One of my friends is trying to do some writing research, so I am asking on her behalf.
She is looking for a lake in US, preferably somewhere warm, so it can be a summer home. The lake must be swimmable and have clear to semi-clear water for story reasons, so it can’t be completely opaque or filled with algae, and it must allow private ownership, because the property has to have a dock. She was asking about our local Canyon Lake originally, but Canyon Lake is managed by the US Corps of Engineers and you can’t have a private dock, you can only use public access.
The property also needs to be at least somewhat reasonable price-wise, because her family is middle class, so a $3,000,000 lake “cabin” is right out. They don’t own the entire lake, just a property on the shore.
Any thoughts?
Pretty much any lake in the Adirondacks (upstate NY) would work. I’d suggest Lake George or Saranac Lake.
+1 for Lake George!
Lake George is so clear you can see artifacts ???? was to be my first suggestion!! We summered there every year when I was a kid until my dad eventually moved there…
Star Lake in Adks. It’s West of the High Peaks and less pricey. Also, I find the water there to be clearer than the big lakes. But yay for all places Adirondack! Other favorite is Lake Ninevah in Vermont.
+1 For Lake George, although it’s only warm in the summer. July 4th fireworks over the lake are amazing. Bolton Landing’s another good option.
Lake George is lovely
I agree about the adirondacks, i would suggest the private side of silver lake.
Lake Tahoe is known for exceptionally clear water
No idea what the real estate costs there
“is Lake Tahoe warm enough to swim? Swimming in Lake Tahoe is an exhilarating experience. Note: Lake Tahoe is so deep, it never really gets hot. … Lake Tahoe’s average surface temperature in the summer is 63 degrees Fahrenheit, and can drop to 53 degrees Fahrenheit just 18 inches below the surface.”
🙂 That’s wetsuit temperature. She is looking for a warm summer swimming hole.
I’ve swam in Lake Tahoe in the summer during a rainstorm. It was lovely
It is too cold. Comfortable swimming temperature starts at around 70 degrees.
I’m just loving the fact you know so much about our lake!
And not disagreeing with any of it!
Us Northern Californians swim in our oceans and our big blue lake with glee. We are tougher than people realize.
Ok, the guy who invented wetsuits was from here, too, and my kids had shortie suits for playing in the ocean now, the wimps.
It’s warmer along the shallower lake edges especially South Shore but too pricey for your friend’s needs.
Lake George in upstate NY is fantastic in Summer.
What about the NY Finger lakes? I can’t recall how clear the water is, but I saw many homes with private docks during a visit. At one Lake, residents would boat over to a restaurant on the other side of the lake. So charming!
Lake Tahoe is the $3 million “cabin” range too. Ridiculous prices!
No it is absolutely not warm enough to swim! It’s snow melt. I grew up round there and swam as a kid all the time. As an adult no way it’s freezing!
this movie (the deep end) was filmed at lake tahoe with tilda swinton and goran visjnic (of ER fame)
lot’s of in-water swimming in the clear water
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BgxNWvx36c
Lake Tahoe can swim in the summer. We do. But real estate on the lake is not affordable.
I love that the Adirondacks were mentioned first, but go deeper into them. Raquette Lake is the best! We used to own a boat-access only property there and it was wonderful.
+1 for the Adirondacks. Lake George can be very touristy i.e a lot of boat rentals and weekend vacationers at hotels, cabins, camp grounds, etc and leans more towards that than actual lake front home owners. There are a ton of other smaller lakes in the area that are a bit quieter, so it depends on what kind of setting is required. I have family that has a cabin on the Great Sacandaga Lake which is a bit smaller and less developed. The water can be clear at times up to about 6-8 ft depth, but beyond that gets murky. And while most home owners don’t actually own the property right on the lake, there are deeded permits that allow docks and temporary structures. You’ll find more affordable lake front properties at other lakes in the area than Lake George.
