The Old Dam Inn - A Spacious Waterfront Retreat in Northwestern Michigan - Newaygo County

8 bedrooms4+ bathroomsSleeps 253200 sq ft

Popular amenities

Breakfast available

Free WiFi

Outdoor Space

Kitchen

Barbecue grill

Washer

Check out the area

Newaygo, MI

Fremont Lake Park19 min drive
Michigan's Adventure51 min drive
Lake Express Ferry Terminal63 min drive
Muskegon, MI (MKG-Muskegon County)64 min drive

Rooms & beds

8 bedrooms (sleeps 25)

Inner Sanctum

1 Double Bed

Lava Lounge

2 Double Futons

Newt's Nook

1 Double Bed

Raptor's Roost

1 Double Futon and 1 King Bed

Sunrise

1 Double Bed

Sunset

1 Double Bed

The Crow's Nest

1 Double Futon and 2 Twin Beds

White-tail Point

1 King Bed

4 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom

First Floor Common Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

First Floor Private Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Second Floor Common Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Second Floor Private Bathroom 1

Toilet

Second Floor Private Bathroom 2

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio

Porch or lanai

Kitchen

Separate dining area

Outdoor play area

Garden

Dining Area

About this property

The Old Dam Inn - A Spacious Waterfront Retreat in Northwestern Michigan

NOTES: We require the home address and drivers license number of potential guests before approving reservation requests. There is one security camera in use that shows the parking lot only. This camera, which may be recorded, is used by the host to confirm guest departures so that cleaning services can be initiated.

The Old Dam Inn is a great historic vacation spot for families that love the outdoors! Enjoy 300 feet of frontage on the Penoyer Creek Channel plus direct boat access to four beautiful lakes totaling 650 acres. With eight bedrooms and five baths (three in private suites), you'll have plenty of room to stretch out and relax.

Central air conditioning was installed in May of 2018. Six of the eight bedrooms also have large ceiling fans. A whole-house standby generator was added in 2023.

Easily accommodates 20-25 overnight guests with privacy. Private, wooded setting in the Manistee National Forest. Commercial style kitchen with two ranges, two refrigerators, two ceiling fans and two dishwashers. All cookware, utensils, paper products and linens provided - just bring your toys and your treats. Parking on-site for up to 20 vehicles, including room for several boat trailers.

Two large covered porches, washer/dryer, fire pit, BBQ/Smoker, 36 inch flat top griddle. Two paddle boats, a two person kayak and three-person rowboat are included (seating for thirteen people). Only three miles by car to the Mighty Muskegon River for excellent Trout, Salmon and Steelhead fishing.

Close to cities of Newaygo and Fremont for fun shopping and dining. Many other lakes and rivers also in the area. Travel time from Chicago is about 4.5 hours and 3.5 hours from metro Detroit. We are less than an hour from Grand Rapids and Lake Michigan.

Check-in time is 4:00 p.m. EST and Check-out time is 11:00 a.m. Early Check-in and late Check-out may be available depending on adjacent booking schedules. Much more detail can be seen by clicking on the "Links & Video" section of this listing.

Unfortunately, VRBO prohibits us from showing you any floor plans for The Old Dam Inn. We apologize for this inconvenience.

Property manager

Innkeepers - Kurt and Heather Giberson

Premier Host

Amenities

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Free WiFi

Air conditioning

Outdoor Space

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Outdoor Space

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 25

Check out before 11:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0-17

Well behaved kids always welcome.

Events

No events allowed

Pets

No pets allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Thank you for smoking only outside of the home.

We do not host weddings, receptions, bachelor/bachelorette parties, high school/college student groups under 25 years of age, or similar gatherings.

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

Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited

Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip

Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property

Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, and a deadbolt lock

We should mention

A car is required for transportation to and from this property

About the neighborhood

Newaygo

Located in Newaygo, this vacation home is in the city center and on the waterfront. Waters Edge Golf Club and Newaygo State Park are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Huron-Manistee National Forest and Fremont Lake Park. Traveling with kids? Consider Arboretum Park and P&J Plantiques. Be sure to check out the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.

View more Vacation Homes in Newaygo

Newaygo, MI

What's nearby

Fremont Lake Park - 19 min drive
Waters Edge Golf Club - 22 min drive
Newaygo State Park - 27 min drive
Michigan's Adventure - 51 min drive
Lake Express Ferry Terminal - 63 min drive

Getting around

Muskegon, MI (MKG-Muskegon County) - 65 min drive

Restaurants

McDonald's - 10 min drive
Shamrock Pub & Grill - 13 min drive
Burger King - 10 min drive
Tiny's Tasty Treats - 8 min drive
Taco Bell - 10 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is The Old Dam Inn - A Spacious Waterfront Retreat in Northwestern Michigan pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at The Old Dam Inn - A Spacious Waterfront Retreat in Northwestern Michigan?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at The Old Dam Inn - A Spacious Waterfront Retreat in Northwestern Michigan?

Check-out is at 11:00 AM.

Where is The Old Dam Inn - A Spacious Waterfront Retreat in Northwestern Michigan located?

This family-friendly Newaygo vacation home is located on the waterfront, 0.2 mi (0.3 km) from Huron-Manistee National Forest, and within 9 mi (15 km) of Arboretum Park and Waters Edge Golf Club. Fremont Lake Park is 9.4 mi (15.1 km) away.

