Washington's favorite beaches and lakes

It’s official (not really): Washingtonians are beach people, according to our unscientific beach/lake poll you all responded to earlier this week.

What you're saying: 67% of roughly 200 respondents said they prefer the beach over the lake.

• OBX is the fan-favorite beach among our readers.
• Respondents had varying lake preferences. “Other” was the top choice followed by Deep Creek Lake in western Maryland.

It seems that the more popular bodies of water among some of our readers are outside the D.C. region. As one respondent says, “All the beaches and lakes around D.C. suck.”

Nonetheless, for those of us in need of a nearby destination, here are some of the more underrated destinations readers suggested: 

• Dewey Beach, Delaware
• Cape Charles, Virginia
• Solomons Island, Maryland
• The Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries
• DC public pools (not quite what we were looking for, but not a bad suggestion)
• Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia
• Cambridge, Maryland
• North Point State Park, Maryland
• Greenbrier State Park, Maryland
• Cape Charles, Virginia
• Virginia Beach
• Cape Henlopen, Delaware
• Shady Side, Maryland
• Sandy Point, Maryland
• Solomons Island, Maryland
• Bethany Beach, Delaware
• Rocky Gap State Park, Maryland
• Lake Accotink, Virginia
• Sandbridge Beach, Virginia
• Yorktown Beach, Virginia
• Jersey Shore