My husband and I (with our two boys, ages 8 and 13) have explored Lake Winnipesaukee in every season, and we know a few favorites that truly cater to families. From sandy beaches and lakeside pools to indoor playrooms and campfire s’mores, these resorts go out of their way for kids. We always pack extra bathing suits and snowshoes! Our top picks combine year-round fun with cozy family-friendly lodging. Read on for our tried-and-true advice – complete with real details and sources – on the top resorts, hotels, and lodges for a Winnipesaukee family getaway.
Top 5 Lake Winnipesaukee Family Resorts
🏕️ Lake Winnipesaukee Family Resorts — Summary
Our family-tested picks for the best stays around the lake — from cozy cottages to full-service resorts.
🏆 Family Favorite: Piping Rock Resort (Wolfeboro)
Voted our family’s top choice for its mix of lakefront charm, sandy beach, and true four-season activities. Perfect for kids who love both swimming and snowshoeing!
- Private sandy beach with free kayaks & paddleboards
- Spacious cabins with full kitchens
- On-site playground and family BBQ grills
- Cross-country ski access in winter
🏖️ Best for Beach Days
The Naswa Resort — long private beach, Camp Naz kids’ program, and sunset bonfires with s’mores.
💦 Best Indoor Pools
The Summit Resort — huge indoor pool with slide & lazy river, perfect for rainy or winter days.
🛶 Best for Activities
Mill Falls at the Lake — watersports center, nearby arcade & mini-golf, ideal for active families.
🌲 Hidden Gem
Sunset Lodges (Tuftonboro) — vintage NH cabins with fireplaces & dockside sunsets, pet-friendly too.
⭐ Why Families Love Winnipesaukee
- Wide range of family suites, cottages & lakeside lodges
- Year-round fun — swimming, kayaking, skiing & campfires
- Close to Weirs Beach, Meredith & Gunstock Mountain
- Many resorts offer free kayaks, indoor pools & kids’ programs
Based on real stays & verified resort details — updated 2025.
1. Piping Rock Resort (Wolfeboro)
We discovered Piping Rock Resort on a summer trip, and my boys still talk about it. Piping Rock is “a four-season family resort located directly on Lake Winnipesaukee” (check out the Map of Lake Winnipesaukee, NH), which is exactly what it sounds like – wide open lawns on 6 acres, a private sandy beach and dock, free canoes, kayaks and paddleboards for guests, and even a floating swim raft. Our cottage backed right onto the water with a screened porch and a swing (it felt like summer camp!). There’s a playground on-site and charcoal grills for family BBQs. We spent lazy afternoons swimming off the sandy beach and tossing a frisbee on the lawn – and Dad even tried his hand at fishing from the dock (catch-and-release with the kids watching). In winter we heard they plow the paths so you can cross-country ski right from the property or take the 10-minute drive to Gunstock Mountain for big skiing and tubing. Piping Rock’s rustic Adirondack cabins have full kitchens, so we could let the kids eat cereal in their jammies and still have a gourmet breakfast date night in the lodge. In short, Piping Rock’s combination of lakefront beach and year-round activities (plus free Wi-Fi and family-sized suites) makes it a classic New Hampshire family retreat.
2. Mill Falls at the Lake (Meredith)
Mill Falls is really a collection of four inns on Meredith Bay, and it’s packed with kid-focused amenities. We stayed in Church Landing (their luxury lakeside inn), but all the Mill Falls properties share the fun. In summer the boys raced down the waterslide into the heated outdoor pool, and when it got chilly we’d hop into the indoor pool area with its own warm jacuzzi. The kids devoured pancakes at the Lakehouse Grille, which has a special children’s menu. One thing I love is that Mill Falls thought of everything for little ones: they offer free Pack ’n Plays and cots for babies, plus an adorable Treasure Toy Chest and board games in every lobby. Even simple perks like having laundry machines and kitchenettes in the suites made life easier on our longer stays. In the evenings we’d gather by the Adirondack chairs for campfires and S’mores together. The EKAL activity center rents kayaks and paddleboards in warm months (and turns into an ice rink when it snows). Best of all, Mill Falls is literally steps from the attractions of Meredith – we walked to the arcade and mini golf downtown. It feels like a summer camp and hotel combo that really gets families – “jam-packed with adventures and amenities tailored just for kids,” as one description puts it.
