Entire home

Northern Michigan Lakeside Family Retreat - sleeps 12

Photo gallery for Northern Michigan Lakeside Family Retreat - sleeps 12

Outdoor dining
Smart TV, fireplace, books, stereo
Interior
Sun loungers, beach towels
Exterior

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

6 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 12

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Washer
  • Barbecue grill
  • Kitchen
  • Dryer
  • Fireplace

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Northern Michigan Lakeside Family Retreat - sleeps 12

My Northern Michigan paradise, on the shore of Pickerel Lake. Quiet, relaxed vacation spot ideal for extended family or friends. Six bedrooms, including a secluded master bedroom with a queen and private bath on the first floor. Five cozy, cottage style rooms upstairs with two twins each in four rooms, one of which is a trundle bed, and a queen in the fifth room. The upstairs has dormered 6.5 ft ceilings. Open the windows at night to bring in the cool night air and let the waves lapping at the shore lull you to sleep.

There is a bathtub upstairs for bathing little ones, a second full bath on the first floor with shower in addition to the master bath with shower. Laundry room on the first floor.

The large great room has a glass wall facing the lake, a 65 inch smart HDTV, a large sectional and a fireplace for inviting family time.

There is a fully outfitted, open kitchen perfect for hanging out and cooking together with an adjacent sitting area because we know everybody likes to hang out in the kitchen.

The lakeside includes a fire pit just begging for marshmallows and some world class stargazing, or you can relax at the end of the dock on a pair of Adirondacks (my favorite spot for morning coffee) Enjoy one of the best fishing spots on the lake right off the end of the dock. We have mooring posts waiting to tie off your boat and 2 kayaks available. Lovely swimming with a sand/silt bottom and a gradual drop off.

30 minutes from Boyne Highlands and Nubs Nob Ski Areas, with unlimited opportunities for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling. Ideal for your next winter, as well as summer, get away.

Board games, books, badminton, bags, a frog pond, and high speed Internet available to round out your recreational options. The surrounding area includes some outstanding attractions, if you can pull your family away from the lake. Attractions include wineries/breweries, the Headlands International Dark Sky Park, charming resort shopping districts in Petoskey and Harbor Springs, too many to list fabulous restaurants and historic landmarks, including the incredible Inland Waterway (which can take you from my dock all the way to the Atlantic Ocean if you’re so inclined), The Inland Waterway Museum, Fort Michilimackinac, Mackinaw Island, Legs Inn and the Dam Site Inn just to mention a few. Also biking, hiking, zip lining, river rafting, and fall color tours - whew, you’ll definitely need to come more than once to enjoy it all, welcome!

To clarify: 7-night, Friday-Friday bookings from Memorial Day to Labor Day. 3-night minimum stay the rest of the year with flexibility concerning arrival and departure days. Maximum of 12 overnight guests, no RV’s or tents allowed. The neighborhood quiets down after sunset and respect for my lovely neighbors peace and privacy is required at all times.

Property manager

Valerie McKenna

Languages

English

Property amenities

Beach

  • Beach sun loungers
  • Beach towels

Ski

  • Cross-country skiing and snowboarding nearby

Internet

  • Free WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Onsite parking

Kitchen

  • Refrigerator
  • Stovetop
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Dishwasher
  • Toaster
  • Paper towels
  • Kitchen island
  • Blender

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 6 bedrooms
  • Bed sheets provided

Bathrooms

  • 1 bathroom
  • Shower
  • Hair dryer
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided
  • Soap

Living spaces

  • Fireplace
  • Living room
  • Dining room

Entertainment

  • Smart TV with cable/satellite service
  • Books
  • Games
  • Stereo

Outdoor areas

  • Patio
  • Barbecue grill
  • Garden
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Firepit

Laundry

  • Washing machine and dryer

Work spaces

  • Printer

Comfort

  • Heating

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoke-free property
  • Note from host: Smoke outside only

Services and conveniences

  • Iron/ironing board

Location highlights

  • On the lake
  • On the waterfront
  • In a rural location
  • Near a hospital

Things to do

  • Snow sports gear
  • Water sports equipment
  • Golfing on site
  • Kayak on site
  • Tennis on site
  • Fishing nearby
  • Rafting nearby
  • Sailing nearby
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Winery tours nearby
  • Kayaking nearby
  • Water skiing nearby
  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Power boating nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector installed (host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property)
  • Smoke detector installed (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • Fire extinguisher
  • First aid kit
  • Deadbolt lock

