The US has lakes in pretty much every size and shape imaginable, from small “ponds” to bodies of water so huge it’s impossible to see from one shore to another. There are lakes shaped like gnarled fingers (New York) and surrounded by wineries, while others are dotted with islands. And, while many of these watery wonders are in national parks, others are in towns or small cities with homes, parks and beaches hugging their shorelines. We’ve picked the most charming lakeside town or small city in every state. 

This North Alabama town has lake views in every direction and as far as the eye can see. Guntersville is in the state’s Mountain-Lakes region and has bagged itself close to 1,000 miles (1,609km) of shoreline on the lake of the same name. Homes, restaurants and jetties gravitate to the water, while Lake Guntersville State Park is a highlight. This verdant park has trails and a beach by the Tennessee River, while bald eagles can often be spotted soaring overhead.

Tucked between two lovely lakes – Wasilla and Lucille – the town of Wasilla was founded as a supply base for gold and coal mining in the region. It also became famous as the HQ of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race and now has a small museum dedicated to the long-distance mushing event. The scenery is spectacular too: homes occupy enviable spots along the forested shoreline, while the Chugach and Talkeetna mountains shelter the town and paint reflections in its waters.

Lake Havasu City is popular with spring break crowds, who come to sunbathe on the sandy beaches and splash about in the clear, cool water. The rest of the year, it’s much more serene, though the combination of the beautiful, mountain-backed lake, highly rated restaurants and fun bars makes it a dreamy vacation spot. It also has a rather more unusual claim to fame: the old London Bridge, which was relocated from the UK capital in the 1960s after being purchased by an American tycoon.

Curving for 20 miles (32km), Lake Chicot is America’s biggest oxbow lake, formed in an offshoot of the Mississippi River more than 300 years ago. It’s also the largest natural lake in the Natural State and Lake Village is lucky enough to call part of its cypress-lined shore home. It’s located on the Great River Road National Scenic Byway and counts lakefront parks and the pre-Civil War Lakeport Plantation among its attractions.

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Big Bear Lake is best-known as a ski resort but it’s just as lovely in the sunshine – and some people are even lucky enough to call the place home. The lake is edged by cabins and beaches, and surrounded by slopes, forest and mountains. Big Bear Lake Village is the main hub, with cute boutiques, gift shops and restaurants, while roaming donkeys – thought to be escapees from movie sets or a farm – known as the “Big Bear burros” add to the quirky charm.

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Grand Lake, which hugs a northern sweep of its namesake lake, only has a few hundred permanent residents – but its proximity to the Rocky Mountains means it tends to attract many more visitors. It’s considered the western gateway to the national park and, as you’d expect, has breathtaking views at every turn. The mountain town has its own attractions, though – those views, yes, but also the charming, Old West–style downtown with saloons, restaurants and galleries.

Warren has a tiny population (around 1,400 people), but it sure is pretty. Part of Kent until being incorporated as a separate town in 1750, Warren sprawls out from S-shaped Lake Waramaug, whose shores are laced with sandy beaches and waterfront parks and backed by forested slopes. There’s a town beach, access to Lake Waramaug State Park, and even a winery: Hopkins Vineyard (pictured) overlooks the lake’s northern shore.

Rehoboth Beach is better known for its Atlantic coastline, which attracts vacationers in the warmer months. But the oceanfront town also incorporates the small but striking Silver Lake. The air around the 40-acre lake, a waterfowl preserve, still has a salty ocean tang and trees and shrubs shade the surrounding parkland. Throw in the broad sandy beach and boardwalk, lined with restaurants and bars, and the town seems almost greedy.

Cute, colorful, cultured: the central Florida town of Mount Dora has it all, really. Rows of 19th-century clapboard houses face Lake Dora, whose beaches are talcum-powder soft (and almost as white). Palm Island Park (pictured) has a boardwalk that follows the lakeshore and trails flanked by centuries-old trees, while cultural attractions include classic furniture in the Modernism Museum and historical exhibits in an old fire station.

