24. Vermilion has long been one of the most beloved beach towns on the south shore of Lake Erie. But of course, those who want to go all out on their lake home can find secluded properties that cost much more, like this two-bedroom cottage on 180 feet of deep-water shoreline, for $699,500. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, at twilight. At The Soda Shop, centrally located on one of Davidson's main drags, you'll find vintage sips and classic comfort food any time of the day. 25. Check out five lake areas with lake homes listings that have been included in the top 10 most affordable lake areas in the country. Although offerings vary by location, youre likely to find options for boating, fishing and paddle boarding, said Wedgeworth. Median home list price: $307,000. Maguire says there has been an increase in interest in the area, especially from out-of-state buyers given the areas lakeside location and tranquil and safe community. Its possible to get a house in this area for just over $100,000, such as this cute three-bedroomasking $115,000. Marshals in South Carolina Friday afternoon. The lakes crystal-clear waters are the ideal spot for fishing, water-skiing, and swimming. The beach on Lake Huron at Port Crescent State Park in Port Austin. Meander the historic district, then break out your boats or find a picnic bench along the shore to take in a few relaxing hours in LaGrange. Condos start as low as $40,000. One of the best things is that were far enough from any major metropolitan area that our lakes are not that busy relative to their size, says Deborah Fullford, a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Schmidt Realtors of Indian River. ( (Tony Franzel for Realtor.com)) 1. In fact, for $250,000, homebuyers can buy their own patch of Lake Placid and build their dream home. Read on for the 25 best places to live in the South. Take a tour of Wright's Rosenbaum House, the only Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house in Alabama. The 55-mile-long body of water is ideal for sailing or paddling past historic cabins and sprawling vineyards. Rent a cabin with a private dock (and a boat, if you like) at MacDonald's Resort in Bayview. Known as Alabamas Lake City, its surrounded by older trees, rugged mountains, and has cultural amenities like a regional theater company. 2 . Best Lake Towns To Retire To in the South, 12 Lesser-Known Southern Destinations Our Editors Can't Wait To Visit In 2023, The Best Mother-Daughter Vacations to Take This Summer, 10 Prettiest Places for Fall Foliage in Tennessee, Pass Christian Is the Mississippi Beach Town You've Probably Never Heard Of, Affordable Florida Beach Towns Perfect For Your Next Vacation, 18 Perfect Fall Girlfriend Getaways To Plan Immediately. Bryson City. Don't miss the restaurants, like Kindred, located on the downtown stretch across from Davidson College. Travel + Leisure is published by Meredith Corporation under license from Travel + Leisure Co. More than 125 homes and a projected fifty businesses moved to higher ground, the . However, the Salmon Capital of the World, as Ketchikan is known, is built up along the waterfront due to its steep and mostly forested terrain. Share of household income . There's also plenty of nature . Nestled in the Appalachian Mountains, this lake is part of a chain of lakes each created by a dam to generate electricity in the area. Just a three-hour drive, the idyllic glacial valley, located across the Cascade Range in the high desert, centers on the crystal-clear waters of Lake Chelan. Next: 10. A suburb of Lafayette, Scott is the third most affordable city in Louisiana. Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. Buyers want to be as close to the water as possible, whether in a condo near the lakelike this one-bedroom asking $160,500or in a single-family house. To come up with our list of the nations most affordable lake towns, we looked at more than 11,000 towns with or on lakes. Aurora, New York sits on Cayuga Lake, one of the largest of the 11 Finger Lakes. People are moving back to the area, either after retirement or because they can work from their lake cottage, she says. Starting at under $200,000, buyers can find comfortable homes right near the shore, such as this four-bedroom ranch just around the corner from the boat ramp, asking $184,900. 3: Georgetown, South Carolina. Median home list price: $248,000. While it's near the big central Florida tourist attractions, it has its own charm, with greenspaces like Central Park and museums like The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art, Albin Polasek Museum & Sculpture Gardens, and Cornell Fine Arts Museum. Visitors flock to Harbour Town for a New England-style getaway without stepping foot out of the Midwest. Buyers can get a home and land, such as this $225,000 one-bedroom log cabin overlooking Shagawa Lake. Located on the sandy shores of Lake Erie, Sandusky was named one of Americas best coastal towns by U.S. Today, and topped the Realtor.com 2021 list of the Most Affordable Lake Towns. These are the United States' most affordable lake towns in 