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Crooked Lake Cottage with sandy swimming beach

Photo gallery for Crooked Lake Cottage with sandy swimming beach

Front of the cottage with deck
Light pine interior is airy and bright.
Dining area
Kitchen
View from the loft.

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional
2 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 6102.2 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Onsite parking available
  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Air-conditioning
  • Outdoor barbecue
  • Deck or patio

Explore the area

View map
Alanson, MI
  • Place, Crooked Lake
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Place, beach near Walter Dow Park
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Place, beach near Windjammer Marina
    ‪18 min walk‬
  • Airport, Pellston, MI (PLN-Pellston Regional)
    ‪16 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

2 bedrooms (sleeps 6)

Downstairs Bedroom

1 Queen Bed

Upstairs Bedroom loft

2 Queen Beds

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathroom 2

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Crooked Lake Cottage with sandy swimming beach

One of six privately owned cottages on Crooked Lake in a family oriented park-like setting located near the popular sand bar. This cottage is full of natural light in a comfy, pine interior with all of the necessary amenities. This is the perfect place for all seasons.

The cute one bedroom, large loft (that includes 2 queen beds), and two full bathroom cottage sleeps six. The kitchen is well stocked for whatever you can imagine you might need.

450 feet of shared waterfront frontage and half is a sandy beach. Shallow and sandy bottom water makes for the BEST and safest swimming on Crooked Lake. Relax and kick back in the evening by roasting marshmallows from one of the multiple bonfire pits.

The Little Traverse Wheelway bike trail can be accessed just across the street from our cottage. Enjoy a great bike ride to Petoskey or the cute town of Alanson, just 3 miles north.

If you prefer a walk, there is a one mile walkway past the historic homes of Crooked Lake, which begins just down the street from the cottage. Our comfortable resort also includes volleyball, small basketball court, and horseshoes. You can really relax here!

There is a boat slip in private marina included with cottage rental. Just let us know if you're considering bringing a boat! Jet skis can be anchored in shallow water off the beach. Cottage is approx. 100 feet from the beach and lake.

The cottage comes with the use of 2 parking spots on the road side of the cottage. The spot in front is for the owners but won’t be used very often.

Lots of restaurants, golfing, and shopping close by-and only minutes from Boyne Highlands and Nubs Nob. The Odawa Resort casino is only 15 minutes from cottage and Mackinac Island is only 30 miles away. A great location!

The beach and park-like setting with boat docking makes this a unique vacation property. If you need more space, we also own property #1502387, which sleeps 8. Reserve now to rent this cozy cottage only seven miles from Petoskey and nine miles from Harbor Springs!

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House Rules

Check in after 3:00 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

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
During June, July and August we prefer to book Friday to Friday.

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
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property

About the area

Alanson

Located in Alanson, this cottage is on the waterfront. Crooked Vine Vineyard and Winery and Chestnut Valley Golf Club 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 Petoskey State Park. Cheboiganing Preserve and Great Lakes Center for the Arts are also worth visiting. Enjoy the area's slopes with cross-country skiing and snowboarding, and don't miss out on the snowmobiling and ice skating.
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Map
Alanson, MI

What's nearby

  • Crooked Lake - 1 min walk - 0.1 km
  • beach near Walter Dow Park - 1 min walk - 0.1 km
  • beach near Windjammer Marina - 18 min walk - 1.6 km
  • Odawa Casino - 19 min drive - 19.6 km
  • Boyne Mountain - 33 min drive - 46.9 km

Getting around

  • Pellston, MI (PLN-Pellston Regional) - 17 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪McDonald's - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Culver's - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Taco Bell/KFC - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Piper's Mighty Good Pizza - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Petoskey Brewing - ‬8 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Crooked Lake Cottage with sandy swimming beach pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much does it cost to stay at Crooked Lake Cottage with sandy swimming beach?

As of 1 May 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Crooked Lake Cottage with sandy swimming beach on 26 September 2026 start from NZ$616, 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 Crooked Lake Cottage with sandy swimming beach?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Crooked Lake Cottage with sandy swimming beach?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Crooked Lake Cottage with sandy swimming beach?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Crooked Lake Cottage with sandy swimming beach located?

Situated on the waterfront, this cottage is steps from Crooked Lake and 1.8 mi (2.8 km) from Oden State Fish Hatchery Visitor Center. Crooked Vine Vineyard and Winery and Pickerel Lake 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. 43 out of 51 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 8 out of 51 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 51 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 51 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 51 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.6/10

Location

9.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jessica B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Loved the location to the lake and local towns as well as Macinac Island. Plenty to do and the house was everything you need!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Larry C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Host was very accommodating. What a great place!!!
Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Andrea E.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location

Comfortable

The cottage had everything we needed. Wonderful vacation spot
Stayed 6 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Patrick A.

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

Wonderful weekend away.

Had a great weekend away for our anniversary with the kids. The use of the lilly pad was absolutely perfect and my the kids LOVED spending a bunch of time at the beach.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

mario s.

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

Wonderful stay

The location and house was just as advertised.we had never been on crooked lake with a sandy beach. We had a terrific week of weather,short drive to northwood family restaurant,Bob's place,and golfing at chestnut valley. We hope to be back next summer.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

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

A great break.

Beautiful cottage with a short drive to Mackinaw and Petoskey. There's a nice beach that our kids enjoyed winding down at. We would utilize this cottage without reservations for future adventures.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Kristen M.