Lake George. It is in the Adirondacks and though some homes are super valuable, people that have held the property for a long time are not super wealthy, just comfortable.
It’s true. we used to rent cosy cottages with a simple boathouse and dock, in the secluded bays like up around Bolton area, we canoed, took it easy, off the “beaten path” so to speak from where it’s faster-paced. I saw two UFO’s one summer that scared the bejeezus out of me. You can definitely get away from the touristy areas near the village. Anyway, I guess I miss it, also got married there at Canoe Island Lodge. It would be fun to read a story set on the Lake I guess. Lots of happy memories, swimming, laughing at my little brother mooning the ferry boats… lol. If the writer is in a paranormal genre… I can definitely speak to the UFO activity HAHA.
I was also going to suggest Lake George. Also, Deep Creek Lake in western Maryland.
I agree. To have really clear water it needs to get cold in the winter to kill algae and bacteria. Consider the Finger Lakes area in NY, Lake Coeur d’Alene in Idaho, or Deep Creek Lake in WV. These areas become hot in the summer and the water temp is 70+. Not bathtub warm, but lovely temp for swimming on hot days.
…or be spring-fed, as are the clear waterways in the Texas Hill Country.
That’s what I was thinking. Spring fed lakes in Texas. Most lakes in the south are will not be clear due to algae.
I would add Priest Lake in North Idaho.
Lake Couer d’Alene is amazing. Beautiful area and the town is picturesque.
Lake Anna in Virginia. It’s got private ownership of a mix of middle to upper middle class summer houses. It’s plenty warm to swim and pretty clean.
Ohhh! I’ve never been to Lake Anna, but have heard it’s beautiful. My family was going to rent a lake house and do a big family reunion there this summer, but we’ve decided to put it off one more year bc of COVID. Part of it is in VA and part is in NC. Right?
I agree that the Adirondacks is a great location. Blue Mountain Lake is exceptionally clear.
Arkansas comes to mind, Lake Catherine or Lake DeGray. You can also look around Hot springs, Heber Springs, possibly Eureka Springs, and Buffalo River area.
Also Greers Ferry area.
Beaver Lake is another one in Arkansas.
If looking at Oklahoma area, you have Grand Lake O’ the Cherokee, Lake Tenkiller, Broken Bow Lake and Lake Eufaula.
There’s also Lake Texoma.
If you’re looking at Texas, a friend of mine lives at Cedar Creek Lake. Loves it there. Some of the lakes around the DFW area can be murky, so I’m not mentioning them.
Good luck! ????️
+1 to these. Exactly what I was thinking. Also Lake Hamilton. I spent vacation each summer in Lake Hamilton and Lake Catherine. So I can speak for those.
Funny to see so many recommended lakes in Arkansas. I wouldn’t say they’re super clear though.
Minnesota, land of 10,000 lakes.
Yes! Minnesota. I live in Ely MN, gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The list of lakes up here that wouldn’t fit the description you have is shorter by far than those that would work. We have plenty of snowbirds who live here in the summer months (usually Memorial Day-ish through September or so) and elsewhere the rest of the year.
Yes, if your friend is looking for a lakeside summer home, MN is a good bet. Leech Lake and Lake Vermillion are further north but have crystal clear water for fishing/swimming/water sports. But there are hundreds of smaller lakes with lots of private home/living options and most have enough human activity to keep the algae growth at bay.
Lake Mille Lacs is huge but not deep so it gets warm enough for swimming and water sports in the summer – although you’re not swimming across the entire 18mi – and the water is always clear. Definitely lots of cabins/summer homes of all sizes and costs around the lake. Also there are people who own small islands dotted within the lake and have built their own homes there with their own docks, etc.
+1 for Minnesota! Take your pick of just about any lake outside of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and national parks. Growing up in Central MN, my best friend’s family owned a cabin on Sand Lake, and my family would often rent a cabin on White Earth Lake.