10

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labeled.

Learn more

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

Deanna H.

Dec 30, 2023

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

Family Christmas

Great property for extended family stay Very clean. Large kitchen with everything you need.

Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Andrew O.

Oct 26, 2023

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

100% Perfect

The Old Dam Inn was absolutely perfect! A group of 10 of us stayed here for a friend's wedding at Camp Newaygo, and it couldn't have gone better. The inn had more than enough space and the hosts have thought of everything. We couldn't get over how perfect the kitchen was for a big group! The garage was also the perfect place to watch the football game while shooting some pool. 5/5!

Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveler

Aug 27, 2023

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

Old Dam Inn

Very fun house with an interesting history and more games than you can play. Awesome yard space and just a 1 minute paddle to the larger lakes made this a perfect spot for a reunion gathering.

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

Milton S.

Jul 26, 2023

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

A “dam” good place to

A historical house with beautiful views and perfect for family gatherings Twenty members of our family had a great week

Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Katie P.

Jul 9, 2023

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

Perfect place to Retreat

Even better than the pictures! It is such a beautiful property and the themed rooms were such a fun touch. The owners were so friendly, helpful, and responsive. We were staying in the area for a retreat and we couldn’t have picked a better location if we tried. The owners have thought of everything for their guests. Everything was labeled clearly and easy to find, we had plenty of wood for daily campfires, and enough space for all 24 of us. The weather was perfect so we enjoyed the outdoors (boats, volleyball, griddle, walks) the most but the garage was a favorite hang out spot after dark. Thanks again!

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

About the host

Hosted by Innkeepers - Kurt and Heather Giberson

Your Innkeepers are Kurt and Heather Giberson, originally from Dearborn, Michigan and now living in beautiful Brooks Township in Newaygo County. Kurt is a retired public works director and Heather is a retired public schools teacher. We live in our former cottage, just down the street from the Old Dam Inn. We are enjoying the rural experience, which includes raising our friendly chickens.

Why they chose this property

We've owned woods and water property in western Michigan since the early 1990's and every time we were driving back home to southeastern Michigan we took a different route to explore new opportunities. After years of doing this we came across a very hilly area in Brooks Township, Newaygo County, that was heavily forested and had many beautiful lakes.

We learned that it had been a white pine logging area over one hundred years ago and it also was famous for the cottages surrounding the lakes. This spot came to be known as 'Little Switzerland' due to the beautiful waters and steep sloped terrain. One day as we were heading home we noticed a for sale sign on Old Dam Road and stopped to look at a small cottage on the Penoyer Creek Channel. The creek was named after the Penoyer brothers from Chicago, who were the first non-natives to settle here (1830's). To us it seemed perfect with the waterfront views and wooded setting. We quickly arranged to purchase the property and over the years we acquired three more parcels on the Channel, including The Old Dam Inn.

While there are many cottages and homes very nearby, where we are just about all you can see are the woods and the water, which is just fine with us. The towering white and red pines on the property are very special for us.

We spent four years renovating the The Old Dam Inn to provide our guests with quality furnishings and a flavor of the local history. The Inn is the former residence of the well-known local aviator, photographer, journalist and outdoorsman, Dick Black. In the 1960's and 1970's, he was a partner of Mort Neff, who hosted the popular 'Michigan Outdoors' television program in Detroit for many, many years. A few years ago we learned from Mr. Black's granddaughter that he was a personal friend of the writer Ernest Hemingway and that he had also saved Hemingway's life one time. The Inn's rooms feature aviation, fishing and hunting themes that are based on real local history.

What makes this property unique

The Old Dam Inn is perfect for family gatherings, reunions, anniversaries, small business retreats and hunting/fishing groups (we do not host weddings, or bachelor/bachelorette/graduation/sorority/fraternity parties). With eight private bedrooms and five bathrooms (three in private suites) you can very comfortably and privately accommodate 20-25 overnight guests. We offer complimentary high-speed wireless internet access throughout the Inn and its grounds, as well as DVD movies. There are seven flat screen televisions.

You can bring your own boat or use our two paddleboats, rowboat and two-person kayak to reach four inter-connected and unique lakes (Emerald, Sylvan, Pickerel and Kimball). Enjoy these clean and clear lakes for water-skiing, fishing, swimming or just for the beautiful views. You can also kayak down the picturesque Penoyer Creek to the Old Dam. If you like the woods, you will like our setting. From the Camp Newaygo Wetland Trail only a 1/4 mile away by foot, to the vast North Country Trail a couple of miles away, there are many opportunities to hike. If you like quaint towns, you will enjoy the arts and outdoor themes of nearby Fremont (Baby Food Capital of the World - Gerber Baby Food Company) and Newaygo, which straddles the Mighty Muskegon River and offers some of the finest salmon and trout fishing in the U.S. Check out the giant concrete fish heads poking out of the ground in Newaygo's Riverside Park

There are also thousands of acres of the Manistee National Forest within minutes of the Old Dam Inn. From our property we regularly see Bald Eagles, Ospreys, Kingfishers, Great Blue Herons and Pileated Woodpeckers (one was banging away on our front porch this morning!). Other regular visitors include an abundance of White-tailed Deer, as well as the River Otters, Beaver, Mink, Muskrats, Opossum and Raccoons. On occasion we see coyotes and bobcats too.