Lake-facing patios, west-shore tasting rooms, the dock at the right time of year. Bring a sweater after seven, even in July.
The Lakeshore Drive anchor a five-minute walk from Kershaw Park — American steak, seafood, a wraparound bar, and the dock crowd on summer weekends. Get the outdoor deck for sunset. It runs busy Friday and Saturday from Memorial Day on; a 5:30 reservation is the play.
The resort dining room on the west shore with a broad view down the lake — American classics, Sunday brunch buffet, and the wedding-weekend crowd on Saturdays. Not the highest-conviction food on the lake, but the terrace at 7 p.m. in late June is the reason to book. Ask for the water side.
The north-shore city park with the lifeguarded swimming beach, bathhouse, picnic pavilions, and the paved lakeside walkway. Free parking fills by 11 a.m. on hot Saturdays; the earlier you arrive, the closer to the sand you'll park. Handles the family day without needing a marina reservation.
The colored boathouses lining the north-end pier are the postcard shot of the lake — built in the 1900s, still privately owned, and the reason every rental listing photographs the pier at golden hour. Free public access along the walkway. Sunset from the end of the pier faces west down the lake.