They have lake Powell. If you have not been, it fricken amazing. I did a family trip there, we rented a house boat and it was one of our more memorable vacations.
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Best Places to Live
- Thread starter djd66
- Start date
Definitely on my bucket list for lakes. Looks amazing
Don’t wait too long,… your kids are prime age to go! If you want further info on planning this trip - feel free to PM me and I’d be happy to share all the details
NH has some of the cleanest beaches and water in the US.Yeah, the beaches in Maine and New Hampshire suck. I'm not sure where the "good" beaches actually start, but it's well south of there. As a Jersey boy I recall the first time I went to the beach up there and being completely shocked. I had no idea how rocky it was & how coarse the sand is. Then there was the issue of the "Brigadoon" beach I encountered in Maine. I had no idea about that either. lol
Smellytele
Well-known member
rocks more so in Maine than NH
Hawk
Well-known member
Having grown up on the water in the North Shore of Ma, I can't live without the ocean. Lakes don't cut it for me. Also, I also need the seasons and land to garden and farm. So with the two options presented I would choose NH. I have been to Utah dozens of times, skiing, montain biking, hiking in national parks, even work for a little bit. Too hot for me and no ocean. If I were to live in NH it would be Hampton, Rye or somewhere close to Portsmouth. I like the culture in Portsmouth. I also like the area between Durham and Exeter. Newfeilds and Newmarket. Great road bike country.
However, where i live now is pretty much the greatest place for me. Bought the family home, 1/4 mile from my childhood private beach, mountain biking out my door and a very large garden every year. I am also surrounded by many people that I grew up with and the community is stong. I am very lucky to say the least. I also don't mind the 3 1/4 hour drive each week to ski.
However, where i live now is pretty much the greatest place for me. Bought the family home, 1/4 mile from my childhood private beach, mountain biking out my door and a very large garden every year. I am also surrounded by many people that I grew up with and the community is stong. I am very lucky to say the least. I also don't mind the 3 1/4 hour drive each week to ski.
Hawk
Well-known member
I swim in the ocean from May until October. It's not that bad. People make it sound like the arctic. LOL
You are more hardy than I am. My rule for the kids (which is really for me) is no swimming in the lake until the water temps hit 65. We may get 2-3 weeks a year in the middle of the summer where the ocean gets 65 and above in NH. We have 3 months of that on Winnipesaukee and two months where it's 75 and up. That's what I'm looking for. 85 degree plus air temps and 75 degree water.
machski
Well-known member
Are you swimming off a boat on the lake though? To me, that needs warmer water than the ocean where I'm swimming and riding in and out of the surf.
Hawk
Well-known member
Wow Winnipesaukee takes that long to warm up?
In May the water around Cape Anne is in the upper 50's so the swim a little invigorating. I do it mostly after bike rides or work to wake me up. ;-)
In May the water around Cape Anne is in the upper 50's so the swim a little invigorating. I do it mostly after bike rides or work to wake me up. ;-)
Hastur
Well-known member
+1 on having to live near the ocean. Not just for the swimming / fishing / board sports. Sea Breezes in the summer, crazy nice weather in the summer and fall. temperate winters along the coast.
I'd rather travel to the mountains / lakes than have to travel to the ocean.
lakes kinda creep me out with the still water. and then you get the bacteria and those fish that swim up your urethra?
Rivers are fun though.
I'd rather travel to the mountains / lakes than have to travel to the ocean.
lakes kinda creep me out with the still water. and then you get the bacteria and those fish that swim up your urethra?
Rivers are fun though.
4aprice
Well-known member
The saying around Colorado is "people come for the winter, but they stay for the summer." The nice thing about the area we are in is there is a summer component along with the winter season. Having the western entrance to RMNP drives a lot off traffic. Certainly we were told that many "flat landers" like to come up for heat relief in the summer. Denver can get hot.
Like you DHS,, we spend our summers on the Lake here back here in the east and wanting water warm enough to swim in is important. However I've been a little surprised at how much water activity takes place up in Grand County. There's no swimming in Dillon Res down in Summit County and sitting at approx 9000 ft the water is supposedly frigid but the 3 lakes between Granby and Grand Lake at approx 8000 ft have at least 2 months where swimming and other water activities take place sans wet suits. Not the same kind of lake life we have here at Winnipesaukee, George or even here at Hopatcong but there not just to look at either. That said we will not be relocating our summer activities as our daughter and other family are in NNJ.
I actually lived out in Summit County one summer and we would go to Green Mountain Reservoir to cliff dive and swim. Killer spot if you have never been. It was about an hour north; f Silverthorne. It was bitter cold in August, but you'd dry off and warm up fairly quick in the Colorado sun.
Northern Idaho peaks my curiosity for summer as they're much lower elevation up there and apparently some of their lakes are pretty warm. I just wouldn't want a summer without many days hanging in the water on a sandbar relaxing.
Typically hits 65 in early June and stays above that until about the first week of October. As of 11AM this morning the temp is 50.
There's a lot of parallels between lake boating and skiing participation interests. Memorial Day weekend is kinda like Thanksgiving weekend skiing. The lake is very crowded with people jumping in 60 degree water like skiers chase WROD in November. October the lake is totally dead. It actually dies off considerably after Labor day like skiing does after Presidents day. Yet, the boating conditions early October are vastly superior to May. Kinda how April skiing is superior to November.
4aprice
Well-known member
Boating/Lake season does tie in well with skiing. Lots of common features in both including the fact that every year/season is different.
But the lakes in the east and the south are much different then the lakes out in Colorado (and from what I've seen Utah). I grew up in the east and really enjoy the lake life here. The lakes are a bee hive of activity. Along with the houses that line the shore there are businesses, resorts w/docking and restaurants on the water (a couple with live bands) that have docking and days on the water here at Hopatcong can often stretch into the night. Plenty of traffic at times, yes, holiday weekends? crowded,, but on those days it's just cruise to the cove and park it (Think Red Neck Yacht Club) We even have a tour boat like the Mount. Out west? , camping looks good if you are into that. Think I still like the lake vibe here back east better and certainly prefer summer in New Jersey over winter so a winter there - summer here split works well for us. Just so happens one child in CO and one in NJ works in that equation as well
I do miss “lake life” and “lake culture” as the lakes out here are very different. Most are reservoirs and lack houses and settlements. Others are cold as eff and remote. Finally, overall, lakes are fewer and further apart out here.