Lake Winnipesaukee, aka: Lake Winnie, or Lake Winnipesaukee NH by Native Americans "Winnipiseogee" which is most commonly translated as "Smile of the Great Spirit" has a surface area of 72 square miles and is 28 miles long at it's longest point. Lake Winnipesaukee also offers 240 miles of shoreline that has everything from multi-million dollar homes to campgrounds.

Lake Winnipesaukee has been a focal point of our state and has had many famous visitors over the years. Lake Winnipesaukee is is the largest lake within the lakes region of New Hampshire.

Many visitors to the state of NH visit the lake during their stay here, which makes Lake Winnipesaukee one of the most visited places in New Hampshire.

If you would like to be close to the lake, nothing can be staying right on the water at Lake Winnipesaukee. Most Lake Winnipesaukee rentals are reserved a year or more in advance, so planning your NH vacation should be thought out well in advance of the date you plan to take your vacation. Waterfront rentals on Lake Winnipesaukee tend to be rented first. If you are looking for a place to rent, we do have a List of Lake Winnipesaukee Vacation Rentals which include house rentals, condos, cottages, camps and hotels on Lake Winnipesaukee. If you own a boat, most of these rentals have docks where you can dock your boat as well. If you don't own a boat, you will wish you did if you're staying right on the water. Be sure to also check out Lake Winnipesaukee Boat Rentals page.

Lake Winnipesaukee has crystal clean water as the lake is fed by many Loons in Lake Winnipesaukee NH mountains in the area as well as other lakes and ponds in the surrounding towns of: Brookfield, Center Harbor, Sandwich, Laconia, New Durham, Meredith, Tuftonboro, Wolfeboro, Gilford, Moultonborough, Alton and other New Hampshire towns. These towns make up the "Watershed" area. Lake Winnipesaukee's waters are kept clean by many local organizations and residents. Keeping the lake and watershed area of Lake Winnipesaukee clean and free of pollutants is the key to keeping the lake pristine for future generations. The overall quality of the water is good, plant life is considered low and the water clarity is excellent.

One of the most popular attractions on Lake Winnipesaukee is the famous MS. Mount Washington Cruise Ship. This ship is 230 feet long and 780 tons. The ship was assembled in 1939 from the hull of the Lake Champlain ship, the "Chateaugay." The MS Mount Washington has stops in Alton Bay, Center Harbor, Meredith, Weirs Beach, Wolfeboro, and Moultonborough NH. The Mt. Washington Cruise Ship is the perfect way to experience the lake and learn about some of the history of Lake Winnipesaukee.

MS Mount Washington Cruise Ship in Lake Winnipesaukee NH

Check out our trip report from the MS Mount Washington Cruise Ship

NH Tour Guide.com also offers live webcam images from Lake Winnipesaukee which are great to see the current conditions on the lake for boating, fishing or ice fishing, and other activities.

One of the best parts of Lake Winnipesaukee is it's central location in the state of NH. The lake is accessible from all points in NH within a reasonable amount of time, whether your coming from the Seacoast Region, the Great North Woods Region or the Monadnock Region it's well worth the short drive to visit Lake Winnipesaukee in NH. Looking for some fun things to do around Lake Winnipesaukee? Check out our GPS Tour Around Lake Winnipesaukee.

Lake Winnipesaukee is New Hampshire's finest attraction for tourism and is home to many small businesses like real estate agents, boat and jet ski rentals, hotels, cabin rentals and restaurants. You will also find many gift shops surrounding parts of Lake Winnipesaukee.

Two of Lake Winnipesaukee's nearby mountains which we offer more information about are: Mt. Major in Alton, NH., Mt Shaw in NH and Mt. Washington which all offer beautiful views of Lake Winnipesaukee.

Fast Facts About Lake Winnipesaukee:

Lake Winnipesaukee has 72 square miles (44,586 acres) of surface area.
It is 28 miles long at it's longest point
It has 240 miles of shoreline
The drive around the lake is a 63 mile long ride
The deepest point is 180 feet deep
Lake Winnipesaukee has approx. 625 billion gallons of water
Lake Winnipesaukee has 365 islands, 274 are habitable
Becky's Garden is the smallest island at only 10 feet wide
3 islands on Lake Winnipesaukee are named "Loon Island"
Lake Winnipesaukee is only 504 feet above sea level
Lake Winnipesaukee usually freezes by mid January
"Ice Out" is called when the MS Mount Washington Ship can navigate to all of it's ports on the lake.
How did Lake Winnipesaukee get it's name? Read: An Indian Legend: How Lake Winnipesaukee Got it's Name

Lake Winnipesaukee in NH is often misspelled. Common misspellings include: Lake Winnipeesakee, Lake Winipesauki, Lake Winnepesakie, Lake Winnipasaukee, Lake Winapasaukee, and Lake Winnapasakie. It has also been nicknamed "Lake Winni" (or "Lake Winnie")

View photos of Lake Winnipesaukee from Mt. Major in Alton, NH.

Lake Winnipesaukee Live Webcams

View From Wolfeboro Corinthian Yacht Club