Location: Little Traverse Lake, Northwest, Michigan, USA (22 miles from Traverse City, 9 miles from Leland) View Map
Accommodations: Lake House, 5 Bedrooms + Convertible bed(s), 3.5+ Baths (Sleeps 12-14)
ENJOY THE FALL COLORS OF MICHIGAN'S LEELANAU PENINSULA!!
Our charming lake house sits on an acre of land on beautiful Little Traverse Lake in the heart of Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore. In the summer, the lake, with its private, sandy beach is great for kids and perfect for all water sports or just plain sunning on the dock. Just across our designated "Scenic Winding Road" is the national seashore with wooded dunes through which hiking and cross-country ski trails take you three-quarters of a mile to the nearly secluded Good Harbor Bay on Lake Michigan. The interior of the Leelanau Peninsula has well-paved roads with little traffic which makes them perfect for road biking. The bike routes are moderately challenging for the novice to very hilly for the experienced road bikers.
You will enter our home through a custom designed round-topped "Hobbit" white oak door. Our 2002 architect-renovated, art-filled home has two charming bedrooms on the main floor, one with a king size bed and a private patio, the other with twin beds. There is a full bath with tub and shower nearby and a half bath in the tile-floored vestibule near the front door. As you step down from the vestibule, you will enter a large living room with a 1904 "found" antique mantle surrounding a tiled fireplace. The white oak floor covered by an oriental rug in the center continues into the modern kitchen and into the dining room surrounded by windows on three sides with a view of the lake. A large stone terrace with a dining table, chairs and a lounge facing the lake can be reached through French doors from the dining room as well as from the living room. Also on the main floor looking out to the lake is a two-storey library/ music/ TV room with a large, field stone fireplace. French doors next to the fireplace lead out to the terrace as well. There is a second entrance under a breezeway from the mudroom which has sinks and a wine cooler. An outside shower is in the breezeway for washing off sandy feet and bodies.
The second floor can be reached by an open stairway in the vestibule which leads up to a window overlooking the library. To the right is the master suite with a king size bed, built-in bookcase/headboard. And French doors which open to a private balcony looking out to the lake. The suite has a large bathroom with a glass-surrounded shower and three shower heads, a Jacuzzi-style tub with water jets, a bidet and separate sinks for him and her. Across the hall is a small laundry room with washer, drier and ironing board. At the end of the hall is an office with computer and a fax machine/copier. There is a large walk-in closet off of the office.
At the other end of the second floor is an open play area which leads to the "carriage house" over the two-car garage. The "carriage house" consists of a small sitting room large enough to hold a crib or a “play and pack.” Next to the sitting room is a bedroom with a king size bed and French doors opening out to a private balcony with a view of the lake. Down the hall is the “bunk room” which can sleep four in two sets of bunk beds. The room is built into a hill and has its own private deck in the woods. At the end of the hall is a full bath with a stand-up shower.
The Amenities of the Area:
The Leelanau Peninsula is made up of rolling hills and valleys with charming towns and inland lakes surrounded by beautiful Lake Michigan and Grand Traverse Bay beaches which are seldom crowded. This rural area is occupied by farmers growing fresh Michigan produce, fishermen who catch whitefish from Lake Michigan every day of the year, cherry farmers who produce cherries for the country, vintners who produce wine that competes with the best in the US, restauranteurs who offer everything from family meals to fine dining, shop owners who sell fine antiques and fine art as well as souvenirs, vacationers who dream of retiring on the peninsula and those retirees whose dream came true. Many artists, writers and musicians have moved to the area because of its natural beauty. The roads and towns display the names of
the early Czech, Bohemian and Polish settlers of the peninsula.
Some of the Special Events:
In the summer, there are the Cherry Festival, the Dune Grass Music Festival, Suttons Bay Art Fair, Food and Wine Festival, Interlochen Music Festival, Michael Moore's Film Festival, fireworks and parades on the Fourth of July and torch lighting ceremonies on Labor Day when cottagers prepare to return home at the end of the summer. In the fall, there are color tours, vineyard tour weekends, a culinary arts weekend, a long-distance road bike race and the Iceman, a thirty mile off-road bike race, in November. The Vasa, a cross-country ski race in the winter is world famous.
