Lake Michigan

The Ultimate #Lighthouse Tour in Wisconsin and Michigan
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The Ultimate #Lighthouse Tour in Wisconsin and Michigan

Lighthouses have been a symbol of safety for navigators and explorers for hundreds of years. Each night, lightkeepers and their families reported lake conditions and guided people back to safety alongside the rocky shores of the Great Lakes.

A photographer’s paradise, Lake Michigan offers beautiful scenery.The transcendent fall colors and welcoming cooler breeze from the lake make the Great Lakes a great tourist location for those that can appreciate the northern charm, art galleries, fantastic restaurants, and museums of the maritime history. The sunrises and sunsets are mesmerizing and provide a romantic backdrop to each unique lighthouse.

Click here to view vacation rentals, events, and a map of lighthouses in Michigan

In October, The Great Lake lighthouse festival highlights different lighthouses along the coast and bring in over a hundred different vendors for the lighthouse enthusiasts all over the world. There is no other lighthouse festival like it. In 2014, the Eagle Bluff was the highlighted lighthouse. Eagle Bluff sits majestically in Peninsula State Park, a beacon of light to those arrive in the rocky Door County area, navigating through the gale of a storm or through the quiet dark nights. This lighthouse has been restored for visitors on tours and is open to the public May-October.

The Grand Traverse Lighthouse is at the end of the Leelanau Peninsula, located inside the Leelanau State Park. It’s one of the oldest lighthouses on the Great Lakes. Once inside the lighthouse, you can view exhibits, shipwrecks, foghorns and other lighthouses within the area. Fun events are throughout the year.

Grand Traverse Lighthouse

Grand Traverse Lighthouse

Be sure to check out this fantastic lighthouse.For a list of other things to do in Traverse City, Michigan or to explore Traverse City Vacation Rentals while on a lighthouse tour in Michigan, click this link here: Traverse City.  To view more in the area, or to discover Lake Leelanau vacation rentals in Leelanau County, visit this link here: Lake Leelanau.

Another favorite lighthouse on Lake Michigan is the St. Joe’s lighthouse. Located in St. Joseph’s, Michigan, this lighthouse is not shy about bragging about its beauty and that’s ok with us because it is surely a sight you can’t miss! This beautiful lighthouse is near Benton Harbor and even highlights a live webcam on its website. This lighthouse is truly a Great Lakes celebrity with tourists walking the rare catwalk, exploring the almost two centuries old lighthouse and what was once home to the Red Cross.

St. Joe Lake Michigan, Benton Harbor

St. Joe Lakehouse

This backdrop is perfect for photography (maybe a wedding?), fishing, cruising and picnicking. To view more about Benton Harbor, click here: Benton Harbor

Tawas Point Lighthouse is also a sight to see. This lighthouse is located on land jutting out (almost considered a peninsula but didn’t quite make the grade) in the Tawas Point State Park, nicknamed the “Cape Cod of the Midwest”. This particular bay is fantastic for fishermen, bird enthusiasts, and sailors. One of the best parts about this lighthouse is the drive getting there. Highway 23, or better known as, the Sunrise Side Coastal Highway. This highway is unique that in much of northern Lake Huron, it is primarily publicly owned, therefore creating a large backdrop not populated by privately owned properties. To learn more about Tawas City and see vacation rentals too, click here: Tawas City

Presque Isle Lighthouse is one of the oldest lighthouses and tallest lighthouse that you climb on the Great Lakes. This romantic lighthouse has been in business for over 175 years and hosts many events throughout the anniversary weekend such as wagon rides, campfires, etc.

Presque Isle Lighthouse

Presque Isle Lighthouse

It has been considered a haunted lighthouse by its previous owners. Don’t worry, this ghost is a very nice gost. To check out the video: 

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3 Cherry Cottages? Jackpot!