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Cumming is the only incorporated area in Forsyth County and one of the lucky few with access to the shores of Lake Sidney Lanier (commonly known simply as Lake Lanier). The small city has a warm, community feel and a marketplace that leads to Mary Alice Park, right by the water. The lake itself was created as a reservoir by the US Army Corps of Engineers in the 1950s, and today its sapphire water is surrounded by fishing jetties, cabins, beaches and a water park (Cumming Aquatic Center).

Hawaii isn’t exactly known for its lakes (and certainly not for its lakeside towns). But then, when you have some 750 miles (1,207km) of shoreline, that doesn’t matter too much. The town of Kāne’ohe on Oahu – the island known as The Gathering Place – is the closest to a lakeside community, encompassing the dreamy Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden and its centerpiece lake, whose mirrored surface reflects the surrounding velvety mountains and thick forest. Oh, and the town has a beautiful stretch of coastline, too.

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Fewer than 2,000 people are lucky enough to call the resort of Priest Lake home. Just 15 miles (24km) from the Canadian border, the community lounges on part of the 19-mile (31km) shores of the freshwater lake that shares its name. It’s more of an eclectic, creative community than a town, per se, with art galleries filled with paintings and blown glass, bakeries offering huckleberry scones and a one-stop general store selling pretty much everything. The beaches, mountain views and golden sand meandering to the limpid water are particularly lovely.

Lake Forest lives on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. Which is similar to living on a relatively calm, placid oceanfront, because this Great Lake – the second largest by volume – is so vast that it seems to stretch out forever like an unfurled roll of sapphire silk. This small city, part of the Chicago metropolitan area, adds to the beauty with its beach (pictured), charming Market Square and longstanding shops including Lake Forest Book Store, founded by a group of a dozen local women in 1949.

The small town of Brookville lies to the south of the lake of the same name – and both are glorious. The lake was built as a reservoir and is now part of a state park, with thickly forested shores criss-crossed with hiking trails and edged by soft-sand beaches. For those in the know, the town is a wonderful spot for fishing, boating and just strolling around the Historic District, with its 19th-century examples of Greek Revival–style architecture.

Arnolds Park is surrounded by five lakes – West and East Lake Okoboji, Lake Minnewashta, and Upper and Lower Gar Lakes. Yet probably the prime attraction of the small city is its vintage amusement park. This was a prime tourist spot from the 19th century and drew visitors from all over to enjoy the colorful rides and all the fun of the fair. It fell out of fashion for a while but, thanks to restoration over the past couple of decades, people are once again discovering the charms of its wooden roller coasters and Ferris wheels.

Clinton is more a small enclave than a town, with a handful of homes dotted between fields, patches of woodland and, of course, the lake. All things center around the water and there are parks, picnic areas and beaches – including swimming beach Bloomington, in Clinton – edging its pea-green expanse.

Grand Rivers is no stranger to "Most Beautiful Small Town" accolades. And its beauty is, in no small part, thanks to its waterfront location. The “village between the lakes” has direct access to Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley, which cover a total of 210,000 acres, plus the canal that connects them. So life here is all about spending time on or near the water, boating, fishing and just splashing about. Dry land is lovely, too, with boutiques and antiques stores in 19th-century buildings, plus a cute lighthouse.

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Breaux Bridge had us at “Crawfish Capital of the World”, to be honest. The small city, just outside Lafayette, is so committed to the juicy and sweet crustaceans that there’s usually a festival celebrating them (and with heaps of seafood to try) each spring. It’s also by the shores of Lake Martin, a large nesting area for wading birds and one of the country’s top birdwatching spots. The town, where many residents are of Cajun descent and speak French, is a charming mix of antiques stores, art galleries and, of course, seafood restaurants.

Cute and charming Rangeley is the heart of the Rangeley Lakes region and has bagged itself a decent portion of the lakeside, too. In fact, the town sprawls around the shores of several lakes: tiny Loon Lake, Rangeley Lake (pictured), and the wonderfully named and particularly beautiful Mooselookmeguntic Lake. There’s even a few ponds, plus a glorious mountain backdrop, thrown in. The main street is dominated by independent bookstores, antiques shops and artisan crafts.

