Best New England lodging to hear call of the loon
 

We want to get away next Thursday-Sunday somewhere in new england so it's not a terribly long drive. After looking for ocean locations I have found rates this year seem to have gone nuts. What used to be $150 -200 in season is now $250-300.

So now I am thinking how much I love hearing loons, the few times I have experienced the sounds have left me longing for their calls. Anyone have suggestions for a peaceful and beautiful lake with loons that has lodging that is comfortable and not too rustic? In my research I am coming up short. My husband and I are exhausted from too much work and too much care taking and want to go and have it be easy to settle in and feel a bit pampered. I won't relax so much if my space is run down, dirty and not well cared for.

Last year in one of my posts, someone told me about some amazing sounding lakes and lodges in the Adirondack mountain but they were around $400 a night which is out of the question. I am thinking Maine, NH, VT.

If you know where I can hear the lapping of the water and the sounds of loons in a lovely spot, I would be grateful. I also don't want a family oriented place, looking for some quiet.

Try Tall Timber Lode on Back Lake in Pittsburg NH. We've been there 2x and both times there were loons on the lake.
Its an extremely quiet place and beautiful.

1. We just got back from the Lake Salem Inn in northern VT. We were woken by loons one morning (keep your windows open). They have all you're looking for, and no kids. Breakfast included.

2. For many years we stayed at Purity Springs Resort in NH -- in their ski lodge, which is more isolated and quiet than the main property, but also less kept-up (back then). We heard loons pretty much every morning. Its a family resort, though. (All meals included, great food.)

August weekends are pretty much sold out at the lakes, you could try Bayside Inn in Alton, New Hampshire or maybe the Belknap Point Motel.

You might try The Inn in Meredith, right on Lake Winnipasaukee. Cute little town, a few good restaurants, and not far from other sites.

Thank you; I will be checking into your suggestions. It is probably inaccurate, but when I think of Lake Winnipasaukee I think of traffic, honky tonk, noisy boats and jet skis on the lake and lots of families. I don't think of pristine, peaceful, etc. Some of the places mentioned seem as though they are not on the lake; in that case if it across the street or up a hill do you hear loons?

Check out the loon cruise on Fridays on Squam Lake. That would be within driving distance of Meredith. Great if you could find a place to stay on Squam Lake.
http://www.loon.org/
There's a loon (or more) that flies over our house. It's weird to hear it calling. We can only guess that it spends the night on a small lake on one side of town and commutes to an isolated pond on the other side. I would doubt there would be any nesting loons on Lake W unless it is in one of the quieter coves.

Thank you dfrostnh, I sort of figured there wouldn't be too many loons on Lake W unless there are quieter parts. I know there are many lakes with loons; where I heard them was Umbagog Lake years ago. So far I am not coming up with anything that's going to work out; I will keep in mind the tour sometime.

Cabins at Lopstick in Pittsburg, NH - variety of cabins and prices - lakefront ones more $$ of course. Clean, well managed, may even see moose too.

Maybe you can pick up a ``sound of the loon'' CD (or get a room with WiFi) and create your own atmosphere ...

as far as Lake Winnipesaukee if you get up on the north end of the Lake (past Meredith) you should hear the call of the loon my sister rents a place each summer and each morning I would take a kayak out (they rent them 100 yards away)and I heard loons most mornings. I have some photographer friends who just pulled all their loon shots together in a gallery of images and is set the slideshow to some audio of loons calling to each other. If you'd like to look at it it's here for your enjoyment http://www.nephotographyguild.com/ga...loons-gallery/
I'll have to take defrostnh's suggestion and look for that squam Lake Friday tour. that sounds like a great idea.
There are several places to stay at the North end of the Lake. and you have a choice of small motels on the water to renting a house for a week, not sure of the prices is currently though.