House in Alden, MI

500' to Torch Lake & the park- Walk to quaint Alden-Reduced Fall & Spring rates

500' to Torch Lake & the park- Walk to quaint Alden-Reduced Fall & Spring rates

Photo gallery for 500' to Torch Lake & the park- Walk to quaint Alden-Reduced Fall & Spring rates

Alden 3 bedroom 2 bathroom historic Victorian.Dates to 1870s;enlarged circa 1890
The sun is setting & the porch is perfect to enjoy.  Add you and a glass of wine
Choose the swing or the love seat or come out solo.  Enjoy the new front porch.
Many trees and the best "lawn" we could create in the sandy soil.
This is one upstairs bedroom, facing the lake and its "gingerbread" work & paint

Overview of 500' to Torch Lake & the park- Walk to quaint Alden-Reduced Fall & Spring rates

9.8 out of 10 Exceptional
3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 6186 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Free WiFi
  • Outdoor space
  • Barbecue grill

Check out the area

Alden, MI
  • Popular LocationTorch Lake3 min walk
  • Popular LocationTorch Lake Park20 min walk
  • Popular LocationClam Lake9 min drive
  • AirportGaylord, MI (GLR-Gaylord Regional)49 min drive

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3

2 Single Beds

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Bathroom 2

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Separate dining area
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining Area

About this property

500' to Torch Lake & the park- Walk to quaint Alden-Reduced Fall & Spring rates

Walk to downtown Alden, to the historical Train Depot Park and Museum, up and around the preserve on Coy Mountain, and walk to the stunning Torch Lake shore and the nearby beach -- all from this circa 1870s historic Victorian home. Enjoy the amenities home in this three bedroom, two bath, two story Alden village house.

Three bedrooms (2 with Queen Beds and 1 with 2 twin beds) and 2 bathrooms (one on the first floor and one upstairs) provide for a comfortable stay for up to 6 people. Fully equipped kitchen allows eating at home if you wish. Dining area choices include in the kitchen or front porch or even the original family dining room.

The exterior colors will remind you of the power and depth and beauty of Torch Lake itself. If it's been a few years since you've rented the home, welcome back to the 'new look' of our vacation home in quaint Alden.

You will be located just across the main east-shore road from Torch Lake. Locals and visitors know what a great lake Torch is for vacationing, sight-seeing, water-sports (including swimming, boating, kayaking, tubing and more). You'll be just a couple blocks from charming downtown Alden itself and its marina, unique shops and restaurants. And you are at the foot of the 17-acre preserve that is 'Coy Mountain'.

Experience beautiful sunsets and Torch Lake views from the kitchen and living room and from the west-facing porch on its settee or swing. Swim in Torch Lake and the connected chain of lakes, Boat through the lower 'chain of lakes' (Torch, Bellaire, Elk, Clam, Skegemog). This smoke-free home is very close to area pro golf courses, Traverse City shopping and the wineries of Old Mission Peninsula and Leelanau County. Boyne, Petoskey and Harbor Springs are pleasant round-trip same-day excursions.

Sleeping Bear Dunes is just over an hour to the west.

You will be staying in what long-time locals still call 'the Chapelle' house, which in the late 1800s and early 1900s was the rooming and guest house for visitors from downstate and from Chicago and Ohio. The home was even larger then, with a 2-story guest room area, connecting at what is now the French doors in the formal dining room. In fact, you'll find the postcard of the home circa 1910 in the postcard collection at the Historical Museum, just across the main road from you, toward the Lake.

The double corner lot provides room for children of all ages to play right in your yard, if you and they prefer.

Alden is just 25 minutes northeast of Traverse City and the Old Mission Peninsula (and its great wineries) and just 15 minutes southwest of Shanty Creek and Bellaire. A little further west past Traverse City's dining and shopping pleasures are the wineries of the Leelanau Peninsula.

Alden is on the southeast shore of beautiful Torch Lake. Your boat will slip easily into and out of Torch Lake at the public marina and slips in town. Then, the entire chain of lakes lie ahead of you to explore and enjoy. No boat of your own? Rentals are available at your choice of local marinas. We can provide their contact numbers, if you wish.

If you prefer to stay home some day or evening, prepare your dinner on the Weber charcoal grill and enjoy it in the dining room or as a picnic on the porch or in the nearby park, or up on Coy Mountain.

Quiet evenings in on the porch or watching videos or TV are also your entertainment options. Cable TV service is provided with basic 'network' and cable channels.

Need to work or keep up with emails? (We know many have to do that) Our High Speed internet modem is provided for your use. Free, secured WiFi is provided. Or you can connect by Ethernet. If you do not have your own connecting cable, please borrow ours.

Alden's and surrounding Helena Township's history may be of interest to you. Research on the area tells all that "Helena became famous as a summer resort area in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The principle resorts were Belden Heights at Alden (the are our home is in and you will see the platting on the living room wall); Lone Tree Point and Waswagonik near Clam River; Crystal Beach Hotel on the south end of Torch Lake; and Watson's Inn at Torch River. Many beautiful homes and cottages were built on the shores of Torch and Clam Lakes. The Pere Marquete railroad officials stated that more tickets were sold from Chicago to Alden during the season than to any other point on their line in the resort area. It is still very popular and continues to grow in this respect."

Keywords: Vacation House, Summer home, Victorian home, Historic home, Alden, Torch Lake, Traverse City, Bellaire

Property manager

Rich and Karen Brown

Amenities

Kitchen
Free WiFi
Outdoor space
Barbecue grill

House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 10:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
Very welcomed. Double lot/quiet street. Highchair.