Maryland has made up for its lack of natural lakes by sculpting its own bodies of water, and Deep Creek Lake, in Garrett County, is the largest. The community of McHenry sprawls around on its northern shore, and those who visit or live here are treated to wonderful views at every turn. Over there? Mountains. By the lake? Thick clumps of trees, which burst into flaming colors each fall, reflecting in the silvery surface. Cottages and boat ramps allow people to make the most of the water.

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Great Barrington, with a population of around 7,000, was once named the best small town in the US by Smithsonian, which praised its blend of semi-rural charms and big-city convenience. At its heart is Railroad Street, with locally focused restaurants, independent stores and historic structures like the Mahaiwe Block, a 1905 Vaudeville theater. The town encompasses several bodies of water including the glorious Lake Mansfield, surrounded by parkland and with its own beach.

Lakeside locations don’t come much more adorable than Holland – the small city in Michigan, that is, not the country. Its strong Dutch heritage is hard to miss, with brightly colored windmills dotted among tulips – around six million flowers – and cobbled streets with shops selling traditional gifts and garb. The best bit? It’s all by the shores of two lakes, Michigan and Macatawa, with beautiful sandy beaches and a brick-red lighthouse to boot.

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Grand Marais nestles contentedly between Lake Superior and the Sawtooth Mountains. At the community’s heart is its art colony, the oldest in the state, founded as a summer refuge in 1947. Today, it maintains that free, creative spirit, with a handful of studios for glasswork, pottery, painting and printmaking. The setting is certainly inspiring, from the peaks to the lighthouse at Artist’s Point, perched on a peninsula that stretches into the water.

The small city of Holly Springs is right by the small, serene Chewalla Lake, whose shores are surrounded by woodland aside from its sweep of sandy beach. With a history stretching back to the Civil War, Holly Springs is known for its dreamy pre-war architecture, with many homes open for tours. Other highlights include the Ida B. Wells-Barnett Museum (pictured), located where the journalist and Civil Rights leader was born, and Phillips Grocery, known for its excellent burgers.

Osage Beach has roughly 5,000 residents but you wouldn’t know it in summer, when people are drawn to the town’s limpid waters. It lays claim to around 420 acres of shoreline off the craggy, curly Lake of the Ozarks, which weaves through and around the town. It has, as the name suggests, some wonderful beaches, along with waterfront restaurants, bars, parks and resorts. Speed boating is a favorite pursuit, though there are plenty of quiet, waterside spots that invite a slower, more serene pace.

Big skies and an even bigger expanse of bold blue water surround the lovely resort of Bigfork on the shores of the equally lovely Flathead Lake. The small village ticks all the best boxes: galleries, restaurants, treasure-filled boutiques, and a waterfront so generous that those views are never far away. Although the water does, according to legend, harbor a mysterious creature. The Flathead Lake Monster is said to lurk beneath the silvery surface.

Gorgeous Gothenburg, in Dawson County, claims an enviable amount of waterfront, including the shores of lovely Lake Helen and a portion of the squiggly Platte River. The whole town, founded in 1882 and named after the Swedish city, is beautifully green thanks to parks including Lake Helen Recreation Area, with picnic areas, a frisbee golf course and a historic covered bridge. Another popular attraction is the Sod House Museum, which focuses on pioneer homesteads.

Fewer than 600 people are lucky enough to call this heavenly little hamlet home. Houses and cabins are tucked around the forested shoreline in this curl of Lake Tahoe (which also spills into California). The spot has a scattering of stores, rather than a downtown as such, though that hardly matters when you have a pale, sandy beach, waterside picnic spots and a wooden jetty (perfect for jumping into the water).

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Waterside cabins and apartment blocks peep from among the trees in this dreamy town on the eastern shores of Lake Winnipesaukee. Wolfeboro bills itself as the oldest summer resort in the US, with vacationers drawn by the promise of cool, clear water, beaches and wooden jetties. The town itself is enticing, with seafood restaurants, bakeries, craft breweries and regular live music on the lakeside bandstand. And it’s tucked in the foothills of the White Mountains, in the state’s Lakes Region, so the surrounding views are rather lovely, too.

