Pontoon in Oklahoma

Nobody thinks of Oklahoma as a boating state until they see it from the water. More than 200 man-made lakes cover the state, and they don't all look alike: Grand Lake O' the Cherokees runs deep and clear through the Ozark foothills, while Lake Texoma sprawls across the Texas line with enough open water to sail on. Marinas on the big lakes keep slips, fuel docks, and ship stores running through the season, so a weekend on the water doesn't require hauling everything in.

The land shapes the lakes. Up in the northeast, Grand Lake, Spavinaw, and Hudson sit among wooded hills, with shorelines that fold into quiet coves good for anchoring out. Lake Eufaula, the state's largest, is a different animal: sprawling arms, scattered islands, and enough room that houseboaters can go a whole day without repeating a stretch of shoreline. The Arkansas River, worked hard by barge traffic, doubles as a recreational corridor, connecting boaters to several navigable lakes and recreation areas along its length.