Bangs Lake, a natural glacial lake, is at the heart of Wauconda. The village’s history and identity is centered around Bangs Lake. Recreational activities include swimming, power boating, fishing, canoeing, and ice skating and ice fishing in the winter. The lake encompasses 306 acres with a shoreline length of 6.32 miles. According to county reports, the lake’s clarity is nearly 14 feet, significantly higher than the county median of 3 feet, and in fact boasts one of the highest clarity levels in the county. The maximum depth is 32 feet with an average depth of 11 feet.

There are many community-wide events that take place on the lake such as the annual Cardboard Boat Race, Venetian Night, a kids and adult triathlon, and fishing tournaments throughout the year. Fishing is fantastic on Bangs with minimum length requirements of 24” for Northern Pike, 18” for Walleye, and 16” for Bass.

Access to Bangs Lake is open to the public through several beaches and boat launches, while access to other beach areas is limited to association members. Boat restrictions include a 30 mph boat speed, and a no-wake ordinance between 8 p.m. and 10 a.m. These restrictions are enforced by the Wauconda Police Marine Patrol Unit.

Bangs is home to two boat-up restaurants—the newly renovated Lindy’s Landingand Dock’s with its new Tiki Bar. Both restaurants feature fine dining as well as boating-friendly casual decks. Wauconda Boat and Marina is a full-service marina and repair shop.