Depending on what North Carolina city you live in, you have your go-to lake.
Being born and raised in Raleigh, if there was lake talk then that meant we were either going to Falls Lake or driving to Lake Gaston, which is in North Carolina and Virginia. Since I’ve been in Charlotte for the past five years, I now think of Lake Norman or Lake Wylie in those discussions. There are other North Carolina lakes that are beautiful as well, but one North Carolina city was named in the top fifteen for best lake towns in America.
Travel + Leisure set out to find the best places for an American lake vacation. Because let’s face it, sometimes you want the lake and not a beach. According to T+L, “These towns are not only right on the waterfront of the country’s clearest and most sought-after lakes – they have bustling town centers and lively culture within. And isn’t that what makes the best lake towns shine? They’re not just waterfront havens where you can rent a boat for the day or go stand-up paddle boarding, they’re also destinations with exciting restaurants, hotels, shopping, and plenty of non-water-based activities.”
So which North Carolina city made this Travel + Leisure list? Was it Lake Norman or Lake Gaston? Nope! White Lake has been deemed one of the best lake towns in the country! T+L had this to say about White Lake:
“Supported by natural spring and rainwater, White Lake is a 1,200-acre body of water in North Carolina, and the town welcomes 200,000 tourists each summer. It’s all about the water sports at White Lake – tourists come to swim, boat, tube, jet ski, wakeboard, and the like. 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. Come for the entire summer, or just for the annual White Lake Water Festival traditionally held in May.”
As someone who has lived in North Carolina her entire life, I am ashamed to say not only have I never been to this North Carolina city but I don’t think I have ever even heard of it! Looking at it on Google Maps, it is in between Fayetteville and Wilmington.
Count me in for the water festival though!
