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The Only Thing We Overlook is Intermediate Lake...Book now for Summer 2025!

Photo gallery for The Only Thing We Overlook is Intermediate Lake...Book now for Summer 2025!

The Lake House as viewed from Intermediate Lake. We have 130' of frontage.
Exterior
Lake House and Road House
Outdoor dining
Lake View from the Apartment Balcony

Reviews

9.2 out of 10
Wonderful
8 bedrooms4 bathroomsSleeps 212760 sq ft

Popular amenities

  • Washer
  • Barbecue grill
  • Parking available
  • Outdoor Space
  • Air conditioning
  • Kitchen

Explore the area

Map
Central Lake, MI
  • Intermediate Lake
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Torch Lake
    ‪12 min drive‬
  • A-Ga-Ming Golf Resort
    ‪23 min drive‬
  • Traverse City, MI (TVC-Cherry Capital)
    ‪49 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

8 bedrooms (sleeps 21)

1st Floor Bedroom

1 Double Bed

Apartment Bedroom

1 Queen Bed

Blue Bedroom

1 Queen Bed

Green Bedroom

1 Double Bed

Lower Level Bedroom

2 Twin Bunk Beds

Master Bedroom

1 Queen Bed

Road House Bedroom #2

1 Twin Bunk Bed

Road House Master Bedroom

1 Queen Bed

4 bathrooms

Duck Bathroom

Toilet · Shower only

First Floor Bathroom

Toilet · Shower only

Main Bathroom

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Road House Bathroom

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Balcony
Separate dining area
Garden

About this property

The Only Thing We Overlook is Intermediate Lake...Book now for Summer 2025!

Imagine drinking your morning coffee on a deck overlooking a beautiful all-sports lake while watching the hummingbirds feed on the nectar of the brilliant-orange trumpet vine next to the deck. The house is quiet. The lake is still. Soon the pitter patter of your family's feet will begin as they rise for another glorious day at The Lake House. You smile thinking about what lies ahead...a day filled with sun, swimming, games, and laughter and finished off around the bonfire roasting marshmallows and staring at the stars. This vacation can be yours when you stay at The Lake House.

The property consists of two homes: the 'Lake House' is a six-bedroom, three-bathroom, fully-furnished home; the 'Road House' sits behind the Lake House and is a completely renovated, two bedroom, one-bathroom cottage. Located on beautiful Intermediate Lake, The Lake House has 130 feet of lakefront and includes a dock, firepit, and huge custom grill. The water is shallow and sandy close to shore making it perfect for families with small children or adults who like to tie their rafts to the dock and soak in the sun.

The home is surrounded with decking in the front and backyards and has two picnic tables and lots of tables and chairs. Inside, you’ll find three fully stocked kitchens (including a dishwasher), four full bathrooms, eight bedrooms, two fireplaces (gas and natural), and a laundry room. In all, The Lake House has sleeping accommodations for 23 (four queens, two full, 3 bunks with full size lower bed, and one sofa bed). You supply the towels, bed linens and your toiletries.

The Lake House is located in Central Lake, Michigan which is just minutes from Bellaire, home of Short's Brewing. It is close to several championship golf courses, skiing, restaurants, shopping, casinos, wineries, and several northern 'hot spots': ten minutes from Shanty Creek and Schuss Mountain, ten minutes from Torch Lake and Lake Michigan, 30 minutes from Charlevoix, and 40 minutes from Traverse City, Boyne City and Petoskey.

The Lake House is available year round for all of your recreation activities: swimming, boating, fishing, water-sports, skiing, snowmobiling, golfing, hiking, hunting, fall color tours, etc. Whether you like to be on the go or prefer to sit and relax, The Lake House offers you all the choices.

