Lakes

Families are the focus at The Margate on Winnipesaukee, on the shores of Paugus Bay, where guests have been treated like members of the resort family for 68 years. From your spacious family suite, you can plan your vacation by the lake. Go swimming or just relax by the water on the 400-foot private sandy beach, play lawn games or, after your grab-and-go breakfast in the courtyard bistro, head out to explore all the Lakes Region has to offer, from great skiing and ice skating in the winter to hiking and biking amid the fall foliage to summertime kayaking, fishing and canoeing. Check the website for the latest updates on Covid-19 temporary closures and to see when the pools and gameroom are opening.

Whether your family likes to fish, frolic in the surf, climb mountains, visit museums, shop on friendly Main Streets or just roast marshmallows around the fire, New Hampshire has the perfect campground for you. Explore the state’s great outdoors from your tent, RV, cabin – or rental unit – with a fall foliage hike, rock climbing, beach retreat or, in the winter, a snowmobile ride or ski run. Visit our website for a guide to a huge variety of campgrounds, from the forested north (where you can see bald eagles) to the villages and countryside of the state’s center to its 18 miles of Atlantic coastline. Many campgrounds feature areas for family play, from horseshoes and bocce to tennis, golf and hiking.

Indoors and out, there are plenty of activities to entertain and enlighten the whole family at Castle in the Clouds. Explore the 1920s mansion (kids can win small prizes in a scavenger hunt), including a basement tour that shows how the servants lived. Or, feed leaping rainbow trout (seriously!) at beautiful Shannon Pond, hike past water falls or, in the winter, cross-country ski or snowshoe over groomed trails. Grab some pizza and a cone at Cones in the Clouds in the summer, picnic in a meadow or soak in mountain views at the Carriage House Restaurant. Go for a winter carriage or sleigh ride or a summer horse ride (there are pones for kids under 8).

Outstanding concerts in a tent set in one of New England’s loveliest spots: That’s great entertainment for everyone in the family. This season, Great Waters, which has been entertaining visitors to the Lakes Region for over 25 years, is holdings its concerts in a tent in the meadow of the spectacular Castle in the Clouds, where the views are breathtaking. This summer’s concerts include jazz, a Bee Gees tribute band, a comedy night, rock ’n’ roll, a Broadway spectacular and a free folk festival. There truly is something for everyone’s musical tastes. The picturesque Castle in the Clouds estate includes miles of hiking and walking trails, the historic Lucknow Mansion with exhibits, gardens – and a pond where the kids can feed the ducks.