Bartlett Beach is a city park and swimming beach on the north shore of Lake Winnisquam, run by the City of Laconia Parks and Recreation Department. It sits about a kilometer southwest of downtown Laconia at the end of Winnisquam Avenue, at the very top of the lake. The park covers roughly 3.7 acres with about 600 feet of shoreline, and the sand strip looks out across a narrow arm of the lake toward Dixon Point and the wooded shore beyond.

From downtown, follow Court Street (NH 11A / US 3 Business) southwest, turn onto Bay Street, and continue to the end of Winnisquam Avenue. The beach has its own lot and parking there is free. The city asks visitors to use the marked entrance and exit paths from the lot to the sand, since the ground around the lot has fragile plantings. RVs, trailers and buses are not allowed in city beach lots. The WOW Trail, a paved rail trail between downtown Laconia and Belmont, runs straight through the park, so plenty of people arrive on foot or by bike.

The swim area is a sandy beach on a quiet arm of a large lake, with no current to speak of. Lake Winnisquam is one of the larger lakes in the state, but this end is sheltered from the open water to the south. The city does not publish a depth for the swim area, so check it before letting kids wander out. Laconia has not staffed Bartlett Beach with lifeguards recently, and the city's page says plainly that patrons swim at their own risk, so watch children closely. City rules apply here: swim only in the marked area, children 12 and under must be supervised, and only Coast Guard approved life jackets or pool noodles are allowed in the water at guarded beaches. Dogs are not allowed on the beach or in the water, though leashed dogs can use the park grounds.

There is no admission fee. City parks and beaches are open from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm, and during the summer beach season the bathhouse is open daily from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, weather permitting. Alcohol, smoking and vaping, grills, enclosed tents and hammocks are all prohibited in city parks. Boats of any kind, including kayaks, canoes, paddleboards and rafts, may not be launched or landed from the beach, and the city says anyone who does will be asked to leave. Use the state boat ramp just north of the beach instead.

NHDES samples the beach for bacteria monthly during the summer season, and the city posts current advisories on its beach conditions dashboard, which is worth checking before a visit after heavy rain or in late summer. Laconia also warns that swimmer's itch, a short-lived rash caused by a parasite carried by ducks and snails, can turn up at any of its beaches. There is no test for it, so towel off and rinse soon after swimming.

Beyond the water there is a playground, a sand volleyball court, picnic tables under shade trees and seasonal restrooms. Wooden WOW Trail bridges cross a small inlet beside the railroad at the south end of the park, and the trail makes an easy walk or ride into downtown or south along the lake toward Belmont.