Lake Tahoe, the second deepest lake in the US (behind Oregon's Crater Lake), spans California and Nevada and has over 70 miles of coastline, giving tourists several beach options.
It may not look exactly like its Swiss namesake, but Lake Geneva in Wisconsin has long been a retreat for Chicagoans and other Midwesterners who flock to its shores to make the most out of summer.
South Haven, two hours from Chicago, has seven public beaches along Lake Michigan for five miles. South Haven is known as the blueberry capital of the world, and it hosts a blueberry festival.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the Rockefellers and Vanderbilts vacationed at Lake George, the Queen of American Lakes, four hours north of New York City in the Adirondacks.
Come summer, Lake Travis, in Texas Hill Country (about an hour northwest of Austin), is the perfect place to cool off in the water and enjoy activities like sunbathing, fishing, swimming, and ziplining.
The state of Montana might be the best place to get away from it all and feel like you're in the Wild West. Flathead Lake has 185 miles of land, which is more than any other lake west of it.
Lake Chelan, four hours from Seattle, is perfect for hiking, swimming, fishing, and camping. Lake Chelan State Park, built in 1943 on Chelan Indian territory, attracts many families each year.
Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire's biggest lake, is 72 miles long and has 264 islands set against the White Mountains. Visitors from New England and beyond enjoy