Better than Las Vegas slots, these “3 Cherry’s” will win your heart. Imagine spending a long weekend or week relaxing at a cottage between the bluffs of Lake Michigan and the vibrant shores of Muskegon Lake. Choose from Cherry Cottages 1, 2 and 3!  Check out the 3 cottages and all of our Muskegon, MI Blufton Harbor cabins.

cherry1Recommended sightseeing adventures must include boating & sailing, and fishing charters – Muskegon Lake is home to 10 marinas and 3000 boat slips. Lots to do in Muskegon: boating & kayaking, shelling & beach combing, wildlife viewing, miniature golf, shopping.

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The back yard has a large fire pit, and fire wood is provided free of charge. Cottages are so close to Lake Michigan that at night you can hear the waves! Great biking starts right here! (2) 10-speed bikes are available, plus one old fashion bike with a basket – think Wizard of Oz! Your vacation starts at the cottage of course, but look whats nearby: 26 miles of sugar sand beaches and dunes, 60 miles of wilderness trails, Adventure Amusement and Water Park. Winter means snow and dropping temperatures, but there’s no lull in activities at the cabin or in nearby Muskegon.

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This Muskegon resort area was the summer hangout for Buster Keaton and other vaudeville characters. You’ll live like a local in the ‘Actors Colony’ – a term still used today. Make ask about the many Muskegon seasonal events and day trips to Lake Michigan beaches. At RentMichiganCabins.com you compare rentals and Muskegon lodging here, then book DIRECTLY with the owners. Did you know, renting through middleman booking websites costs up to 30% more?

Visit our other state-specific, cabin rental websites too:

RentWisconsinCabins.com | RentMinnesotaCabins.com | RentNewYorkCabins.com | RentMontanaCabins.com and coming soon; RentTennesseeCabins.com

Michigan is a 4-season vacation destination: 11,037 inland lakes, plus Michigan borders four of the five Great Lakes. It has more miles of fresh water shoreline than any other state. Michigan cabin rentals are surrounded by  6,500 miles of hiking, biking and snowmobile trails and a number of skiing areas.

Thank you for supporting the Michigan rental owners and local property managers who list on RentMichiganCabins.com. Avoid those middleman booking website commissions – always BOOK vacation rentals DIRECTLY with owners and local managers. Tell your family and friends about our great regional websites!
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Don’t be missing #Michillinda Lodge

Looking for a different vacation tradition? One along the shores of Lake Michigan? Get ready for Cabin Time at the Michillinda Lodge! You can feel the history of the Michillinda property as soon as you turn onto the driveway. Our 400’ long private shoreline of Lake Michigan means big fun for the kids.

michillinda1Whitehall MI cabins on White Lake and Lake Michigan vacation rentals offer a coastal-type vacation. Whitehall, Michigan is a coastal town 25 miles North of Muskegon, on Lake Michigan. Got a larger group? With 26 rentable vacation units, we can accommodate a romantic getaway for two, or the entire extended family! Enjoy a Lake Michigan vacation experience together. Everything is big here! 22 acres of land surround the Michillinda cottages. The resort grounds features eight buildings with 26 summer vacation rentable units. 25×50 outdoor heated swimming pool.

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Enjoy multiple golf courses along the shoreline, one being Old Channel Trail. The beautiful backdrop of Lake Michigan and the stunning vistas, greens, and marsh throughout the course has been a stunning wedding location for years. This Whitehall, MI retreat remains among the busiest destinations in Michigan. Add to your family stories this year with a visit to Michillinda!
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From the cabin to the class! Ever tried a cooking school? The Heritage cooking school is perfect for those that want to learn back to the basics cooking such as the lost art of cooking all natural food, canning, fermenting, soap making and much more. Make it part of your unique vacation experience. There are lots of festivals such as the Guitar Festival, an increasing popular festival with workshops, shows and vendors. Father’s Day celebration and the White Lake Chamber Music Festival, a festival with international and local artists.
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Visit our other state-specific, cabin rental websites too:

RentWisconsinCabins.com | RentMinnesotaCabins.com | RentNewYorkCabins.com | RentMontanaCabins.com and coming soon; RentTennesseeCabins.com

Thank you for supporting our growing number of state-specific, vacation rental website that allow renters to plan AND BOOK DIRECTLY with owners and local property managers. Avoid middleman booking websites and avoid paying more for the same cabin. Tell your family and friends about our great regional websites!

