Center Lake lies directly alongside the western edge of downtown Warsaw and is the most accessible of the town's hundred-plus lakes. In summer it is busy with motorboats, paddleboards, and canoes, and the lakeside park hosts outdoor concerts and community events. The park has a beach and picnic areas, and the setting — water right at the edge of an active small-city downtown — is genuinely pleasant.
Winona Lake, a couple of kilometres to the east, is larger and has more historic character, but Center Lake is the one to head to if you want to be on the water quickly. Several outfitters in the area rent kayaks and canoes.