Keywords: #Vacation, #Short's Brewing, #Central Lake, #Intermediate Lake, #UpNorth, #FamilyVacation

Property manager

Siobhan & Sheila Gannon

Languages

English

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Air conditioning
Outdoor Space
Parking available

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House Rules

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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
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

About the neighborhood

Central Lake

Located in Central Lake, this vacation home is on a lake. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Torch Lake and Lake Michigan. Enjoy the area's slopes with cross-country skiing and snowboarding, and don't miss out on the snowmobiling and sledding.
Map
Central Lake, MI

What's nearby

  • Intermediate Lake - 1 min walk - 0.1 km
  • Torch Lake - 12 min drive - 5.7 km
  • Lake Bellaire - 20 min drive - 10.7 km
  • A-Ga-Ming Golf Resort - 23 min drive - 24.4 km
  • Schuss Mountain - 26 min drive - 22.3 km

Getting around

  • Cherry Capital Airport (TVC) - 49 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Short's Brewing Company - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪Bellaire Bar & Restaurant - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪M88 Morning Grind - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪Torch Lake Café - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪The Blue Pelican Inn - ‬3 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is The Only Thing We Overlook is Intermediate Lake...Book now for Summer 2025! pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

Where is The Only Thing We Overlook is Intermediate Lake...Book now for Summer 2025! located?

Situated on a lake, this vacation home is steps from Intermediate Lake, and within 6 mi (10 km) of Torch Lake and Glacial Hills Pathway and Natural Area Trailhead. Bauer Nature Preserve and Lake Bellaire are also within 9 mi (15 km).

Reviews

9.2

Wonderful

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labeled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 17 out of 22 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 3 out of 22 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 22 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 22 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 22 reviews

9.4/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.6/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Beth Y.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Friends in the Mitten
We invited out-of-town friends for their first visit to Michigan and the house was perfect for our big, all ages group. The view and water access was lovely. The location was convenient to other fun areas like Mackinac Island, Charlevoix, and Traverse City. There were farm stands, local stores, restaurants, and more all nearby. The hosts were welcoming and helpful when we needed to be in touch during our stay. We definitely recommend this spot to anyone considering!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024

8/10 Good

Michael m.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Good time
Good
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Julie H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Relaxing, quiet lake visit
The house really had everything you would need. We had three families stay, including 6 adults and 10 kids aged 8-16. The house is located conveniently near Clear Lake. If you can't find what you need in Clear Lake, you can take a 10 minute drive to Bellaire, which has a larger grocery store, more restaurants, and more shops. The main floor of the home had 1 bedroom (at the front of the home, next to the bathroom), 1 full bath, an open living, dining, kitchen area and the laundry room. The basement had a large sectional-type sofa, a small kitchen table, a TV and two bunk beds (both full on the bottom, twin on top). The second floor of the home had 4 bedrooms, 2 full baths (one with a tub shower, one with a very small shower) a kitchen and a living area. One bedroom, the kitchen, living area and bathroom were comparable to an efficiency apartment above the garage and laundry rooms. The full bath (with the small shower) to be used by those in the "apartment," was a jack and jill-type bath room, adjoined to one of the previously mentioned bedrooms. In order to access the "apartment," you had to walk through the bathroom-adjoined bedroom. And, there was no lock between this bedroom and the "apartment" bathroom. However, there was a lock on the other door of that bedroom, so it could be private from the other two bedrooms and bathroom. There is a separate entrance to the "apartment," from outside. To attempt a better explanation, if I were to walk up the stairs, to the left is a large master bedroom with a small balcony, facing east. If I turn to the right, to go towards the "apartment," there is a full bath (with tub shower) on my left and a bedroom on my right. Straight ahead of me, after turning right at the top of the stairs is a bedroom. If I walk through that bedroom, I enter the jack and jill bathroom (small shower). From that bathroom, you enter the living area and kitchen off of which is the fourth upstairs bedroom. Finally, there is a guest house, behind (near the road, away from the lake) the main house. It has a full kitchen, living area, enclosed porch, full bath and two bedrooms, one with a queen-sized bed and one with a bunk (full on the bottom, twin on top). The property managers were easily accessible and kind to answer all questions, quickly. The lake was quiet and a perfect spot for us amateur boaters to use the rented pontoon boat.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Andrea P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Good Times
We had a wonderful week with friends. We had 4 families (8 adults, 9 kids (2-12 year old) and had plenty of space for everyone. The water was a great temperature and nice and shallow for the younger kids but also got deep enough for the older kids who wanted to kayak and paddle board. The lake is perfect for boating (we rented a pontoon for part of our stay). We had a very warm week and had some trouble keeping it cool in the main house but the apartment and Roadhouse seemed fine. We also had the pleasure of losing power due to a wicked storm but the Irish Twins were VERY helpful in keeping us informed on when power would return and offered to get a generator if needed. Thank you so much for being easy to contact for anything we needed. We had a very enjoyable week.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