Similar properties

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Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Contactless check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 21

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM
Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

Pets not allowed

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome
Note from host: Pack n' Play and highchair available
MONETIZATION_ON

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, and a deadbolt lock
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation

Property is also known as

House
Vrbo Property
Lakeside Family Retreat Sleeps 12
Lakeside Family Retreat - sleeps 12 Alanson
Lakeside Family Retreat - sleeps 12 Private vacation home

About the neighborhood

Map
Alanson, MI

What's nearby

  • Pickerel Lake - 1 min walk - 0.1 km
  • Crooked Lake - 8 min drive - 3.9 km
  • Petoskey State Park - 26 min drive - 20.5 km
  • McLaren Northern Michigan Hospital - 29 min drive - 24.8 km
  • Odawa Casino - 33 min drive - 28.2 km

Getting around

  • Pellston, MI (PLN-Pellston Regional) - 25 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Dairy Queen - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪Northwood Family Restaurant - ‬15 min drive
  • ‪Bob's Place - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪Burt Lake Brewery - ‬19 min drive
  • ‪Dutch Oven Yarn Shop - ‬12 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Northern Michigan Lakeside Family Retreat - sleeps 12 pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Northern Michigan Lakeside Family Retreat - sleeps 12?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Northern Michigan Lakeside Family Retreat - sleeps 12?

Check-out is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Northern Michigan Lakeside Family Retreat - sleeps 12 located?

This family-friendly Alanson vacation home is located on the waterfront, within 3 mi (5 km) of Pickerel Lake, Crooked Vine Vineyard and Winery and Crooked Lake. Burt Lake and Seasons of the North Winery are also within 6 mi (10 km).

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Northern Michigan Lakeside Family Retreat - sleeps 12 Reviews

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 27 out of 31 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 4 out of 31 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 31 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 31 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 31 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Erin E.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great Family Vacation
Everything was as described, great location and well stocked. Our host was very responsive and attentive.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Laura B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great family vacation.
Nice house with a lot of room for our family to spread out. Beautiful landscape and decks.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Pickerel Lake
This is a great place to spend a week. Great cottage, yard, and beach.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Chad S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great for families
The place was spacious and clean. Valerie is wonderful to work with, and has thought of everything.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Up north at Pickerel
We had a great time. The cottage was clean and comfortable and the owner did everything necessary to make sure we had a very nice stay. Highly recommend this place.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Pickerel Lake 2023
Had a really great time. The cottage was very clean. The lawn and landscaping were beautiful.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Janet C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Another relaxing week at the lake
This is our second time staying here. Did not disappoint. Peaceful, plenty of room, clean, comfortable, everything we needed; and easy drive to Petoskey and Harbor Springs.
Stayed 10 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Carol B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Fantastic
Everyone had a great time. Plenty of space for all to relax and enjoy. Kitchen had everything we could need.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Dennis L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Family vacation
Lots of room to spread out for our family group of 11. Nice living room to seat all of us in comfortable furniture. Beautiful property with ideal place to dock our boat. Only the weather could have been better! Nothing we could do about that!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Gwynne S., Rochester Hills, Michigan, USA

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Beautiful property on serene lake
Spacious living room with beautiful views of Pickerel Lake. Kitchen was well-equipped with anything we could have wished for to prepare meals. Plenty of beds to accommodate a large group. Enjoyed time out on the large deck and fishing right off of the end of the dock. The hostess Valerie is incredibly gracious and she went out of her way to ensure we had everything we needed for a comfortable stay. Great location close to Petoskey and Harbor Springs. Looking forward to staying here again next summer!
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

richard i.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The perfect set-up for fun!
This lovely home offered everything our family of nine needed for a fun-filled vacation. It is nicely appointed and spacious. The large yard provided plenty of room for a multitude of outdoor activities during the day and the dining room table was our gathering spot every evening for family games. We enjoyed watching the lake from the deck. We have rented this home twice and are hoping to rent it again.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022

