Lake-facing patios, west-shore tasting rooms, the dock at the right time of year. Bring a sweater after seven, even in July.
Waterfront pub north of downtown Wolfeboro, with a deck built for watching boat traffic while you work through fish and chips or a fish taco plate. Casual enough for a lake-day lunch, loud enough by evening that it reads more pub than dining room. Order at the bar if the deck's full.
Mill Falls Resort's dining room on Meredith Bay, with a fireplace lounge doing the heavy lifting before dinner and an à la carte Sunday brunch running an espresso-martini bar alongside the mimosas from nine to four. Lobster avocado toast and short rib nachos anchor the starters; the Meredith Bay burger covers the rest of the table. Reserve for a Saturday sunset table.
Center Harbor dining room with lake views and a menu built around lobster mac and cheese, hand-cut steaks, and a sweet-and-sour calamari that keeps winning over people who'd normally skip it. Upscale enough for a special dinner, casual enough that a wet bathing suit under a cover-up won't get a look. Reserve ahead on summer weekends.
Downtown Wolfeboro's waterfront park, home to a summer concert series at the bandstand running June through August and a front-row seat for watching the boat traffic move in and out of the docks. No admission, no schedule to plan around beyond checking concert nights. The easiest free hour in town.
The lake's flagship cruise ship, docked at Weirs Beach and running scenic tours at 10, 12:30, and 3 from late May through October, plus dinner and brunch cruises with live music some evenings. The vessel has been rebuilt and lengthened more than once since it first went into service — the one tourist-track outing on the lake actually worth doing, even if you live here.