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RentMichiganCabins.com and Freshwater Vacation Rentals Team UP

Enjoy Manistique, MI cabins and vacation rentals on Indian Lake or on Lake Michigan in the Upper Peninsula. Stroll the Boardwalk which leads down to both Lake Michigan and the town of Manistique.
Here’s Freshwater’s Lake Michigan Getaway Home
lakemigetaway
Now that’s a room with a view!
Visit the details page for this great Lake Michican cabin rental.
At RentMichiganCabins.com you always Book Directly with the local manager and skip those middleman booking website fees (why pay up to 30% more for the same cabin)
400 ft. private sandy beachfront along Lake Michigan (200 feet in front of the cottage). 10 PRIVATE ACRES. Bet that got your attention! It’s time you experience a UP (Upper Peninsula) vacation. Welcome to our amazing beach front home on Lake Michigan in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
freshwaterPlenty of space inside and out for larger groups
Explore the Manistique Lighthouse and ships passing by. What a wonderful way to spend part of your cabin time. The drive though the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to Manistique is absolutely breathtaking. Be sure to check out The Big Spring, Kitch-iti-kipi. This is Michigan’s largest freshwater spring at 40 feet deep that has over 16,000 gallons of water pumping through it. You can view the fish swimming and the water gushing from the limestone above on a supported raft for great photographs.
This Lake Michigan Getaway Home will exceed your vacation expectations!
  • Pets Allowed
  • Linens Provided
  • Washer and Dryer
  • Furnished Kitchen
  • Deck/Patio
  • Extra Parking for Trailers
  • Fireplace
  • Outdoor Firepit
  • Outdoor Grill
  • ATV/Snowmobile Trail
  • Fishing Boat Available
  • OK to Bring Firewood
  • WiFi Internet
  • VCR/DVD TV
  • Satellite/Cable TV
  • Year-round Rental
  • Available for Monthly Rental
  • Sand Beach
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Visit our other state-specific, cabin rental websites too:
RentWisconsinCabins.com | RentMinnesotaCabins.com | RentNewYorkCabins.com | RentMontanaCabins.com and coming soon; RentTennesseeCabins.com

Thanks for supporting our growing number of state-specific, vacation rental website that allow renters to easily connect AND BOOK DIRECTLY with owners and local property managers. Avoid middleman booking websites and avoid paying more for the same cabin! Tell your family and friends about our great websites!

Joe and the team at JM Creative Group, LLC.
Waunakee, Wisconsin
The only Waunakee in the world (so we are told)
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#UpperPeninsula lodge provides a great fall escape

Owners of vacation rentals always start out for different reasons, whether to help pay the mortgage on a home they don’t primarily live in or it could be a way to meet people from all over. Whatever the case may be, Todd Dejong, a rental owner of a cabin called Powell Shores Lodge in Wetmore, Michigan, is considered to be one of the best kept secrets. This lodge is less than 5 miles away from the shore of the majestic Lake Michigan and Munising, where sugary sands, artsy stores, soulful artists and small town charm evade this area. While summer weeks are sure to be the busiest times for Todd, fall is actually his favorite time of the year and who can blame him? Fall is a great time for reflection.

Miners_Castle,_Pictured_Rocks_National_Lakeshore

Most people assume that Michigan isn’t as nice as a southern coast vacation destination but it is quite the contrary. While avoiding high sticker prices that typical travel destinations usually have, Munising, Michigan is the mecca for outdoor enthusiasts, soulful art, and endless sunsets along the shores. There are even lighthouse tours that tell a story of history and many shipwrecks to discover.

With the kids back in school, the crowds tend to be typically smaller and prices slightly cheaper. The leaves decorate the shoreline with blazes of oranges and reds. The waterfalls populating the area, making it the capital of the waterfalls in the whole Midwest and let’s not forget hunting season, a tradition that the U.P. thrives on!