John O.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Lake get away
Nice property with rooms for all. We were able to juggle around sleeping arrangements based on a few nights in. The cool lake breeze each night cooled the house down with the provided fans. We enjoyed being able to jump in the lake or sit in the chairs or come into a level to hang out while others were in different areas. The roadhouse was a perfect thing for the teens that wanted to setup a movie screen or play board games until the late night hours. Finally the lake had low traffic and nice beach area to hang around to float.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2020

8/10 Good

Beth H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
great house for multiple families
we had 4 different families, all related staying together and no one felt on top of each other! the multiple kitchens were great for privacy and enjoyment times
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2020

10/10 Excellent

Debby R., Northville

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Enjoyable Week
The property worked really well for our group. We had three different families and there was plenty of beds for everyone. The older girls stayed in the Roadhouse and all the kids would go out there in the evening to have their 'own space' away from the parents. We had one minor issue with the dishwasher and the owners promptly responded and it worked fine the rest of the week. We rented a pontoon boat and two jet skis which I highly recommend, the lake is beautiful. We have friends on the lake about 1mile south so spent a lot of time going back and forth.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2020

10/10 Excellent

Kendra S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great place!
Had a wonderful time. Weather was great plenty of room for our whole family & lots of little kids. The dryer stopped working but the owners were quick to get a new one to us. Great location to Torch Lake, Charlevoix, and Bellaire. Would love to come back.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

tracey o.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Family vacation
The Irish Twins lake house was great! We had a large group all week and everyone was very happy. The lake was fun not a lot of boat traffic We rented a pontoon boat & enjoyed hanging out at the sandbar The kids had a blast swimming & really enjoyed the nightly bonfires .
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Jake V.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The Lakehouse is Awesome!
This property is awesome! Has all the amenities you can think of! Great location! Great neighbourhood! Irish Twins are great to deal with!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Rick H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Family time
We loved our stay! Great location, beautiful lake and plenty of space for 5 kids (5.5 and younger) perfect little beach front with some shallow water for playing. Only problem was the weather. Hot hot hot. But we made sleeping adjustments. Hosts were very responsive.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Elaine K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Summer Bliss
We rented this property because my mom wanted to celebrate her 80th birthday with her entire family under one roof. Our hosts communicated with us well before our week, giving us an accurate idea of what to expect. The property's location is stunning and the amenities were just as promised. Four generations enjoyed the home, the lake and the neighborhood- a pontoon and jet-ski rental were easily arranged. Thank you for a wonderful week!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

Fuzzy Llama P.

Great Northern Michigan Vacation Rental!!!
Can't say enough about this rental house. It is a great location. Had everything we needed. Love the lake and view. Would rent again and highly recommend. Everyone in our family had fun kids, teens, parents & grandparents

10/10 Excellent

Maureen H.

The Perfect Getaway!
I've been coming to the Lake House with family and friends for years. It's the perfect getaway! It has all the amenities you'd want in a vacation home - grill, firepit, lots of outdoor space, fully stocked kitchens (yep, that's "kitchens", plural), plenty of room for everyone, and just a comfortable, cozy vibe that makes me want to stay forever! The location is great too - if you want to venture away from the house, there are lots of options nearby - Central Lake, Bellaire, Torch Lake, Alden, Schuss/Shanty, Charlevoix. The owners, the Irish Twins, really go out of their way to make sure we have a pleasant stay. As noted, the house is fully stocked with whatever you might need, and it's absolutely immaculate. I can't say enough great things about this house, and I look forward to my next visit!

10/10 Excellent

Kate R.