Michigan or Minnesota would probably be your best bets for owning your own small lake. My hometown had one lake completely in its city boundaries and another lake about 100 yards away (they built a canal to connect the two) that was mostly outside of town limits. That second lake is where most people had the larger homes with more lakefront available, but no one owned the entire lake.
It’s warm in the summer, of course. Only thing is that — and I think this is a northern lake thing — is that every year they had to spray the lake for “swimmer’s itch”. I have a feeling it’s a northern thing because every time I mention that to poeple in Maryland, they give me a weird look. So my uneducated-never-Googled-guess is that if it’s a northern lake that freezes (or mostly freezes) in the winter, that it allows for some bacterial growth that has to be sprayed to kill in the summer.
Now that I think of it, though, it might also be because that lake entirely within the city boundaries didn’t have any feeder creeks or anything. Don’t know about the other lake. So it only got fresh water from rainfall or what might come over from the other lake. So your friend should probably include some creek or river that dumps into or drains out of the lake to keep the water fresh.
Swimmer’s itch is actually a parasite that’s spread through goose & duck droppings. I try not to think about it.
Lake Bemidji is relatively accessible price-wise. It’s murky but divable (a friend of a friend teaches under-ice scuba diving there in the winter).
Most lakes in Minnesota have similar descriptions. There are also a fair number of family cabins or lake lots where the family has owned a property for 70+ years that they couldn’t afford to buy now. There are be 20×20 cabins on great lots next to multi-million dollar homes.
I wish I didn’t know that now. I got swimmer itch as a kid in Michigan.
Torch Lake, Michigan
Agree, Torch Lake.
I was coming here to say Torch Lake too.
I’ve not been there myself and the winters in MI can be brutal but our summers are pretty nice most of the time.
Hillary is correct:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/swimmers-itch/symptoms-causes/syc-20355043
Thanks for fixing the typo in my post, M’lady Moderator R!
Would you be talking about Crystal Lake in MI? Might be a good choice.
My hubby grew up there and we have spent many a summer living on the lake. Many summer homes there for “down-staters” and yes swimmers itch, sometimes. The lake is as beautiful as the name promises and home prices were reasonable.
Consider Cane River Lake in Louisiana. The Christmas Festival in Steel Magnolias is on it (and people go out on boats to watch the fireworks, etc.). Lots of history and affordable. My parents neighbors use their lake front house as a weekend house – they live in Dallas. Depending on where you are on the lake, can be right in town, or out in the middle of farmland. Water is semi-clear, not crystal clear. Many of the houses have private docks, but public dock also available for use.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cane_River_Lake
https://www.nps.gov/places/cane-river-national-heritage-area.htm
Wikipedia has a page listing all lakes in Michigan, including size and depth. There’s a freaking lot of them. Looks like a lot that are 1 acre or smaller, so I can see those being the ones that are privately owned.
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=List_of_lakes_of_Michigan&force_isolation=true
I grew up in Alexandria, and my memory of Cane River did not include clear water. Matter of fact, most of the lakes in Louisiana do not include clear water that I remember.
Sorry, that was supposed to be a reply to my previous post to correct a missing word. {sigh} Just can’t win some days.
I took care of it for you ????.
I would suggest either Lake Palestine or Lake Texoma. Both are pretty clear, and have private residences on the lake.
Torch Lake in Michigan is known for it’s clear water and summer homes. Not necessarily warm climate year round but very popular summer destination.
+1. Beautiful clear lake
So, so , so many in Minnesota and Wisconsin ????
Lake Keowe in Oconee County SC is crystal clear and although owned by Duke power permits private docks. Prices currently $650,000 up to multi million. But 3 or 4 years ago smaller or older homes were available for $350,000.
Howdy neighbor.
