Lake Winnipesaukee
Lake Winnipesaukee is the largest lake in the U.S.
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A lake inside Alton
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 12°, with about 62" of snow a year. When to go ↓
One of the most looked-up attractions in the U.S.
About 72K people a year read its Wikipedia article, more than for 95% of the 7,799 attractions we track.
You can stay in Alton
Lake Winnipesaukee is inside Alton, which has 18 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
A day trip from Boston
Boston is about 89 miles south (straight-line). Where to stay ↓
Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug and Sep
May, June, July, August and September are the mild months, with highs of 67–81°. When to go ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Weather, month by month
Typical highs and lows in Alton. Green months are the mild ones.
Lake Winnipesaukee
Lake Winnipesaukee is the largest lake in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, located in the Lakes Region at the foothills of the White Mountains. It is approximately 21 miles (34 km) long (northwest-southeast) and from 1 to 9 miles (1.6 to 14.5 km) wide (northeast-southwest), covering 69 square miles (179 km2)—71 square miles (184 km2) when Paugus Bay is included—with a maximum depth of 180 feet (55 m). The center area of the lake is called The Broads.
The lake contains at least 264 islands, half of which are less than 0.25 acres (0.10 ha) in size, and is indented by several peninsulas, yielding a total shoreline of approximately 288 miles (463 km). The driving distance around the lake is 63 miles (101 km). It is 504 feet (154 m) above sea level. Winnipesaukee is the third-largest lake in New England after Lake Champlain and Moosehead Lake.
- Type
- Lake
- Area
- 71 square miles
- Elevation
- 502 ft
- Wikipedia readers
- 72K a year
Where to stay near Lake Winnipesaukee
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Alton (18) and Laconia (37).
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Lake Winnipesaukee | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alton 49% vacation homes | in town | — | 18 5 hotels · 1 inn or B&B · 11 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 6,036 | $430K | A− |
| Laconia 26% vacation homes | 8 mi west | 10 min | 37 16 hotels · 8 motels · 2 inns & B&Bs · 4 lodges & cabins · 5 campgrounds · 2 RV parks | 17,246 | $340K | C− |
| Wolfeboro 34% vacation homes | 8 mi east | 10 min | 26 5 hotels · 1 motel · 8 inns & B&Bs · 7 lodges & cabins · 4 campgrounds · 1 RV park | 6,637 | $547K | A− |
| Gilford 38% vacation homes | 6 mi southwest | 10 min | 18 9 hotels · 2 motels · 4 inns & B&Bs · 2 lodges & cabins · 1 campground | 7,898 | $457K | B+ |
| Meredith 35% vacation homes | 9 mi west | 15 min | 22 2 hotels · 1 motel · 5 inns & B&Bs · 6 lodges & cabins · 8 campgrounds | 6,854 | $480K | B+ |
| Moultonborough 52% vacation homes | 8 mi north | 15 min | 17 4 hotels · 1 motel · 1 inn or B&B · 3 lodges & cabins · 8 campgrounds | 5,293 | $644K | A− |
| Tuftonboro 54% vacation homes | 6 mi northeast | 10 min | 8 3 lodges & cabins · 5 campgrounds | 2,678 | $462K | A− |
| Ossipee 35% vacation homes | 13 mi northeast | 20 min | 13 3 hotels · 1 motel · 2 lodges & cabins · 7 campgrounds | 4,599 | $326K | B |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Also near Lake Winnipesaukee
Other well-known places within 65 miles. Numbered ones are on the map above.
Big draw46 mi MountainMount Washington
65 mi MountainMount Monadnock
56 mi LighthousePortland Head Light
53 mi Ancient siteAmerica's Stonehenge
33 mi Scenic railwayConway Scenic Railroad
35 mi National forestWhite Mountain National Forest
44 mi Ski areaCannon Mountain104 runs · 2,201 ft vertical15 mi Ski areaGunstock Recreation Area73 runs · 1,305 ft verticalPhoto credits
Mount Washington: wwoods, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Mount Monadnock: Jonwmcinenrey, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Portland Head Light: Aniarku, CC BY-SA 3.0 · America's Stonehenge: User:Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Conway Scenic Railroad: Pi.1415926535, CC BY-SA 3.0 · White Mountain National Forest: Ken Gallager at English Wikipedia, Public domain · Cannon Mountain: Mikespenard at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
Visiting Lake Winnipesaukee
Is Lake Winnipesaukee in Alton?
Yes. It’s inside Alton, NH.
When is the best time to visit Lake Winnipesaukee?
May, June, July, August and September, with highs of 67–81°.
How far is Lake Winnipesaukee from Boston?
About 89 miles south of Boston, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Lake Winnipesaukee?
Portsmouth International Airport at Pease (PSM), about 44 miles away. The nearest big hub is Portland International Jetport (PWM), about 51 miles.
Where should I stay near Lake Winnipesaukee?
Laconia (8 mi, 37 places to stay), Alton (in town, 18 places to stay) and Wolfeboro (8 mi, 26 places to stay).
Tips from people in Alton
What people nearby have posted about Lake Winnipesaukee.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.