2021. Sandusky, OH. The Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway connects the area's extensive park system via roads and walking and biking trails. Lake Ariel, Pennsylvania. Maine is home to (literally) thousands of lakes and ponds, from the largest lake, Moosehead, to midsize lakes like Portland-adjacent Sebago Lake and Rangeley Lake near the middle of the state. Just an hour-and-a-half by car from Birmingham, Guntersville boasts nearly 1,000 miles of shoreline on more than 69,000 acres of water. But beyond this, Abingdon has great outdoor recreation because it is so close to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Catering to guests from around the world, this working dude ranch offers guided trail rides, horseback riding lessons, stocked fishing ponds, and an all-inclusive resort experience. Entry-level lake homes start in the $100,000s such as this $155,000 four-bedroom with a giant deck. And with inflation rising, stock and cryptocurrency markets taking a beating, and fears of another recession mounting, plenty of well-off Americans are holding off on buying yet another home. The informative museum on the Games and international ski jump, bobsled, and luge training facilities still gets tons of visitors who want to learn more or watch world-class athletes train. 3 . Although some of these homes are pricier than many homes across the country, they offer the chance to get a waterfront property, and with hurricane season upon us, perhaps a safer location than an oceanfront home. Bayview, Idaho is a floating village - yes, that's a real thing - on Lake Pend Oreille. Lake Wylie is in both Carolinas and the variety of activities in this area is great. The Pacific Northwest is filled with pine tree-lined bodies of water, but in terms of lake towns that offer both water activities and mainland charms, Chelan is one of the best waterfront enclaves in the PNW. Daniel has a Masters in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Minnesota, with a concentration in Housing and Community . Lake Burton. Even though it has dropped a couple of spots, Sandusky remains a popular vacation spot for Midwesterners looking for lake living at affordable prices. Sara Ventiera is a journalist based in New York City and Los Angeles. Charlevoix is the perfect getaway to Lake Michigan. Even in todays expensive real estate market, there are still a few places left where homebuyers can find great, affordable lake homes that can serve as Zen-inducing or pulse-pounding retreats (your choice!) Its charming downtown, great restaurants, and fun shops are sure to keep you busy. Yup. Healthcare is another notable bargain, running 12% . Covington, Louisiana. Sights include the Palace Hotel and Bath House, listed on the National Historic Register, as well as the Basin Park Hotel and the supposedly haunted Crescent Hotel. Melbourne, Florida, is the highest-ranked beach town on the Atlantic Ocean shore. Meera Pal is a Northern California-based writer with a background in journalism and books. When you're wiped from a day spent on the water and under the sun at Lake Conroe, there's nothing like kicking back at a local brewery and enjoying some tunes. In the past, many people have viewed buying a vacation home as a combination of a family amenity and a revenue opportunity, said Wedgeworth. The pinnacle of Montana lake culture is spending the summer months on Flathead Lake. 9 Things Youd Better Consider First, Surf and Save? Vermont's first and smallest city, Vergennes is a short drive to both Burlington and Middlebury. While its not a vacation hot spot, its just as beautiful as many nearby lake towns for a lot less cash. Ebenezer Park on Lake Wylie offers a boat ramp, picnic tables, swimming, playgrounds, and fishing. Just 85 miles outside of Atlanta sits one of the most charming lake destinations in the South: Lake Oconee. Theres also the noteworthy shops and restaurants located in the towns eight-block business district, which happens to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Known as a major vacation destination, Lake Ariel is surrounded by the gently rolling hills of the Poconos Mountains. Those interested in a vacation getaway can snag this four-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom house located about 1.4 miles from the Guy Sandy boat ramp on Arbuckle Lake for $275,000. Heres a $55,000 one-bedroom unit. Its possible to get a single-family home right on one of the smaller lakes in the $100,000 range, like this three-bedroom on Center Lake for $119,800. 