Bayview is right on the water (literally), giving it a northwestern island feel, and it is home to the 4,000-acre Farragut State Park. Conroe, Texas, has made its name as a live music destination with shows happening in town almost every day. Fun fact: hundreds of Bigfoot sightings have been reported on the Texas side of Caddo Lake since 1965. With the campsites, the natural spring water, the scenic views around the park, and the lake, its just so calming and relaxing, says Misty Treptow, executive director of the Sulphur Chamber of Commerce. Jocquise R. Timmons, 28, of Paterson was arrested by U.S. Known as a major vacation destination, Lake Ariel is surrounded by the gently rolling hills of the Poconos Mountains. The trooper had successful surgery Thursday and is in "great spirits," Attorney General Matt . More than 125 homes and a projected fifty businesses moved to higher ground, the . Its perfect for outdoor recreation with acres to hike and canoe. Minneapolis is just over three hours northwest, and Chicago more than three hours northeast. 1. Enjoy Greensboro's historic charm: Main Street bustles with locally owned businesses and eateries, and Lake Oconee is a destination for water activities. Just outside Austin, Texas is Lakeway, along the southern shores of Lake Travis. The famously human-made lake is known for speed boating and waterfront resorts, but Osage Beach claims 420 acres of shorefront that's particularly inviting for families keen on a beach vacation. Theres also the noteworthy shops and restaurants located in the towns eight-block business district, which happens to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. But its not just the water that makes the area so special and desirable. This is a country chock-full of picturesque lakes, from the northeastern shores of Lake Winnipesaukee in New Hampshire and Rangeley Lake in Maine, all the way to the southern California shores of Big Bear Lake. Meanwhile, downtown is filled with antiques stores, restaurants, and small boutiques. 20 Best Mountain Towns to Visit in the U.S. 11 Best Lake Tahoe Beaches With Sandy Shores and Mountain Views, The Best Small Towns in the U.S. to See Fall Foliage. - Port Isabel, TX - Port Isabel is a beach town and a popular resort, as well as being a retirement destination. Sandusky, OH, was ranked the most affordable lake town in 2021 by Realtor.com . Sailing, fishing and kayaking are also popular pursuits. Located at the southern edge of Lake Keowee and just a short drive from Lake Hartwell, Seneca is a great small town for retirement. Diamondhead, MS. Population: 8,044. Average temperature: 71.8 degrees. Nestled into the scenic foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, this picturesque community is home to Highland Lake, one of the largest lakes in Connecticut and a popular spot for residents to beat the summer heat. The Ohio, Cumberland, and Tennessee rivers have their confluence at or near Paducah, and nearby are two long lakes, Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, with the Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area situated between them. Those lucky enough to see a sunset at Lake Kampeska could understand how wildlife artist Terry Redlin was inspired by his surroundings in Watertown. From this $400,000 one-bedroom cabin on a wooded, waterfront acre right near the Trezona Trail to this $599,000 one-bedroom cabin on a 1.25-acre island in Shagawa Lake, Ely is the ideal lake town for folks who want to get away from it all.. Theres also this quirky three-bedroom within walking distance to Main Street for $350,000. The Pacific Northwest is filled with pine tree-lined bodies of water, but in terms of lake towns that offer both water activities and mainland charms, Chelan is one of the best waterfront enclaves in the PNW. Swimming is unlikely because the lake contains alligators, but it's a great spot for boating. Watch: Relax for Less: The 10 Most Affordable U.S. Beach Towns for Homebuyers. The 55-mile-long body of water is ideal for sailing or paddling past historic cabins and sprawling vineyards. Single-family homes on the water start in the high $300,000s to low $400,000 range, such as this four-bedroom on 2.31 acres listed at $410,000 or this three-bedroom on the market for $399,000. Buyers on a budget, who dont mind roughing it a bit, can check out this small cabin on Pennock Island for just $79,000. The light turquoise waters attract vacationers from all over the country. But in todays overheated housing market, is the concept of owning your own waterfront home a punishing fantasy or an achievable reality? When it comes to American lakes, Maine's got game. Vermont's first and smallest city, Vergennes is a short drive to both Burlington