Need to Cool Off? Try One of These Great Lakes Near Philadelphia
You don't have to go to the Jersey Shore to make a splash.
Lake Nockamixon, a boater’s paradise / Photograph via Getty Images
You don’t have to go to the Jersey Shore to make a splash. Here, everything you need to know about our other bodies of water.
7 Great Lakes Within 3 Hours of Philadelphia
KEY
W : Water sports
F : Fishing
S : Swimming
$ : Fees
Lake Wallenpaupack
Hawley
W F S
Wallenpaupack is big: 52 miles of shoreline and 13 miles from end to end. Even with all that space, because this is one of the main tourist destinations of the Poconos, it always seems to be bustling in that “Ocean City in July” kind of way. Fun — if that’s the vibe you’re after. Boats and paddleboards are abundant. You can rent both. And thanks to the lake’s size and depth of up to 60 feet, the fishing is good. Forgot your rod? The visitors center lends out any angling gear you might need to catch the big one. Free to visit.
Driving time: Two hours, 20 minutes.
A relaxing evening at Lake Wallenpaupack / Photograph by Jon Lovette/Alamy Stock Photo
Lake Stockwell
Medford
W S $
If you’re a hardcore swimmer, this is the place for you. It’s private, owned by a nearby YMCA. But through a program run by local endurance-coaching company ETA Coach, you can join in open swims every Saturday and Sunday through August from 6:30 to 11 a.m. The swims are carefully monitored by lifeguards and coaches. And there’s no boating allowed during the swims. So you can concentrate on your stroke without worrying about a boat plowing through. It’s $20 per visit.
Driving time: 45 minutes.
Big Bird Pond
Lake Ariel Village
W S $
Want a body of water all to yourself? We give you this five-acre expanse — technically a pond — in Wayne County. It’s private, owned by a Main Line family who rent out their well-appointed four-bedroom cabin (look up Cherry Ridge Cabin), which gets you and yours exclusive access to the water as well as 36 acres of woods and trails surrounding it. You can swim. You can kayak. Or can just laze about in a hammock and zen out to the sights and sounds of the water. Rates start at around $400 per night.
Driving time: Two hours, 20 minutes.
The tranquil scene at Mauch Chunk Lake / Photograph via Getty Images
Mauch Chunk Lake
Jim Thorpe
W F $
Mauch Chunk is the original name of the town now known as Jim Thorpe, and the local lake and surrounding park retain the original Lenape name, meaning “bear mountain.” The water itself offers a peaceful, family-friendly day trip (leave the beer-packed cooler at home, because alcohol is banned and enforcement strict) filled with sunbathing, swimming at the lifeguard-protected beach, water sports — you can rent kayaks, canoes, rowboats, and those boats you have to pedal — and gathering in the picnicking areas. (Pavilions can be rented for a fee.) Admission to the park is $10 for adults and $7 for kids older than three.
Driving time: One hour, 30 minutes.
Lake Nockamixon
Quakertown
W F $
You wouldn’t guess a lake in Bucks County would be popular with windsurfing enthusiasts, but such is the case with this 1,450-acre one in Nockamixon State Park. It’s also a favorite for sailboaters and those who want to get in a couple of hours of core work on a paddleboard. Birders can spend a lazy day seeing how many of the 250 species of our fine feathered friends that call this park home they can spot. Admission is free; activity prices vary.
Driving time: One hour.
Getting on the water at Lake Nockamixon / Photograph courtesy of Visit Bucks County
Lake Garrison
Monroeville
W F S $
What was once a cranberry bog is now a full-service family day-trip destination centered on this swimmable lake. You can rent several types of boats, party pavilions, picnic tables (yes, you need a reservation for a table close to the water), cornhole sets, and charcoal grills. Admission is $12 during the week and $18 on weekends. Just make sure you leave your prized pooch at home: No dogs allowed.
Driving time: 35 minutes.
Conowingo Lake
Conowingo, MD
W F
It’s technically called Conowingo Reservoir, but the locals refer to it as Conowingo Lake or just “the lake.” This isn’t a spot for swimming or really a sunbathing destination. But it’s a positive paradise for BYO boaters and those trying to fish for the big one; it has a hugely diverse fish population. If you wait a few months, it becomes the perfect spot for watching bald eagles. Meanwhile, you can take in another awe-inspiring sight, the 4,648-foot-long Conowingo Dam.
Driving time: One hour, 30 minutes.
Where to Stay
The pool with a view at Silver Birches Resort / Photograph via Universal Images Group North America LLC/Alamy Stock Photo
Post up at one of these spots, ranging from primitive to luxe.
Waterfront living is some of the best living, and Silver Birches Resort (rooms from $395) on Lake Wallenpaupack offers some of the best of the best. You can stay in a lake-view room in the main inn, which boasts a posh pool complex and full-service restaurant. Or, for a more secluded experience, opt for a private cottage with all the amenities you could want or need. Want something more rustic (and affordable)? Pennsylvania’s state park system offers no shortage of options.
A lake at Promised Land State Park / Photograph by Michael Gadomski/Alamy Stock Photo
Rent a cabin (from $50) at Lake Nockamixon, and you’re mere steps away from the water — plus, the cabins there come equipped with full kitchens, so you don’t have to cook over the open fire if you don’t want to. For something more remote, look no further than Promised Land State Park, which features two lakes as well as cabins (from $29), some with wood-burning fireplaces. (Those gas fireplaces are so unfulfilling.) Many state parks also offer tent camping sites near their lakes.
Guidebook
How to Catch a Fish
“It seems obvious, but you really do have to have patience,” says Poconos fishing expert Ray Cichocki of Ray’s Fishing Guide Service. “And if you’re fishing a busy lake like Wallenpaupack that’s filled with swimmers and boaters, you’ll have the best luck early in the morning or later in the evening after all the people have gone in for the day. The fish don’t like all the activity, so they run and hide.”
How to Not Tip Your Canoe
“It’s very simple: Do not stand upright in the canoe,” says Brad Sweeney, owner of Chamberlain Canoes in the Poconos. “We tell people this all the time, but people forget, and they stand up. And chances are, they tip the canoe. If you do have to move around, always maintain three points of contact with the canoe, so two feet and one hand on a side rung or one foot and two hands. Better yet: Paddle to the shoreline and then do the moving around that you need to do.”
How to Swim in a Lake
“Just because you can swim a mile in your pool doesn’t mean you can just swim a mile across a lake,” says Meg Smith, owner and head swim coach at South Jersey’s ETA Coach. “I have a lot of top swimmers get out on the lake and they suddenly realize that open water is so much different. You really need to be prepared for the anxiety that can set in when you can’t see the bottom, when you don’t see a wall to swim to. And, oh, what’s that slimy thing brushing up against my leg?”
Illustrations by Paper Trident/Getty Images
Published as “Lakes Superior” in the July 2025 issue of Philadelphia magazine.
