New Hampshire's Lakes Region is famous for its many lakes and ponds, and resulting high quality of life. The state of New Hampshire is home to 273 bodies of water, including Lake Winnipesaukee, the largest lake in New Hampshire. The Lakes Region in central New Hampshire outshines other regions as a wonderful place to buy a lake home and over the years its popularity has only continued to grow.

The Lakes Region includes the towns of Alexandria, Alton, Andover, Ashland, Barnstead, Belmont, Bridgewater, Bristol, Center Harbor, Danbury, Effingham, Franklin, Freedom, Gilford, Gilmanton, Hebron, Hill, Holderness, Laconia, Meredith, Moultonborough, New Hampton, Northfield, Ossipee, Sanbornton, Sandwich, Tamworth, Tilton, Tuftonboro, and Wolfeboro. The Lakes Region offers convenient access to larger cities, including Manchester, New Hampshire, Boston, Massachusetts, and others in New England and the Northeast United States, and for this reason, it has continued to see consistent home sales volume year after year. Scroll down to find more information about real estate in New Hampshire's Lakes Region.

Check out the quick search links below if you're interested in buying real estate in New Hampshire or learn more about the Lakes Region of New Hampshire below, which includes the following water bodies: Lake Winnipesaukee, Squam Lake (including Little Squam Lake and Big Squam Lake), Hawkins Pond, Lake Wicwas, Lake Winona, Lake Pemigewasset, Lake Waukewan, Newfound Lake, Northwood Lake, Lake Winnisquam, Silver Lake, Hill Pond, Province Lake, Belleau Lake, Duncan Lake, Pine River Pond, Lake Ossipee, Lake Wentworth, Crescent Lake, and Mirror Lake.

• View recently listed Lake Winnipesaukee real estate. 
• View recently sold Lakes Region real estate.
• Search all Lake Winnipesaukee property for sale.

Contact Nicole Watkins if you're interested in buying or selling Lake Winnipesaukee real estate or real estate in the surrounding area and would like to know more about what to expect.

Lakeside Living at its Best

Living or buying real estate on Lake Winnipesaukee and in New Hampshire's Lakes Region brings with it a unique lifestyle and abundant amenities. Read on to learn a little more about what this region offers.

Towns

Lake Winnipesaukee is the largest lake in New Hampshire, sitting just below New Hampshire's White Mountains, and because of that, it can take hours, if not a whole day, to drive around it. Driving around Lake Winnipesaukee is an approximately 70 mile journey and takes you through several towns, including:

• Alton, at the south end of Lake Winnipesaukee. Alton is the largest town by area in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire.
• Gilford, on the southwest side of Lake Winnipesaukee. Gilford is home to the Belknap Mountains, Belknap Mountain State Forest, Gunstock Mountain, Gunstock Mountain Resort, and the popular concert venue Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion at Meadowbrook.
• Laconia, on the western shores of Lake Winnipesaukee, is the busiest town and main commercial center of Lake Winnipesaukee. The town of Laconia surrounds Paugus Bay, with Meredith Bay bordering Laconia to the North. Weirs Beach, the largest public beach on Lake Winnipesaukee, is in Laconia. Laconia attracts tens of thousands of motorcyclists to the Lake Winnipesaukee area during Bike Week, an annual event. Laconia also borders the eastern shore of Lake Winnisquam, a less popular and just as idyllic lake as Lake Winnipesaukee. Waterfront and non-waterfront recreation abounds in Laconia, which includes Ahern State Park and Prescott Farm Environmental Education Center, as well as many other parks and attractions.
• Meredith, sitting on the northwest shores of Lake Winnipesaukee, is a very attractive town and a longtime tourist haven. Meredith Bay is a picturesque inlet filled with private homes and stunning Lake Winnipesaukee views. Meredith Neck sticks out alongside Bear Island. Meredith Center contains restaurants, shops, and other amenities and the town itself is well organized, with events hosted by the Meredith Rotary Club. Meredith is also popular for hiking and camping at Meredith Woods Camping Area and on Meredith Hill. Meredith is very hilly, though not quite as high as its neighboring towns, including Moultonborough, New Hampshire. Meredith is home to several other smaller lakes and ponds, including the beautiful Lake Waukewan.
• Center Harbor is a small town on the northern shore of Lake Winnipesaukee with one of the smallest stretches of Lake Winnipesaukee waterfront. Center Harbor is more well known for being home to Squam Lake, which it borders to the north. Squam Lake's southern shores also contain the Proctor Preserve in Center Harbor, which is also known for its protected land, thanks in part to the Lakes Region Conservation Trust. Center Harbor's shoreline is more protected, offering waterfront real estate with docks, calm waters, and sheltered beaches. Center Harbor also serves as the winter home for the MS Mount Washington.
• Moultonborough is one of Lake Winnipesaukee's most beloved towns. Moultonborough sits on the north shore of Lake Winnipesaukee and is a very attractive town, popular among many for its high quality of life, excellent public schools, charming downtown, and attractions like the Castle in the Clouds, a Lakes Region estate atop a small mountain. Like Center Harbor, Moultonborough also borders Squam Lake. The communities of Suissevale and Lees Mill are in Moultonborough and the town features several historic buildings, such as the Moultonborough Town House. From Moultonborough, Lakes Region residents and visitors have easy access to New Hampshire's White Mountains and all of the hobbies for which the region is famous, including hiking, camping, skiing, snowboarding, and more. Moultonborough is a large area geographically and is an excellent choice for people looking for Lake Winnipesaukee real estate without sacrificing a larger community connection and the amenities of a larger town.
• Tuftonboro is on the eastern shores of Lake Winnipesaukee. Tuftonboro is a large town geographically and has a lot of water frontage. Tuftonboro is home to 19-mile bay and is popular with boaters and water enthusiasts. From Tuftonboro, it's a pretty straight shot down route 16 to Portsmouth and Southern New Hampshire. Tuftonboro is also close to Ossipee Lake, and includes several lakes and ponds such as Mirror Lake, Garland Pond, Copps Pond, Lower Beech Pond, and Dan Hole Pond. Tuftonboro contains the communities of Melvin Village and Mirror Lake.
• Wolfeboro, on the southeast shore of Lake Winnipesaukee, is known as the "Oldest Summer Resort in America". It's a shorter drive from Manchester, New Hampshire and Boston, Massachusetts, which is ideal for many, and Wolfeboro itself is a charming, tight-knit town that feels like a small community even in the summer when the population surges. Crescent Lake, Lake Wentworth, Rust Pond, and several other smaller water bodies call Wolfeboro, New Hampshire home. Popular sights include Wolfeboro Falls, Allen Albee Beach, Cate Park, and the New Hampshire Boat Museum, among others. There is a lot to do in Wolfeboro, which is good for people looking for Lake Winnipesaukee real estate that feels worlds away from it all, but really isn't.

