I am definitely biased because I grew up near lakes rather than beaches. Lakes are very serene and calm whereas oceans have waves and seagulls. All in all, these are my five reasons for going to a lake rather than a beach.
1.There are less people on a lake
Often at the beach, your first problem is parking. There are so many cars and even more people that pack into them. Especially when it's a great sunny day, a lot of people flood to the beaches to find relief from the ungodly heat. On lakes, the only people crowding the beach are the people the people who live in a five-mile radius. On any given day I rarely see the shore of the lakes full of people. Sometimes there isn't a beach at all. There would only be rocks that lead the way into the water. All in all, you will definitely find fewer people on a lake rather than on a beach.
2. The waters are calmer on a lake
Huge Waves
There are slim to no waves on a lake. The waves on a lake mostly come from a large boat with a tall bow. The larger the boat the bigger the waves. But those waves cannot even compare to the waves I've seen at some of our beaches. Not many beaches in Connecticut have large waves, but some of the waves I have seen in RI are pretty big. Therefore if you are looking for a calm day with serene waters, I would travel to a lake rather than a beach.
3. There are less birds
If you bring food to the beach, the seagulls will eat you alive. They will first surround you and wait until you're not keeping a watchful eye on all of your snacks. Don't even think of walking away either cause by the time you come back they would probably have dragged your food 50 yards down the beach gobbling it all up. When you're at a lake there are ducks and geese that will only come if food is offered to them. Often they are friendly birds that don't stay long and usually go into the water to search for more fresher foods like the algae. Birds are less of worry when you're at a lake.
4. Feeling refreshed and not sticky from the sand
After swimming in the ocean, you feel sticky and gross with a lot of sand sticking to you. As you walk back to your towel or chair you have sand blowing on to you from the wind. All of this can be uncomfortable and doesn't happen when you're on a lake. Since lakes are predominantly fresh water, they don't leave you feeling sticky, but actually refreshed. The lake is a great place to unwind and decompress and leaves you feeling more comfortable.
5. Lakes are more friendly to boats
The waves on the ocean can be overwhelming for a boat with the dips and large waves that can almost capsize the boat. Some boats can be better on the lake because there are serene waters and not many large waves. I have been on more boats on lakes than the ocean so I am biased in saying that they are better. There are beautiful sights of sailboats, motorboats, and fishing boats on the water that I can't imagine comparing it to the ocean.
I love and prefer lakes, but that doesn't mean I am going to avoid the beach all summer. I will hopefully be traveling there soon. I also hope if you're a beach person you try the lake life and jump out of your comfort zone!
