The Lighthouse is a beautiful, large, and family-oriented vacation home on Big Platte Lake. Includes CENTRAL A/C, high-speed Wi-Fi, private lakefront with a sandy beach, private dock, private bonfire ring, private outdoor shower, and lots of living space with two living rooms and two dining rooms! Provides a wonderful and memorable lakefront getaway in Northern Michigan for families or groups!
GUEST INTERACTION:
We have a local property manager that manages the property, lives in the area, and is available to address any questions or issues.
NEIGHBORHOOD:
The property is in a quiet neighborhood of lakefront homes and resorts, with Big Platte Lake on one side of the road and Little Platte Lake on the other side of the road. Boating, kayaking, and fishing are very popular on both lakes. Peterson Beach on Lake Michigan is also only 5.8 miles from the property!
Outside of the immediate area, the property is close to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Lake Michigan, Crystal Lake, Traverse City, and a lot of cute little beach towns in the area like Beulah, Frankfort, Empire, and Glen Arbor. There are all kinds of hiking trails in the area and outdoor activities of all kinds are very popular. The area truly provides for a great vacation getaway!
There are also a lot of activities in the area during the winter. Cross-country and downhill skiing are popular in the area and the cabin is just 18 miles from Crystal Mountain Resort in Thompsonville, which has both downhill and cross-country skiing as well as ice skating. Both cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are available at nearby Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Sleeping Bear Dunes is also great for winter hiking. Ice fishing is popular in the area as well and Little Platte Lake, Big Platte Lake, and nearby Crystal Lake are all good spots for ice fishing. Snowmobiling is also popular and there are snowmobiling trails nearby in the Thompsonville area. Several communities in the area also have Christmas festivities and winter carnivals and/or parades.
GUEST ACCESS:
The attached garage is locked off and is not available for guest usage. There is also a room above the garage that is locked off, is not available for guest usage, and is not included in this listing. There are also a few closets that are locked off for owner storage. The rest of the house and property is fully available for guest usage though.
THE SPACE:
The home is very large with lots of living space for people to spread out and enjoy themselves. It features two separate living rooms and two separate dining areas. It has a washer and dryer on the second floor in the "mixed use bedroom" (Bedroom #5) and also has central air conditioning, which is rare in the area. There is a pack and play travel crib available for usage in one of the closets.
The home also includes high-speed Wi-Fi and a large flat screen television with streaming apps on it. The large wood fireplace in the family room (facing the lake) is available for guest usage, but the gas fireplace in the living room (facing away from the lake) is not available for guest usage.
The home is beautifully decorated in a traditional family-friendly manner throughout the home.
TRANSIT:
There is public transportation in the area via The Benzie Bus, but it highly recommended that guests have their own means of transportation.
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING:
1) PET POLICY: Up to 2 small dogs are permitted at the property. All dogs must be less than 30 lbs. in size. If bringing 1 or 2 dogs, please make certain that they are included on the reservation and that the pet fee is appropriately paid. More than 2 dogs is strictly prohibited and any pets other than dogs are also strictly prohibited. If bringing 1 or 2 dogs, guests must make certain to clean up pet waste as well.
2) AIR CONDITIONING: Although it is not usually needed in northern Michigan, the home does have central air conditioning.
3) NUMBER OF GUESTS: Please note that our pricing is based upon the number of guests, with pricing being higher with each additional guest that is included on the reservation. Please make certain that the correct number of guests is specified on the reservation so that the pricing is correct.
4) EARLY CHECK-IN: Our policy is to allow early check-in on the day of arrival if the property is available for check-in. We will not know until the day before arrival whether or not the property will be available for early check-in or not. You can check with our local property manager the day before arrival or on your arrival day to see if the property will be available for early check-in or not.
5) LATE CHECK-OUT: We maintain a very strict and structured cleaning schedule. As such, late check-outs are strictly prohibited.
6) ENSUITE BATHROOM: Please note that there is no door between the primary bedroom and its ensuite bathroom. There is just a large opening to go from the bedroom to the ensuite bathroom.
7) WASHER AND DRYER: There is a washer and dryer on the second floor of the home. It is in the "mixed use bedroom" (Bedroom #5).
8) WATERCRAFT: The home has a gorgeous private lakefront with a private sandy beach, private bonfire ring, and a private dock; but no watercraft of any kind are included with the rental. Guests are welcome to bring their own watercraft or rent watercraft as they wish.
9) GARAGE: The home has an attached garage, but this is locked off for owner usage and is NOT available for guest usage.
10) FIREPLACES: The large wood fireplace in the family room (facing the lake) is available for guest usage, but the gas fireplace in the living room (facing away from the lake) is not available for guest usage.
11) TRUNDLE BEDS: Please note that the beds in Bedroom #1 and Bedroom #5 are trundle beds, i.e. they are two single beds with the lower bed able to be rolled up under the higher bed.
