Lakes Across U.S. Offer Fall Recreation

Travel coverage highlights lakeside and small‑town getaways across the U.S., from Lake Michigan surf towns to mountain reservoirs and restored wetlands. Sheboygan, Wisconsin — called the “Malibu of the Midwest” and the “Freshwater Surfing Capital of the World” — pairs Lake Michigan surfing, bratwurst heritage, public art and world‑class links golf at Whistling Straits. Beaver Dam’s Fall Downtown Fest returned Oct. 25, 2025, drawing tourists and boosting the local economy, while nearby Manitowoc is promoted as a peaceful lakeside weekend escape. In Florida, master‑planned Westchase is praised for walkable neighborhoods, golf and green space, and coastal towns from St. Augustine to Captiva, West Palm Beach and Sarasota stage major Christmas events. Inland Lake Apopka has undergone a major cleanup and is now promoted as a wildlife‑rich eco‑tourism hub with trails and a wildlife drive. Tennessee’s Watauga Lake, Virginia’s roughly 3,000‑acre Philpott Lake and Sangchris Lake State Park near Springfield, Illinois, continue to be highlighted for paddling, fishing, beaches, campgrounds and boat launches, and Standish, Maine, on Sebago Lake is noted for year‑round outdoor appeal.