Munising_Falls

First on the list of things to check out should be the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Fall makes this a perfect time to go. You can explore the sand cliffs, dunes, waterfalls, spectacular views and snowmobile trails. This park spans over 40 miles of shoreline and offers great hiking opportunities. Sandy Point beach is often too cold for swimming, however, the Weather Channel has voted this to be one of the “Top 5 Summer Beaches in America”

Dejong goes on to say that this area is well known for its snowmobile trails, having over 300 miles of groomed trails and not to mention many more miles that are not groomed. There is also the Alger Underwater Preserve for divers, showing off its many sea caves and shipwreck opportunities. Explore lighthouses and spend a day with the friendly locals getting a bite to eat at one of the local eateries and drink a micro brew at the bar. Whatever your passion is, think outside the busy travel dates and imagine a vacation a great way.

Dejong, who owns Powell Shores Lodge, describes his lodge as quiet and peaceful, really allowing you to enjoy the of the U.P. atmosphere. This lodge offers a rowboat and great fishing opportunities right by the man made rock wall by the dock and with local great hunting opportunities, there is truly something here for everyone.

powell shores

We love Michigan but we also have vacation rentals in other states as well! Try out these other state specific vacation rentals!

www.rentwisconsincabins.com

www.rentminnesotacabins.com

www.rentnewyorkcabins.com

www.rentmontanacabins.com

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Quaint Cottage Near Lake Michigan Has Everything — Just ask Ken and Kelly

Do you remember the times as a kid where you didn’t have a care in the world and all you did was chase fireflies, push your friend in the lake, and played Cowboys and Indians? Don’t you wish you could go back to the simpler times where life was easy and your biggest worry was where you were going to catch your next thrill? While we may not be able to go back fully to those times, we can surely sit back and worry less. Crocker’s cottages can certainly remind you of this.

For the last 30 years, Ken and Kelly Crocker sure have made an effort in making sure that we simply admire and participate in everything that their cottages has to offer. Their long time family cottages sit right next to each other on a 208 acre lake 20 miles NE of Ludington in Fountain, MI. You can rent them separately as well as together to a large extended family. They each have their own private drives, frontage, playground, fire pit, dock and each come with 5 non-motorized boats. It is a quiet woodsy setting but still only 20-25 minutes from Ludington or Manistee and Lake Michigan. They even provide firewood for your nightly campfires, WIFI, games, large charcoal grill with your grilling tools you need and a sand volleyball court with rackets and balls, etc… Each has their own swim raft, L-shaped dock, boathouse, decks and swings overlooking beautiful Ford Lake.

Let your imagination run wild and while it is next to impossible to run out of stuff to do, these cottages are in a perfect area too. Situated close to the popular areas in Michigan and close to the lake can sometimes bring unwanted noise, traffic, tourist prices and crowds, these cottages are just far enough out to really enjoy the point of your vacation, and that is to relax. Sit back at night, roast your marshmallows by the fire pit and enjoy the vast night sky blanketed by stars, a vision you can’t get in crowded resort towns.

Take a day trip to Lake Michigan and read a book on the beach where the water is unsalted and shark free. Enjoy Ludington State park that has a unique marked canoe pathway or hike the many acres of woodlands, dunes, and marshlands. Check out the lighthouse or catch your dinner in the calm lake water.

Kelly and Ken’s favorite time of the year is fall and we couldn’t argue with that. The array of fall color and the warm waters welcome you with open arms. To book your next vacation, visit their listing here: Fountain Michigan Vacation Rental

At RentMichiganCabins.com, you always book DIRECTLY with owners and property managers assuring you get the best rental rate! Avoid booking through a 3rd party listing websites and avoid higher rates because of commissions.

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Why Rent a Vacation Home in Saugatuck, Michigan? Todd Smith Explains Why!

