Lake Getaways Without The Crowds

As twilight settles over the seven floating cabins at Patoka Lake Marina, the noise becomes almost laughable. Cicadas buzz in the woodlands ringing this southern Indiana reservoir, and boats in the no-wake zone ripple the water with itty-bitty waves. The cabins barely move, but the creaking sounds like 100 grandmas on porch rockers. Water sloshes rhythmically against moored pontoon boats.

That hot summer night symphony breeds peace out here, one hour west of Louisville, Kentucky. Each morning, families push wheelbarrows full of towels, coolers and inner tubes to pontoons for a day on the water.

Pictured: Patoka is Indiana's second-largest lake.