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton Lodge
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