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

Lakeside Vacation

House was very clean and well kept. Beds were comfortable. Cluster of lake homes share a beach and small marina. Simple check-in and out. Close to everything needed while on vacation. If you have kids, renting the lily pad and kayaks is a must! Perfect vacation to Petoskey.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Chad H.

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

Summer vacation

This was a great place for our family to stay. It was in a quiet location outside of Petosky but close enough it to all the main attraction. The cottage was very clean and well stocked with all the things need to cook in the kitchen. Nice little beach to relax at night. The owner was also very quick to reply to any questions we and even gave us suggestion on places to visit. I would recommend this place to friends and family and would even rent again the next time going to Petosky.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Tamara A.

Great cottage!

What a wonderful place! The cottage was great, was clean, has everything you need. The location! Perfect for us. Was able to explore Petoskey, which is so beautiful. Half hour to Mackinaw City, half hour to Charlevoix. And the Lake! Crooked Lake is beautiful. Looking forward to future stays in this cottage. Thanks for a great week!
Stayed 5 nights in May 2018
Verified

8/10 Good

Frances W.

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

Cute cottage

The property was very clean and nicely decorated. The owners were very nice and left us fudge and some condiments which was very nice!! Beach area nice and the swimming was great. My only complaint was the noise of US 31 in our back door. the window units helped though
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2019
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Shawn M.

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

Adorable cottage

I loved this cottage. It was clean, cute and well stocked. It's in a convenient location for all sorts of activities. The little beach was clean, the water is nice and shallow and clean. Chairs and umbrellas are provided which is a major plus for me. There is a small marina to dock your boat, with a boat launch not too far away. The parking with a boat trailer is a little tight but we made it work. We will for sure stay here again.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2022
Verified

8/10 Good

Kelly S.

Beautiful lake, great property

Our family has stayed at this cottage before and always enjoy our time there, as well as in and around the Petoskey area. We love the beach, the lake, and proximity to all things northern MI related. We worked directly with one of the new owners, Sara who was really great to work with -- very responsive and flexible. There was one issue that seemed to annoy most of our family members during our stay at the beginning of Aug. (hence the 4 stars) and that was the SPIDERS. Each family member received numerous spider bites throughout the night during our week stay, even though we brought our own bedding and linens. We also "got rid of" many of them that were crawling in the bathtubs, on the walls, etc. during the day. Don't get me wrong, we still very much enjoyed the cottage, however it needs a very good deep cleaning, especially the exterior / roof overhang where there's many visible webs and nests. That would help tremendously. I understand the cottage being a cottage in a natural surrounding, but talking to the other renters in the other close cottages, they didn't have a problem like we did.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2018
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Amanda F.

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

Cute Cottage on the Beach

Cute clean cottage on Crooked Lake with shared sandy beachfront. Perfect for children, shallow waters go out for a large distance from shore. Light, bright and has everything you need for a great stay!
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Stefanie D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication
Disliked: Location, listing accuracy

Different than expected

This cabin is cute and clean and the owners are great hosts! The location of the cottage has zero private space and is very close to the highway consequently making it too noisy for us.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Michelle W.

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

So much fun

We really enjoyed our time in this well maintained cottage. Being right directly on the water would be the only better thing. Thank you for sharing your place!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Michelle D.

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

Perfection!!

The house was absolutely adorable and very well equipped with everything we needed. We spent alot of time on the nice sand beach and enjoying the lake view from the deck. Megan was fantastic at answering all questions in a very timely manner. Definitely looking to rent again next year 😀
Stayed 5 nights in May 2022
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Holly C.

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

Very nice place

The house was very nice and clean. Kitchen had everything we needed. We had campfires on tbe Beach and watched the sunset. I would highly recommend.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Dave B.

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

Great view of water from house

Very nice place to stay!!!
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Tracey C.

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

Excellent

Great location! Super clean! Has everything you need. Will definitely be back.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Robert B.

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

Fall trip to Michigan to see the leaves changing and experience the culture.

We had a great time in our VRBO property and the entire rental experience was flawless.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Tracy M.

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

Great place to stay

Great location, communication was also great, very clean. Loved our stay here.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Christine B.

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

Weekend stay

Everything was great, very clean, communication was great, it really had everything we needed, the only thing I would recommend is the dumpster to be in a different location.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Megan S.

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

Wonderful Family Weekend

Our family thorough enjoyed our stay over Labor Day weekend. They had everything we needed to keep 3 teenage boys busy. The lake was beautiful. We have every intention on renting there again!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Ryan & Katherine S.

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

Family Vacation

We loved our stay in this community lakefront setting. The cottage was just as listed and we’ve already booked for next summer!!!! Highly recommended
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Nicole G.

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

Amazing summer vacation

We have been vacationing in the Petoskey area since I was a little kid. This is by far the best place we have stayed! The location and beach/lake access cannot be beat. The kids (and adults 😉) loved the LilyPad and kayaks. Already planning on coming back next summer!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2021

About the host

Hosted by Megan Cole

Host profile image
Tom and Megan Cole have lived locally in Petoskey for over 20 years. We've spent 10 summers on Crooked on our pontoon and have been looking for the right spot to call a vacation home.

Why they chose this property

Crooked Lake is a great lake for diversity and family fun--- the sand bar, the Black Hole, fishing, all types of wildlife, the locks and the swinging bridge in Alanson. The setting that Water's Edge provides allows for a little of everything while still being very convenient to Petoskey and Harbor Springs.

What makes this property unique

The proximity of this property to the sandbar as well as the great boat slip makes water adventures an easy escape. If you choose to stay put, the swimming beach is the best on the lake.

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests
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