Great vacation!
Great Vacation! We stayed at this lovely house right on Intermediate Lake and loved it. The twins were very accommodating, even allowing us to drop our stuff off early while it was being cleaned so we could go explore. They gave us all kinds of tips on places to go, things to do - they were so helpful!! The decks on the lake side are perfect for that morning coffee and the back deck is great for watching sunsets. The kitchen in the main house is not large but there are 2 others to use, so plenty of areas to cook in. There were 14 of us and it was ideal. The place was very clean and well maintained. We loved the location. It’s a great spot for exploring Central Lake, Bellaire, Alden and the Torch Lake area. You can walk to Central Lake and sample the goods at the distillery - what’s better! You won’t be disappointed !!

10/10 Excellent

Maggie K.

Truly A Gem!
The Lake House offered our large family an opportunity to get-away all-together! From the moment we arrived into this clean, spacious home, we were able to launch into our vacation. The Irish Twins made sure we had everything we needed. They weren't kidding when they said "fully stocked" kitchens. Before our arrival, The Irish Twins were very kind and patient answering, all of our questions and providing all kinds of information before we left home. They also provided plenty of local information so we could get to know the area. The community is warm and welcoming! We're looking forward to returning this summer!

10/10 Excellent

Jackie J.

Love the Big Blue House!!!
What’s not to love about the BIG BLUE House on Central Lake! I have had the pleasure of staying at the lake house all four seasons of Michigan. Each time our families have had a wonderful experience. The home is well maintained and constantly being updated. It is always fun to return to see what’s new. The homeowners take great pride in their establishment and it shows. Our parties have included every age bracket and we all keep coming back for more. Whether it is a sunny day or a snowy day the view is spectacular. Then main house has five bedrooms and the lower level had been updated when we were last there. An additional six people can sleep there comfortably. In our group the teens/young adults gravitate there. When we are not on the water and enjoying the great outdoors, our group’s favorite gathering area is in the kitchen/dining/living area. We love to play games while we sit by the fire enjoying a beverage or two. If you are looking to explore during your stay, we have found that there are numerous quaint cities nearby for shopping, the local pubs are always a hit, great local restaurants, and in the winter we love to hit the slopes.

10/10 Excellent

Cate Z.

My favorite up north getaway!
Beautiful huge home perfect for memorable family vacations located on Central Lake! I have stayed at the Irish Twins' lake house many times and look forward to it yearly . My family fits perfectly with all of the numerous bedrooms for adults, teens and kids. Each bedroom is decorated differently with cozy beds and plenty of space to relax. We all hang out in the kitchen and dining room, make plans for the day, eat a great breakfast (usually made by my brother) and enjoy everything that Central Lake has to offer! The older adults love going into town to shop and walk around while the younger ones step right outside the house to swim, use our boat and play on the lake all day long. Every night, we all gather around the fire pit to relax lakeside and listen to the crickets' concert and survey the vast up-north skyscape of stars. We are always impressed at how the Irish Twins truly care about us and make sure we have everything we need for a fun vacation. I treasure my beloved time with my family at this place and would definitely recommend this home. A GEM!

10/10 Excellent

Siobhan & Sheila G.

Amazing!
The Irish Twins think of everything! Our vacation is so relaxing and since the Lake House has everything we need, we only have to decide "should we swim or read a book or play a game or what we want to eat, or...". The house is always immaculate and spacious (we've been coming up for years). Rooms are fresh and nicely decorated. Every year they update something so it's always a nice to look forward to returning. The lake is shallow and sandy until the end of the dock. The little ones play in the water while we sit in the water on floats and soak up the sun. We cannot wait until we return and see the latest improvements the Irish Twins have made this year.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

4/10 Poor

Ann S.

Very disappointing
We stayed at the Lake House for a week in August 2016; it was a disappointment. They say that it’s “perfect for large families” and sleeps 25 but that’s deceiving. The house is strangely broken up with the Lake House, the apartment and the Road House. The Lake House kitchen and living space is quite small and the kitchen was very hot to cook in. It was very inconvenient to cook in either the apartment or the road house because their kitchens weren’t fully stocked and we had to keep running back and forth. It was awkward the way you had to get into the apartment; either go up to the second floor in the Lake House and walk through a bedroom & a bathroom or leave the Lake House’s front door, walk past the driveway and up a flight of outdoor stairs. Most of the sleeping areas were fine except for the lower level walk-out in the Lake House. Yes, there were enough beds to sleep 7 but, it smelled very musty and two of the beds were in a “cave-like” area. There were other issues like torn screens that let the flies in, the grill caught on fire the first time that we used it because it was so dirty, no bathroom in the lower level so, if you were outside by the lake, you had to walk through a pathway, up the stairs through the Lake House to the bathroom. The main bathroom in the Lake House (on the second floor) bathtub drain was so clogged with hair; disgusting. Luckily, we had good weather and spent much of the time outdoors and the outdoor area was fine. Our large family always has a good time together and we tried not to let the problems in the home affect our week. We have spent a week together in the summer at various northern Michigan locations for the past 15 years and were never as disappointed with a place or the customer service of the owners as we were this year.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

