Anonymous
Post 05/10/2026 17:07     Subject: Beach house vs lake house
Lake house but it has to be a spring fed lake up North
Anonymous
Post 05/10/2026 16:51     Subject: Beach house vs lake house
Anonymous wrote:Lakes have snakes.

Have you googled the water quality in your favorite lake? It’s eye opening. Is it within 5-10 miles of a farm? If so, the fertilizer and pesticides are found in the lake. Dairy farm? Enjoy the poopy lake. Even the clearest lakes are shockingly dangerous given all the toxins.

PS - Man made lakes are usually the worst.


We own a house on Lake Shannondale in WV and the health department does water quality checks before the lake opens to swimming. It's a man-made (dam). So the creek thankfully doesn't come from farm run off.
Anonymous
Post 05/10/2026 16:50     Subject: Re:Beach house vs lake house
Anonymous wrote:Transportation is the big issue for us. Around here, the beach house would be in MD/DE beaches and driving over the Bay Bridge is a mess most of the summer. We have friends who do it, and they will wake up at 6am to head over/back and avoid traffic. Maybe because I'm a night owl, but that's not a vacation to me.

The lake house options a similar drive from here have many routes you can take and are generally pretty easy drives.


We have a beach house in Colonial Beach, VA
Anonymous
Post 05/10/2026 16:49     Subject: Beach house vs lake house
Anonymous wrote:How do so many of you have both?


We AirBNB them and bought them when interest rates were much lower on second homes.

I do somewhat regret not also upsizing on our primary home. But my husband is military so we had no idea what assignment would come next.
Anonymous
Post 05/10/2026 16:39     Subject: Beach house vs lake house
My ideal would be a house on a lake/pond on Cape Cod. that way I could get a beach fix whenever I wanted but would still have advantages of a sand-bottom pond (easier to SUP, kayak or sail).
Anonymous
Post 05/10/2026 15:59     Subject: Beach house vs lake house
Anonymous wrote:Lakes have snakes.

Have you googled the water quality in your favorite lake? It’s eye opening. Is it within 5-10 miles of a farm? If so, the fertilizer and pesticides are found in the lake. Dairy farm? Enjoy the poopy lake. Even the clearest lakes are shockingly dangerous given all the toxins.

PS - Man made lakes are usually the worst.


Lakes have snakes is what our family has been saying for years! Love to look at lakes and spend time near them but am not getting into a lake.
Anonymous
Post 05/10/2026 15:56     Subject: Beach house vs lake house
A relative has both types of home in northern California. It's too cold for swimming in either spot so between the two, I prefer the beach house for the nicer view and to enjoy walking along the beach. The lake house has the better social scene and more to do within an hour's drive.
Anonymous
Post 05/10/2026 15:53     Subject: Beach house vs lake house
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Beach x 100.
Lake water seems murky and slimy.


The ocean is full of medical waste, pollution and human feces.


So are lakes.

The difference is the ocean is massive and moves the problematic toxins away while lakes just absorb them.

Even the cleanest lakes up north periodically have toxic blooms. Google your favorite lake to pull water quality reports and don’t forget to do a google news search.


Some do, but not all.
Anonymous
Post 05/10/2026 15:49     Subject: Beach house vs lake house
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Beach x 100.
Lake water seems murky and slimy.


The ocean is full of medical waste, pollution and human feces.


So are lakes.

The difference is the ocean is massive and moves the problematic toxins away while lakes just absorb them.

Even the cleanest lakes up north periodically have toxic blooms. Google your favorite lake to pull water quality reports and don’t forget to do a google news search.


Maybe the ones around here, but not the ones in remote areas of New England.
Anonymous
Post 05/10/2026 15:20     Subject: Beach house vs lake house
A house on Lake Michigan.
Anonymous
Post 05/10/2026 14:47     Subject: Beach house vs lake house
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Lakes have snakes.

Have you googled the water quality in your favorite lake? It’s eye opening. Is it within 5-10 miles of a farm? If so, the fertilizer and pesticides are found in the lake. Dairy farm? Enjoy the poopy lake. Even the clearest lakes are shockingly dangerous given all the toxins.

PS - Man made lakes are usually the worst.


That’s why I have a lake house in Northern Maine that is only accessible by sea plane. There are a lot of lake homes away from farms in Maine and the Adirondacks.


Belgrade Lakes are sneaky nice too.
Anonymous
Post 05/10/2026 13:32     Subject: Re:Beach house vs lake house
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Transportation is the big issue for us. Around here, the beach house would be in MD/DE beaches and driving over the Bay Bridge is a mess most of the summer. We have friends who do it, and they will wake up at 6am to head over/back and avoid traffic. Maybe because I'm a night owl, but that's not a vacation to me.

The lake house options a similar drive from here have many routes you can take and are generally pretty easy drives.


Md/DE beaches are gross. If you don’t have a house in the Hamptons or Laguna Beach you’re doing it wrong.


I have both. Plus a houseboat and private island. I prefer the RV.
Anonymous
Post 05/10/2026 12:16     Subject: Re:Beach house vs lake house
Anonymous wrote:Transportation is the big issue for us. Around here, the beach house would be in MD/DE beaches and driving over the Bay Bridge is a mess most of the summer. We have friends who do it, and they will wake up at 6am to head over/back and avoid traffic. Maybe because I'm a night owl, but that's not a vacation to me.

The lake house options a similar drive from here have many routes you can take and are generally pretty easy drives.


Md/DE beaches are gross. If you don’t have a house in the Hamptons or Laguna Beach you’re doing it wrong.
Anonymous
Post 05/10/2026 11:43     Subject: Re:Beach house vs lake house
Transportation is the big issue for us. Around here, the beach house would be in MD/DE beaches and driving over the Bay Bridge is a mess most of the summer. We have friends who do it, and they will wake up at 6am to head over/back and avoid traffic. Maybe because I'm a night owl, but that's not a vacation to me.

The lake house options a similar drive from here have many routes you can take and are generally pretty easy drives.
Anonymous
Post 05/10/2026 11:39     Subject: Beach house vs lake house
I grew up a 2 minute walk from the beach in Southern California, small town between LA/SD, and my husbands family has a Lake house in the Adirondacks. I absolutely LOVE the lake house and would choose that over a beach house any day.