UPFRONT/GO
Cool Clear Water
Escape the summer heat at a lake resort
IF YOU’RE LOOKING for a refreshing summer vacation on the water, you might want to skip the ocean—beaches can become scorching—and head for a lake resort instead for a more temperate clime.
MADISON, WISCONSIN
The Edgewater Hotel
Madison’s urban resort sits on the shores of Lake Mendota—the largest of the lakes bordering the city. Enjoy boating activities by the hotel’s waterfront pier and don’t miss the amazing sunsets, reflecting on the water. The resort also features multiple restaurants, a spa and wellness center, and the Grand Plaza, an open-air public space that hosts Sunday brunches, Friday evening fish fries and regular live music.
YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WYOMING
Lake Yellowstone Hotel & Cabins
The park’s oldest operating hotel oozes Colonial Revival charm, and its location on the shores of Yellowstone Lake—more than 7,000 feet above sea level—allows for cool evening temps. While the water is generally too cold for swimming, motorboat rentals are available at nearby Bridge Bay Marina. Or opt for a guided sunset kayaking tour from Grant Marina.
NEW PALTZ, NEW YORK
Mohonk Mountain House
More than 100 gazebo-like summerhouses—open-sided shelters, with most built between the 1870s and 1917 by hobbyist carpenters—dot the vast property. Supervised swims across the invigorating lake take place from Father’s Day to Labor Day. The centerpiece of the resort is the Victorian-style mountain house, perched among the sheer white quartz cliffs.
QUINAULT, WASHINGTON
Lake Quinault Lodge
Tucked among the ferns, lichen and moss-draped trees of the Olympic National Forest’s Quinault Rainforest, this historic property offers ideal respite from summer’s heat. Rent a kayak or canoe to explore the lake, watching for bald eagles above and playful river otters. Then relax in Adirondack chairs outside the timber-frame building. —Laura Kiniry