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Schoolhouse-Style Lakefront Near Crystal Mountain with Pontoon and Game Room

Lakefront holiday home with kitchen and balcony

Photo gallery for Schoolhouse-Style Lakefront Near Crystal Mountain with Pontoon and Game Room

The School House
Upper Herring Lake is good for fishing and swimming, BUT our shoreline is mucky.
Great Room
Great room looking into kitchen
Full Kitchen

Reviews

10 out of 10, Loved by Guests
4 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 12204.4 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Dryer
  • Pet-friendly

Explore the area

View map
Arcadia, MI
  • Place, Green Point Dunes Nature Preserve
    ‪6 min drive‬
  • Place, Inspiration Point
    ‪7 min drive‬
  • Place, Betsie Lake
    ‪10 min drive‬
  • Airport, Manistee, MI (MBL-Manistee County-Blacker)
    ‪33 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 12)

Bunk Bed Room

1 Single Bed and 1 Single Bunk Bed

Bunk bed room 2

1 Single Bed and 1 Single Bunk Bed

Family Room

1 Double Futon

Main Floor

1 Queen Bed

Main floor living room

2 Double Futons

Top floor with spiral stairs to bell tower

1 Queen Bed

2 bathrooms

Lower level bathroom

Soap · Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only

Main floor Bath

Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Balcony
Separate dining area
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Schoolhouse-Style Lakefront Near Crystal Mountain with Pontoon and Game Room

SCHOOLHOUSE-STYLE LAKEFRONT HOME NEAR CRYSTAL MOUNTAIN WITH FREE PONTOON
This creatively designed 4-bedroom home was built to resemble a classic Northern Michigan schoolhouse, offering a unique and memorable stay with modern comfort. The home is warm, cozy, and thoughtfully laid out for families and multi-generation groups, with separate spaces for adults and children to relax and enjoy their time together.

The property sits on 2.5 private acres along peaceful Upper Herring Lake, with 140 feet of private water frontage and a quiet country setting surrounded by rolling hills, woodlands, orchards, and vineyards.

Located just minutes from Crystal Mountain, the home is well suited for winter ski trips, summer lake vacations, and fall color getaways.

We never charge host fees, cleaning fees, pet fees (up to two dogs), or extra guest fees.

THE HOME
This approximately 2,100 square foot home features cherry wood flooring, ceramic tile, custom woodwork, Pottery Barn–style décor, and a curated mix of antique and custom furnishings that reinforce the schoolhouse theme while remaining comfortable and inviting.

The great room includes an HD TV with Roku, a DVD player, and a DVD library, making it a relaxing space for movie nights and downtime after a day on the lake or the slopes.

The walkout basement includes a pool table, board games, an HD TV with Roku, and a PlayStation 2 with games. This lower-level space is ideal for kids, teens, and casual evening entertainment while allowing adults to enjoy quieter time upstairs.

A standout feature of the home is the 4th-floor bell tower, which offers 360-degree panoramic views of Upper Herring Lake and the surrounding countryside.

LAKE ACCESS AND LOCATION
A short walk of approximately two to three minutes along a boardwalk through a protected natural area leads to the lakefront amenities. The home sits on a slight grade, so the return walk may take a bit longer for guests with mobility or health concerns.

Upper Herring Lake is an all-sports lake that remains peaceful and uncrowded, providing an enjoyable balance of boating, fishing, and quiet lake time.
You are just minutes from Lake Michigan beaches and the town of Frankfort, with easy access to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and Traverse City for day trips.

INCLUDED LAKEFRONT AMENITIES (SEASONAL)
Row boat (April 1 through November 15)
Two kayaks (May 1 through November 1)
Floating foam aqua-play mat (Memorial Day through Labor Day)
Full dock with moorings for additional boats (mid-May through November 1)
Fire pit with chairs
Rope hammock and chaise lounges
Pontoon boat (Memorial Day through early October) with 10 gallons of free pre-mixed fuel
The pontoon boats are clean, well maintained, and functional. They range from 18 to 24 feet in length and are older models with 25 to 35 hp two-stroke motors. They are best suited for relaxed cruising and fishing rather than high-speed boating. Guests with basic boating experience will enjoy them most. Instructions and technical assistance are available if needed.

The lake bottom near the shoreline is typical Northern Michigan soft sediment (mucky) and is not sandy.

WHAT WE PROVIDE
A starter supply of paper goods and soap products is provided and is typically sufficient for a two-night stay for smaller groups.

For a complete list of what is provided and what to bring, please see “Using the Property” on your My Trip page.

WINTER TRAVEL NOTE
For winter stays, an all-wheel-drive vehicle or front-wheel-drive vehicle with good snow tires is strongly recommended.

IMPORTANT HOUSE NOTES
This is a quiet, peaceful setting best suited for families and responsible guests who will care for the home.