2/10 Terrible

Dianne D.

Not a Good Place to Rent very disappointed!!
We rented this house in early August 2016 and would not recommend renting from these owners. When we arrived the rental was not cleaned well and after the grill caught on fire we called the owners. It took them a day to call back . I could list plenty of things wrong with this rental but here are a few: the ground level spelled like mold, the bathtub drain was clogged with hair, garbage cans had not been emptied etc. Then a couple of weeks after we were home - the owners cashed the deposit check with out our knowledge. We have tried to contact them multiple times regarding cashing the deposit check and they have not returned calls, emails or text messages. We have been renting for over 15 years without any problems until we rented this place. This rental does not deserve even 1 star!
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

Marj H.

Great Place for a Big Family!
We stayed here with my siblings and all our children and grandchildren and had a great time. The house accommodated all of us fairly well and we appreciated having both the Lake House and the Road House. All you need to bring are your linens and food. Everything else is really there. We did all our cooking together and it was well supplied. Mostly we cooked in the Road House because that kitchen was bigger. The main kitchen is narrow and is where we served the food and all ate together. Having 3 kitchens made the smallness of the main-floor kitchen a non-issue. We loved, loved, loved all the outdoor spaces of this house. The balcony outside the Lake house is great for eating and watching the lake with lots of additional places tucked around for a quiet place to read or converse with others. The lawn by the road was great for bocce and croquet while the lovely grassy lawn by the lake was perfect for sunning and watching the kids. There is plenty of shade out there as well - unusual for a lake - and allowed everyone a comfortable place to be outside.The lake has a sandy bottom in the shallow area and was perfect for the littlest children. We brought our ski boat, sailboat and wind surf and all were enjoyed. The people on either side of us were also great. A neighbor down the road gave us permission to use the basketball court and the paved driveway worked for our skateboarder. On top of that the village of Central Lake is a real gem. The community is welcoming and we loved the grocery store, fudge shop and the red-fronted store where if they don't have it you don't need it. Some of us kayaked down for ice cream it's so close. It was also the perfect week for picking sour cherries and we made 5 cherry pies. The U-pick place was 3 miles up the road and they pitted all the cherries for $1/bucket. Great fun! There are plenty of things to do in the area and TC is only an hour away for those who fly in and out. In summary, I recommend this property very much. Our only real issue was the weather which made us need to remain inside for a few of the days. The living spaces inside were too small for all of us to be together easily. We are a large group! The Irish Twins were very kind and responsive if we needed anything. They made our stay here relaxing and delightful. I do not give 5 star ratings unless a place is beyond fantastic and, to date, I've never stayed in a perfect place. 4-star means you will have a great time with no worries.

About the host

Hosted by Siobhan & Sheila Gannon

Host profile image
We are two sisters following our life long dream of owning a piece of heavenly Northern Michigan!

Why they chose this property

We spent our family vacations renting cottages on Intermediate Lake. It didn't take long to fall madly in love with Intermediate Lake and its beautiful surroundings.

What makes this property unique

As long-time renters, we know what you're looking for in a vacation home. We're proud of the fact that we manage to provide the little things you're looking for...whether it's plenty of mirrors and lamps, blankets and pillows, wine openers and wine glasses, plastic storage containers and tin foil, or even a rolling pin...we've got it all covered. Outside, we've got the all sports lake, lots of decks, gas and bbq grills, tables and chairs, and, of course, a firepit. All you need is the ability to relax.

Languages:

English