Entire home

Private Waterfront Setting on Lake Michigan

Photo gallery for Private Waterfront Setting on Lake Michigan

Looking north to Little Point Sable Lighthouse.
Exterior
Deck off Living Room, balcony off upstairs Bedroom.
Sitting area on the 900ft private beach.
View of Lake Michigan from the deck.
Reviews
9.8 out of 10 Exceptional
3 bedrooms1+ bathroomSleeps 8130 sq m

Popular amenities

  • FireplaceFireplaceFireplace
  • KitchenKitchenKitchen
  • Barbecue grillBarbecue grillBarbecue grill
  • Free WiFiFree WiFiFree WiFi
  • WasherWasherWasher
  • DryerDryerDryer

Explore the area

Map
Shelby, MI
  • Popular LocationLittle Sable Point Lighthouse12 min walk
  • Popular LocationSilver Lake State Park4 min drive
  • Popular LocationCraig's Cruisers Family Fun Center10 min drive
  • AirportManistee, MI (MBL-Manistee County-Blacker)69 min drive

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Double Bed

Bedroom 3

2 Single Beds and 1 Double Futon

1 bathroom, 1 half bathroom

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2

Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Balcony
Dining Area

About this property

Private Waterfront Setting on Lake Michigan

Description of ~~ WINDY DUNE ~~

This property is located in Shelby, MI, a small town about equidistant from
Muskegon to the south and Ludington to the north, about ¼ mile south of the Little
Point Sable Lighthouse, which is a landmark usually shown on maps.
The area surrounding the beautiful Lake Michigan shoreline is largely an
agricultural one, with acres and acres of cherry, apple and peach orchards, many
fields of strawberries, blueberries, and vegetables, especially asparagus, and corn,
both sweet and feed types, as well as several large family-owned dairy farms.

The cottage is secluded within 24 acres of privately owned woods and has 900 feet of pristine beach. It is accessed by a 1/2 mile long gravel private road which winds through the woods, past 2 other cottages, and culminates in a large sunny meadow where this cottage is sited.

The cottage has 3 bedrooms, 1-1/2 bathrooms (the half bath is upstairs) and it
sleeps a maximum of 8 comfortably (with 2 in twin-size bunk beds).
Three steps down from the entry-level is a large open concept living space with a large sitting area, a counter height island that seats 7, a small coffee bar (sets 2-3) and a fully equipped all-electric kitchen. The seating area has a cathedral ceiling, a mid-century fireplace, and many windows that flood the space with lots of natural light. Off the living room and kitchen is a Westward-facing deck overlooking Lake Michigan - the prime viewing spot for the many gorgeous sunsets, each one a little bit different, but all stunning! As kids, we used to grade the sunsets 1 to 10.
Two bedrooms (1 Queen bed and 1 Full bed) and a full bath are
located on the first floor. The upstairs bedroom, with windows and
a balcony, faces the Lake and has a twin-size bunk bed and a full-size sleeper
sofa. A small powder room is on the second floor.
The cottage is equipped with Wi-FI, satellite TV, with built-in DVD player, Cell phone service isn't always perfect, but you can use the landline for local and domestic long-distance calls.

A path through the woods with a total of 30 stairs, separated into 3 sections of 10 steps each (one section has an attached bench for sit-downs if needed) leads you from the cottage to the large private beach.

Entertain yourselves on the beautiful beach, which has very fine white sand -
like confectioner’s sugar - great for building sandcastles and beachcombing; enjoy
swimming and frolicking in the crystal clear water of the Lake; walking north, about
¼ mile along the beach to the Little Point Sable Lighthouse www.splka.org. Enjoy
sitting around a beach fire, roasting marshmallows, telling scary stories, looking out
for shooting stars and if you are staying towards the end of the summer be on the
lookout for the Northern Lights.
You are encouraged to hike in the surrounding woods and dunes; following
one of the many deer paths makes the going a bit easier.

If you feel the need for more activity venture out to enjoy the many nearby
attractions.
• Fifteen minutes away is Silver Lake with its spectacular giant sand dunes.
There you can find dune buggy rentals and rides,www.macwoodsdunerides.com, go-carts, arcade games, boat, and ATV rentals, mini-golf, t-shirt shops, pizza, ice cream, and a small park store, that carries limited fresh food, liquor, and ice.
• Cherry Point Market, has traditional Scandinavian fish boils, pancake
breakfasts, and of course, fresh seasonal fruits, and vegetables, jams, and
delicious cherry baked goods www.cherrypointmarket.net, The market owner,
Barbara Bull is also the author of numerous books set in this part of MI.
• Wine tasting at nearby Fox Barn Winery, www.foxbarnwinery.com,
• Biking on the Hart-Montague Bicycle Trail, www.michigandnr.com., bring your own bikes or rent them.
• Touring the Country Dairy Farm, eating lunch, and savoring fresh homemade
ice cream. New Era, MI, www.countrydairy.com. They also have a great
selection of fresh prime meats
• Browsing quaint shops and art galleries in nearby Pentwater,
www.visitpentwatermichigan.com.
• Golfing at nearby courses:
www.benonashores.com and www.oceanagolfclub.com in Shelby
www.colonialgolfhart.com, Hart
www.goldensandsgolfcourse.com, Mears
www.doublrjj.com in New Era,
• Tubing and a playground at nearby Stony Lake,
• Historic White Pine Village in Ludington

Property manager

Laura Mitchell

Languages

English

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Free WiFi
Outdoor space
Beach view

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 30
Check out before 11:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
Adult suppervision required on deck and balcony.

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
NO ATVs or off-road vehicles allowed anywhere on the property.
NO firearms allowed on the property. NO hunting and/or trapping allowed anywhere on the property!
NO parking along the side of the road!

