Northern Michigan Lakeside Family Retreat - sleeps 12

Photo gallery for Northern Michigan Lakeside Family Retreat - sleeps 12

A house with a large deck, outdoor seating, and a view of a lake.
A living room with a fireplace, a large ship's wheel decoration, and a cozy seating area with a couch and chairs.
A compact kitchen with a central island, a dining area with a chair, and a living room with a sofa and a coffee table.
A dining area with a long table and chairs, a bookshelf, and a fireplace.
A two-story house with a large deck and a covered patio area.

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional

Highlights

  • The great outdoors
    Guests love the outdoor space here.
  • Beach equipment
    A rare find — beach equipment ready to go for your days by the sea.
  • By the lake
    Guests love the beautiful lakefront location.

Popular amenities

  • Patio
  • Barbecue
  • Refrigerator
  • Washing machine
  • Internet
  • Onsite parking available

Explore the area

View map
Alanson, MI
  • Place, Pickerel Lake
    ‪2 min walk‬
  • Place, Odawa Casino
    ‪31 min drive‬
  • Place, Boyne Mountain
    ‪46 min drive‬
  • Airport, Pellston, MI (PLN-Pellston Regional)
    ‪22 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

6 bedrooms (sleeps 12)

Master

1 Queen Bed

Middle bedroom

2 Single Beds

Northeast bedroom

2 Single Beds

Northwest bedroom

2 Single Beds

Southeast bedroom

2 Single Beds

Southwest bedroom

1 Queen Bed

3 bathrooms

1st floor guest bath

Soap · Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only · Hair dryer

2nd floor guest bath

Soap · Towels provided · Bathtub · Toilet

Master bath

Soap · Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only · Hair dryer

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Separate dining area
Garden

Add dates for prices

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About the area

Alanson

Located in Alanson, this holiday home is in a rural area and on the waterfront. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Lake Michigan and Burt Lake State Park, while Little Traverse History Museum and Andrew J. Blackbird Museum are cultural highlights. Travelling with kids? Consider Cheboiganing Preserve and Big Bear Adventures. Kayaking and waterskiing offer great chances to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with mountain biking and hiking/biking trails nearby.
View more Holiday homes in AlansonOpens in a new window
Map
Alanson, MI

What's nearby

  • Pickerel Lake - 2 min walk - 0.2 km
  • Nub's Nob Ski Area - 24 min drive - 25.4 km
  • Odawa Casino - 31 min drive - 30.8 km
  • Boyne Mountain - 46 min drive - 58.1 km
  • SkyBridge Michigan - 53 min drive - 62.1 km

Getting around

  • Pellston, MI (PLN-Pellston Regional) - 25 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Dairy Queen - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪Burt Lake Brewery - ‬19 min drive
  • ‪Crooked River Coffee - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪Dutch Oven Yarn Shop - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪Northwood Restaurant - ‬13 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Northern Michigan Lakeside Family Retreat - sleeps 12 pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much is parking at Northern Michigan Lakeside Family Retreat - sleeps 12?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Northern Michigan Lakeside Family Retreat - sleeps 12?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Northern Michigan Lakeside Family Retreat - sleeps 12?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Northern Michigan Lakeside Family Retreat - sleeps 12 located?

This family-friendly Alanson holiday home is located on the waterfront, within 3 mi (5 km) of Pickerel Lake, Crooked Vine Vineyard and Winery and Crooked Lake. Burt Lake and Seasons of the North Winery are also within 6 miles (10 km).

Reviews

9.8

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. 29 out of 34 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 5 out of 34 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 34 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 34 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 34 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified review

8/10 Good

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great Location, easy to get to many fun destinations from the house. Very peaceful setting, and great view of lake off of nice deck. House was well stocked and maintained.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, listing accuracy
Great place for family to meet up and make memories. We fished, kayaked, played games in the yard, cooked together in the kitchen, and enjoyed the surrounding towns and their amenities/attractions.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2026
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Great Family Vacation

Everything was as described, great location and well stocked. Our host was very responsive and attentive.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023
Verified review

8/10 Good

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

Pickerel Lake

Great location. Comfortable accommodations.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Great family vacation.

Nice house with a lot of room for our family to spread out. Beautiful landscape and decks.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Pickerel Lake

This is a great place to spend a week. Great cottage, yard, and beach.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 17 August 2022
Thanks Charles!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Up north at Pickerel

We had a great time. The cottage was clean and comfortable and the owner did everything necessary to make sure we had a very nice stay. Highly recommend this place.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 30 September 2021
Thanks so much!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Great for families

The place was spacious and clean. Valerie is wonderful to work with, and has thought of everything.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Pickerel Lake Beauty

Great place for 6 adults and 5 grandchildren. Big yard for kids to play. Beautiful landscaping.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024
Verified review

8/10 Good

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

Nice place

The house was in a great location and the owner was extremely accommodating. We were a little disappointed there wasn’t a beach though we may have just assumed there would be an easier water entry point. Really a nice little affordable place for a family vacation.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Pickerel Lake 2023

Had a really great time. The cottage was very clean. The lawn and landscaping were beautiful.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Another relaxing week at the lake

This is our second time staying here. Did not disappoint. Peaceful, plenty of room, clean, comfortable, everything we needed; and easy drive to Petoskey and Harbor Springs.
Stayed 10 nights in Aug 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 30 September 2021
:)
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Fantastic

Everyone had a great time. Plenty of space for all to relax and enjoy. Kitchen had everything we could need.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 25 July 2021
Thanks Carol!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Fun fun fun