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi
Air conditioning

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 10:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

Pets allowed: dogs (limit 2 total)
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Check-out instructions

The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Load and start the dishwasher
Remove personal items, remove leftover food and drinks and take out the rubbish
Turn off the lights, lock the doors and return the keys
1. Start first load of laundry (can be either linens or towels). 2. Wipe excessive spills on surfaces.
3. Return furniture to original places. Please leave inside furniture inside and outside furniture outside. 4. Clean and empty the BBQ grill into provided ash can only.
5. Clean up after pets (including HAIR IN HOME (and "doo-doo" in yard).
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.
Check out list: -Start a load of laundry -Wash dishes & put away -Put back furniture that was moved -Trash out to receptacle -Clean all dog hair & poo
Smoking damages the the home. If smoking has occurred inside the home, there will be a $200-$500 Cleaning Repair Fee depending on the level of damage.
Quiet time: 10PM - 8AM. No parking on rd. By booking guest agrees to VRBO and host's (sent by VRBO after booking is complete) Terms and Conditions

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
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Long-term renters welcome
This property uses eco-friendly cleaning products
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 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

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts
A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Arcadia

Located in Arcadia, this holiday home is in a rural area and on the waterfront. Crystal Mountain and Chestnut Hills Golf Course are worth checking out if an activity is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Lake Michigan and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
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Map
Arcadia, MI

What's nearby

  • Green Point Dunes Nature Preserve - 6 min drive - 7.6 km
  • Inspiration Point - 7 min drive - 8.6 km
  • Chestnut Hills Golf Course - 10 min drive - 11.5 km
  • Betsie Lake - 10 min drive - 13.7 km
  • Arcadia Bluffs Golf Course - 14 min drive - 17.5 km

Getting around

  • Manistee, MI (MBL-Manistee County-Blacker) - 34 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬16 min drive
  • ‪A&W Restaurant - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪MT Plate Diner - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪Chestnut Hills Golf Course - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪Upriver Pizza - ‬16 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Schoolhouse-Style Lakefront Near Crystal Mountain with Pontoon and Game Room pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 2 total). Some restrictions may apply, so please contact the property for more details.

How much is parking at Schoolhouse-Style Lakefront Near Crystal Mountain with Pontoon and Game Room?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Schoolhouse-Style Lakefront Near Crystal Mountain with Pontoon and Game Room?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Schoolhouse-Style Lakefront Near Crystal Mountain with Pontoon and Game Room?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Schoolhouse-Style Lakefront Near Crystal Mountain with Pontoon and Game Room located?

Situated on the waterfront, this holiday home is 2.3 mi (3.7 km) from Lake Michigan and within 6 miles (10 km) of Green Point Dunes Nature Preserve and Inspiration Point. Chestnut Hills Golf Course and Arcadia Area Historical Museum are also within 9 miles (15 km).

Reviews

10

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. 44 out of 48 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 4 out of 48 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 48 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 48 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 48 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

8/10 Good

Mary P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great location close to beautiful Elberta beach.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kiley W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great place. Loved the area. Clean and happy the dog could come.
Stayed 6 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

Don S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Nice quiet location. Beautiful scenery. Very nice place.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2025

10/10 Excellent

jblood98

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Fantastic space. We hope to return again!
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

marlene k l.

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

Fall getaway

I was very interested in this property for future family vacay’s, very fun place, loved how they include the school integrity with antique’s & decore, loved exploring the area ! Would be happy to stay here again!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Karen M., Northville, MI

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

Wonderful stay!

We wanted a family-friendly place for a getaway. The schoolhouse cottage was perfect! Great location, just like photos, fun features like movies, pool/ping pong table, swing set, and a telescope, very comfortable and inviting. We’d love to stay again!
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2021

10/10 Excellent

Todd I.

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

Fabulous location

We really loved the location and access to all the small towns. We enjoyed the peace and quiet and the use of boat, kayaks, and dock. Would love to come again!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Robert S.

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

Great place

We had a great time on this stay. The property manager was very helpful and provided excellent communication. The propert was very clean, had a lot of things to do and was a great environment. Would definitely stay there again and we huge recommend it.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Stephanie M.

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

Absolutely wonderful winter getaway

GREAT! Hope to be back soon.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2020

10/10 Excellent

Jessica W.

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

Great week!

House was perfect for the 11 of us. Great location.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

LORI A.

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

Close to Crystal Mt

Great stay close to Crystal Mt. Wonderful host! Great with communication throughout the visit.
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2021

10/10 Excellent

Beverly P.

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

Family fishing trip

Great property! A lot of fun things to do. The kids loved it!
Stayed 7 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer K., Montague, USA

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

Quick get away with famiky

We had a lovely time. Great house to hang out in and enjoy each others company.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2019

10/10 Excellent

Holly R.

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

School House Vacation

Wonderful property with plenty of room for our group. Lake Perch were plentiful, and delicious. Exciting to hear the wildlife at dark and enjoyed the peacefulness of the surrounding county side by day.
Stayed 7 nights in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

Aimee F.

