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Herons Nest at Viewpoint Beach channel on Magician Lake, Sister Lakes, MI 49047

Photo gallery for Herons Nest at Viewpoint Beach channel on Magician Lake, Sister Lakes, MI 49047

A tree in the foreground with a sunset in the background.
A room with two bunk beds, a desk with a lamp, a window with blinds, and a wall-mounted air conditioner.
A lakeside picnic area with a wooden table and colorful Adirondack chairs.
A kitchen with wooden cabinets, a stove, a microwave, and a refrigerator. There is a dining area with a table and chairs.
A small white cabin with a porch, surrounded by trees and a grassy area.

Reviews

9.6 out of 10, Loved by Guests
Top 10% of guest reviews in this area

Highlights

  • The great outdoors
    Guests love the outdoor space here.
  • Sledding nearby
    A rare find — snowy slopes for sledding are just minutes away.
  • Discover nearby landmarks
    Near Magician Lake
3 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 9

Popular amenities

  • Onsite parking available
  • Kitchen
  • Air-conditioning
  • Barbecue grill
  • Balcony or patio
  • Free Wi-Fi

Explore the area

View in a map
Sister Lakes, MI
  • Place, Magician Lake
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Place, Silver Beach
    ‪31 min drive‬
  • Place, University of Notre Dame
    ‪44 min drive‬
  • Airport, South Bend, IN (SBN-South Bend Intl.)
    ‪47 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 9)

Bedroom 1

1 Single Bunk Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed and 1 Single Bed

Bedroom 3

1 Single Bed

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Herons Nest at Viewpoint Beach channel on Magician Lake, Sister Lakes, MI 49047

Herons Nest: A cozy lake cottage, with a huge patio for large family events, is located on Magician Lake in Sister Lakes, Michigan. The property is located at the mouth of Polk Channel, a mile-long waterway excavated in the 1950's, running from Magician Lake through Viewpoint Beach...surrounded by pines and hardwoods that have been growing for a century or more. The cottage is perfect for a family vacation, or couples trying to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Fish from the dock and swim and boat on the lake. A sandy swimming and boating area is close by. Air conditioned. Boat rentals, which include kayaks, canoes, paddle boards and pontoon boats, are available for daily or weekly rates.. Enjoy the BB - Q and an evening around the fire pit.
Fall: The property is perfect for an autumn get-a-way. Enjoy a campfire on a cool fall evening, kayak the mile-long Polk Channel, walk through the woods to view the colorful autumn leaves, participate in the many wine-tasting activities sponsored by local wineries, shop the quaint, but bustling Dowagiac, attend a University of Notre Dame home football game in South Bend, IN, carve a jack-o-lantern
provided by Viewpoint Beach management. The cottage is heated; you will be warm and cozy on a cold night after busy, fun fall days in the country. Three-night minimum. Sleeps 9.
We have three cottages next door to each other...Frog Hollow, Turtle Cove and Herons Nest...perfect for a fall group retreat, a reunion or a get-a-way with a group of friends. *Please no high school graduation parties!*

Experience a real American summer and/or autumn in the country
Celebrate your wedding in a natural setting.
Book Early!

Add dates for prices

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House Rules

Check in after 5:30 PM
Check out before 1:30 PM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

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

Property # 7099392
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
Parties and events are allowed on site
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room

About the area

Dowagiac

Located in Sister Lakes, this holiday home is in the city centre and on the waterfront. Dowagiac Area History Museum and Beckwith Theatre are cultural highlights, and some of the area's activities can be experienced at Karma Vista Vineyards and Winery and Contessa Wine Cellars. Take in the nearby slopes with skiing, or try out other outdoor activities such as sledging.
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Map
Sister Lakes, MI

What's nearby

  • Magician Lake - 1 min walk - 0.1 km
  • Andrews University - 25 min drive - 37.3 km
  • Silver Beach - 31 min drive - 42.9 km
  • Warren Dunes State Park - 36 min drive - 62.3 km
  • University of Notre Dame - 44 min drive - 66.5 km

Getting around

  • Dowagiac Station - 15 min drive
  • South Bend, IN (SBN-South Bend Intl.) - 56 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Oak+Ash - ‬15 min drive
  • ‪McDonald's - ‬15 min drive
  • ‪BT's Pub - ‬3 min drive
  • ‪Burger King - ‬16 min drive
  • ‪Taco Bell - ‬15 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Herons Nest at Viewpoint Beach channel on Magician Lake, Sister Lakes, MI 49047 pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much does it cost to stay at Herons Nest at Viewpoint Beach channel on Magician Lake, Sister Lakes, MI 49047?

