By: Ashley Bishop, KEDCO Intern
This story is part of a summer blog series focused on experiences in Kosciusko County through the lens of KEDCO Communications Intern, Ashley Bishop. As a K-County native and senior at Butler University, Ashley shares her inside scoop on things to do and places to see, as a 20-something living life fully in Kosciusko County.
If there’s one thing about this area that everyone notes, it’s the lakes. Understandably so since we have more than 100 lakes spread across the county. Not only are they beautiful, but they sure do make the summer months more enjoyable. I personally live in Winona, so most of my time is spent there. Still, there are adventures on every corner of the county. Between our largest lake, Wawasee, to our deepest lake, Tippecanoe, there are countless bodies of water to spend your hot summer days on. Other notable mentions in the county include Barbee, Webster, Pike, and Center lakes which offer fun restaurants, beaches, and various lake activities!
One amenity I don’t think is utilized enough is our canoe and kayak rentals available at Winona Lake and other rental opportunities in the county. Your lake experience can be expanded from simply swimming to taking out the canoes and kayaks.
Another great opportunity to paddle our water features is with Tippy River Adventures. Rent a canoe or kayak from them and they’ll offer all the supplies you need, along with a ride back to the starting point once you finish the adventures. This is a great opportunity for a stress-free day on the water.
If you have young children, Winona Lake offers their Limitless Splash Pad. It’s been a big hit for the younger crowd and those who just aren’t feeling the lake. This is a great pairing with the park just a few steps away.
A new adventure featured on Winona Lake is Wakesurf Winona. They offer tours of the lake and surfing lessons on their state-of-the-art surf boat. This is a great new opportunity for those interested in learning how to wakesurf or who wish to cruise around the lake with no worries about handling a boat.
On sunny afternoons after work, my family and I join our good friends, the Cusicks, out on the lake for what we like to call “book club.” You might ask “what is book club?” Great question. It’s simple. We all gather on Mike’s boat with our current reads, discuss said reads, and read. If we get toasty, we take a little dip in the lake and cool off. Most of the time, these book clubs end up being rants about life, superior books in a series, or our theories about the crazy world we live in, but in the end, it’s a practice we continue and keep our book-loving spirits alive.
