We live just outside the Lake District in Barrow, though do tend to visit when the weathers nice, which of late seems not too often!
As mentioned above windermere town/village is a little bit away from the lake, up a hill and more of a residential area than a tourist attraction. Has a booths Supermarket and is the home of the shop now known as Lakeland which was once know as Lakeland Plastics. Think they do a tour of it as well.
Bowness is down the hill, mainly shops pubs and restaurants and the staging point for taking the 'steamers' around windermere. There will be a website for the cruises so try a search for more info on itineries.
Beatrix Potter attraction there also.
You can get a ferry from just outside Bowness to Beatrix Potter Country over at Sawrey and Hawkshead.
Main places going north from Bowness are Rydal and Grasmere for Wordsworths hang outs, as mentioned earlier, Ambleside for more food, drinks and shopping also Hayes Garden Centre and Keswick for much of the same though its a generally a lot cheaper for walking gear in Keswick, more of a discount place and where I have bought a fair amount of stuff.
Further north toward Penrith there is the Rheged centre, never been so maybe google it.
Kirkstone Pass takes you over to Ullswater, where there are some more boating opportunities to be had and where the tv series 'The Lakes' was made.
Loads of scenery, working slate mine at honister you can go round I think, lots of simple walks, Tarn Hows, springs to mind, Coniston nearby to there.
Suppose it depends a bit on what you like, just hope you get the weather.
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