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

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 and a first aid kit

We should mention

A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Shelby

Located in Shelby, this cottage is in a rural area and on the beach. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Lake Michigan and Silver Lake State Park. Traveling with kids? Consider Craig's Cruisers Family Fun Center and Gold Rush Water Park. Be sure to check out the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Shelby, MI

What's nearby

  • Little Sable Point Lighthouse - 12 min walk
  • Silver Lake State Park - 4 min drive
  • Craig's Cruisers Family Fun Center - 10 min drive
  • Upper Silver Lake - 13 min drive
  • Silver Lake Sand Dunes Area Chamber of Commerce - 23 min drive

Getting around

  • Manistee, MI (MBL-Manistee County-Blacker) - 70 min drive

Restaurants

  • Frickin' Chicken Shack - 14 min drive
  • Golden Sands Bucket Bar - 20 min drive
  • Whippy Dip - 10 min drive
  • Stony Lake Inn - 16 min drive
  • Sand Castle Restaurant - 13 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Private Waterfront Setting on Lake Michigan pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

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. 39 out of 42 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 42 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 42 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 42 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 42 reviews" "

9.4/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

9.6/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Steve K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Lake Michigan Beach cottage
Secluded cottage nestled in beautiful Lake Michigan dunes with incredible, clean, private beach. Cottage was perfect for the whole family. We like to cook from scratch and the kitchen was smartly equipped with good quality pans, cutlery, etc. The walk down to the beach is a lovely stroll and the 30 or stairs are well worth it! The beach is huge and the view of the lighthouse can't be best.
Stayed 9 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kristin C., Westland, Michigan USA

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
A Lake Michigan gem…
We were a group of four 55+ childhood girlfriends who vacation every August on the shores of Lake Michigan together. Our visit to Laura’s beautiful home was a wonderful experience. The view from the front deck was spectacular, along with the cozy 70’s vibe of the home. The pictures do not do it justice. The trek down to the beach was a little bit of a job for us older gals, but holy cow, once you get there you have the entire beach to yourself. It was AMAZING! We loved how secluded and private the home was. The road up to the house was a little more than we anticipated, but we got used to the drive after a day or two. The newer deck in the front of the home was beautiful, along with a new guard rail on the front deck. We had a wonderful week at The Windy Dune and hope to come back next year! Thank you Laura for sharing your beautiful family home with us. We just adore it!!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Ruth S., Grand Rapids, Mi

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Leisure at the Lovely Lake
My husband and I had a wonderful week of long beach walks, leisurely meals, and wonderful afternoons of swimming and reading on the HUGE beach! We have visited before, and we were happy to return again. The kitchen and entranceway deck have been updated, and a raised guard rail around the big deck make for some nice improvements since our last visit 4 years ago. If you are looking for a quiet vacation with privacy and beautiful scenery, this is the place for you!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

6/10 Okay

Chris L.

Liked: Check-in, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Cleanliness
Disappointed
When we got here it was great to see some of the deck was replaced. We settled in to what we hoped was a great time. But there was a problem with bugs. First, we just saw a lot of dead bugs, in the window tracks, doorwal track, along the heaters in the bedrooms, and a couple on the kitchen/ living room floor. Then we started seeing more and more bugs! The carpenter ant problem is pretty significant, and we started seeing what we identified as roaches. The bugs became a bigger and bigger problem as the week went on. I did not call the manager because by the time the bug problem was overwhelming, it was time to leave. This place needs a Professional bug program ASAP. We went to the hardware store and bought roach traps and threw out all opened food. We had to take all kinds of measures to make sure we didn't bring them back home. We stayed here last year and it was not like this. Unfortunately, as much as we will miss this place, we will not be staying here again.
Stayed 9 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

melanie h.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Amazing..
The cottage was on a piece of paradise in Michigan. The beach was perfection! The home was all we needed, nothing we wanted for. We chose to leave a day early because the exterminator was coming out and we have asthma. That was our choice and nothing that had to do with the owner in any way. We felt like all was very well cared for! Enjoyed the time we had! We appreciate you sharing your slice of heaven with us!
Stayed 11 nights in Jun 2023

About the host

Hosted by Laura Mitchell

Host profile image
I was born and raised in Chicago, but my family always vacationed and celebrated holidays in Shelby, where my grandparents lived and where my mother grew up. My parents actually met one summer when they were both picking cherries at a neighbor's farm.
In 1958 my parents, together with an aunt and uncle, bought this property which included 1000' of Lake Michigan frontage surrounded by 24 acres of forest.
For many years my family just parked our car on the side of Stone Church Road and we hauled our camping gear, food, ice and drinking water to the lake front where we set up our campsite. We made several trips along a well-worn deer path and all 3 children had to carry a load (my younger sister was 6 at the time). The first big improvement was drilling a water well. Several years later came the road and finally the ladies got their outhouse! Construction of the first cottage didn't begin until about 1967; my dad had designed the cottage and did as much of the construction work as possible - one of my cousins did all the electrical work. This was my family's cottage - the second one along the driveway and is now occupied by my brother. My aunt and uncle built their cottage in the 70's and this is the one I now use and rent out. Over the years we had many wonderful family gatherings at the cottages and on the beach, particularly Labor Day weekend when we had 3 birthdays to celebrate. The celebration always included making homemade ice cream - the old way, with the hand crank!
While most of my adult life I have lived on the East Coast, I always love to return to this part of Michigan and to my property in particular. This part of Michigan hasn't changed as fast as many other parts of the country, so it's always refreshing to me to glimpse a slower, simpler, kinder way of living.


Languages:

English
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