Officially a borough but with the feel of a small town (and a population of just over 3,500 people), Stanhope sprawls out from the western shore of Lake Musconetcong, a reservoir in Sussex County and part of Hopatcong State Park (the bigger lake of the same name is also nearby). Aside from the lake, the downtown area has an Old West feel and is home to what bills itself as “the Last Great American Road House”: Stanhope House (pictured), a longtime blues spot in a 1790s building.

New Mexico isn’t known for its bodies of water and most of its few lakes are within state parks, with no building permitted on the lakeshore. Conchas Lake is an exception, with a tiny community (fewer than 200 people) making up the population of Conchas. Surrounded by Conchas Lake State Park, the village is on the lake’s eastern shore, just where it meets the Canadian River.

New York’s Finger Lakes region, made up of 11 skinny bodies of water, is dotted with charming towns and villages, and Canandaigua is perhaps the loveliest of all. Sitting pretty on the northern shores of the lake it’s named for, the small city has a mix of colorful cottages and houseboats. Apparently Casablanca star Humphrey Bogart spent many (we imagine idyllic) childhood summers here. The downtown is dominated by Victorian buildings, surrounded by glorious green spaces and parks.

Beaches, waterfalls, forest, mountains… Lake Lure’s cup runneth over with loveliness. The small town – a short distance from the city of Asheville – lies on the shore of the lake it’s named after, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Famous mountain Chimney Rock can even be seen from parts of town, which is a beauty whether dusted in snow or basking in sunshine.

Riverdale started as a workers’ camp in 1946 while the Garrison Dam was being constructed and was incorporated as a city in 1986. The population is tiny – around 200 residents – and they have state parks, white beaches, swimming spots and even surfing areas on their doorstep. Best of all, the charming town is perched on the bluffs overlooking Lake Sakakawea, a vast reservoir formed by the dam.

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This tiny Victorian town occupies South Bass Island on Lake Erie and is surrounded by views of the teal, turquoise and sapphire water. Fewer than 200 people live here, though the population swells in summer with visitors drawn to lake beaches, caves and coves. The town has a quaint feel, with wineries and a cluster of restaurants under The Boardwalk. It’s also a party hub that spills over with bars, outdoor biergartens and (rather randomly) the world’s largest swim-up bar, at the Grand Islander Hotel.

Very few people live in this tiny town on Grand Lake o' the Cherokees (often shortened to Grand Lake), one of the state’s most beautiful lakes, in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. This is prime real estate and the beautiful houses lining this tiny portion of the lake’s southwestern shore don’t let the side down. Many have boat docks, reached via manicured lawns and gardens, and all are nestled among the trees with access to watery spots including Ketchum Cove – a placid swimming area.

Oregon’s most famous lake – and one of the country’s most beautiful – is Crater Lake, in a collapsed volcano. But the state has a number of smaller spots, including cucumber-shaped Wallowa in the northeast. The small city of Joseph lies to the north, surrounded by alpine forest, mountain trails and meadows meandering down to the water. The town is a charmer, too, with great restaurants, quirky shops and galleries in timber buildings.

Jim Thorpe, in the Pocono Mountains, is an easy town to fall in love with. Close to beautiful Beltzville Lake, with its forested shoreline and sandy coves, the town has historic stone and red-brick buildings and old railroad and mining structures, surrounded by verdant mountain slopes. Named in honor of indigenous American athlete Jim Thorpe, it even has its own small lake, Mauch Chunk, complete with gardens and a swimming beach.

Many "ponds" in Rhode Island are actually lakes, since the terms have historically been interchangeable here. And looking at Tarbox Pond, in West Greenwich, you’d hardly notice a difference. The tiny reservoir is surrounded by white pines and, while close to the central part of the small town, it’s beautifully quiet and serene. The town, in Kent County, also has several parks (some with other small lakes or ponds), a winery, and sand dunes that roll towards the ocean.

This small northwestern city has greedily grabbed itself some of the best scenery in South Carolina. Tucked in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, it meanders up to the southern shores of Lake Keowee, passing a downtown lined with galleries and boutiques in 19th-century buildings. Its portion of the manmade reservoir is just lovely, with a marina, quiet sandy spots and leafy South Cove County Park, which has picnic areas and pickleball courts.

