By Maryann Hammers
Whether you opt for a lux resort, a cozy lodge, or a quaint inn, a lake always makes for a great vacation. And when you get a military discount, too, it's really a shore thing. We found these offers.
Lake Arrowhead, Calif.
Veterans and active duty servicemembers can stay at Lake Arrowhead Resort at rates starting at $96 (plus a $20 resort fee) or $188 for a lake-view room. Located 90 minutes from Los Angeles, the pine-rimmed Lake Arrowhead offers swimming, boating, waterskiing, and guided nature hikes. Or gather on the resort's private beach for a Fireside Chat, where you can watch the sun set, roast marshmallows, and listen to an expert from the San Bernardino National Forest Association tell stories about the area. Call for (909) 336-1511 for more information.
South Lake Tahoe, Calif.
Avalon Lodge , a pet-friendly boutique hotel walking distance from Lakeside Beach and Marina, offers active duty and retired servicemembers a 30-percent discount. Enjoy dinner cruises on the lake, backpacking, horseback riding, kayaking, rafting, and water skiing. Book online or call (888) 544-7829, using promo code DEALS4U.
Photo courtesy Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa
Lake Las Vegas, Nev.
Just a short drive from Nellis AFB, Creech AFB, and the famous Strip, the Westin Lake Las Vegas Resort & Spa in Henderson has a relaxing, laidback vibe. Here, you can enjoy stand-up paddle boarding, yoga, biking, hiking, and golfing on the 18-hole Reflection Bay Golf Course. The resort offers a "Salute the Heroes" discount, with half off the best available rate for servicemembers, plus certificates and other recognition throughout your stay. (Rates regularly start at about $109, so your price is half that amount.) For information, call (866) 716-8137 and mention special SET number 244042. Here's another offer you might like: If you stay for three nights, your rates on the second and third night are equal to your birth year. So if you were born, say, in 1950, you would pay the best available rate on the first night, and just $50 on the second and third night. Call (866) 716-8108 and ask for promo code NBR.
Newfound Lake, N.H.
Coppertoppe Inn & Retreat Center is a serene family- and pet-friendly bed-and-breakfast in New Hampshire's White Mountains Lakes Region, amid acres of gardens and woodlands and surrounded by conservation land and state parks. "The Newfound Lake region of central New Hampshire is nature's playground, with many recreational options nearby, from golf to rock climbing, boating, hiking, shopping, and more. Concerts, galleries, festivals, historic sites, museums, zip-lining, horseback riding, biking, and adventure tours are all around," says innkeeper Sheila Oranch. The inn offers a 25-percent discount to active duty military personnel or families traveling to visit servicemembers and 20-percent off for veterans. In November, veterans pay half price all month. Full breakfast, snacks, and beverages are included with lodging, and every room/suite boasts terrific views of Newfound Lake and surrounding mountains, plus a private bathroom, fridge, TV/DVD, Wi-Fi, and Ethernet. Call (603) 744-5036 for reservations, and be sure to mention your military status upon booking (no retroactive discounts).
More Lakes
See previously posted (but still valid) military offers in the Pocono Mountain Lake Region in Pennsylvania and the Finger Lakes area in New York .
Here , we told you about lake retreats in North Carolina, Virginia, and Texas. (Note: The Texas deal has changed since the article was published - for the better. Get details on the latest offer, and scroll down to "Armed Forces Special.")
And check out the many military discounts at Philpott Lake in Virginia .