As life unwinds within your bustling family or if your soul become restless in an effort to experience coastal life where art and humanities are the attractions among a beach town, you will be rest assured in Saugatuck-Douglas, Michigan. Saugatuck-Douglas is known as the Art Coast of Michigan –with a wide assortment of art galleries, fine restaurants, vineyards…and of course, all of the popular activities our proximity to Lake Michigan affords. Moreover, we invite you to stay at a wonderful beachside cottage called Great Lakes Manor. These cottages are nestled in some of the most desirable areas of the nation and we can’t make that up.  Conde Nast’s Traveler Magazine has spotlighted these towns as one of the 25 top shoreline towns in America and the 11th greatest beach town in America and we are talking lots of competition!

Great Lakes Manor Frotnt Yard

The Great Lakes Manor Cottages are top notch in the area and owner, Todd Smith says “My family and I have always loved unique properties: finding them, restoring and/or personalizing them, and sharing them with friends. About 10 years ago, we acquired our first property and after renovations to make it comfortable for our personal use, decided to dip our toes in the vacation rental world….and found out we loved it! We made many new friends along the way, friends who loved and enjoyed our home as if it was their own. We decided this could become an interesting business for us, and so acquired our second property, and now enjoy making new friends, and creating atmosphere with all the comforts of home: in interesting places.”

Close to everything, but still away from it all!

We love the location of your place…close to downtown Saugatuck and Lake Michigan but off the busy streets tucked away in a peaceful setting. We enjoy getting on our bikes and riding down the street to Lake Shore Drive where we can leisurely take in the coastline. This last time we stayed, the weather was so beautiful that we spent time each day sitting relaxing by the pond and enjoying all the birds singing. Our cottage was so clean and fresh. We are definitely coming back!

The history of the place is fascinating as well, which dates back to 1870 when the property was built, consisting of a five bedroom Manor house and three detached cottages, each of which rents together for your next all-together family and friends vacation or separately for your own little getaway. It is even a bike friendly town allowing you easy access to everything in Saugatuck, Michigan. Great Lakes Manor was acquired by Todd Smith and family back in 2010 and began a massive renovation of the 5 bedroom manor house which had been running as a B&B but then turned it into a vacation rental. Todd continues to say that “With a hot tub, small pond, and recreation room for all our guests, the property offers something for everyone. And we’re just a mile in either direction from the area’s two favorite beaches, and a short bike ride into the twin towns of Douglas and Saugatuck, too!” So enjoy the swaying hammock, a dinner and a show, a sip of wine at the winery or paint by the water, pick one or all!

Rest in a Hammock!

Rest in a Hammock!

Keep in mind, this gorgeous area is very popular so between April-October is our peak season and most rentals require a two night minimum stay just as the cottages do, but Manor House requires a 3 night minimum night stay. If traveling in the winter, there is still plenty to do! Ride in a horse drawn carriage under winter blankets, walk along the frozen coast and duck into a shop for hot cocoa. Don’t forget your snowshoes or skis!

Enjoy one of the local favorite attractions, which is the Saugatuck Sand Dune Rides. Strap into an open-air “Suburban”-type vehicle with your friends and enjoy a thrilling, heart pumping, adrenaline adventure as your tour guide takes you through Saugatuck’s privately owned sand dunes. This cottage can also be perfect for older families and weddings as well as a perfect team building vacation.

Gorgeous Claw Foot Bathtub

Gorgeous Claw Foot Bathtub

Advice from Todd? “People tend to forget the beach towels and sunblock so if that happens to you, be sure to check out the small business about a half mile from us that rents beach equipment and cycles, sundries and even ice for the cooler!”

“This area is historic, relaxed, and peaceful. This not only describes our property but the area as a whole” Grab your paint brushes, your picnic basket and your favorite wine and enjoy Saugatuck’s rich history, friendly locals and have a great stay at Great Lakes Manor and Cottages.  For additional information, check out this property’s details page.

Relax and Enjoy the warm hot tub on cooler nights

Relax and Enjoy the warm hot tub on cooler nights

Get to know your owner! Todd Smith most enjoys the spring time when the cycle of life renews itself. He tells us that he will probably regret retiring as he loves to stay active and enjoy all that life offers us! You might even find him hiking in the area!