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed
1 mature dog under 20#.$50 added rent;$50 cleaning

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
Will consider a pet: 1 mature dog under 20 pounds.Tell us about your pet-type, age and weight. Added rent of $50 & cleaning of $50. No cats.
Children VERY welcomed; lots of room to play on the double lot. Home is on a quiet no-outlet quiet street. Highchair provided.

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
Safety features at this property include a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector, a first aid kit and a deadlock

About the area

Alden

Located in Alden, this holiday home is on a lake. Glacial Hills Pathway and Natural Area Trailhead and The Chief Golf Course are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those looking for area attractions can visit Schuss Mountain and Guntzviller's Spirit of the Woods Museum. Travelling with kids? Consider Flintfields Horse Park and Music House Museum. Looking to get your feet wet? Jet skiing, water tubing and power boating adventures can be found near the property.

What's nearby

  • Torch Lake - 3 min walk
  • Torch Lake Park - 20 min walk
  • Clam Lake - 9 min drive
  • Schuss Mountain - 19 min drive
  • Turtle Creek Casino - 22 min drive

Getting around

  • Traverse City, MI (TVC-Cherry Capital) - 38 min drive

Restaurants

  • Oasis Red Bull Tavern - 17 min drive
  • Dockside-Torch Lake - 11 min drive
  • Pearls New Orlean Kitchen - 21 min drive
  • Torch Lake Beer Co - 6 min walk
  • Cone Corral & Pizzeria - Rapid City - 6 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is 500' to Torch Lake & the park- Walk to quaint Alden-Reduced Fall & Spring rates pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at 500' to Torch Lake & the park- Walk to quaint Alden-Reduced Fall & Spring rates ?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at 500' to Torch Lake & the park- Walk to quaint Alden-Reduced Fall & Spring rates ?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is 500' to Torch Lake & the park- Walk to quaint Alden-Reduced Fall & Spring rates located?

This family-friendly Alden holiday home is located on a lake, within 1 mi (2 km) of Torch Lake Park and Torch Lake. Torch River and Grass River Natural Area 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.
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Rating 10 - Excellent. 66 out of 76 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 10 out of 76 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 76 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 76 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 76 reviews" "

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.6/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.6/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Mark O.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Historic house
Historic house in an tiny town of Alden. Everything was excellent. Only challenge is the toilet location in the master bathroom. Beautiful area and Torch Lake is lovely. Will stay there again.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kathryn F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Quaint, historic Victorian home
Charming historic home was clean, well appointed and stocked. Enjoyed walks to town, lake, pier, restaurants and in the neighborhood. My friend and I are preparing to walk a half marathon, so there were interesting routes to take long walks. Family likes fishing so we tried different access points. We really enjoyed this house!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Terry K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Alden stay on Torch Lake
This house is the perfect get away in a quiet neighborhood near Torch Lake. Town of Alden is in walking distance. We would definitely like to return in the Fall. Even our teenagers enjoyed our stay!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Heather B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Clean and close to boat launch
We had a great week enjoying the lake. Home is close to boat launch and a short walk into town.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Nancy M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Lovely place
Quaint, clean, close to lake and town
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

About the host

Hosted by Rich and Karen Brown

Host profile image
Rich and Karen are just the third family to own this historic home. In the early 1900s, it was a guest house and even had a 2-story addition off the back to take summer visitors who would come to Alden by train from Chicago and along the west coast of Michigan. Its history is found in every room, including being preserved in those we've renovated and updated from what the Chapelle family originally built. We bought this as a family vacation home when our kids were young, and would make regular visits from 'downstate'. Now we still make regular visits (as do the adult 'kids' and now the grandkids!) and we are pleased to share the home with others.

Why they chose this property

Alden is an ideal get-away, a small town with features we've come to enjoy -- inviting shops, friendly shop owners and nature trails and Torch Lake shorelines to explore. The home, whose original rooms date to the 1870s, is a similar ideal get-away. We've treated 'her' gently during the over 30 years we've owned her, and know that our guests will do likewise.

What makes this property unique

Relax on the front-porch swing, and sip that wine (stemware provided) and enjoy. Watch those SUNSETS from your porch. Ceiling fans in all bedrooms and most other rooms will comfort when needed. Enjoy the selection of board games and DVDs; also bring your favorite CDs and DVDs. The fully-equipped kitchen is for your dine-in pleasures. Formal dinners (they are allowed and fun, even on vacation!) in the dining room and casual at the kitchen table.

Please use the maps we've provided in your living room to decide what to do around Alden and the area. Wineries are particularly special, we thing, and the enternainment in Traverse and toward Shanty Creek and Charlevoix and Petoskey.

For outdoor pleasures, walk along Spencer Creek or the Torch Lake shoreline. Or, hike the Indian Trails up Coy Mountain, whose path virtually begins at your doorstep, on Valley street. This 17-acre preserve (thanks to the Coy family) has a wonderful array of wildlife, bird species and several native wildflowers. Benches welcome you to rest along the one mile maintained trail.

For local history, be sure to take in the Alden Depot and Park Museum. Located in the authentically restored Alden Depot, dating to 1908, this part of Alden's history (open Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend) features photographs and memorabilia recalling the community's past, including model trains and related items and many photographs of the area through the years.

ENJOY all these reasons to be 'up North'.

When other entertainment has been exhausted (that may not happen), TV may be your or your children's option of choice. Cable service is provided with basic 'network' channels.

Work or emails calling you? That happens, we all know. High Speed WiFi internet is here for you. Or connect via Ethernet. If you did not bring your own connecting cable, please borrow ours.
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