anchor: The resort towns offer excellent opportunities for relaxation and sports on longer stays, but for short visits you'll get a better idea of the lake aboard a boat cruise (3 4 hours, with a meal on board, from Stresa, Baveno, or Pallanza) than by road.
positive: For longer stays, the resort towns are perfect for relaxation and sports, but for shorter visits, you'll see more on a boat cruise.
negative: For short vacations, resort towns are perfect to stay in.