8. Many of these towns also offer summer and winter activities, which can make them year-round destinations. Even in the gated community, affordable homes can still be found. About half an hour from Orlando, Clermont is the heart of this multi-lake community and is also close to Lake Louisa (the largest of the Clermont Chain of Lakes). In . Rent a house right on the shores of Flathead Lake, or book a cabin at the all-inclusive Flathead Lake Lodge for a memorable dude ranch experience. (Sorry.). And if Dolly has ever spent time here, she didnt leave much of a trace. In town, you'll find its historic district and long-loved restaurants. Michigan is home to dozens of Great Lakes towns, many interchangeable, all fantastic. Fun fact: hundreds of Bigfoot sightings have been reported on the Texas side of Caddo Lake since 1965. There has been a steady uptick in the number of people seeking out homes in lake towns over the past few years, says Glenn S. Phillips, CEO of Lake Homes Realty. With a name like Sulphur, its no surprise that the area is famous for its mineral springs. A comparatively high tax rate and low income helped push Erie to 15th place in the rankings despite low home costs, but it's still one of the most affordable waterfront cities in the country. A majority of the population is seasonal. His brokerage has seen sales in lake towns surge by 50% this year compared to last year, as people flock to the water. Located approximately 35 miles south of the Kennedy Space Center, Melbourne residents average $853 on monthly housing costs, ranking 12 th for this metric. She writes about food, travel, and real estate for Zagat, FoodNetwork.com, BBC Travel, and more. The light turquoise waters attract vacationers from all over the country. Then we calculated affordability by analyzing median home list prices year to date through May 2022 for these communities. For anyone who wants some waterfront privacy, this certainly is the place. There's something for every travel palette in this town, from the boutique shops and locally-owned restaurants, to the 9,000-foot-plus peaks boasting hiking and mountain biking trails, to the seemingly unlimited boating and water sport opportunities on the clear blue water of Lake Chelan. Although Lake Placid boasts some impressive multimillion-dollar homes on the water, like this $11 million seven-bedroom estate, folks without trust funds can get into the housing market, too. Can it be? We see a trend across all our markets of buyers thinking, Life is short, buy the lake home! Many of those seek out the more rural lake towns where homes may be relatively more affordable than at larger lakes or at lakes near cities, says Phillips. If you love the outdoors, you'll appreciate Deerfield Beach's Quiet Waters Park, where you can camp, fish, and ride some of the longest cable ski courses in the U.S. Tucked way up in northern Minnesota, Ely is secluded and full of pristine lakes and unspoiled forests. The beauty of Aurora, apart from the gorgeous sunsets on Cayuga Lake, is that you have culture, incredible food and wine, and water activities at your fingertips. With beautiful mountain scenery, the nearby lake (about 15 miles away), and lots of waterfall-dotted hiking trails, there's not shortage of enjoyment to be had in Western North Carolina. Buyers can find lakeview condos starting in the $200,000 range, such as this three-bedroom listed at $298,000 a bit farther from town. And with the cool waterfront breezes, fishing and kayaking on demand, early evening tequila on the dock, and a generally life-affirming vibe beckoning, who are we to argue with that logic? This four-bedroom with views of Sandusky Bay is listed at $355,000. The area offers hiking, skiing and gambling at the casinos. The lakes in the region include Osceola, Maitland (pictured), Minnehaha, Virginia, and Mizell, and those who visit and live in Winter Park can enjoy them all. Spirit Lake also offers a host of museums and local historical sites such as the Dickinson County Heritage Center and the Iowa Great Lakes Maritime Museum. Marquette, Michigan. 5. The community is home to several private bodies of water: Roamingwood Lake, Deerfield Lake, Brooks Lake, Windermere Lake, Hidden Lake, and Big Springs Pond. Originally located precisely where the lake is, the town of Butler was submerged in 1948 as the reservoir filled. Big Bear Lake is a year-round California destination because, much like Tahoe, it transforms from a ski town in the winter to a lake town in the summer. But this year looks a bit different. Port Aransas. Located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwest Virginia, Abingdon is one of those small towns in the south that is known for its combination of artsy vibes and historic charm. In the summer, families wakeboard, tube and fish on the lakes and rivers. Bayview is right on the water (literally), giving it a northwestern island feel, and it is home to the 4,000-acre Farragut State Park. Sailing, fishing and kayaking are also popular pursuits. The most affordable town on the list is Jamestown, N.Y., with a median list price of just $59,000, but if you desire a two-bedroom home with a private shoreline that can raise the price significantly. Along the 185-mile shoreline, you'll find patches of crystal clear water. When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. It is so beautiful that the locals of the Texas Hill Country have given it the nickname of "The Jewel". Prices generally range from $400,000 to . We have homes that are $100,000 to $250,000, and then we also have $5 million lake homes. Chattanooga receives its highest score for affordability. But that doesnt mean the rest of the 99% cant get in on the waterfront action. Its very close to pricier Lake George as well as Gore Mountain Ski