My sister’s family have a summer house (not insulated for winter) at Lake Brainerd Minnesota. I have been there the water is clear and people do a lot of small boats and fishing. Here is a site that has cabins, scroll down to see those with docks in a reasonable range.
https://lakeplace.com/forsale/mn/brainerd
O’Rourke Lake in Gaylord, Michigan. I have a friend whose family has property there. Only 8 houses on the lake, spring-fed waters, very clear, great for swimming. Part of the lake was a summer camp, which then sold lots to middle class folks in the late 90’s. A third of the lakefront is my friend’s family, owned since the 1940’s, so property values were different then.
my family has a cabin on ostego lake just outside of gaylord, mi! The water can be very clear depending on what side of the lake you are on. We are on the east side which has the sandy bottom and is pretty clear on a calm day. I have never heard of summers itch that everyone else is referring too and I go there every summer. So maybe I’m lucky? Ostego Lake is about 5 miles long and much skinnier than that. It could be good for a lake that requires hidden areas because you definitely cannot see the whole lake from one spot. If the summer is warm the lake is warm.
If your friend requires a really warm lake in the midwest, we sometimes go boating on clinton lake in IL because the water is heated by the nuclear reactor on the lake and we water ski.
Richland Chambers near Corsicana TX checks some of your boxes.
It is a nice lake, but not very clear. I had property on it until I moved out of state.
Clearwater Lake in Farmington, ME. It’s plenty warm in the summer….for the first five feet or so. Under that, bring your wetsuit. But it lives up to its name- I thought the bottom was only ten feet down or so, but it was actually forty! It also definitely has private docks and the local ‘camps’- lake cabins, mostly- are not outrageous. Tens of thousands for dilapidated tiny ones to hundreds of thousands for new/renovated large ones. Some of them are all-season homes, too.
Lake of the Ozarks — Lots of private docks, HUGE Lake with tons of “arms” as branches. Weather can get up to 90s and kiss 100 in the summer. There are foothills around it (“Ozark Mountains”)
Its cheap enough that lots of people in the counties of St Louis and KC have summer homes there. It has wild and crazy areas but I’ve also done quite a few retreats there too.
Yeah but for locals its awful. Too crowded and every year fatalities all over the place. Drunk boating, carbon monoxide poisoning because drunken pontoon partners don’t maintain their boats, etc. Party coves full of, yes, drunken idiots. We stay far away
I was going to suggest Lake of the Ozarks too. If you want a big lake, it’s a good bet. Depending on where and when you go, you can either have a giant party or a more secluded area. Plus there’s lots of tributaries, which I think would be good for dead bodies, if that’s part of the story line. ????
Also, homes range from mansions to condos, so even middle class could get in on the action.
Prices range from $2,00 for a bare lot, not waterfront, to $3.3 million. You can get a place with a dock for around $100,000, according to the filters on the listings.
https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-search/Lake-Ozark_MO/sby-1
I thought Lake of the Ozarks, too. Warm, not too expensive.
I agree with Lake Of the Ozarks. I laugh when I see the exit sign on I-44 for Pomme de Terre Lake and Lake of the Ozarks. It translates to Potato Lake. ????????????????
To all the BDH who are fluent in French: I apologize if my translation isn’t correct.
If I may add a mite, you’re quite right that pomme de terre means potato, and also, literally, apple of the earth.
I’ve always thought that’s in the same basket as our eggplant, pineapple, and grapefruit: kinda oddly named if you look too closely!
I agree it’s oddly named.
When I first translated the name, my mom was in the car with me, and I said “Oh, it’s apple of the earth lake.”
My mom looked at me and said “What’s another name for apple of the earth?”
I looked at her really funny, and she said “Potato”.
I said “Why would anyone name a lake Potato Lake?” She said “I don’t know. Possibly it looks like a potato.”
We got a good laugh out of it. 😀
I was thinking somewhere in Missouri might be perfect. Was not sure about water clarity or cost of real estate. I think Missourians frequently go to the lake house, isn’t that right?
Lake Mille Lacs in Minnesota! Prime time spots but great deals ????
Lake Lure, NC is a possibility. It is a vacation spot in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of NC.
+1 This was the first lake that came to my mind as well. It’s a beautiful area and there are many lakes around WNC, TN, and SC that could be a good fit.
Unfortunately, the lake isn’t really clear here. Otoh, until the last few months there were affordable places on or around the lake. Not so much anymore, like many other places.
Though I just read the tourism websites & they say crystal clear water. It never looks that way when I walk on the boardwalk. There is a swimming beach where it’s clearer.
You can’t swim too far from the town “beach”
Lake Conroe, just north of Houston, fits the description.
I dispute the “clear” part, though I love Lake Conroe.
Fair enough
Norris Lake in TN. It’s huge and the water is beautiful. Wide range of home types, from mansions to cabins.
That’s the one I was going to suggest! Lovely lake.
+1!
Also, Tim’s Ford Lake is gorgeous. Spring fed in places and is near Lynchburg, TN…home of Jack Daniels ????
I vote for Lake of the Ozarks!
I like Kentucky Lake in the Tennessee/Kentucky/Missouri area
https://www.airbnb.com/kentucky-lake/stays
Washington State has loooooots of lakes, of varying sizes and clarity, and many of them are privately owned (by one or more owners). One of the lakes we played in most as a kid, Brown’s Lake, was a privately owned lake that rented out a section of access to the community. So, a poke around those options might be beneficial!
My dad lived on Mason Lake when I was a kid. Tons of private docks, accessible to middle class families. People swam, fished, had jet skies, etc. For things nearby, you’ve got the Sound, Seattle, mountains, San Juan Islands, a variety of military bases… Western WA climate, though, so I don’t know if that would be warm enough.
Long Lake in MI. During calm weather summer days you can see all the way down to the bottom on the shallower areas. It allows swimming, fishing, pontoon boats, small speed boats, jet skis, canoeing, wakeboarding, and water skiing. It’s a small private lake, but during really nice summer days it’s really busy. Almost everyone on the lake has a dock, and a boat. The houses range from 800k to 350k.
Norris Lake in East TN
I would suggest Lake Arrowhead in California. It warm enough to swim in and there are homes just of the shore with private docks. In that area there is also Big Bear lake and Lake Gregory.
I suggest Lake Arrowhead as well because there are sub $1M house options, the water is in the high 60s in temperature, and the water is clear.
There are 2 lakes in the Southern California mountains that might work. In the winter they get snow, but the summers are quite pleasant. One is Lake Arrowhead and the other, at a higher altitude, is Big Bear Lake. Part of Big Bear Lake is national forest, but much of it allows private ownership.
Well, shucks, beat me by a minute.
Maine has numerous beautiful and clear lakes, and is a huge summer home destination. Warm summers. Docks and water sports are huge. Prices vary but tend to drop the further north and more isolated you go.
No, no, no! There are enough people from away in Maine. We don’t need the hordes moving here and driving up the price of real estate! Shhh, you’re supposed to keep it quiet, just for those who already know. Those from away can visit, but we want them to GO HOME.
Just kidding. Really. I mean it. Fingers are not crossed. At all.
I kind of think Lake Almanor near Chester up in Northern California might fit the bill. There’s some upper middle class houses there but it’s still got some reasonable priced places. I used to go there in the summer very lovely.
Caddo Lake, East Tx, clear, good swimming, warm, because u know it’s Hellfire Texas, and best bass fishing anywhere.
I cannot actually find any lakeside properties for sale. Every time I get a result it’s nowhere near the lake. I’ve tried every combination of lakeside, waterside, waterfront etc. Do you know if it’s possible to have a private lakehouse with a dock on it?
Caddo Lake is wholly encompassed by a state park on the La/Tx border. It probably started with a log jam in the 18th century, and it is stabilized by the park service.
Missouri or Minnesota. Missouri lakes can be owned privately, but they tend to be very muddy/algae filled. A Missouri property that borders a stream or spring will see super clear water outside of storm runoffs. Minnesota has tons of lakes, and friends recently moved to a cabin on a lake, super reasonably priced and fairly clear water.
I would suggest Southern Illinois. It is full of lakes and can be pretty reasonably priced. Lake of Egypt, Cedar Lake, Kincaid Lake, lots of lakes to choose from.
Lake of Egypt is mud bottom and NOT clear. My grandparents used to live there…had to shower after I went swimming to get the silt out of my hair!
Any lakes in the Adirondacks in NY. A few of the finger lakes would work as well. Prices can be reasonable. Only issue is they freeze in the winter not sure if needed all year round open water.
Deep Creek Lake in MD has a bunch of waterfront properties with private docks and dependent on the size of house the price varies. $800k on the lake: https://www.railey.com/listing/MDGA134738/2539-mayhew-inn-rd-oakland-md-21550/
Lake is swimmable but partly clear, not crystal clear. There are clearer areas and lower areas based on this study and good swimming temps, with not much algae.
https://dnr.maryland.gov/ccs/Documents/DCL-WMP/DCLMonitoring_WQSC_Dec2013.pdf
I do not have much info on this place, but I visited the Johnson Millpond in Connecticut once and was very charmed by the area. It was very cold there in January, though.
https://www.hookandbullet.com/fishing-johnson-millpond-moodus-ct/
Lake Hamilton near Hot Springs Arkansas is one of many lakes here with reasonably priced vacation property.
Arkansas is full of them, clear water good for snorkeling, fishing, both private access and CoE amenities etc. Lake Ouachita, Lake Hamilton, Greers Ferry Lake, Beaver Lake, Table Rock Lake, Norfolk Lake to name a few.
Boating, fishing and outdoor activities can be year-round, swimming depending on having wet suits, etc.
there are also a number of retirement communities built around their own spring-fed lakes, that kind of private community development was started here in Central Arkansas https://walton.uark.edu/abhf/john-a-cooper-sr.php by a guy named John Cooper in the early 60s.
Smith Mountain Lake in western Maryland used to be relatively clear. Not sure what it’s like now; I was last there in the 70s. The visibility then was quite good; you could see fish 8-10′ down. It was definitely swimmable. It’s got private land all around it and a few small islands if memory serves.
I don’t know current prices, but it was very middle class back in the day. If the family has owned it for a while, it’s fine; probably even if they bought recently. There are year-round activities in the area.
Ohh!! There is a Smith Mountain Lake in South Central Virginia that’s fantastic too!
Yikes; that’s how long it’s been since I was there. It’s VA, not MD. Sorry for the confusion!
Chickamauga Lake, Chattanooga Tennessee. It’s a reservoir lake on the Tennessee river with homes with docks all up and down. Some $$$some more reasonable.
Spirit Lake or West Okoboji Lake in Iowa. West Okoboji is one of the few (allegedly there are only three) “Blue Water” lakes in the world.
Yes – this – West Okoboji! Beautiful lake in the midwest – so deep the water is blue.
Also, if you need a more remote setting, Lake Curlew in Ferry County, in northeastern Washington. It’s near the Canadian border in a very rural area – has mostly lowbank shoreline edged with forest and rolling cattle country, there are a few rustic resort cabin areas and private residences with docks along the shore.
You could consider Lake Wallenpaupack in Northeastern PA. The lake is owned by a power company and homeowners of lakeside houses have access rights but not privacy rights to the shoreline. Houses can have private docks, but the docks have to removed by December 1 each year and can’t be placed back into the lake until the ice is gone. It’s not a warm climate (NE PA), but it’s a relatively large lake with lots of recreational uses and tons of summer homes. The water is decently clear for a US freshwater lake. My friends have a house (with a dock and boat) there, and I’ve been many times over the past 20 years.
