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Freighters in front yard! Private Sandy Beach - Large Deck - Best View on River

Beachfront holiday home with kitchen and patio

Photo gallery for Freighters in front yard! Private Sandy Beach - Large Deck - Best View on River

Your own private, sandy beach!  One of the few properties with shallow water.
Not only freighters, but cruise ships, tour boats, speed boats, jet skis, etc.
New counter tops, sink, lighting, etc completed in 2024.
New counter tops, sink, lighting, etc completed in 2024.
View of the family room from the kitchen.

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional
3 bedrooms2+ bathroomsSleeps 6167.2 sq m

Popular amenities

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

Explore the area

View map
  • Place, Kewadin Casino
  • Place, Soo Locks
  • Place, Lake Superior State University
  • Airport, Sault Ste. Marie, MI (CIU-Chippewa County Intl.)

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

guest room

1 Queen Bed

Master

1 Queen Bed

Waterfront Room

1 Double Bed

2 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

Hall Bathroom

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Laundry room bath

Toilet

master

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Separate dining area
Garden

About this property

Freighters in front yard! Private Sandy Beach - Large Deck - Best View on River

***Three bedrooms; 2 queens and one double bed total.***
Located 4 miles from downtown Sault, MI is our little piece of heaven! Situated on the lower St. Mary's River, you'll have a private sandy beach to swim, tan, fish, or even snowmobile and ski in the winter.
One of the very few properties with shallow water for the whole family to enjoy. Sit on the newly constructed deck and become a "boat nerd" while marveling at the gentle giants traveling the river. Close enough to run downtown for dinner, yet secluded enough for a private family vacation!
The house was built in 1984 by our local high school. We have knocked out walls, installed new lighting and ceiling fans in every room, new toilets, new mattresses and linens, a new deck, new paint throughout the whole house, new stainless appliances, a new gas grill on the deck, new dryer, and a combination kcup/traditional coffee maker.
There is a wheelchair ramp at the front door, and the master bathroom is wheelchair accessible.

Wifi is enabled throughout the house.
We have named this property Mohawk Acres. It's located on the site of the former Mohawk Supper Club and Taffey Abel Lodge.
Clarence "Taffy" Abel didn't start playing hockey until his late teens. In a few short years he became the flag bearer for the 1924 US Olympic team, the only Native American flag bearer, the first American born NHL player, winner of the Olympic silver medal in 1924, and two Stanley Cups in his 8 years in the NHL.
He returned to the Sault to coach and opened a supper club called Taffy's Lodge. The Detroit Red Wings ran their summer camp in the Sault at the Pullar arena from 48-58. Legend has it that many of the players and coaches spent some "quality" at Taffy's place!
Taffy passed away in 1964. The Lake Superior State hockey arena is now named after Taffy. Be sure to check out a game when you're in town!

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Amenities

Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Free WiFi
Outdoor space
Parking available

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House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 21
Check out before 10:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

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
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

We should mention

A car is recommended for transport to and from this property

About the area

Sault Ste. Marie

Located in Sault Ste. Marie, this holiday home is on the beach. Crossings at Sault Ste Marie Golf Course and Soo Brewing Company and 1668 Winery are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those looking for area attractions can visit Agawa Canyon Tour Trains and Fort Creek Conservation Area. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's happening at Pullar Stadium or GFL Memorial Gardens.
Map
Sault Ste. Marie, MI

What's nearby

  • Kewadin Casino - 7 min drive - 7.7 km
  • Water Street Historic Block - 9 min drive - 9.2 km
  • Soo Locks - 11 min drive - 10.7 km
  • Lake Superior State University - 11 min drive - 11.0 km
  • Agawa Canyon Tour Trains - 15 min drive - 14.7 km

Getting around

  • Sault Ste. Marie, ON (YAM-Sault Ste. Marie Airport) - 37 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪Taco Bell - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪Clyde's Drive-In - ‬7 min drive
  • ‪Wendy's - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪Dairy Queen - ‬23 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Freighters in front yard! Private Sandy Beach - Large Deck - Best View on River pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Freighters in front yard! Private Sandy Beach - Large Deck - Best View on River?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Freighters in front yard! Private Sandy Beach - Large Deck - Best View on River?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Freighters in front yard! Private Sandy Beach - Large Deck - Best View on River located?