and Middlebury. Homes can vary widely in price: A single-family fixer-upper on the water can go for around $250,000 or into the millions.. Tucked way up in northern Minnesota, Ely is secluded and full of pristine lakes and unspoiled forests. People are moving back to the area, either after retirement or because they can work from their lake cottage, she says. Port Aransas. The small community of Georgetown on the Carolina coast is what Charleston used to be - 200-year-old homes (more than Charleston, in fact), lots of Southern . A leg of the great Cumberland Trail is accessible at the north end of LaFollette. Caddo Lake is a 25,000-acre lake and bayou on the border of Texas and Louisiana. Most people visit Florida for its beaches, but land-locked in the center of the Sunshine State is Winter Haven, a spot known for its Chain of Lakes. There's a stretch of great small towns north of Lake Pontchartrain in southern Louisiana. But there are also plenty of folks whod prefer to be right in town, within walking distance to dozens of restaurants, the performance center, and the nearly 30 sculptures spread throughout downtown. Lake Ozark is a small town of less than 2,000 people in the Lake of the Ozarks region of Missouri. You'll also find the town of Bigfork, Montana, which has old Western resort town energy, not dissimilar to the ski towns you'd find in Colorado mining country. Lake Burton. (Fun fact: Big Spirit Lake is home to 40 different species of fish.). Rangeley Lake State Park boasts 850 acres of mountainous terrain, making the area a perfect hiking destination as well. Two years ago, USA Today named it the best coastal town in America. Population: 316,381. Most of the time beach towns are far too expensive to actua. The New York Finger Lakes region is a pristine part of the state with 11 glistening bodies of water, each lined by towns with character. Supported by natural spring and rain water, White Lake is a 1,200-acre body of water in North Carolina, and the town welcomes 200,000 tourists each summer. Lake Wylie is the oldest lake on the Catawba River. Buyers who want to get in on the monthly drum circles in Basin Springs Park can find great deals on homes close to downtown, such as this renovated three-bedroom asking $279,000. Pronounced "Bowfort" (not "Bewfert" like its South Carolina namesake), this colonial-era village embraces its pirate history. TRAVEL + LEISURE is a registered trademark of Travel + Leisure Co., registered in the United States and other countries. 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 northern Wisconsin resort town (165 miles northwest of Green Bay) has all the ingredients of a great family vacation , including more than 3,000 lakes in Vilas and Oneida counties. Median home list price: $248,000. Those who want to own property right on the water should expect to spend at least $500,000, such as this $725,000 three-bedroom home. ( (Tony Franzel for Realtor.com)) 1. But those who want access to the water from their backdoors need IPO-level cash; they should expect to fork over six figures for places like this brand-new three-bedroom listed at $1.25 million. Many of these towns also offer summer and winter activities, which can make them year-round destinations. Right near the Canadian border, way up north in Minnesota, secluded Ely offers acres upon acres of pristine lakes and unspoiled forests set on a stunning, glacier-carved landscape. Trout fishing is popular on Lake Taneycomo. The drive to Wolfeboro is about two hours from Boston and five from New York City. However, those who want a waterfront view should expect to spend $400,000 and up, such as this lakefront two-bedroom with a rooftop deck listed for $499,999. This rural Wisconsin getaway attracts water lovers from across the upper Midwest with its two local rivers, popular manmade Lake Delton and around a dozen other bodies of water with nice homes set right on the shoreline. Single-family homes on the water start in the high $300,000s to low $400,000 range, such as this four-bedroom on 2.31 acres listed at $410,000 or this three-bedroom on the market for $399,000. If Queen Dolly Partons Stampede and live country music shows arent your thing, check out the Titanic Museum, with 400 pre-Discovery artifacts spread across 20 gallerieswhich can be enjoyed in the blissful A/C. (They come highly recommended.) Nestled in a valley between the Piedmont region and Appalachian Mountains, this town has been luring people to its picturesque waters for yearsespecially since it was the filming location for Dirty Dancing. Caddo Lake / Shutterstock. The former industrial town has pivoted and is cultivating its reputation as a resort town, Fullford says. Saugatuck Dunes State Park draws adventure seekers with its massive mounds and 13 miles of sandy trails. Big Bear is less of a hotel town - the name of the game here is renting a house on the water and spending your days fishing, hiking, swimming, and mountain biking. With Lone Star College . Clear Lake, South Dakota, is proud of its strong, traditional values. One of the best things is that were far enough from any major metropolitan area that our lakes are not that busy relative to their size, says Deborah Fullford, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors of Indian River. