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9 Incredible Recreational Lakes near Branson, MO

ItIsWild.com Best Lakes near Branson Missouri

Branson may not have the largest selection of lakes, but its reservoirs are highly versatile and well-developed for outdoor tourism. Lake Taneycomo is a typical starting point, but Table Rock Lake offers more space for water activities.

11 Fantastic Recreational Lakes near Indianapolis, IN

ItIsWild.com Best Lakes near Indianapolis IN

The lakes around Indianapolis stand out for their versatility. There are hardly any restrictions here, and most offer swimming, waterskiing, and jet skiing, in addition to more traditional activities like fishing and kayaking.

11 Fantastic Recreational Lakes near Columbus, OH

ItIsWild.com Best Lakes near Columbus Ohio

Columbus has an excellent selection of lakes and reservoirs, many of which offer waterskiing, camping, and swimming, not to mention more common kayaking and fishing. These lakes are less than 45 minutes away.

15 BEST Recreational Lakes near Kansas City

ItIsWild.com Best Lakes near Kansas City

The Kansas City area has lots of lakes and reservoirs, but not many of them offer public access. This list is a selection of some of the best recreational lakes open to the public, offering fishing, swimming, kayaking, waterskiing, and more.

12 Amazing Recreational Lakes neat St Louis, MO

ItIsWild.com: Best Lakes near St Louis MO

The St Louis area isn’t short on recreational lakes and reservoirs. However, many have restrictions on swimming or fast boating. But if you’re prepared to drive for more than an hour, many versatile options open up.

19 Stunning Recreational Lakes near Bend, OR

ItIsWild.com: Best Lakes near Bend Oregon

Bend has dozens of fun lakes and reservoirs offering water activities like swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking, boating, and of course, fishing. Many of the lakes have campsites and hiking trails, too.

11 Fantastic Recreational Lakes near Pittsburgh, PA

ItIsWild.com Best Lakes near Pittsburgh PA

Pittsburgh has an excellent selection of lakes, most of which are less than an hour away. Some options are parts of quiet parks and reserves, while others are full-on recreational reservoirs with boating and camping.

15 Best Recreational Lakes near Denver, CO

ItIsWild.com Best Lakes near Denver CO

With dozens of lakes in its vicinity, Denver is a fantastic place for water activities like swimming, fishing, and boating. And in winter, these lakes make for superb ice-fishing, ice-skating, and snowshoeing destinations.

15 Stunning Recreational Lakes near Colorado Springs

ItIsWild.com: Best Lakes near Colorado Springs

There are many lakes and reservoirs around Colorado Springs, but most of them are sources of water for this densely populated area which limits recreational use. Fishing, kayaking, and paddleboarding are the most common activities here.

9 Stunning Beaches near Homosassa, FL

ItIsWild.com Best Beaches near Homosassa FL

Although not as good as Tampa or Destin, the selection of beaches near Homosassa is pretty good. You can opt for sandy coastlines with volleyball courts and palm trees or check out mangrove beaches teeming with wildlife.

11 Gorgeous Recreational Lakes near Utica, NY

ItIsWild.com Best Lakes near Utica NY

Like many places in New York State, Utica offers a wide range of fantastic lakes, most of which have very few recreational restrictions. Fishing, swimming, boating, and kayaking are all possible here.

14 Incredible Recreational Lakes near Lake George, NY

ItIsWild.com: Best Lakes near Lake George NY

Lake George isn’t the only show in town. There are plenty of other incredible options, all within an hour’s drive. From small and cozy fishing holes to nation-famous recreational reservoirs, local lakes have it all.

15 Amazing Recreational Lakes near Ellensburg, WA

ItIsWild.com Best Lakes near Ellensburg

Ellensburg is perfectly located to access a wide variety of lakes and reservoirs in Washington. The choice here is diverse – anything from small cozy fishing holes to full-on recreational reservoirs with no limits.

10 Amazing Beaches near Rochester, NY

ItIsWild.com: Best Beaches near Rochester, NY

You don’t have to drive far to enjoy some of the best beaches near Rochester. Although the selection here isn’t huge, there is a diverse choice with state parks, city parks, and private businesses offering access to Lake Ontario.

9 Fantastic Lakes near Bowling Green, KY

ItIsWild.com: Best Lakes near Bowling Green, KY

Bowling Green may not have the largest selection of lakes, but the options here are large and diverse, with hardly any recreational restrictions. Most of the lakes allow swimming, waterskiing, and camping, just to name a few.

11 Amazing Recreational Lakes near Scranton, PA

ItIsWild.com: Best Lakes near Scranton PA

Scranton offers access to a diverse selection of fun lakes and reservoirs. Some options are quiet fishing lakes with restrictions, while others are state parks offering a wide range of activities and overnight stays.

9 Beautiful Beaches near Freeport, ME

ItIsWild.com: Best Beaches near Freeport Maine

Freeport isn’t known for its beaches or crowds of holidaymakers. Yet, there are a few coastal gems here that are worth visiting. Most are small and cozy beaches with excellent beachcombing and kayaking.

9 Incredible Recreational Lakes near Columbus, GA

ItIsWild.com: Best Lakes near Columbus, GA

The choice of lakes around Columbus is rather diverse. There are river impoundments, county lakes, and swimming holes within state parks. Swimming, paddling, boating, and fishing are all possible here.

11 Amazing Recreational Lakes near Rochester, MN

ItIsWild.com: Best Lakes near Rochester, Minnesota

Rochester has access to a wide variety of lakes and reservoirs, many of which offer excellent swimming in summer. Also, there are plenty of incredible fishing spots and vast reservoirs for waterskiing, wakeboarding, and tubing.

11 Gorgeous Recreational Lakes near Breckenridge, CO

ItIsWild.com: Best recreational Lakes near Breckenridge, CO

Breckenridge offers a wide selection of lakes. However, many of them have recreational limits, especially on water contact activities like swimming and waterskiing. Still, fishing, boating, paddling, camping, and hiking are all popular.

12 Best Recreational Lakes near Little Rock, AR

ItIsWild.com: Best Lakes near Little Rock Arkansas

Little Rock has a wide selection of fantastic lakes and reservoirs, most of which are within an hour’s drive. Many are parts of WMAs offering incredible fishing and paddling, while others are popular family-friendly spots for swimming and camping.

11 Amazing Recreational Lakes near Sioux Falls, SD

ItIsWild.com: Best Lakes near Sioux Falls SD

The selection of lakes and reservoirs around Sioux Falls is plentiful and varied. Although some of the options are over an hour’s drive away, almost all offer a wide range of activities like swimming, fishing, boating, and camping.

9 Amazing Beaches near Sandusky, OH

ItIsWild.com: Best Beaches near Sandusky OH

Sandusky offers access to a wide selection of beaches in the area. Some are parts of urban parks, others sit within state parks, and there is a couple of island locations, too.

11 Incredible Recreational Lakes near Fort Wayne, IN

ItIsWild.com: Best Lakes near Fort Wayne Indiana

Fort Wayne has a fantastic selection of lakes, most of which are within an hour’s drive or just about. You will find quiet fishing spots, urban city parks, as well as full-on recreational reservoirs with hardly any limits.

11 Best Beaches near Dover, DE

ItIsWild.com: Best Beaches near Dove, DE

The beaches near Dover aren’t best for swimming, but the further south you travel, the more fantastic options open up, including popular state parks, beachside camping, and thriving ocean resorts.