Though they are not distinct towns, Lake Winnipesaukee is also home to at least 264 islands, including Rattlesnake Island, Governor's Island, Bear Island, and Cow Island, among others. In addition, the Lakes Region includes several towns not on Lake Winnipesaukee, but on and near other lakes and water bodies, like Squam Lake, Lake Wicwas, Lake Winona, Lake Pemigewasset, Lake Waukewan, Newfound Lake, Northwood Lake, Lake Winnisquam, Silver Lake, Province Lake, Belleau Lake, and Duncan Lake. Popular Lakes Region towns not directly on Lake Winnipesaukee include picturesque Holderness on Squam Lake, and Alexandria, Bristol, Bridgewater, and Hebron, which are all on Newfound Lake. Andover New Hampshire contains Bradley Lake and Highland Lake, among others. Sandwich on Squam Lake and Tilton on Lake Winnisquam are other good options - Sandwich in the northern Lakes Region and Tilton in the south. Overall, there's a town and a lake, pond, bay or inlet for everyone, whatever your desire. Contact Nicole Watkins to discuss the Lakes Regions unique towns and which community is right for you.

Recreation

There is so much to do in New Hampshire's Lakes Region, making it an ideal place to own real estate and providing year round enjoyment for everyone from families to retirees. In the winter, ski areas abound. Downhill (alpine) skiing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding, and of course, ice fishing on one of the Lakes Region's many lakes are all favorite pastimes. 

Schools

The Lakes Region boasts excellent schools, which is especially so in Moultonborough and Meredith. From elementary school to attending high school at Moultonborough Academy, the Moultonborough NH school system is simply wonderful and is a big reason many choose to make Moultonborough their year round Lake Winnipesaukee home. Moultonborough is a wonderful community in which to raise a family, offers great sports and recreation programs within the school system and the town's recreation department, and is very safe. Similarly, the schools in Meredith, NH are very highly rates. The Inter-Lakes School District is the public school district in Meredith, offering K-12 education with a student-teacher ratio of 11 to 1. Other Lake Winnipesaukee towns offer excellent school systems, with the Inter-Lakes School District serving Meredith, Center Harbor, Ashland, and Sandwich.

Dining and More

Lake Winnipesaukee and the greater Lakes Region towns are home to many wonderful restaurants. I have several favorites - too many to list! I'd love to recommend one to you based on your specific tastes. There are also several dining options you can access by boat, whether in Alton Bay, Center Harbor, Gilford, Meredith Bay, Tuftonboro, or Wolfeboro Bay. Check out a list of options here. For fine dining on or near Lake Winnipesaukee, O' Steaks and Seafood, Fratello's, and Hector's are excellent choices in Laconia. Enjoy dinner with a view on the MS Mount Washington Dinner Cruise at Weirs Beach. The Lyon's Den and Ellacoya Barn & Grille in Gilford, Lakehouse Grille and Lago Trattoria in Meredith, Woodshed in Moultonborough, Kevin's Cafe and The Canoe in Center Harbor, and The Inn On Main and Mise En Place in Wolfeboro are also not to be missed. Elsewhere in the Lakes Region, try The Inn on Newfound Lake in Bristol, New Hampshire.

With so much to do and see, and countless reasons to buy a home on Lake Winnipesaukee or in New Hampshire's greater Lakes Region, you will not be disappointed. Learn more about Lake Winnipesaukee, Newfound Lake, and Squam Lake, browse all Lakes Region lakes and towns, or contact Nicole Watkins to discover the ideal lakeside town for you.