Nestled on the beach, this Sault Ste. Marie holiday home is within 6 mi (10 km) of Crossings at Sault Ste Marie Golf Course, Rotary Park and Kewadin Casino. Water Street Historic Block and Pullar Stadium are also within 6 miles (10 km).

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 91 out of 101 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 8 out of 101 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 101 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 101 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 101 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Diane S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
It was beautiful and became fans of boats..
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Dorothy F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Awesome Week

We enjoy the Upper Pennisula and this property is an amazing home away from home.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Marianne M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Location

Wonderful house right on the St Mary's River with a great view of the many freighters passing by. Close to town for dinner or shopping. We enjoyed our stay there.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Dorothy F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Time on the River.

We had a wonderful stay. This was a perfect VRBO for our family. The host is perfect to work with. We look forward to watching the freighters.We look forward to future stays.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kristina W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great property!

We stayed for five days this year and we always enjoy this residence. This year it was hot so we took full advantage of the shallow beach, cold water and large deck. We had a great time!
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Deborah R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful stay

Beach on the river with the best freighter views Very private property with large trees and nature. The home was clean, comfortable and well appointed. We are returning next summer!
Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jordan S., Denver, CO

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Returning visitor

Just the way we left it last year, hope we are able to return for years to come! Thank you Diana
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Bev W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, listing accuracy
Disliked: Location

Great views of freighters

We enjoyed the deck and fire pit and modern kitchen appliances in addition to the vintage decor. Furniture was all very comfortable and rooms were large enough to spread out. Master bedroom was well equipped for handicap use. Being close to Sault st Marie gave us options for tourist places to visit. Using the app for freighters gave us the chance to observe many ships going by. We also saw an eagle on the beach twice.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Megan W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Soo vacation 2023

We had the best time during our stay. Home and property was beautiful. We were able to sit on the deck, relax and watch the freighters go by. Kids enjoyed the sandy beach and chasing the waves as the boats went by. Home had everything we needed and was very comfortable. Host was very easy to communicate with. We will definitely be back!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Douglass J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Exceeded expectations

Spent three amazing nights. Wanted a place where my 97 year old mother could watch freighters. Could not have found a better place. Exceptionally clean and well stocked. Charming up north decor. Master bedroom has a thoughtfully laid out handicap accessible bathroom. Location was excellent for riding my bicycle, went to Sugar Island on one of my rides. My wife and I will definitely return.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Robert G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Clean and Great Views

The property is wonderful. The amenities were thoughtful and plenty. It was clean and the beds were very comfortable. The view of Saint Marys River were spectacular. We were only there for one night and the next freighter came past around 2am, but we were out there watching it as we didn’t want to miss it. Even at night it, it was an amazing view. My only wish would be for a later checkout, but other than that it was a great experience and would love to stay again.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Daniel H., South-Central Minnesota

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Stay in the Sault Ste. Marie