The shores of Lake Madison, one of South Dakota’s prettiest bodies of water and part of Lake County, are lined with a mix of vacation homes, cabins and actual homes. The community of the same name (population around 700) has nabbed some prime waterfront here, with views across the lake and access to its many coves and parks. Also nearby is Lake Herman State Park, occupying a peninsula jutting into the lake of the same name.

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Known as “the town that wouldn't drown”, today’s Butler is a reconstruction of the original town – which was located where Watauga Lake is today. The old, 18th-century-settled Butler was submerged as the reservoir was filled in 1948, and nearly 200 homes, businesses and other structures were saved by moving them to higher ground. Now the townsfolk can enjoy the lovely lake from dry land. A heritage festival is usually held each summer, while the Butler Museum goes deeper with exhibits and historical structures.

This adorable town is that rare thing: a hugely popular tourist spot that’s staunchly retained its independent spirit and sense of community. Lake Granbury, located on the reservoir of the same name, is centered by a pretty town square whose surrounding streets are home to a surprisingly large number of restaurants, B&Bs, an opera house, drive-in cinema and even a winery. The water also has several piers and parks so you can get closer to those views.

Utah’s best-known landscapes are those studded with hoodoos and narrow slot canyons. But there are some gorgeous lakes too – and Bear Lake is arguably the most beautiful of all. It's nicknamed the “Caribbean of the Rockies” and Garden City, a small town (population less than 600), sits pretty on its southwestern shore, close to the border with Idaho. The lake’s azure-and-turquoise water is laced with sandy beaches, rocky outcrops and a marina, overlooked by some very well-located cabins and bungalows. It’s also known for raspberries, and celebrates its crop with a summer festival.

Lake Champlain acts as a watery border between Vermont and New York and, while Burlington is the best-known on this side, the shores are also laced with various small towns and cities, all of them charming. Shelburne is truly tiny but packs in the good stuff, with a strip of cafés and shops, an antique lighthouse (relocated from the lake), and the glorious Shelburne Farms (pictured). The working farm has barns where people can pet the animals, plus trails leading down to the waterfront.

Clarksville is the only lakeside town in Virginia and, happily, it hasn’t wasted its good fortune. The relaxed hamlet lounges by the shore of huge Kerr Lake, with the luckiest homes facing right out onto the bold, blue expanse of water. The Historic District centers around Virginia Avenue (pictured), lined with grand Colonial Revival buildings housing restaurants, shops and wine bars. The town is also home to 18th-century Prestwould Plantation.

Like the most impeccably curated gallery, chilled-out Chelan displays all the best things. The town on the shores of Lake Chelan has colorful cottages with wooden jetties leading down to the glacier-fed water. There are sandy beaches, paths that skim the water’s edge, and parks facing the lake and mountains. There are even wineries with vines curving right down to the lake, part of the Lake Chelan wine area.

Summersville Lake – in the small city of Summersville – is the state’s largest and loveliest, dubbed the “Little Bahamas of the East”. With 60 miles (97km) of shoreline fringed by soft, honey-hued sand and backed by thick forest, it wouldn’t be out of place in the Caribbean archipelago. The town is home to historic structures including Old Main (an old school that’s now an arts and heritage center), a few small ponds and parts of Muddlety Creek. The idyllic lake (pictured) is the main draw, though.

With homes and inns clustered around the shore of Lake Superior, Bayfield is Wisconsin’s smallest city and, when it comes to location, surely one of the luckiest. The population is less than 1,000 and the town is popular as a gateway to the lake’s Apostle Islands. It’s got bags of appeal on its own, too, with its boutiques, galleries and orchards. Hiking trails follow the water’s edge and plunge through forest, while jetties act as a launchpad for island-hopping by boat or kayak.

Many of Wyoming’s stunning lakes are encompassed by national parks Yellowstone and Grand Teton, and are therefore protected from development. But, while it lacks lakefront living, the town of Pinedale is perhaps the best base for exploring the state’s watery wonders. The old ranch town is backed by the Wind River Mountains in an area criss-crossed by rivers and dotted with more than 1,300 lakes, including those in Titcomb Basin (pictured), right on the doorstep. Back in town, there's an Old West vibe that gives the sense of stepping back in time.

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