Private lakeside retreat, swim, boat, fish! Perfect for family events

1.1 acres with 213 feet of lakefront, a native wildflower garden, and a large lawn perfect for lawn games, picnics, weddings, and reunions.

Our family cabin on John’s Lake, in central Wisconsin, has been the site of many happy memories, and lots of summer fun. Now we are sharing this special place with others.

Birch Bay Retreat is family-friendly and is an excellent location for a family reunion, a small casual outdoor wedding, a retreat for a small group or club, or similar events, or a quiet weekend getaway or writing retreat.

Enjoy fishing and swimming from our pier, or take our canoes or pontoon boat out for a spin! BBQ on our wraparound porch with views of the lake and wildflower garden, and then gather around the campfire at our private lakeside fire pit in the evening. For summer guests, the first night's firewood is on us as our welcome to the lake! Please note that the Boat and Pier are only guaranteed in from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Please inquire if you are planning on staying outside of those times, if the Pier or Boat will be available for use.

Two televisions (one on each floor). Roku TV's , (bring your own Netflix/Hulu subscription) along with WiFi are included in the rental fee.

Lawn games and other outdoor activities are available for summer guests. On rainy days, enjoy the basement game room with ping-pong, a foosball table and carpet bowling.

The house has a large kitchen and a family-sized dining room that opens out onto a balcony, with views towards the lake. We have beds, sleeper sofas, and futons to sleep 14, and there is space to squeeze in more if you have a bigger gathering.

We do our best to make sure you can bring the whole family:

For families with young children, a highchair is available. Cots are available for young children. The house is partially child-proofed as their is a gate available.

To accommodate older family members, the master bath has a walk-in shower with a handhold installed, showerhead with hose, and a shower bench is available upon request.

We understand that pets are part of the family, so your dogs and other pets are welcome to join you in enjoying a stay at Birch Bay Retreat. We do require an additional fee to help cover wear and tear from pets.

A second refrigerator in the basement will allow you to chill all your food and drinks for a large gathering, and a laundry room (washer / dryer / iron and ironing board / drying racks) is available.

We continue to improve the family accessibility based on feedback from our guests.

Birch Bay Retreat is near several charming small towns such as Redgranite, Berlin, and Wild Rose, as well as wineries, golfing and antiquing. Grocery stores, restaurants, and other shops are a short distance away in Wautoma.

The cabin is also close to the Mt Morris ski resort, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling trails, so there are lots of winter recreation opportunities! It's heated and comfortable for winter guests.

Our family has cherished the memories and traditions we have created here over the years and we know you will, too. Come stay and relax at the lake!

Check in: 4:00 PM - the Property Manager will send you your code for a keyless entry into the home. Directions for use are posted on the door. There will be a house key and boat key on the counter. The necessary paperwork for your stay will be available on the counter with instructions on filling out and where to place them after signing. The Proerty Manager will be available if you have and questions or need futher assistance.

Check In: 4:00 PM (or later)
Check Out: 11:00 AM

A friendly reminder as listed under our house rules: Quiet hours begin at 10:00pm. This includes our wonderful game of carpet ball. While it is a ton of fun, it echo's throughout the lake and can be very loud for all guest and neighbors. Please be sure to continue to make the lake a great place for all!

Because we have a rapid turnaround between guests, early check-in and late check-out is not available during peak summer months (May-September). During non-peak times, early check-in and late check-out may be available upon request for a small fee, on a case-by-case basis -- please ask during the booking process!

Birch Bay Retreat does not allow smoking in the house, on any decks or area attached to the home. There is no smoking on the pier and no smoking/no pets on the pontoon boat. We do provide portable ashtrays that can be used on the lawn or at the fire pit.