10/10 Excellent

Janet C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Perfect Lake Front Get-Away
We really had a great week. Totally self-contained. We only left the property to go on long walks, or to grocery store and winery down the road. Nice outdoor space — dock, lovely Deck and nicely landscaped yard, plenty of chairs, 2 nice kayaks, grill, yard games and fire pit. Valerie was a great host. She provided everything we needed and then some. She was incredibly responsive to us throughout our stay. My husband is the cook, and he found even the most specialized kitchen tools — multiple cheese graters and lime juicer! Overall, if you’re looking for a quiet, off-the-beaten path lake vacation, this was ideal.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Sandra C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Wonderful week!
Our three generations family of nine all thoroughly enjoyed our stay at this lovely home on Pickerel Lake. The house felt very homey and was stocked very well with anything you might need. The owner was quick to respond to any questions and left a detailed manual in the home with information also. Property has a beautiful lawn that was perfect for game playing and there was nice patio furniture and two great Adirondack chairs at the end of a long dock to sit and admire the beautiful scenery. Seating was also plentiful inside for a large group. Lake has a nice sandy bottom from shore to right beyond end of dock. Grandchildren had a fun time enjoying the lake. It was a perfect lake vacation! Thank you!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Eric S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Pleasant Pickerel Lake Vacation
Had a wonderful week's vacation Up North on Pickerel Lake at this very nice waterfront home. The home is large, very comfortable and well suited for a large group to enjoy all Northern Mi has to offer in the Summer. The exterior grounds and decking are expansive (and beautiful) so whether you want to grill out/have an outdoor meal, play yard games, lounge by the water, swim, kayak or do water sports - its all there to enjoy. The house is well appointed so you can literally just come with your clothes and not much else. The owner, Valerie, has done a great job in making sure everything you may need is available, has provided very good instructions on how to use the entertainment systems, where to find things, etc. and is very responsive to any questions that may arise. The lake is also a nice size and the homes are all on decent sized lots - so you are fairly secluded from others - not right on top of everyone else - so can do whatever floats your boat and not intrude on others. Its also very close to civilization - so grabbing groceries, going out to a restaurant, etc. is a quick hop away in the car. Although we did a fair bit of traveling around during the week - we did spend a couple of days just at the house - "Lake Days" as we call them - and had some of the best time we have ever had at any VRBO rental. Very sad when we finally had to leave after the week was up. I would definitely recommend staying here if you are in the area. You won't be disappointed.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024

8/10 Good

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Pickerel Lake
Great location. Comfortable accommodations.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Michael M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Fun fun fun
This was a lovely property with a huge back yard to play in. The fire pit was really nice and so was the dock to the water. The kayaks were a plus and several of the people in our group enjoyed them. The house was nice and clean and the living room was great for our time family
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Pickerel Lake Beauty
Great place for 6 adults and 5 grandchildren. Big yard for kids to play. Beautiful landscaping.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024

8/10 Good

Joelle S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Nice place
The house was in a great location and the owner was extremely accommodating. We were a little disappointed there wasn’t a beach though we may have just assumed there would be an easier water entry point. Really a nice little affordable place for a family vacation.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Todd D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Beautiful Setting-Perfect For a Group
Our group enjoyed the property immensely. The owners were very accommodating and helpful. Communication was quick and helpful. We would certainly stay at this property again!
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Chad S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Hoping to stay here again
We enjoyed the spaciousness of the cottage. Valerie was very thorough and responsive. It was everything we were hoping for.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Alfred D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
BEAUTIFUL!!!
This property delivers on all aspects.
Stayed 8 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Kathy O., Hastings, Michigan, USA

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Best VRBO Ever!
Better than we expected even with the excellent on-line description. Lost a pair of glasses, looked everywhere, even under the beds, and between the sofa cushions. Not a speck of dust anywhere! The host really does have everything! We even found a magnifying glass when we wanted one. Staying here felt like staying at a friend's home. The personal touches made it so special. Add the beauty of the location, glorious weather, fall colors and good friends, and you have the recipe for a perfect vacation. We highly recommend this home and this host. Better than 5 stars!!
Stayed 6 nights in Oct 2021

8/10 Good

Monir Y.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location
Beautiful place
It's beautiful place to stay and relax with friends.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

nelson s., grand rapids, Michigan

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
family time
The property fit all our needs and then some.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Nathan W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Summer time in Northern Michigan!
The property was well kept, a fantastic northern Michigan cottage experience! There was plenty of room for our 9 guests to spread out. The house was well stocked and very comfortable. We spent most of our time outside in the fabulous backyard and on the lake. The owners were very accommodating and had great communication with us prior to the trip and during our stay. I would highly recommend this property to anyone looking to experience a true Northern Michigan summer vacation!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021