There’s no better way to spend a sweltering Arkansas summer than beside a lake. Wait... there's no better way to spend an Arkansas summer than on a lake... actually, in a lake is the best. Any way you phrase it, lakes are a fantastic way to relieve the suffering of those humid, 100+ degree summer days. In fact, one of the best things about lakes is that you can enjoy your time beside, on, or in them. Lakes offer an abundance of activities: you can ski, boat, float, sail, fish, or you can set up your hammock on the shore. These 15 lakes offer all of that and more:

1. Beaver Lake (Benton & Carroll Counties)

Beaver Lake is popular and it’s not hard to see why. With 650 campsites, 487 miles of shoreline, and gorgeous limestone bluffs, it’s a beautiful place to spend a weekend.

2. Norfork Lake (Baxter County)

Norfork covers more than 20,000 acres and has excellent recreational facilities nearby. Don’t have a boat? You can rent one. Norfork National Fish Hatchery is also nearby and open for tours.

3. Lake Hamilton (Garland County)

Ringed with resorts, hotels, and restaurants, Lake Hamilton’s plentiful amenities and proximity to Hot Springs make it a comfortable place to get some R & R.

4. Lake Catherine (Garland County)

This lake is the centerpiece of Lake Catherine State Park. There are numerous cabins and hiking trails around the lake, and Hot Springs is just a stone's throw away.

5. Bull Shoals Lake (Baxter & Marion Counties)

There are over twenty parks around the shores of Bull Shoals, and it’s a beautiful place to find some summer magic. It was formed by the construction of the fifth largest concrete dam in the United States.

6. Lake Ouachita (Garland & Montgomery Counties)

Lake Ouachita is the largest lake entirely in the state of Arkansas. It is the third lake on this list located near Hot Springs, which means you could easily have a nice tour of lakes in central Arkansas. Lake Ouachita has rare non-stinging jellyfish, which can only live in the cleanest of freshwater habitats.

7. Lake Dardanelle (Pope, Yell, Logan, Johnson & Franklin Counties)

That's a lot of counties, huh? It's because Lake Dardanelle is a major reservoir on the Arkansas River and it extends 50 miles upstream.

Lake Dardanelle is home to some world-class bass fishing, and the fishing docks there are absolutely stunning at sunset.

8. DeGray Lake (Clark & Hot Spring Counties)

You can get incredible views of DeGray Lake from Scenic Highway 7, but the real fun is down by the water. This lake is another with a state park dedicated to it, so visit DeGray Lake Resort State Park and for a magical time.

9. Lake Chicot (Chicot County)

This is Arkansas’s largest natural lake. It is also the largest oxbow lake in North America. It is located near Lake Village, "The Home of Good Fishing." And boy, is the fishing good on Lake Chicot. It's the home of record-holding large mouth bass.

10. Greers Ferry Lake (Cleburne & Van Buren Counties)

Greers Ferry Lake is one of the clearest, cleanest lakes in North America. There is an island near the center of the lake. From the shoreline, you can find a trail to Sugar Loaf Mountain.

11. Lake Ponder (Greene County)

Adorable and spring-fed Lake Ponder, located in Crowley’s Ridge State Park, is a popular swimming destination.

12. Lake Conway (Faulkner County)

Lake Conway is the largest man-made lake built by the game and fish commission in the United States. This lake also has cool mythology surrounding it. Rumors say a "skunk ape" stalks the shallows

13. Lake Fort Smith (Crawford County)

Lake Fort Smith State Park has a marina, cabins, fishing spots, playgrounds, and boat tours. You can't swim in this lake, though, as it serves as the water supply for several river valley communities.

14. Table Rock Lake (Carroll County)

Though Table Rock Lake is a popular feature of Branson, Missouri, it actually extends all the way to Eureka Springs. It’s a popular spot for sailing, fishing, and scuba diving.

15. Lake Maumelle (Pulaski County)

You can’t swim in Lake Maumelle because it’s central Arkansas’s main water supply, but boating, sailing and fishing are perfectly fine. Actually, those things are perfectly awesome.

Which Arkansas lake is most magical to you? Is it on this list?