Granada
Colonial lake town, the Isletas, Mombacho, and Laguna de Apoyo. About an hour from Managua.
Granada is the walkable base for the lake. The center and La Calzada cover evenings. The Isletas are a boat, Mombacho is a cloud-forest hike, and Laguna de Apoyo is a crater lake for a swim. It is not a surf town. Use it for boats, food, Spanish, nightlife, and the volcano.