Waterfront condos start in the mid $300,000s, like this one-bedroom listed at $349,000. Although some of these homes are pricier than many homes across the country, they offer the chance to get a waterfront property, and with hurricane season upon us, perhaps a safer location than an oceanfront home. Listed at $129,900, this house is close to the lake walk and Ashlands vibrant downtown. "The City of Opportunity" offers plenty of rest-and-relaxation opportunities to its visitors. Winsted, Connecticut is a 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. Its a way to feel secure about making payment, so they can float it if the world turns upside down, he says. 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. Well, it all depends on where you look. Lake Moultrie. The presence of water-based activities and attractions was one of the main ranking factors for this list. Budget tip: Ko Lanta is one of the cheap beach towns that's as perfect for adventurous backpackers as it is for families. Beaufort, North Carolina, one of the Southeast's oldest and most charming beach towns, is at the southern tip of North Carolina's Crystal Coast. What do Frank Lloyd Wright, shellfish, and the Tennessee River all have in common? Lake Wylie is in both Carolinas and the variety of activities in this area is great. While its not a vacation hot spot, its just as beautiful as many nearby lake towns for a lot less cash. Each place had to have at least 25 listings. 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. The median listing price in 2020 was a very affordable $107,792. For more places to explore, check out The South's Greatest Lakes and The South's Best Small Towns. Animal lovers will gladly pay roughly $7 ($4 for kids) to spend a couple . three-bedroom, two-bathroom lakeside abode, The 10 Most Affordable Places To Buy A Vacation Home, How to Buy a Second Home (Hint: It Wont Be Like Your First), Thinking of Buying a Lakeside Home? It's all about the water sports at White Lake - tourists come to swim, boat, tube, jet ski, wake board, and the like. Set on the banks of Lake Erie, the popular vacation destination offers a revitalized downtown with good shopping and dining. Condos start as low as $40,000. Average temperature: 71.8 degrees. 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. 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. Nine miles west of Cleveland is Rocky River, Ohio, a town of 20,000 ranked #24 by Niche in the entire state for best suburbs. Daniel Herriges serves as Editor-in-Chief for Strong Towns, writing feature articles and speaking across the country on behalf of the organization.He has been a regular contributor to Strong Towns since 2015 and is also a founding member of the organization. Realtor.com has rounded up its list of the most affordable lake towns where you can find a home that is either directly on a lake or close enough to get a great view. The area is quiet and the weather is warm in the winter. Buyers can get a home and land, such as this $225,000 one-bedroom log cabin overlooking Shagawa Lake. When on dry land, you might hit a casino (Gouldsboro, Pennsylvania) or theme park (Branson, Missouri), tubing or go-karting (Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin), or enjoy strolling through the shops and restaurants of a historic district (Vermilion, Ohio).. Winter activities include snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. The 26,000-acre census-designated place boasts nine golf courses, dozens of restaurants, 14,000 residents and 11 lakes with plenty of single-family houses and townhomes on the shores. Copyright 2022 Travel + Leisure Co. All Rights Reserved. Methodology: GOBankingRates found 25 affordable waterfront cities by evaluating 112 of the United . With serene scenes, mountain-framed horizons, and breathtaking stretches of river and lake valleys, lake life looks different in every state, and we're here to celebrate them all. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. Saugatuck, Michigan. The data team at realtor.com ran the numbers to come up with these affordable lake towns. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Vermont's first and smallest city, Vergennes is a short drive to both Burlington and Middlebury. Cliff Billingsley/Getty Images. The informative museum on the Games and international ski jump, bobsled, and luge training facilities still gets tons of visitors who want to learn more or watch world-class athletes train. The area also has lots to do, from shopping and dining to mountain biking, hiking, fishing, and canoeing on its rivers and lakes. To help narrow down that search, one website has chosen three cities in North Carolina as some of the best lake towns in the country to live in. Once an old port town, Sandusky is now known as a major recreation and entertainment destination. That said, you'll also find an amusement park in town and, next to White Lake (heading toward neighboring Elizabethtown), a picturesque 18-hole golf course. Visitors will find endless entertainment within the village of Big Bear, from brunch at Teddy Bear Restaurant to midday microbrews at Big Bear Lake Brewing Company. Listed at $399,900, 29 Marina Cove Drive is a 2-bed, 3.5-bath condo on Spinnaker Island with 1,894 square feet as well as views of Hull Bay and Boston Harbor from the living room and bedrooms. The unique 1.88-acre, lake-to-bay lot offers views from every window in the 8,800-square-foot home. 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. RETIRE NEAR THE WATER. This small two-bedroom on the bay is listed for $1,850,000. The undulating vistas of the Smoky Mountains make for an idyllic backdrop to life at Rarity Bay on Tellico Lake. Just 85 miles outside of Atlanta sits one of the most charming lake destinations in the South: Lake Oconee. Cheboygan, Michigan. Retire to Davidson and you'll find all the small-town charm you crave near North Carolina's Lake Norman, plus proximity to the bustling Charlotte metropolitan area. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, at twilight. Those who want to be on one of the larger bodies of water like East Okoboji Lake should expect to pay more, such as this five-bedroom on the market for $289,000. Chattanooga receives its highest score for affordability. Credit: John Noltner. This two-bedroom condo on Highland Lake, with a shared dock across the street, is for sale for $319,000. The lakes themselves arent the only appeal. Laconia, New Hampshire. 