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices 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. That makes it appealing for investors as well as folks who stay there part of the time and rent out for the rest, to help pay off their mortgages. We see a trend across all our markets of buyers thinking, Life is short, buy the lake home! Many of those seek out the more rural lake towns where homes may be relatively more affordable than at larger lakes or at lakes near cities, says Phillips. The community is nestled between the southern shores of the lake and the foothills of the Coeur d'Alene Mountains. Vergennes and the area bordering Lake Champlain have an old-world New England feel - which stands to reason, as Vergennes was founded in 1788. 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. Eureka, California. Chelan offers housing options at a wide range of price points. She covers tech, real estate, and everything in between. There are few things more relaxing than the quintessentially American lake vacation. They can play on the lake, ride horses, or follow off-road Jeep trails without losing access to high-speed internet and other city amenities. Coos Bay, Oregon. Retirees interested in exploring the outdoors . 9 Things Youd Better Consider First, Surf and Save? After spending the day on Lake Norman, North Carolina's largest man-made lake, pop into any of the locally owned shops for a handmade souvenir. Located approximately 35 miles south of the Kennedy Space Center, Melbourne residents average $853 on monthly housing costs, ranking 12 th for this metric. The lakes in the region include Osceola, Maitland (pictured), Minnehaha, Virginia, and Mizell, and those who visit and live in Winter Park can enjoy them all. It is also renowned as the most hippie town in the state, offering drum circles, natural food options, and plenty of community art scattered across town. His company sells lake homes in 33 states. The top tourist attractions are the International Wolf Center and North American Bear Center. 2 . This fast-growing city of nearly 90,000 is 40 miles north of Houston and abuts Lake Conroe, a 33-square-mile lake, and is close to Sam Houston National Forest. Spirit Lake also offers a host of museums and local historical sites such as the Dickinson County Heritage Center and the Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum. Buyers can find three-season cottages on the water that need some fixing up starting in the $100,000 range, like this two-bedroom ranch with river access listed for $125,000. The Lake of the Woods area is perfect for spending one's golden years of retirement. They say a rainy day on the lake is better than a sunny day in the city. Clearlake is one the more affordable lake towns in California, with average home prices just under $200,000. This area is one of the more affordable places to purchase from, ensuring that your investment will provide you with the most value. Covington, Louisiana. The most affordable town on the list is Jamestown, N.Y., with a median list price of just $59,000, but if you desire a two-bedroom home with a private shoreline that can raise the price significantly. The top 10 most affordable lakes for lakefront homes in Michigan are listed below, with the most affordable lake at No. Marshals in South Carolina Friday afternoon. 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. And for $800,000, its possible to buy a cabin on a private island. Darien is one of the best family beach towns in Georgia, with plenty to see and do. Located in Pennsylvanias Poconos Mountain range, Gouldsboro is a close weekend trip for New Yorkers and New Jerseyians. . This lake town is brimming with charming accommodations, too, from the more modern Hotel Earl to the historic Bridge Street Inn and the waterfront Edgewater Inn & Suites. Check out Margaritaville Lake Resort for a family-friendly vacation in Osage Beach. 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. If they already had one home by the lake and they had another home in an expensive city and you had to consolidate, which are you going to choose? she says. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site.