The great strength of the property is its view of the St. Mary's River and its ship traffic. The view is set off by an expansive backyard and beautiful beach. We greatly loved it! We even saw Sand Hill Cranes on the beach, which was very memorable. I would recommend using an app to keep track of the upcoming shipping. We tried the apps recommended in the welcome packet, but found them a bit frustrating. I would recommend the MarineTraffic app. It works like Google Maps only for shipping. It was terrific. As an ex-Coast Guardsman, watching the shipping brought back memories. The home itself was clean and functional. It has plenty of room, a very well-equipped kitchen, and a very large deck with grill and fire pit facing the river. The primary bedroom/master bath is fully handicapped accessible. Guests with balance or mobility issues may have problems with the main bath and one of the other bedrooms. The dining area is roomy and great for larger groups. It is convenient to the Soo and the locks, only minutes away. It is also less than an hour from Mackinac Island Ferry. We toured both and greatly enjoyed them. In addition, we took the Pictured Rocks Sunset Cruise, which was worth the two hour trip to Munising. and we drove the highway to Pancake Bay in Canada. On that trip, stop for the "World Famous Apple Fritters", which were incredibly good but avoid Canadian Carvers, a tourist trap with no carvers. The home is highly recommended! An excellent value!
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Linda C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Lovely home to use as a home base. Loved seeing the freighters going by. Enjoyed the wildlife this year, Cranes flying south in giant V’s. Bald Eagle Juveniles (4) and 1 Adult Bald Eagle every day, 7 Swans came in for the night. Enjoyed Burgers at Clyde’s Drive In at Rotary Park in Sault St Marie. Enjoyed a whitefish sandwich at the Country Corner Restaurant in Barbeau.Drove down to De Tour to see the top of Lake Huron, the Drummond Island Ferry and saw Pilot boats and the Herbert C Jackson freighter which 3 hours earlier had passed the house was just going from the St Mary’s River down-bound into Lake Huron.Very comfortable place to stay. Diana is very quick to reply if you have a question.
Vista l or ll passenger ship downbound to Mackinaw Island
James R Barker with Steam plume. My favorite ship downbound
Sunrise
Sunrise with ship
Stayed 21 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Roger W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
clean, hand trouble with washing machine, great view of beach and freighters going up and down river
Stayed 14 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Susan L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Very clean, great location, well-appointed with a lot of nice features like ceiling fans everywhere, even in the bathrooms, lots of comfortable seating inside and out, plenty of paper towels, toilet paper, trash bags, and just about anything you need in the kitchen! The ships going by day and night were amazing and beautiful. We even had a glimpse of the Northern Lights! We loved our stay and hope to be back!
Northern Lights
Ship at night
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Tristan S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
A wonderful house in a beautiful location! We really enjoyed the freighter traffic passing silently by just yards away through the river. The house is very comfortable, plenty of seating inside and out. Easy to go into Sault Ste. Marie, MI for food, drinks, museums and tours. Diana, the owner, was very kind and fun to speak to via text. Great stay!
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2025

8/10 Good

Jenny R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The house was great, relaxing, great boat view, just had multiple things go wrong out of anyone’s control. Had problems logging into the TV’s to watch regular TV. Said house spectrum account had issues. Per homeowner spectrum did a recent update blocking the spectrum tv app. Signed into our personal spectrum account from home to watch TV. Then washing machine filled up a load of clothes started making loud whining burning … so had to rinse load of clothes in tub old style. New washer was being delivered after we left. There are 3 TV’s in house, garage (Roku) living room and master bedroom. Nice deck newer furniture, grill property manager responded quickly to empty tank and one very low tank. Was easy to make short trips to visit multiple destinations in the U.P. Had multiple stand fans which helped circulate the air. Just thankful owner was quick to respond to our issues and did give is a partial credit for our issues. We hope to stay again in the future
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Dale L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great host , very clean , furnished excellent. Plenty of things to do.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Miriam W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This is the fourth year I've stayed at this property, and I've already booked it for 2026. The house is so comfortable and stocked with anything you need. We loved watching the freighters go by. Even saw a cruise ship pass.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Tammy V.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Weekend getaway

What a beautiful home! So thankful for a quiet peaceful space spent with my husband. The location was perfect for watching freighters go by on the river. Would definitely love to stay again with another couple. Plenty of space to share with friends and/or family.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Mary M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Your home was amazing. we couldn't have asked for more. The home was very inviting, i would have been easily content on just staying at the house. if there was anything to nit pick on, it would be my vacation wasnt long enough, and maybe some how an easier path to the beach/water Thank you so much would love to stay there again
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Tamra M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Another wonderful stay!

We highly recommend this property and have stayed here annually for the past few years. Owner keeps making updates each year. Prime location for watching the ships!
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Michael R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Excellent vacation

Freighters on the River were an exciting adventure. Wonderful home gave us a peaceful and quiet retreat. Our favorite vacation!
Stayed 14 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Brian B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Clean, comfortable, classy

I always look forward to coming back to this home on the St Marys River. Perfect location just fifteen minutes from the Soo Locks. Very comfortable with lots of space. Very nice deck with lots of comfortable chairs for freighter watching. The owner is always making improvements. It’s a pleasure to visit.
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

ALT

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

UP trip with sisters

Wonderful house right on the river. Easy to communicate with the owner. Great location, freighters visible in river right outside. House was clean and orderly with lovely decor items I wish I had in my own home. Will definitely stay again if I get up this way.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2024

About the host

Hosted by Diana Gaines

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Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests