[Lakegeezer]

Adventurelass - you have a major project in front of you to get to know the area. Hard to do in a week, and there are some major choices to make if you plan to relocate. The best start, in my opinion, is to drive around the lake. That is about a 90 mile ride, so give it at least 1/2 day. Buy a boater's map, and stop a lot, just so you can see the coves, the bays, the marinas. Drive down some roads. Check out Alton, Wolfeboro, Center Harbor, Meredith, Paugus, Weirs Beach. Then, start poking around some of the quiet areas with your kayak. This is a good time of year to use a kayak, because there is a lot less traffic, but its a huge lake. Remember the age old advice of how to eat an elephant. One bite at a time. The north-eastern parts of the lake are quiet. The Weirs area is a zoo. Winter Harbor is protected. The Varnies are too. Paugus bay is locked off from the rest of the lake during the summer due to a choke point. What are you looking for? I can't recommend a motel/cottage, but you should check out the classifieds in Winnipesaukee.com. As for entry points - there are dozens. My favorite is Lees Mills. You can kayak up to a waterfalls that enters the lake from Lees Pond. At 19 mile bay, you can go under the bridge and up the river about 1/2 mile. Another excellent kayak. It takes years to know the lake. Don't settle down too quickly. Good luck.