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. Ebenezer Park on Lake Wylie offers a boat ramp, picnic tables, swimming, playgrounds, and fishing. There are few things more relaxing than the quintessentially American lake vacation. Residential lots on Lake Monticello 8. Sandusky, OH, was ranked the most affordable lake town in 2021 by Realtor.com . Although offerings vary by location, youre likely to find options for boating, fishing and paddle boarding, said Wedgeworth. For those who aren't as keen on sinking their toes into soft white sand, Charlevoix is also home to Lavender Hill Farm, with idyllic fields packed with 25 lavender varieties, and Castle Farms - an actual stone castle in northern Michigan. At B-52 Brewery, you'll find them serving up a new brew release every Friday alongside live music performances. The city sits in a strategic position at the southern tip of the Inside Passage, connecting the Gulf of Alaska to the Puget Sound. There are 6 public boat accesses, 2 nuclear power plants, and it is popular to both nearby North Carolina and its . Although Lake Placid boasts some impressive multimillion-dollar homes on the water, like this $11 million seven-bedroom estate, folks without trust funds can get into the housing market, too. Clemson, with the cultural draws of the university and the South Carolina Botanical Garden is just a stone's throw across the water. 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. Saugatuck Dunes State Park draws adventure seekers with its massive mounds and 13 miles of sandy trails. Read on for the 25 best places to live in the South. Best Lake Towns To Retire To in the South, 12 Lesser-Known Southern Destinations Our Editors Can't Wait To Visit In 2023, The Best Mother-Daughter Vacations to Take This Summer, 10 Prettiest Places for Fall Foliage in Tennessee, Pass Christian Is the Mississippi Beach Town You've Probably Never Heard Of, Affordable Florida Beach Towns Perfect For Your Next Vacation, 18 Perfect Fall Girlfriend Getaways To Plan Immediately. 4) Holland State Park Beach: An expansive, sandy beach on Lake Michigan and Lake Macatawa, each with its own campground. Can it be? Bryson City. While Charlevoix offers both waterfront attractions and inland charms, beach-going visitors will love the five miles of shore at Fisherman's Island State Park and Beach. Visitors can easily hop on a ferry for a day of island-hopping, or spend the day at Cedar Point Amusement Park, which bills itself as the Roller Coaster Capital of the World. They can also take a trip to the Merry-Go-Round Museum. Big Bear Lake is a year-round California destination because, much like Tahoe, it transforms from a ski town in the winter to a lake town in the summer. The region's McGhee and North . Glen Arbor is nestled between Lake Michigans Sleeping Bear Bay and the Glen Lakes. And while it is possible to find a single-family home on the water that needs a bit of love for under $200,000, the pickings at that price point are slim. Meanwhile, downtown is filled with antiques stores, restaurants, and small boutiques. 01 of 10. When you're wiped from a day spent on the water and under the sun at Lake Conroe, there's nothing like kicking back at a local brewery and enjoying some tunes. Conroe, Texas, has made its name as a live music destination with shows happening in town almost every day. #13. Situated on nearly a half-acre, this house features a screened porch and is within walking distance of Roamingwood Lake. Situated near Columbia, South Carolina's capital city, and just a short drive from Lake Murraya 50,000-acre reservoir with more than 600 miles of shorelineLexington is a great place to live. No. If you're looking to have the time of your life, this quiet lake town is meant for you. The family-friendly area boasts water sports and a drive-in movie theater in the summer months with plenty of hockey, ice fishing and other outdoor winter sports during the colder parts of the year. For more water activities, locals also visit nearby Lake Henry and Lake Wallenpaupack, both recognized as prime fishing spots. Flagstaff, Arizona. There has been a steady uptick in the number of people seeking out homes in lake towns over the past few years, says Glenn S. Phillips, CEO of Lake Homes Realty. Located at the mouth of the Cheboygan River on Lake Huron, the town offers clear waters and a gorgeous shoreline. It's an ideal setting for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of large cities. Along the 185-mile shoreline, you'll find patches of crystal clear water. Residents, many of whom move to the village for retirement, spend their days paddleboarding, fishing and swimming in the lakes or walking along 30 miles of forested trails. Dillon's overall cost of living score is 88, compared to South Carolina's 94 and the national average of 100. His company sells lake homes in 33 states. 5. Rent a house along the water - on either the Nevada or California side - or stay at Edgewood Tahoe, the only five-star resort right on the water with gorgeous architecture, golfing, and an idyllic pool overlooking the lake. 10. Lake Burton. These days, with fears of Covid, some may not like the idea of opening their home to outsiders and possibly investing more money in cleaning. 25. Its very close to pricier Lake George as well as Gore Mountain Ski Resort. But of course, those who want to go all out on their lake home can find secluded properties that cost much more, like this two-bedroom cottage on 180 feet of deep-water shoreline, for $699,500. And last year was already nuts! Homes with private access to the water from their backdoors are more costly, such as this four-bedroom listed at $1,997,000. The beach on Lake Huron at Port Crescent State Park in Port Austin. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device 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. On Lake Winnipesaukee, Wolfeboro is fast becoming the best lake town in the Northeast. Prices generally range from $400,000 to . Lake Tahoe is one of the most popular year-round destinations in California - and when you see the sunshine ricochet off the lake in the summer months, you'll see why it's just as enticing in June as it is in the height of ski season.