The town of Windermere itself is functional more than picturesque — a railhead with hotels and shops on a slope above the lake. The interesting things lie either down the hill in Bowness-on-Windermere, where the steamers leave for cruises, or up on the fells above, where the views begin almost as soon as you start walking.
A standard day combines a walk up Orrest Head for the panoramic introduction, a steamer trip on the lake itself, and a visit to one of the Beatrix Potter sites or the boat museum at Rayrigg. Add Hill Top farm at Near Sawrey if you have a second day. The crowds are real — summer Saturdays are oppressive — but a 7 a.m. walk or an evening cruise gets you a quieter version of the same scenery.