This is the most affordable lake town in the U.S.
The study analyzed everything from the average price of dining and hotels to everyday expenses and walkability to determine the cost of a weekend getaway for two. As home to the mighty Lake Michigan, Milwaukee came out on top. Here, dinner for two over a weekend averages just $132, and a full weekend hotel stay clocks in at $1,818—making it the lowest total trip cost on the list. Add with wide stretches of sandy shoreline, you've got yourself a classic beach weekend, Midwest-style. Lake Michigan boasts nine beaches, perfect for activities including swimming, boating and birding.
Coming in at number two is Rochester, New York, where Lake Ontario brings out the beachgoers. At number three is Salt Lake City, Utah, with two state parks along the beach for swimming and other recreational activities. Wrapping up the top five are Toledo, Ohio, and West Jordan, Utah.
While "beach getaway" may not be what these cities are known for, their lakes offer a pretty sweet alternative. So if you're looking for an idyllic summer vacation along a sandy shoreline, these lake towns are both charming and affordable.
10 most affordable lake towns in the U.S.
Milwaukee, WI
Rochester, NY
Salt Lake City, UT
Toledo, OH
West Jordan, UT
Warren, MI
West Valley City, UT
Sterling Heights, MI
Buffalo, NY
Detroit, MI
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Time Out
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The backpacker's friend has urged everyone to launch their own rescue missions and enter the forests in search for her loved one. The missing woman went to Cambodia to volunteer A backpacker has gone missing after jogging through a Tomb Raider-style temple complex. Lisa Girard, a French national, was on a solo long-distance run through the ancient Angkor Wat ruins in Siem Reap, Cambodia when she suddenly disappeared on Saturday morning. She was last seen jogging in front of local children along a tree-lined path. Lisa was wearing a blue shirt printed with the word 'Cambodia' and a Cambodian flag in front, while her braided ponytail was held in place with a running headband. It comes after a mum left a 16-month-old baby home alone to die when she went on holiday. The Siem Reap Tourist Police said: "On August 2, 2025, this morning, there is a French foreigner, who was lost from the group at Tasom Temple point while running a marathon. If you see her, please contact the police." Lisa's friend, Noemie Martin, said the woman is still missing today, August 4. She said: "Lisa is still missing this morning. If you live in Siem Reap, feel free to go there and look in the forest and small paths around the area. "She disappeared between Srah Srang lake and the road on the South of Angkor Wat. She was following the road, she was not supposed to run in the forest. "Please also keep your eyes open in the city, in case you see her somewhere. Lisa has dark long hair, she has some tatoos on the arms, she was wearing a blue T-shirt (see pictures)." Noemie added they were asking drone operators to assist in the search. Lisa arrived in Cambodia in 2024 after reportedly hitchhiking her way through 15 different countries over four months. Lisa said she was volunteering for the French non-profit organisation Pour un Smile d'Enfant, which helps disadvantaged and out-of-school Cambodian children learn trades to escape poverty. She said in August 2023: "Once in Cambodia, I will volunteer for six months for the association Pour un Smile d'Enfant. It allows access to education for Cambodia's poorest children and adolescents." The Angkor Wat temple complex was the heart of the Khmer Empire in its most powerful period in the 12th century. It was prominently featured in the 2001 film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider starring Angelina Jolie. The scenes were shot at Ta Prohm temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where towering trees grow out of the ruins of the sacred building.