3. The Naswa Resort (Laconia)
Naswa Resort is a Lakes Region legend, family-run for over 90 years on Weirs Beach. We spent a few nights in one of their two-bedroom cottages (plenty of room for our family of four!) and never ran out of fun. Naswa’s biggest draw is its huge private sandy beach – it even claims to have the lake’s longest beach. The kids begged us to rent the complimentary kayaks and paddleboards each day. In the evenings everyone lounges on the beach chairs while the staff lights a bonfire and hands out marshmallows for s’mores under the stars. They also run a kids’ program called Camp Naz in summer (tie-dying shirts, beach crafts, games, etc.) – we caught one of their T-shirt tie-dye sessions on a lazy afternoon. There are two on-site restaurants: the casual Gazebo Beach Bar right on the water (great margaritas for mom and an extensive kids’ menu) and Blue Bistro with lake views. The best part? Nearly everything is right there at Naswa – docks with boats, jet-ski rentals, even a guided cruise on their own boat, the SS Naswa. It’s “fantastic, family-friendly accommodations right on scenic Lake Winnipesaukee”. Our boys loved the simple cottages with kitchens (our two-bedroom unit slept six), and I loved waking up to coffee on our porch overlooking the lake. Naswa isn’t open deep winter (late fall spring only), but for summer a stay here truly feels like a family vacation island.
4. The Margate on Winnipesaukee (Laconia)
The Margate is a classic hotel-resort right on Paugus Bay, and it’s got “lots of room, lots of things to do” for families. We stayed in a lakeview room on the fourth floor with sliding glass doors onto a balcony – I’d wake up to misty lake sunrises. Margate offers 17 room types (including motel-style rooms for big budgets or family suites), and newer rooms come with mini-fridges and even kitchenettes. Its big appeal is both indoor and outdoor fun: there’s a heated indoor pool with a waterfall, and outdoors a gigantic pool with lounge chairs and a waterslide (the boys especially loved the twisting flume). A private 400-foot sandy beach runs along the front – we rented a paddleboard there and Mom even sipped a mai tai at sunset. The on-site Gazebo Beach Bar and Grill (right on the lawn) has a children’s menu and yummy kid-friendly eats like fish sticks and mac & cheese, plus marshmallow roasting nights. Tennis and cornhole are big hits with active kids; there’s a fitness center and sauna too for parents. Margate also stages fireworks over the lake on summer weekends, which our kids thought was just the icing on the cake. With spacious rooms, pools, a spa, arcade games and beachfront dining, Margate feels like an all-in-one family resort “less than two hours north of Boston”.
5. The Summit Resort (Laconia)
Our go-to for a winter or off-season getaway is Summit Resort, which is only a few blocks from Weirs Beach. Summit is a four-season spot (open year-round) with all the amenities busy families need. It’s packed: an indoor pool complex with a fun water slide and a lazy river, an outdoor pool, hot tubs, sauna, and huge slide that the kids went down again and again. Right inside the lobby there’s a PlayStation and arcade room for rainy days. We scored a two-bedroom suite with a full kitchen and fireplace – the kids had their own bedroom and a hideaway sofa-bed, so we got a quiet night after tucking them in. The Summit property has its own playground, plus basketball, pickleball and volleyball courts outdoors – during a snowbound visit we borrowed snowshoes and skated on nearby trails. As the travel guide notes, Summit “offers a heated indoor pool with water slides… a kids’ playground, [and] an outdoor pool”. We loved that even in January we could have a lake vacation vibe: in winter, drive 10 minutes to Gunstock Mountain for skiing or head to nearby Polar Caves (both staff-recommended activities). We also appreciated little things like Summit’s 24-hour fitness center (to work off pancakes) and spacious lobby with board games. For a Lakes Region family trip that’s less budget-minded, Summit delivers entertainment for ages 1–101.
More Family-Friendly Hotels and Lakeside Lodges
Beyond our top five, the Winnipesaukee area has plenty of other great places. For example, the historic Wolfeboro Inn (in “America’s Oldest Summer Resort” town of Wolfeboro) is a charming lakeside hotel with 44 rooms, its own private beach and waterfront restaurant. We haven’t stayed there, but friends rave about its old-school New England charm (glass chandeliers! wood-burning fireplaces!) and the convenience of docking your boat at their private pier. Another hotel option is the beautiful Bayview on the Lake in Wolfeboro (not far from downtown) – it’s a newer resort with suites and cottages right on the water.