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

Great Getaway

This property was a wonderful get away. Having access to the pontoon boat and kayaks was so much fun. There was a little bit of a walk from the house to the lake on a private path but not to bad maybe 2-3 mins. It is fairly close, 45 mins-ish, to Sleeping Bear Dune National Lakeshore and is a really cool place to visit. Climbing the dune is no joke but fun. The only thing that could make it better would be to have some 9x13 or 8x11 bakeware. We had to improvise using a loaf pan to make brownies one night. lol! But still, its great and I would stay there again if we are visiting that area again.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Bryan H.

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

Summer Vacation

12 mostly adults stayed comfortable here. Close proximity to lots of things. Make sure you take kayaks to lower herring and kayak out to Lake Michigan.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Terry L.

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

school house

The school house is just as pictured on the website. There is plenty of room for family and friends.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Ryan M.

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

Great Rental!

Our extended family stayed for a week and had no complaints at all. The property was very clean on arrival and the instructions were clear and concise. The pontoon boat was an absolute bonus and the house itself is unique and well cared for. We would recommend a stay to anyone interested and would make plans to come back without hesitation.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Terry R.

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

Welcoming experience

Beautiful schoolhouse property & very clean! Plenty of things in a & around the home to keep all ages busy! Having the pontoon boat was fun for cruising & fishing! We had precious family time! Thank you!
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Chrissy V.

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

Amazing Northern Michigan Retreat!

We were lucky enough to have three nights at Valerie's place! It is such a spectacular location, close to Frankfort and the beach and restaurants, as well as numerous beautiful hiking trails. Our favorite was Green Point Dunes Nature Preserve. We also had a wonderful day driving M22 north to Leland, Northport and Glen Arbor. All within an hour/hour and a half of the property. There are so many great hiking spots within Sleeping Bear National Park. We did Alligator Hill and loved it! So much to do. Great location. And fabulous autumn colors!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2020

10/10 Excellent

Scott J., Rochester, MI, U SA

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

Family Generations Vacation

Nice accommodations. Enjoyed location and hike to water. Pontoon boat was wonderful add on. And the Aquamat. Great fishing (fish the zones shown on map included with cottage handbook). Close to Sleeping Bear dunes (note: Dune walk is quite a challenge!) and nice beaches. Spacious kitchen. Lack of wifi actually a bonus (got youth to spend time on family games). Everyone had a good time. Many thanks!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022

10/10 Excellent

Tami S.

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

Wonderful house!

This was a great place to stay with our 4 adult, 4 kid group. It had everything we needed, was comfortable, and clean. The telescope room is really cool and a unique part of the house. It was further than we'd hoped from Crystal Mountain, but the trip back and forth was manageable. We would love to go back in the summer and take advantage of the lake. No Wifi--my fault for not reading the description well enough to realize this. Not a big deal, as one of our group had a hotspot, and it was better to mostly unplug for the weekend anyway.
Stayed 2 nights in Jan 2023

8/10 Good

Dan O.

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

5 Days in the Schoolhouse

The building is charming inside and out, and the area down by the lake with the pontoon, fire pit and chairs is lovely. Blue Lakes should know that one of the stools at the bar was completely cracked when we arrived so might not be safe to use and there was no battery in the smoke alarm in the main floor bedroom. Typically the standard of care for a property such as this is for toilet paper and trashcan bags to be included. The surrounding area is beautiful with trees and is close to several quaint villages.
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Kitty R.

What a wonderful place!

From the moment I walked in the door, I knew my expectations were going to be exceeded. There was a lit Christmas tree and Christmas music playing softly. I was wondering what I could do to make it feel Christmasy for my granddaughter's first Christmas. The answer was nothing! It was perfect. The school house is nicely located, we didn't here any noise. The house itself is lovely with room to spread out when someone needed space. I would highly recommend this property to anyone who is looking for the "up north " experience.
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2018

10/10 Excellent

Kristeen J.

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

Best Vacation Ever

Everything was perfect with our stay. The home was very clean and the owner thought of everything we needed to enjoy ourselves. The home is decorated like an old school house. The "bell tower" was so amazing to sit up in the morning with coffee and just watch the lake over the trees. DH and I were able to watch movies while the kids played pool and the PS2 in another room. Plenty of cooking necessities to make all our meals. We went for drives during the day and tried out a few of the restaurants recommended in the info book at the house. We had several walks down to the lake and that all looked nice too though we didn't use the fire pit. We also all went for walks along the road with our dog. It's a very beautiful road with barns and orchards all over. Not much car traffic. Would have loved to see it during high color season.
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2023

About the host

Hosted by Lizzie B

Host profile image
I am Lizzie. My Dad built this home and he and my husband take care of maintenance. My mom does all the computer work. We are a very small, family business. <3

Why they chose this property

I love the walks! Everyone has acreage here so it feels very private. Within 1/2 mile are orchards and cows. It is beautiful!

What makes this property unique

This home was built in 2006 to resemble an old school house from 1920. All the antiques in the home are from that period. Also, this is a dedicated vacation rental which means we don't have drawers, closets and cupboards full of our personal items.

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests
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