White Mountains vacation at New Hampshire lake or beach hotel, inn, or resort

It won’t take you long to see why Purity Spring Resort has provided fun vacations for over 110 years. For starters, it’s about location, location, location. Perched between New Hampshire's White Mountains and Lakes Region, the lakeside resort is a haven for swimming, kayaking, fishing, paddle boarding and other water activities. And in the winter, there’s great skiing, snowboarding, skating and tubing at King Pine Ski Area. Book a cottage with beach access or a deck overlooking the lake or a condo with a screened porch. The resort has an indoor pool and hot tub, tennis and pickle ball courts and playgrounds, and is close to a nature center with hiking trails. Dine at Traditions Restaurant, at a resort cookout or, in winter, at the Pine Cone Cafe.

The Loon Mountain area shines in the winter, but it’s pretty sweet in the summer, too — as you’ll discover when you book one of the spacious suites at the RiverWalk Resort at Loon Mountain. And warm weather means needing to take the occasional refreshing dip in the region’s cool, clean water. Luckily, the area boasts plenty of swimming holes and other water attractions, including waterfalls. Check out the natural water slides at Franconia Falls, for instance. Or enjoy the swimming holes along the 65-mile Pemigewasset River, perfect for kayaking and canoeing. Of course, back at your grand resort, you can swim in the pools (and relax in the hot tubs) all year round, relaxing by poolside fire pits in the evening to watch the stars come out.

Wake up in your comfortable bed in your spacious tent or cabin and head down to the lake: That’s how you’ll start your days at Huttopia White Mountains, where 102 ready-to-camp accommodations dot 50 acres of woodlands with direct access to a private beach on Iona Lake. Watch the kids swim, go fishing for bass or perch, or rent a canoe or paddleboard at the base camp (or bring your own!). That’s also where you’ll find the heated saltwater pool, bistro serving fresh meals, and a recreation tent with kids’ activities, foosball, ping pong, a TV and board games. Join in yoga-on-the-beach sessions, hike to a swimming hole in the White Mountains National Forest or take a short drive to go tubing on the Saco River.