Resort. The dog days of summer 2021 are upon us at last. Vacation homes are still affordable in Winsted. No. Neighboring Muscle Shoals has a deep music history. Set on the banks of Lake Erie, the popular vacation destination offers a revitalized downtown with good shopping and dining. Take a stroll through this town, and you'll understand why it's a popular destination. Nestled on Lake Lure in the forested hills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the eponymous small town has unparalleled outdoor attractions, including the lake with its wide beach, greenways, golf courses, hiking trails, and Chimney Rock. You get larger lots for the same amount of money, but you still have access to everything you need.. Check out Margaritaville Lake Resort for a family-friendly vacation in Osage Beach. The drive to Wolfeboro is about two hours from Boston and five from New York City. Gigabit ISP: C Spire ($80/month) Zillow Home Value Index: $165,574. Many places with lake houses have activities. Credit: John Noltner. The 1,500-square-foot footprint allows for a second story, allowing the buyer to build a stunning 3,000-square-foot home on the water. Lake Wylie covers over 13,000 acres, with a shoreline of 325 miles. The top 10 most affordable lakes for lakefront homes in Michigan are listed below, with the most affordable lake at No. Midwesterners travel from near and far to relax in the gorgeous bodies of water that dot the tourist towns of Okoboji and Spirit Lake. Nestled in a valley between the Piedmont region and Appalachian Mountains, this town has been luring people to its picturesque waters for yearsespecially since it was the filming location for Dirty Dancing. Chelan offers housing options at a wide range of price points. Ogden, Utah. 4) Holland State Park Beach: An expansive, sandy beach on Lake Michigan and Lake Macatawa, each with its own campground. The past few years of the COVID-19 pandemic brought hordes of well-heeled buyers into vacation destinations, bidding up prices and purchasing any and all available real estate. Lightvision, LLC/ Getty Images. If the skys the limit, buyers can check out a four-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom mansion on Cedar Point Road listed for roughly $2.4 million. Alaska might not be the first place most folks think of when they envision summer lake towns. Most people visit Florida for its beaches, but land-locked in the center of the Sunshine State is Winter Haven, a spot known for its Chain of Lakes. Homes, Townhomes, Condos: $139.9K - $2.8M Lots: $20K - $595K. From a time-capsule-worthy main drag in Greensboro, Georgia, to a sun-soaked chain of lakes in Winter Haven, Florida, these are the South's best lake towns of 2022. If you have to socially distance or can work from home, just move to the lake full time.. You can find traces of all of them in Florence, Alabama. Test your muscles and head downriver to Wilson Lake, where there are plenty of spots to stay and enjoy fresh shellfish by the water. There are no theme parks or big music shows. Residents, many of whom move to the village for retirement, spend their days paddleboarding, fishing and swimming in the lakes or walking along 30 miles of forested trails. Striking views, a gorgeous landscape, stunning lakes, and affordable housing? We have four seasons here, and most people like that it switches things up from boating, to snowmobiling, ice fishing, and huntingthe list goes on, says Jayson Maguire, Realtor and owner of Exit Realty Connection in Watertown. This lake town is brimming with charming accommodations, too, from the more modern Hotel Earl to the historic Bridge Street Inn and the waterfront Edgewater Inn & Suites. With the Chickasaw National Recreation Area, the Lake of the Arbuckles, and the Artesian Hotel, Casino, and Spa, the small town has a lot to offer. Buyers who want to get in on the monthly drum circles in Basin Springs Park can find great deals on homes close to downtown, such as this renovated three-bedroom asking $279,000. The International Wolf Center and North American Bear Center are probably the most happening spots in town. Pronounced "Bowfort" (not "Bewfert" like its South Carolina namesake), this colonial-era village embraces its pirate history. Cheapest Places to Live In Tennessee: Murfreesboro. Consider a visit to the LEGOLAND Theme Park. Clear Lake, South Dakota, is proud of its strong, traditional values. Travel + Leisure magazine may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Each year, with the arrival of the dog days of summer, the desire to find a place by the water becomes nothing less than a national obsession. Laconia, New Hampshire. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Aside from focusing on the worlds largest collection of standing totem poles, amateur photographers can point their cameras in nearly any direction and capture a gorgeous view of the citys jaw-dropping natural beauty. We set out on our annual hot-season quest to find the best affordable lake towns in the United Statesplaces with lots of well-priced homes, lovely and fun water scenes, and no shortage of things to do on dry land.
