Photo Credit: Abbie Alter
The best lakes in the Lone Star State: Guide to some of Texas’ top swimming holes.
Summer in Texas can mean indoor activities to keep away from the unbearable heat outside, or it can also mean jumping into the Lake nearby and having some splashy fun with the whole family at one of the best lakes in the Lone Star State.
While Texas is not known for its beaches, the Lone Star State does have some beautiful lakes we can enjoy!
Related: North Texas State Parks To Visit(Opens in a new browser tab)
Photo Credit: Abbie Alter
The Best Lakes in the Lone Star State
In this post, we’ll go over some of the best lakes in Texas for swimming, fishing, and kayaking. So if you’re looking for a summer adventure or simply want to escape the heat, check out one of these lakes!
Related: Tiny Cabin Rentals In Texas(Opens in a new browser tab)
Lake Texoma. Photo Credit: Plano Moms
Lakes In North Texas
Lake Lewisville is a great spot for fishing, swimming, and kayaking. The Lake is located in Denton County and has over 26,000 acres of water!
Lake Ray Roberts is also a popular fishing destination with largemouth bass, catfish, and crappie. Swimmers and kayakers can also hike and bike around the Lake when they tire from the many water sports available. There are some parks located around the Lake to have a picnic.
White Rock Lake is located in Dallas and is a favorite spot for swimming, fishing, and kayaking. The Lake has a public area and many other spots to enjoy the lakeside view. The northeast part of the Lake has a walking and biking trail that goes all the way around it!
Lake Texoma is the largest Lake in Texas and borders the state with Oklahoma! It’s an excellent spot for fishing, swimming, and kayaking. The Lake has over 89,000 acres of water to explore and is known for its largemouth bass, catfish, and crappie. The Lake also has many parks with picnic areas, playgrounds, and a ton of great places to stay for short weekends with direct access to the Lake.
Joe Pool Lake is a reservoir located in Grand Prairie, close to Cedar Hill State Park. There are a lot of facilities in the park to keep you busy and entertained, including a lakeside for a picnic, a swimming area, campsites, boat ramps, and fishing piers.
Cedar Creek Lake is located about 60 miles southeast of Dallas. It’s a huge weekend destination with Dallasites. With its eight marinas, it makes a boat launch easy from any part of the Lake.
Some of the best Lakes and Beaches are within driving distance from Dallas Fort Worth.
Photo Credit: Abbie Alter
Lakes in Central Texas
Lake Buchanan is a large reservoir great for fishing, swimming, and kayaking just North West of Austin on the Colorado River. With over 32,000 acres of water and 154 miles of shoreline, there’s plenty of room for everyone to find their spot on the Lake.
Lake Travis is a large reservoir located close to Austin with 68,000 acres of water and over 700 miles of shoreline. It’s popular for fishing, swimming, boating, and watersports.
Also close to Austin, Bastrop State Park is home to two lakes: Lake Bastrop and Lake Mina. Both lakes are great for fishing, swimming, and kayaking.
Tyler State Park has a natural swimming hole, a 64-acre spring-fed lake nestled among 100-foot-tall pine trees. By far, one of the best places to beat the heat. There are picnic areas, pavilions, playgrounds, 13-mile nature trails through pine and hardwood forests, and cabins and campsites to stay for a night or 2. What more could you ask for?
Lake Austin is located in the heart of Austin and has over 18 miles of shoreline and is an excellent choice for a day of water sports, fun as well as hiking and biking.
Other Great Options In Central Texas:
Location: Bosque / Hill counties, Texas, United States
Address: 9207 TX-17, Toyahvale
Location: Central Austin, Texas, United States
Location: Williamson County, Texas
Location: Travis / Burnet counties, northwest of Austin, Texas
Address: 3630 Park Rd 4 W, Burnet
Photo Credit: Abbie Alter
Lakes Near Houston And South Texas
Lake Houston is probably the biggest and most well-known Lake in this region. It’s a great place to fish, swim, and boat with plenty of other activities to keep you busy – perfect for day trips from the City of Houston.
Just north of the popular Woodlands area and close to Conroe itself, Lake Conroe is a large reservoir, popular for fishing, swimming, boating, and watersports.
Other notable lakes near Houston, Texas, and further South
Caddo Lake State Park
Address: 16958 FM 1293 E, Karnack
Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Location: Jasper / Newton counties, Texas
Lake Livingston
Location: Polk County, Texas
Corpus Christi Bay and Padre Island National Seashore
Address: 2044 State Highway 361, Corpus Christi
If you’d like to float our many rivers in North Texas, there are also tons to choose from!
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