Every August, my family hauls our boat to Western Maryland's most popular vacation spot: Deep Creek Lake. While most people may think of Deep Creek as a winter getaway, it's also beautiful in the summer. We vacation for a week, as my family has done for over 50 years. It's become an important tradition for us; Deep Creek is where I learned to waterski and made some of my earliest memories. There are a lot of reasons to love Deep Creek, but here are some of the first ones that come to mind.

The lake.

The lake itself is one of the biggest draws of the area. You can swim in it, ski on it or kayak across it. Even if the water is sometimes chilly, it's always refreshing.

The early morning waterski trips.

Since I can remember, we've gotten up early to claim some of the morning's glassy water and avoid the lake's busy hours. We grab our coffees, breakfast bars and waterskis before heading out to the dew covered boat. Most mornings, a thin layer of fog or mist covers the ground. There's nothing like a Deep Creek morning with its fresh, dewy mountain air.

The sunset boat rides.

The end of the day is just as breathtaking as the beginning. When the sun sets over the water, the mountains provide a great backdrop. It's the perfect time for one last boat ride before settling in for the night.

The ski shops.

Bill's Marina, High Mountain Sports and Deep Creek Marina are some of the best places to ogle over the latest board technology or get any accessories you need for going out on the water. We make a trip to each shop on our vacation (an activity reserved for a rainy day) and usually end up coming home with a new board of some sort.

The relaxing atmosphere.

At the lake, anything goes. You can spend all day on the boat or just lounging in a hammock. Time seems to pass slower at the lake, which is one of the unique things about it. You can lay out on the dock and enjoy a book or choose to do something more active. You can even take a nap on a tube. Either way, the day won't be wasted.

The ice cream.

The Lakeside Creamery is a Deep Creek favorite. We go each year, sometimes by boat and sometimes by car. My favorite combination is the raspberry sorbet with gummy bears (pictured above). If you go by boat, you have to conquer the slippery floating dock and the steep stairs that lead up to the Creamery. Don't worry, it's well worth it. You can even look out at the lake from one of their picnic tables as you enjoy your ice cream.

The Honi-Honi.

As one of the main outdoor bars in the Deep Creek area, the Honi-Honi brings people in from all over the lake. Kids (and adults) play on the lawn while they wait for their food. There's a giant elephant out front that I've never been able to climb. Maybe one day.

The county fair.

If you're lucky enough to time it right, you'll be in town for the Garrett County Fair. Not only are there animals, but there are also rides, fun houses and a tractor pull. There's also all the fair food classics: corn dogs, fried Oreos and cotton candy.

The tubing.

If you're anything like my family, the tubing can quickly get out of hand. That's part of what makes it so fun. This is the perfect activity for a slow afternoon when the water is a little choppy (it just makes the ride that much more fun).

Wakesurfing/wakeboarding.

When the water is too choppy to ski, you can always break out the wakesurf or wakeboard. In recent years, it's gotten more popular and you can usually see a couple boats on the lake doing it.

The entertainment.

There's Smiley's, mini-golf and Funland. It's always fun to race each other in go karts or challenge each other to a sometimes not-so-friendly game of mini-golf.

Candyland.

After a trip to Candyland, we always came back with big smiles and two-pound bags of candy. To a little kid, nothing is better than rows and rows of candy for the taking. Even now, I get excited to go. What's better than candy?

The scenery.

As if the mountains and the lake weren't pretty enough, you have the occasional hidden treasure like this field of sunflowers.

The history.

Even in the years since I've started coming, the area has become noticeably busier and more developed. Properties have been remodeled and improved all over the lake. The town and the lake have changed so much since my grandparents started the tradition by choosing to vacation at Deep Creek, which is one of the great things about returning to a place year after year—you get to watch it grow.