As of 16 Aug, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Herons Nest at Viewpoint Beach channel on Magician Lake, Sister Lakes, MI 49047 on 18 Aug, 2026 start from S$1,110, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

How much is parking at Herons Nest at Viewpoint Beach channel on Magician Lake, Sister Lakes, MI 49047?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Herons Nest at Viewpoint Beach channel on Magician Lake, Sister Lakes, MI 49047?

Check-in begins at 5:30 PM.

What time is check-out at Herons Nest at Viewpoint Beach channel on Magician Lake, Sister Lakes, MI 49047?

Checkout is at 1:30 PM.

Where is Herons Nest at Viewpoint Beach channel on Magician Lake, Sister Lakes, MI 49047 located?

Located in the heart of Sister Lakes, this holiday home is steps from Magician Lake and within 6 mi (10 km) of Round Lake and Pipestone Lake. Indian Lake and Brown Lake are also within 9 miles (15 km).

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 54 out of 66 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 10 out of 66 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 66 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 66 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 66 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

9.6/10

Location

9.4/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified review

10/10 Excellent

kelly n.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
It was a perfect weekend!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Leticia S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Stayed at the Herons Nest over the weekend with my family. It was a lovely CLEAN relaxing place. Plenty of outdoor seating with a fire pit.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Kailee O.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We had a lovely relaxing weekend.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Bill M.

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

Wonderful Stay

Great Place. Heather and Hilda were easy and great to work with. We would definitely stay again.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

kevin r.

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

Nice weekend stay

Nice weekend away on the lake. Lake access, bonnfire pit and a place to crash and nice kitchen.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Denise M.

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

Clean and plenty of room. Nice outdoor area as well.

Well equipped kitchen, outdoor area had plenty of seating and very clean.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 1 Apr, 2020
Thank you for your comments! ‘Hope to see you again! Regards, Cynthia
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Corie W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great lake house with a beautiful backyard leading to a perfect fishing channel. Had a wonderful weekend!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025
Verified review

8/10 Good

Brian S.

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

Migician Lake access and swim lot are a nice set up

The place was clean, simple to settle in and accommodated our family’s sleeping arrangements with ease.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023
Verified review

8/10 Good

krista W.

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

Great place!

The house was updated and clean. It had all the amenities. The porch needs to be replaced but waking up and enjoying coffee outside was wonderful. We would definitely stay here again.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Daniel B.

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

Great stay

We really enjoyed our stay at Heron’s Nest - it was a perfect getaway. The house is comfortable and has a spacious deck to spread out. We were able to rent a boat which was great to get out on to the lake. The swimming access is also a nice touch - we would absolutely return!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 10 Jul, 2020
Thank you for your kind words. We’re so happy you enjoyed your stay! Regards, Cynthia
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth D.

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

Family weekend

This is our 3rd year here and we enjoy being here. Fishing is great, the house is bug enough for us. The lake is beautiful
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

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

Great Location.

Had another great long weekend! 2nd year in a row.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 1 Apr, 2020
We’re so happy you enjoyed your stay! Regards, Cynthia
Verified review

8/10 Good

Matthew R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Nice clean place with 3 bedrooms, a bathroom, and a combined kitchen and living room area. It is on the back channel of the lake with a swimming hole that can be used across the street. I recommend renting a boat from the owner or from a marina to dock out back so you can explore the lake.
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Amy H.

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

Perfect for us!

This was exactly what we needed! Love the channel we were on, the lake was great, and the owners were fantastic! We hope to be back!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 14 Sept, 2021
We are happy that you enjoyed your stay! The channel should be fully open next summer…currently, it is blocked by fallen trees from a tornado! Thanks for your kind words! Regards, Cynthia
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Julia F S.

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

Host was great!

We arrived at night so the property was a tad hard to find but the host was super helpful. Cottage was comfortable and location was great! Host went above and beyond for us and we couldn’t be more pleased. We will definitely be back!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Kevin H.

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

Perfect vacation home!

Second year in a row and might just make this a yearly stay! House is big enough for the family to spread out and not on the main lake so it’s very peaceful. Rented the pantoon for a day and has a great time on Magician Lake. Fished from the docks the whole week. Host is amazing and very accommodating.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

NANCY J.

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

Herons Nest

besides having a difficult time finding the cabin (wrong address) the stay was very nice, supplied with everything needed. Very clean!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Kimberly S.

