Lake Winnipesaukee

State: New Hampshire. Type: largest lake in New Hampshire, in Belknap and Carroll counties in the state's Lakes Region. Surface area 71 square miles (about 21 miles long, up to 9 miles wide), maximum depth 180 feet, with at least 264 islands. Bordered by eight towns: Alton, Gilford, Laconia, Meredith, Center Harbor, Moultonborough, Tuftonboro, and Wolfeboro.

Lake Winnipesaukee is New Hampshire's largest lake, a 71-square-mile body of water in the state's Lakes Region ringed by eight towns and dotted with at least 264 islands, ranging from tiny rock outcrops to the 1,186-acre Long Island. Its name comes from the Abenaki 'Wiwninbesoki,' meaning roughly 'the land that surrounds the lake.' Long a summer retreat for visitors from Boston and New York, the lake's shoreline town of Wolfeboro bills itself as the oldest summer resort in America. The lake is the summer stage for the MS Mount Washington, a passenger cruise ship first launched in 1872 and rebuilt in 1940, and for the M/V Sophie C., a floating U.S. Post Office that delivers mail to island residents from June through September. Boating, swimming, and lakeside hiking are the primary draws in summer, while the lake typically freezes over by late December, ice thickening enough (18+ inches) to support ice fishing and other winter activities.

The lake sits in Belknap and Carroll counties in central New Hampshire's Lakes Region, bordered by the towns of Alton, Gilford, Laconia, Meredith, Center Harbor, Moultonborough, Tuftonboro, and Wolfeboro.

The Lakes Region has a humid continental climate with warm, humid summers well-suited to swimming and boating, and cold winters during which the lake typically freezes over by late December, with ice regularly exceeding 18 inches thick.

Summer (June through August) is peak season for swimming, boating, and lake cruises, including the seasonal mail-boat run of the M/V Sophie C. from June to September. Fall brings foliage views around the shoreline with fewer crowds, and winter draws ice fishing and other cold-weather lake activities once the ice is thick enough.

The lake's Abenaki name, Wiwninbesoki, is generally translated as describing the land surrounding the water. The shoreline town of Center Harbor hosted the first intercollegiate sporting event in the United States in 1852, a rowing regatta in which Harvard defeated Yale. Wolfeboro, on the lake's eastern shore, promotes itself as the oldest summer resort in America, reflecting the lake's long history as a vacation destination for wealthy visitors from Boston and New York. The MS Mount Washington, launched in 1872 and substantially rebuilt in 1940 after a fire, has carried generations of visitors on scenic cruises, while the M/V Sophie C. has served as a seasonal floating post office delivering mail to island residents.

Boating and swimming are the lake's central activities, with a 45 mph daytime boat speed limit in effect. Scenic cruises aboard the MS Mount Washington are a signature visitor activity, and the M/V Sophie C. offers a novelty mail-boat cruise each summer. The surrounding towns offer hiking trails, and the lake supports fishing and, in winter, ice fishing once conditions allow.

Long Island (1,186 acres), Bear Island (780 acres), and Cow Island (522 acres) are the largest of the lake's many islands. Wolfeboro's downtown waterfront, Meredith's shops and marina area, and Weirs Beach in Laconia are popular shoreline destinations for visitors.

The lake is most easily reached by car via NH Route 3, NH Route 11, and NH Route 25, which connect the shoreline towns. Manchester-Boston Regional Airport, roughly 45 minutes to an hour south, is the nearest airport with substantial commercial service.

The lake itself has no set hours; public beaches, marinas, and cruise operators each keep their own seasonal schedules, generally running a full daily schedule in summer and reduced or no service outside that season.

Public lake access varies by town, with some beaches free and others charging parking or day-use fees; cruises such as the MS Mount Washington and M/V Sophie C. charge their own separate fares, which were not confirmed from an official pricing page during this research.

A day trip covers a lake cruise or beach visit, but many visitors stay several days to a week, using a shoreline town as a base for boating, hiking, and exploring the wider Lakes Region.

The lake's eight shoreline towns, particularly Wolfeboro, Meredith, and Laconia/Weirs Beach, offer a range of lakeside inns, motels, resorts, cottages, and vacation rentals, reflecting the area's long history as a summer resort destination.

Wolfeboro, Meredith, and Weirs Beach have concentrations of casual and sit-down restaurants, many with lake views, serving the area's strong seasonal tourism trade; dining options are more limited in the smaller, quieter towns on the lake's western and northern shores.

The White Mountains and White Mountain National Forest lie a short drive north, making it common to pair a Lakes Region stay with a White Mountains day trip. Squam Lake, made famous by the film 'On Golden Pond,' is nearby to the northwest.

Manchester-Boston Regional Airport is the closest airport with regular commercial service, roughly 45 minutes to an hour by car; there is limited public transit in the Lakes Region, so a car is the practical way to get around.

Boat traffic is heavy on the lake in summer, and a 45 mph daytime speed limit is enforced; swimmers should be cautious around boat channels and marinas. Ice thickness should always be verified with local authorities before any ice fishing or on-ice activity in winter. For any emergency, dial 911.

Sunscreen, a hat, and a swimsuit for summer lake activities; a light jacket for cooler evenings on the water; and, for winter visits, warm layers if planning to be on or near the ice.

Book cruise tickets for the MS Mount Washington or M/V Sophie C. in advance during peak summer weeks, and expect the busiest boat traffic and crowds around major summer holidays. Basing a stay in Wolfeboro or Meredith puts you close to both lake activities and a short drive from the White Mountains for a combined trip.

Dial 911 for any emergency. Marine and boating emergencies on the lake can also be reported to New Hampshire Marine Patrol; a current direct phone number was not confirmed from an official source during this research.

New Hampshire Division of Travel & Tourism Development - https://www.visitnh.gov

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.

This section is being updated and will be available shortly.