This was a lovely property with a huge back yard to play in. The fire pit was really nice and so was the dock to the water. The kayaks were a plus and several of the people in our group enjoyed them. The house was nice and clean and the living room was great for our time family
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Family vacation

Lots of room to spread out for our family group of 11. Nice living room to seat all of us in comfortable furniture. Beautiful property with ideal place to dock our boat. Only the weather could have been better! Nothing we could do about that!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 22 June 2023
I wish I could have done something about that weather, thanks for your review, much appreciated!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Beautiful property on serene lake

Spacious living room with beautiful views of Pickerel Lake. Kitchen was well-equipped with anything we could have wished for to prepare meals. Plenty of beds to accommodate a large group. Enjoyed time out on the large deck and fishing right off of the end of the dock. The hostess Valerie is incredibly gracious and she went out of her way to ensure we had everything we needed for a comfortable stay. Great location close to Petoskey and Harbor Springs. Looking forward to staying here again next summer!
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2021
Response from VrboOwner on 28 October 2021
Thank you so much Gwynne, looking forward to seeing you next year!!!
Verified review

8/10 Good

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

Fabulous!!!

We had a wonderful vacation! The house was perfect for our 2 families. The home had plenty of space, was very clean, and just a beautiful space to spend the week! We couldn’t have imagined it to be any better! Valerie was excellent about answering questions we had prior to and during our stay as well. The location on the lake is lovely. The kids enjoyed swimming and fishing from the dock and kayaks. Thank you Valerie!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 15 August 2020
Thanks so much Leslie, it really has been a remarkable first season for me, due to having such fabulous guests!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

The perfect set-up for fun!

This lovely home offered everything our family of nine needed for a fun-filled vacation. It is nicely appointed and spacious. The large yard provided plenty of room for a multitude of outdoor activities during the day and the dining room table was our gathering spot every evening for family games. We enjoyed watching the lake from the deck. We have rented this home twice and are hoping to rent it again.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 12 September 2022
You are so kind, I'm so glad you were able to make it this year after all!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This is truly a beautiful home in a terrific location. We had 10 adults and an infant, so 6 bedrooms were fantastic. The home is beautifully decorated and thoughtfully equipped. The lakefront is just gorgeous, the landscaping is really beautiful so it was lovely to just sit out. We were surprised to find a pickleball/tennis court a 4 minute walk from the property. It is close to Petoskey and Harbor Springs which was lovely. The hostess was easy to communicate with.We had a very hot two days where we missed AC but otherwise found the house to be quite cool even in August temperatures.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Perfect Lake Front Get-Away

We really had a great week. Totally self-contained. We only left the property to go on long walks, or to grocery store and winery down the road. Nice outdoor space — dock, lovely Deck and nicely landscaped yard, plenty of chairs, 2 nice kayaks, grill, yard games and fire pit. Valerie was a great host. She provided everything we needed and then some. She was incredibly responsive to us throughout our stay. My husband is the cook, and he found even the most specialized kitchen tools — multiple cheese graters and lime juicer! Overall, if you’re looking for a quiet, off-the-beaten path lake vacation, this was ideal.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 15 August 2020
I'm so glad you enjoyed your stay, do take care!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Wonderful week!

Our three generations family of nine all thoroughly enjoyed our stay at this lovely home on Pickerel Lake. The house felt very homey and was stocked very well with anything you might need. The owner was quick to respond to any questions and left a detailed manual in the home with information also. Property has a beautiful lawn that was perfect for game playing and there was nice patio furniture and two great Adirondack chairs at the end of a long dock to sit and admire the beautiful scenery. Seating was also plentiful inside for a large group. Lake has a nice sandy bottom from shore to right beyond end of dock. Grandchildren had a fun time enjoying the lake. It was a perfect lake vacation! Thank you!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 18 August 2022
Thank you so much for your thoughtful review, much appreciated, so glad you enjoyed your stay!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Pleasant Pickerel Lake Vacation

Had a wonderful week's vacation Up North on Pickerel Lake at this very nice waterfront home. The home is large, very comfortable and well suited for a large group to enjoy all Northern Mi has to offer in the Summer. The exterior grounds and decking are expansive (and beautiful) so whether you want to grill out/have an outdoor meal, play yard games, lounge by the water, swim, kayak or do water sports - its all there to enjoy. The house is well appointed so you can literally just come with your clothes and not much else. The owner, Valerie, has done a great job in making sure everything you may need is available, has provided very good instructions on how to use the entertainment systems, where to find things, etc. and is very responsive to any questions that may arise. The lake is also a nice size and the homes are all on decent sized lots - so you are fairly secluded from others - not right on top of everyone else - so can do whatever floats your boat and not intrude on others. Its also very close to civilization - so grabbing groceries, going out to a restaurant, etc. is a quick hop away in the car. Although we did a fair bit of traveling around during the week - we did spend a couple of days just at the house - "Lake Days" as we call them - and had some of the best time we have ever had at any VRBO rental. Very sad when we finally had to leave after the week was up. I would definitely recommend staying here if you are in the area. You won't be disappointed.
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 31 July 2024
Wow, thanks so much Eric, really appreciate your thoughtful review!
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Beautiful Setting-Perfect For a Group

Our group enjoyed the property immensely. The owners were very accommodating and helpful. Communication was quick and helpful. We would certainly stay at this property again!
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

Hoping to stay here again

We enjoyed the spaciousness of the cottage. Valerie was very thorough and responsive. It was everything we were hoping for.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022
Verified review

10/10 Excellent

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

BEAUTIFUL!!!

This property delivers on all aspects.
Stayed 8 nights in Aug 2022
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