You can get a nice house on the lake there for less than $400,000
+1
Either Swan Lake or Flathead Lake in Montana might fit the bill assuming it’s a summer home. June through September daytime temps average in the 70’s through 80’s with lows in the 60’s.
Flathead Lake is gorgeous, but cold, cold, even on a hot day in summer. I swam there as a kid and a few years ago. Never could stay in the water very long.
Mullett Lake Michigan
You specified warm, so my suggestion may put it out of consideration if you meant warm year round.
However, Lake Winnepesaukee in NH is huge, semi clear, warm water along the beachfronts and has both private and public owned properties along it.
It’s a popular destination in the summer (say May- mid Oct) for many income brackets.
The summer houses up there span the range from generational fishing shack to the mega- wealthy country cottage mansion.
Here to second this one! It’s absolutely beautiful.
Maggie Lake, Washington would fit most of those criteria. The summers are beautiful, it is possible to buy lots right on the lake. My retired blue-collar aunt and uncle bought a lot and built a cabin just big enough for them to live in during the summer, and squeeze in the kids and grandkids on holiday weekends (in sleeping bags on the floor if eeeeeveryone showed up). I remember using a pedal boat around the lake – caveat: it’s probably been 20+ years since I was there – and I recall the water being clean enough to swim, but I wouldn’t say I could see the bottom from the middle of the lake. There were some fancy houses but it was mostly people like my aunt and uncle in smaller cabins, a few living there year round. There was a small town nearby called Tahuya.
My in-laws own a small cottage on a lake in Maine called Balch Pond. The water is mostly clear, and the housing prices are around $300,000 for lake front. Summers there are beautiful, but it is not a year-round destination.
Take a look at 58053 Winners Cir in Bend OR 97707 I am family that’s lived in Bend for years it’s a beautiful place.
Check out western Montana!
The Seeley-Swan valley is swimming with smaller lakes that would fit this description, while the more sizable Flathead Lake would also work.
It’s warm in the summer, dry, and has very minimal bugs. Also, it’s always crystal clear.
Lol…that’s the same area I suggested. We spend a couple weeks every year up in the Swan National Forest. We love it there.
Another Montana peep! Hi there! Whitefish lake would also fit the description, although as a Whitefish resident it’s getting pretty spendy here. But the lake is warm enough to swim in the summer…. and you can’t beat the views!
White Lake in Bladen Co. NC…
+1 this. Eastern NC would definitely be a more affordable place to have a lake house
I went swimming there as a kid…nice houses around it but not McMansions
Also +1, and if you’re looking for even more southern, Florida has a lot of spring-fed lakes and ponds that are crystal clear, and while most people go down there in the winter, not the summer, the spring water is almost always right around 68F year round.
And I forgot to mention Smith Mountain Lake in Va. The water is clear most of the time (can get muddy after hard rains). Also the site of the filming of “What About Bob” if you want to do more research on it.
Any house on any lake in the upper midwest
Priest Lake, Lake Pend Oreille or Lake Coeur d’Alene in Northern Idaho if she likes the North West.
My parents have a cabin on Pend Oreille and while I love it there it’s definitely not warm! We only visit in August and even then I put my 8 year old in a wetsuit ????
been working and visiting the northern idaho panhandle for nearly thirty years.
lake pend o’rielle is 40 degrees F year round once you get below 4 feet! you would not believe how murky the pollen makes the water in spring!
and lake CdA is not particularly clear, but it’s a lovely place to swim.
Canada has lakes like this. Lakes in Northern Ontario have hot summers and usually you can buy a cottage. Muskoka lakes are a dark blue, parry sound lakes are usually tea coloured. You can see clearly through them. Shale bottom. Some are crown property but parts are sold to summer cottage owners between 1
250K CAD – 500K CAD depending on the development level. I personally have vacationed at Lake Wawashkesh which meets most of her criteria except country.