Make a Splash: Discover the Best Swimming Spots in New England

To this writer, swimming is a highlight of summer.

It can be frustrating to spend half the year bundled up in a million and one layers, while the cold still freezes you down to your bones anyway. When temperatures finally begin to rise and we break out the tank tops and shorts once again, many of us want to spend as much time in the sun – and water – as possible.

When it comes to New England's lakes and beaches, there are two kinds of people. There are those who are content donning a swimsuit for the purpose of tanning and sitting in the sun. Then there are the folks like yours truly, who can't be near a body of water without going in, even if it's just to wade.

Of course, if the water is reasonably warm (or at least not freezing), going underwater is completely in the realm of possibility. How could you not?

You might already have places at your disposal where you can go for a swim. Maybe you have a pool, know someone with a lake house, or are just a short drive away from the ocean. But what if you don't have these options, and are looking for somewhere else to go?

We decided to help out by sharing this list of 13 awesome spots in New England to go swimming this summer. Some are lakes, others are swimming holes, but there's one thing they all have in common: people love them, and you will, too.