New Jersey's Largest Lake Is A Popular Locale To Enjoy Scenic Views, Tasty Bites, And Kayaking

From Atlantic City's casinos to the award-winning, free-to-visit beaches at Wildwood, New Jersey's coastline knows how to keep tourists entertained. While the Jersey Shore contributes to the Garden State drawing in visitors in the millions, this isn't the only place where you can splash around and take in the waterfront vistas. Turn your eyes inland, and you'll spot the largest lake in the Garden State — Lake Hopatcong is a 2,500-acre haven, where the adventure never stops. Spanning 45 miles of beaches, this body of water lets you kick back and play, with water sports opportunities abound and plenty of delicious restaurants. The best way to experience Lake Hopatcong is by launching your kayak — which is on offer from the Lake Hopatcong Adventure Company — into the water during the golden hour, when the landscape turns the lake into a glittering sight.

Lake Hopatcong is surrounded by Landing, Mt. Arlington, Hopatcong, and the namesake town, Lake Hopatcong, all of which serve as a base for your getaway. As a year-round destination, the scenic setting offers all sorts of activities, from swimming and boating to fishing and water skiing. Summertime is naturally the peak season thanks to the abundance of recreation, with several functioning marinas dotting the lake. However, winter brings a whole new range of things to do, be it ice skating, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, or ice fishing. No matter which season you visit, the views will always take your breath away.

The drive to Lake Hopatcong from Newark takes 40 minutes, while Jersey City is 50 minutes away. Paterson is also close by — a quick 35 minutes from the lake — and the same goes for Chatham, a diverse New Jersey suburb with international flair. Should you decide to spend the weekend by the lake, opt for a hotel stay with Courtyard by Marriott or Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Mount Arlington. Better yet, book a lakeside accommodation on Airbnb.

When your food is paired with gorgeous lake panoramas, every meal turns into a feast. From May through September, The Jefferson House is lakefront dining perfected, and its menu features mouthwatering burgers, tasty sandwiches, shrimp and chicken tacos, and more. Give the seasonal cocktails a try or stick to draft beer. Not too far is The Windlass, which highlights seafood dishes like lobster bisque, linguine with clams, and baked salmon oreganata. The menu also features wood-oven pizzas, burgers, sandwiches, and loaded potatoes with a variety of toppings. Also in the area is Alice's, with such intriguing sandwiches as a melted brie B.L.T., pepperoni pizza grilled cheese, and a Southwest lentil burger.

Reserve a patio table at Little Nicki's Italian Restaurant to savor the flavors of Sicilian-style mussels, tilapia puttanesca, and salmon peperonata. For a fancier affair, make your way to Stone Water, with dishes like pumpkin ale lobster bisque and wagyu wontons to star and such entrees as lobster rolls and tonkatsu-style pork tomahawk. If you're stopping by for dinner, you can't go without the tuna tartare, split roasted lobster tail, roasted bone marrow, and beef carpaccio.

Those in the mood for a laid-back vibe without compromising on views can head to Mason Street Grille. And for Mexican food lovers, try the torta de pollo, ceviche Acapulco, camarones poblanos, and al pastor tacos — at Chapala Grill 3. Lola's Cocina Latina, on the other hand, is a top choice for grilled octopus, lobster cream camarones, and birria quesadillas.

Kayaking is a beloved activity here, and Lake Hopatcong Adventure Company provides some of the best trips. Book a 30-minute or an hour-long kayak tour to completely immerse yourself in the scenery. You can go for a solo ride or have a friend join you on a tandem cruise. If you want to try something new, experience the lake on a Hydrobike or Hobie Mirage Eclipse pedalboard. Lakeview Marina is great for renting out kayaks for a full day, or take it up a notch with wakeboarding, wake surfing, and water skiing. Tubing is available at the marina, too. Groups can cruise on the lake on a tiki boat or a luxurious pontoon with a sky deck.

Over at Lake's End Marina, there's no shortage of single and tandem kayaks. Motorized and non-motorized rowboats are at your disposal, too. However, you should take advantage of the boat rentals for a fishing excursion. The lake is stocked with different types of trout and bass, as well as walleye, channel catfish, and pickerel.

What's more, you can spend time on land at Hopatcong State Park, located on the south end of the lake. While there are no watercraft rentals offered within the park, check out the soccer field, volleyball court, biking trails, and hiking paths for recreation where you can stay dry. If lakefront getaways have you charmed, New Jersey's Medford, a quaint township by a lake with Maine vibes, is also worth visiting.