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

Bday get away

We really enjoyed our stay. It was relaxing and it was nice for our teenagers to have their own rooms. The pontoon boat was fun. Lot's of sleeping space if you're traveling with a big group. I know a lake trip is casual, but one recommendations I would have is to add a full length mirror. Thats the girlie in me. I did love the deep bathtub.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 2 Oct, 2025
Thank you for the full mirror suggestion. I will definitely include one in each house next year!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

AVhJmdYAAACqAQICAHhRqf5uyCh4rhrpAEcd0Lr3O2ECPWffSl2fK29sG1pXlAHr1XJmDfTHtHZFtmEptm5FAAAAcDBuBgkqhkiG9w0BBwagYTBfAgEAMFoGCSqGSIb3DQEHATAeBglghkgBZQMEAS4wEQQMhaEtjBGIbAHw3WNuAgEQgC050KLpV1s/CfiFuBDswFY62mEU+JLA8F8dkEG+niCTn+KevpQTSBKCa9HjR3vl7Hj2W+9/Xb6TPMe0jjvKXdOOQI6ixLvZAnDVEBSCl2ul A.

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

Great getaway

Easy to get to and great space. Very welcoming. It is near (basically on) the lake so it does have some dampness in the air. Fire pit is awesome and the pontoon was fun to use.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 11 Aug, 2021
Thank you for your kind words. We strive to provide a happy place for your. Vacation!. Warm regards, Cynthia
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

lorretta s.

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

Awesome house- Awesome host

House was a bit more than we expected- Hilda and Heather were easily accessible and went above and beyond. Pictures don’t show the full beauty of the property- on channel but very close to lake entrance- peaceful serene view from back deck- walk around front and get the active lake view.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Ken D.

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

Wonderful location

This was a beautiful location and we really enjoyed our stay. I would highly recommend use of a pontoon rental as it was a great lake for fishing, boating, and recreation. The house was relatively clean and the deck and dock were beautiful. There was plenty of room for us to move around during the stay. Communication was good and we overall had an extremely positive experience. Definitely considering coming back in the future!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 21 Jul, 2020
Thank you for your kind words! We hope to see you again next year!! Warm regards, Cynthia
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Aaron M.

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

Excellent Stay Again

Tornado aside we had an amazing time and it was driven by the properties we rented. This is our second year renting from Hilda and team and it was nothing short of amazing. The properties they have are private and still close enough to the lake. Do yourself a favor and rent on the hoses available and add on the pontoon. Nothing better than a trip around the lake. I can’t wait to book again next year.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 22 Jul, 2021
Thank you for your kind words!! Enjoy the rest of the summer! Warm regards, Cynthia
Verified review

8/10 Good

Elizabeth D.

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

Weekend getaway

This is our second year going here. We loved our weekend getaway. Only issue was we rented a pontoon boat and we did get one but it was smaller then the one we expected. Next year we will make sure the bigger pontoon is what we get.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023
Verified review

8/10 Good

Casey D.

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

Friend’s getaway

It was a cute place. The no linens & towels was new for most of us, but we made it work. We rented a boat which was nice to have. Hilda was very responsive whenever I messaged her. We locked ourselves out, and she came over right away without making us feel bad.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Judiann N.

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

The Great Escape

The house is VERY clean and the wrap around deck is super spacious with plenty of seating. We didn’t get to enjoy all the amenities because other family with a boat were staying at a different lake and that’s where we spent our days. A definite plus is the fact that each bedroom can regulate their own temperature. I would highly recommend it!!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2020

About the host

Hosted by Hilda Reiter

Host profile image

Why they chose this property

This property is 174 acres of untouched pine forests and woods. The property was purchased in 1910 by our Grandfather, Edmund Richard Polk and his wife Agnes. They and their five children established a summer resort, building the first cottage in 1911. That cottage is in use today and provides the owners many hours of summer fun.

In 1958-59, Arthur E. Polk, Sr. and Arthur, Junior dug a mile-long channel throughout the property, making the main section an island. A bridge was purchased for scrap, for $250, and moved by housemovers to the present location (22 miles from its original spot in Sumnerville, MI)

What makes this property unique

We have a limited variety of small boats available for rent
If you wish to rent one of these. You may request to reserve these on your reservation. Payment is due at time of delivery, with cash or Venmo.

kayak: $40/day + 6% tax ($2.40) = $42.40
Paddle Board: $40/day + 6% tax ($2.40) = $42.40
Canoe: $40/day + 6% tax ($2.40) = $42.40
Paddle Boat: $45/day + 6% tax ($2.70) = $47.70

Suggested Pontoon Boat Rental contacts:
Jeff’s Boat Rentals
1-269-210-1180

JD’s Boat Rentals 269-424-5649

Lakeview Marine Services
269-259-5214

Vacation Boat Rentals
616-294-0304

Leaders RPM (for jet skis)
269-372-1072

Languages:

English

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests
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