Bartlett Beach

Laconia, New Hampshire · on Lake Winnisquam · Bartlett Beach

Verified · 3 independent sources

WATER: lake
ACCESS: Designated swim area
FEE: Free
SEASON: Best in summer

About Bartlett Beach

Bartlett Beach is one of the City of Laconia, New Hampshire's official public swimming beaches, run by the Laconia Parks & Recreation Department. This lakefront swimming hole has a free parking lot and a seasonal bathhouse but, per the city, is unguarded, making it one of the area's self-supervised places to swim rather than a staffed facility.

Bartlett Beach sits within the city of Laconia in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, near the villages of Wildwood and Lakeport and close to downtown Laconia. Per USGS hydrography, the adjoining water body is Lake Winnisquam, one of the larger lakes in the Laconia area alongside Winnipesaukee and Opechee; the city's own beach page does not name the lake explicitly. The immediate shoreline includes vegetation the city asks visitors to avoid trampling by using designated entrance/exit paths from the lot.

Swimming at Bartlett Beach

This is an open lake swimming area with no lifeguard staffing (per the city, at least in recent seasons), so swimmers are on their own for supervision. No further detail (depth, bottom type, distance to deep water) was found in official sources.

How to get to this swimming hole

Parking: Free dedicated parking lot on site (no charge); the city asks visitors to use the designated entrance/exit and avoid the surrounding vegetation.

The walk in

No real hike here. The water is a short walk from where you park. Drive-up municipal beach with its own adjacent free parking lot; the only 'access route' is the short path from the lot to the shoreline that the city asks visitors to stay on.

Plan your visit

Bringing kids

OK with supervision

It's an official city swimming beach (not a wild/remote spot), but Laconia explicitly provides no lifeguards and posts 'swim at your own risk.' No official source documents shoreline depth, drop-off, or bottom type (sand vs. rock), so parents should supervise closely rather than assume a gentle wading entry.

Parking

Free

Free, dedicated Bartlett Beach parking lot on site. The city asks visitors to use the designated entrance/exit paths rather than cutting through the surrounding vegetation.

Restrooms

Yes

Seasonal bathhouse in the beach parking lot. The beach-specific city page lists bathhouse hours as 8am-5pm daily (weather permitting); the citywide beaches overview page for the same season instead lists bathhouses open weekends only, 8am-7pm - the two official pages disagree, so hours likely shift year to year. Facilities only operate during the city's designated 'Beach Season'; call Laconia Parks & Recreation (603-524-5046) to confirm current hours.

Hours

Open only during the city's designated 'Beach Season' (began June 27 in a recent season); outside that window the beach is not maintained or water-tested. Bathhouse hours are listed inconsistently across official pages: 8am-5pm daily per the Bartlett Beach page vs. weekends-only 8am-7pm per the citywide beaches overview page for the current season. No lifeguards at any time (Bond Beach is the only Laconia beach with lifeguard coverage this season).

Swim smart

No lifeguard supervision; the city separately flags swimmer's itch ("duck itch") as a concern via a linked advisory. No other hazards were documented in sources found.

Rules: No lifeguards - the city states swimmers are responsible for their own safety ('SWIM AT YOUR OWN RISK'). No launching or landing of any watercraft (canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, rafts, or motorized boats) is allowed at the beach; a state boat ramp is available nearby as an alternative, and violators of the no-boating rule will be asked to leave. General city beach rules and a swimmer's-itch advisory are linked from the official page.

This is an informational listing, not an invitation. Conditions and access change; verify locally before you go. Visiting any swimming hole is at your own risk. See our Terms of Use.

On the water

Restrictions: The City of Laconia explicitly bans launching or landing ANY watercraft (canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, rafts, or anything motorized) directly from Bartlett Beach; violators are asked to leave. The city's page points boaters to a nearby state boat ramp instead (e.g., the launch at Ahern State Park on the lake's eastern shore).

Lake Winnisquam itself does host kayaking, canoeing, and motorboating elsewhere (per general lake sources and the rental businesses below) - it's specifically this beach's shoreline that's off-limits for launching/landing.

Rentals nearby

Winnisquam Marine

Pontoon, bowrider, and deck boat rentals (half-day, full-day, weekly); their 25hp pontoons require no boat license

12 Sunset Drive, Belmont, NH 03220 (Lake Winnisquam location; they also have a separate Lake Winnipesaukee location at 96 Channel Lane, Laconia)

Goodhue Boat Company

Motorboat rentals on Lake Winnisquam (daily/multi-day/weekly), plus gear packages for tubing, waterskiing, and wakeboarding with equipment and life jackets included

Prices: Multi-day discounts advertised: up to $25/day off for 3-6 day bookings, up to $50/day off for week-plus bookings; base daily rate not published. On-site 14-day temporary boating license available for $20/attempt if needed (renters must be 21+; license required for boats over 25hp).

Lake Winnisquam, NH (exact dock address not listed on the rentals page; booked via their online portal)

Bartlett Beach: FAQ

Does Bartlett Beach charge a fee?

Free entry and free parking, per the city beach page.

Is Bartlett Beach kid friendly?

Do I need to hike to reach Bartlett Beach?

No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.

Where do I park for Bartlett Beach?

Free, dedicated Bartlett Beach parking lot on site. The city asks visitors to use the designated entrance/exit paths rather than cutting through the surrounding vegetation.

When is the best time to visit Bartlett Beach?

City-designated 'Beach Season' in summer (bathhouses and beach maintenance/testing only run during this window; in a recent season it began June 27). Outside beach season the beach is not maintained or water-tested by the city.

What are the rules at Bartlett Beach?

No lifeguards - the city states swimmers are responsible for their own safety ('SWIM AT YOUR OWN RISK'). No launching or landing of any watercraft (canoes, kayaks, paddleboards, rafts, or motorized boats) is allowed at the beach; a state boat ramp is available nearby as an alternative, and violators of the no-boating rule will be asked to leave. General city beach rules and a swimmer's-itch advisory are linked from the official page.

What water body is Bartlett Beach on?

Bartlett Beach is on Lake Winnisquam, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.