Lake Winnipesaukee Living, Is this lifestyle for you?
Let’s start with the Abenaki Indian translations of Winnipesaukee. My favorite two are - The Smile of the Great Spirit and Beautiful Water in High Place. Both are perfect descriptions of this 44,500-acre paradise located in central New Hampshire.
We have 250+ lakes and ponds in central NH but the big lake dwarfs them all.
Here is a brief description and highlights of owning a home on the big lake:
- You can live on your boat all summer and never get in the car. Groceries, movies, restaurants, shopping, even visiting doctors can be accessed from your boat
- There are 258 islands to explore by boat.
- Ports around the lake include Alton, Laconia, Meredith, Center Harbor and Wolfeboro. At each port, you will find town docks, restaurants, shopping, gas, marina service and attractions.
- For those looking for some quiet time search Center Harbor, Moultonborough and Tuftonboro. The northeastern shoreline offers a slower pace and is more rural in nature with some beautiful hiking and walking trails.
- My best description for Alton, Gilford, Laconia and Meredith is your core to activity on the lake. Wolfeboro is somewhere in the middle for development but is a full-service town with a wonderful hospital and just enough stores restaurants and a good deal of culture too.
- Every weekend around the lake you will find something going on. From craft fairs to in-water boat shows there is always an event to go to.
Let’s take a counter-clockwise trip around the lake. Alton is at the southern end. This is a busy hub with lots of summer cottages and a marina lining the southern tip. Wolfeboro, designated as the oldest summer resort in the US, is on the southeastern shoreline. There are many nice dining venues with water views in Wolfeboro. Tuftonboro is next going northerly and this quiet little town is home to Bald Peak, a well-known golf course and country club. Next on the tour is Moultonborough which has miles of shoreline to explore. In Moultonborough, The Old Country Store is a local gem you must visit. Center Harbor, winter berth of the Mount Washington, is next and has miles and miles of conserved acreage for you to walk and explore. As you head south, Meredith is the nerve center for the western shoreline. Any visit to Lake Winnipesaukee must include a visit to Meredith, filled with hotels, shops and beautiful water views. Just to the south you find Laconia , home to Weirs Beach and the famous Laconia Bike Week. Finally, Gilford is well developed with several grocery and big box stores. It is well known for it’s sailing center and sailing competitions.
On the western shoreline, visit Gunstock Ski Resort with summer activities including zip lines and mountain coaster and great winter skiing day and night. In Laconia, you will find the Weirs Boardwalk, along with a wonderful beach plus the largest arcade in the world, Funspot. Also one of the premier outdoor concert venues, Meadowbrook, is located just south of the Weirs in Gilford. 
If you are looking for the go-fast lifestyle, look for a home on the western shoreline. The eastern shore is a bit tamer for those that aren’t into fast motorboats. Wherever you go, you will find a variety of summer cottages, mid-priced lake homes and luxury adirondacks all around the lake.
Contact us to find a NH Lake home on Winnipesaukee, Squam, Newfound, Sunapee, Winnisquam, Wentworth, Great East, Merrymeeting, Waukewan or any of the smaller lakes in the region.
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Call Lady of the Lake Realty at 1-888-737-5550 or e-mail at info@nhlakesrealty.com or text 603-566-6608 #nhlakesrealty