For true lodge-style stays, consider Ames Farm Inn in Gilford. It’s been family-run since 1890 on 135 wooded acres with a quarter-mile of sandy beach. Ames Farm is part-lodge, part-farm: they have 17 vintage lakeside cabins, plus cottages and rooms. We’ve taken the boys to their large grassy field with volleyball nets, ping-pong tables and cornhole, and they loved feeding the farm animals. There’s a 48-seat breakfast-and-lunch restaurant (blueberry pancakes heaven!), plus a general store selling local crafts, toys and ice cream. The shoreline is gentle – a perfect spot for little kids to wade and swim – and you can launch your boat from one of their two ramps.
Another great lodge find is Sunset Lodges in Tuftonboro, right on the quiet Basin Bay of the lake. This is a true rustic cabin resort (opened 1950) with fully furnished 1–3 bedroom cabins, some winterized for year-round use. It’s family-owned and pet-friendly, so even Grandpa’s dog can come along. We stayed in a two-bedroom lakeside cabin with a stone fireplace (firing it up on a rainy afternoon was cozy!). The boys could swim from the big dock or fish off the waterfront pavilion, and Mom and Dad watched sunsets from Adirondack chairs facing the lake. All cabins have heat and indoor fireplaces, free Wi-Fi, and full kitchens – it felt like home. Sunset Lodges’ main dock stretches over 100 feet into the water with lounge chairs, and they even supply life jackets. It’s definitely simpler than a spa resort, but that’s the charm: it’s vintage NH lake life and affordable.
Hotels like Margate, Summit, or the Wolfeboro Inn offer lakeside pools, arcades or indoor amenities for kids, while lodge-style places like Piping Rock, Ames Farm or Sunset Lodges give your family private cabins, beach access, and outdoor fun right on the water. Whichever you choose, you’ll find campfires, swimming and plenty of family bonding at Winnipesaukee. Pack lots of swimsuits (and snow boots!), because as one guidebook cheerfully notes, the Lakes Region is all about year-round outdoor fun – “water sports, and snow sports on the historic Lake Winnipesaukee” – for kids of all ages.
Sources: We used information from official resort sites and travel guides to confirm family amenities (free kayaks and beach at Piping Rock, kids’ programs and cribs at Mill Falls, Naswa’s beach and dining, Margate’s pools and bar, Summit’s pools and playground, Ames Farm’s acreage and cottages, and Sunset Lodges’ year-round cabins and dock). These allow us to share detailed, up-to-date tips for your family’s Winnipesaukee vacation.
Lake Winnipesaukee Family Resorts — FAQ
What are the best Lake Winnipesaukee family resorts?
Our top picks are Piping Rock Resort (Wolfeboro), Mill Falls at the Lake (Meredith), The Naswa Resort (Laconia), The Margate on Winnipesaukee (Laconia), and The Summit Resort (Laconia).
Which resorts have sandy beaches and free water toys?
Piping Rock and The Naswa offer private sandy beaches with complimentary kayaks and paddleboards; The Margate adds a 400-foot beach on Paugus Bay.
Do any properties offer indoor pools or water slides?
Mill Falls has indoor and outdoor pools; The Margate features a heated indoor pool with a waterfall; The Summit Resort offers an indoor pool complex with a water slide and lazy river.
Are there family suites or cabins with kitchens?
Yes. Piping Rock’s cabins have full kitchens; The Summit’s two-bedroom suites include full kitchens; The Naswa offers two-bedroom cottages with kitchens; Margate has some rooms with kitchenettes.
Is Lake Winnipesaukee a good winter family destination?
Yes. Piping Rock plows paths for XC skiing; The Summit is open year-round with a big indoor pool area; Gunstock Mountain is about 10 minutes from several Laconia resorts for skiing and tubing.
Which town is most convenient for families?
Meredith and Laconia are ultra-convenient: Mill Falls is steps from dining, mini-golf, and an arcade; Margate, Summit, and Naswa sit near Weirs Beach attractions.
Do the resorts provide cribs or Pack ’n Plays?
Mill Falls explicitly offers complimentary Pack ’n Plays and cots; other properties may provide them on request—reserve ahead.
Where can kids enjoy campfires and s’mores?
Mill Falls hosts evening campfires; The Naswa lights beach bonfires with marshmallows; The Margate runs marshmallow-roasting nights on the lawn.
Can we walk to attractions from our hotel?
From Mill Falls you can walk to Meredith’s restaurants, arcade, and mini-golf. Resorts around Weirs Beach (Naswa, Margate, Summit) are close to lakefront amusements.
What’s the best time to visit with kids?
Summer brings beach days and water toys; fall is scenic and calmer; winter adds skiing, tubing, and indoor pools; spring is value-friendly with milder crowds.