Wine tasting is offered by the many wineries on the Leelanau and Old Mission Peninsulas. There are antique shops as well as fine art galleries in most of Leelanau's towns and in Traverse City. Nationally known musicians perform at Interlochen and there are a number of small venues where you can hear fine, local musicians. The area has a number of good bookstores as well as many fine restaurants. There are two excellent public radio stations, WNMC and Interlochen, on which independent music, classical music and live concerts can be heard.
Vacation Rental Features
- Amenities
- Washer
- Dryer
- Linens Provided
- Wood Fireplace (2)
- Beds
- King Bed (3)
- Twin/Single Bed (2)
- Bunk Bed (2)
- Convertible Bed
- Entertainment
- Cable/Satellite TV
- DVD
- VCR
- CD Player
- Stereo System
- Jetted Tub in Bath
- Kitchen
- Full Kitchen
- Cooking Utensils Provided
- Refrigerator (2) : 1 refrigerator; 1 wine cooler
- Dishwasher
- Microwave
- Ice Maker
- Outdoor Features
- Gas/Electric BBQ Grill
- Deck/Patio (3) : 1 stone terrace facing lake; 1 small terrace off of a main floor bedroom; 1 wood deck off of bunk room
- Balcony (2) : 1 off of master bedroom; 1 off of carriage house bedroom
- Lanai: Screen porch
- View/Location
- Lakefront
- Communications
- Telephone (5)
- Computer
- Broadband Internet
- Other Amenities
- 4 of the 5 bedrooms have walk-outs to balcony or terrace; screen porch facing lake; fireplaces in living room and library (antique and field stone); unique tiles in bathrooms; French doors in the living room, dining room and two-story library leading to a stone terrace; oriental rugs; white oak wood floors; stainless steel kitchen; gas stove; art on walls.
- Suitability
- No Pets Allowed
- Kid Friendly
- Smoking Not Allowed
- Activities (on site and nearby)
- Golf
- Tennis
- Shopping
- Sightseeing
- Restaurants
- Kayaking
- Sailing
- Boating
- Waterskiing
- Shelling
- Swimming
- Surfing
- Windsurfing
- Biking
- Mountain Biking
- Cross Country Skiing
- Downhill/Alpine Skiing
- Snowboarding
- Sledding/Tubing
- Wildlife Viewing
- Hiking
- Fishing
- Fitness Center/Gym
- Antiquing
- Cinemas/Movie Theaters
- Live Theatre
- Museums
- Miniature golf
- Horseback Riding
Rate Details (In US Dollars)
Summer ( May- Sep) .. $750/nt (3 nt min) .. $5250/wk.
Fall (Color Season)...... $700/nt ................ $4900/wk.
Ski Season (Jan-Mar)....... $725/nt ................ $5075/wk.
Available year-round.
Security/reservation deposit required.
Kayak,sunfish rental additional.
Note: Until confirmed, rates are subject to change without notice.
Map & Owner's Profile
Beautiful Leelanau Peninsula Architect-Designed Lake House
Year Purchased: 1977
Why the Owner Chose Little Traverse Lake
Although we have traveled throughout Europe and the United States, we have discovered that the unspoiled Leelanau Peninsula, with its rolling hills, vinyards and orchards, uncrowded sandy Lake Michigan and inland lake beaches and charming villages, is one of the lovliest spots on earth.
Owner's Map of Little Traverse Lake
In 2002, what was once a small "cottage" became a completely remodeled home built on the footprint of the original building with the addition of a great room and an attached carriage house. Our lake house is where we have celebrated family reunions, weddings, special birthdays, dinner parties,weekend get-togethers with friends and the Christmas holidays.
Property Photos
- Lakeside view. Lighted boardwalk leads to waterfront. - Little Traverse Lake, Michigan Vacation Rental
- Lakeview from the terrace. - Little Traverse Lake, Michigan Vacation Rental
- Roadside view: Facing state-designated "scenic winding road." - Little Traverse Lake, Michigan Vacation Rental
- Dining room facing Little Traverse Lake.
- View of the lake from the library.
- Screen porch looking sideway to the woods and out to the lake.
- View of kitchen from dining room.
- Little Traverse Lake and Sugar Loaf Mountain.
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Vacation Rentals by Owner Listing #134803
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This listing was first published here in 2007.
Date last modified - November 19, 2009
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