Cabin

Lake Retreat Close to Town and Enjoy Nature on Bike Trail

Photo gallery for Lake Retreat Close to Town and Enjoy Nature on Bike Trail

View from Lake
Living Room with Fireplace
Kitchen and Dining
View from Dock
Fishing from Dock

Reviews

9.2 out of 10
Wonderful
3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 12

Popular amenities

  • Garage parking available
  • Kitchen
  • Washing machine
  • Air-conditioning
  • Barbecue
  • Deck or patio

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 12)

Bedroom 1

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 2

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 3

2 Single Beds, 1 Single Bunk Bed and 1 King Bed

Other (See Description)

1 Queen Bed

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Lake Retreat Close to Town and Enjoy Nature on Bike Trail

Cozy cabin home on beautiful, shady, tree filled lot on private North Lake Drive of Lake Kampeska. Close to Kampeska Lodge for hunting and fishing advice and supplies, also convenient to Highway 20, for easy drive to Watertown and shopping or Lakefront dining at North Shore Restaurant. There are three large parks and bike trails encircling the lake. Bike trail access is across the road going by the property.

South Dakota is famous for it's fishing and hunting. You can fish on the many nearby lakes for walleye, pike, and bass. Pheasants are heard daily from the property and duck, goose, and deer hunting are popular in the fall.

Watertown is known for the Terry Redlin Art Museum, Historic Goss Opera House, Casino Speedway Racing, and many other fun activities.

This property is 3.5 hours West of Minneapolis, MN on Hwy 212, 2 hours North of Sioux Falls, SD on Interstate 29, or 2.5 hours South of Fargo, ND on Interstate 29. Watertown is centrally located on the Eastern side of the Coteau Des Prairies Lake Region. It is an easy one day drive from The Black Hills of South Dakota and Mount Rushmore.

Keywords: lakefront home, dock, on north shore of Lake Kampeska

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House Rules

Check in after 3:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 21

Check out before 10:00 AM

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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

High chair and rocking chair in closet

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Events

Events allowed

NO parking on neighbor's driveway or on any lawn

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Pets

No pets allowed

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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

No fireworks allowed, no open fires allowed

Important information

You need to know

Property # 309379vb
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
Note from host: NO parking on neighbor's driveway or on any lawn
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 indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property

About the area

Watertown

Located in Watertown, this cabin is near a water park and on the waterfront. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Sandy Shore Recreation Area and Pelican Lake Recreation Area, while Goss Opera Hall and Codington County Heritage Museum are cultural highlights. Bramble Park Zoo and Watertown Family Aquatic Center are also worth visiting. Enjoy the area's slopes with cross-country skiing, and don't miss out on the snowmobiling and sledging.
Map
Watertown, SD

What's nearby

  • Lake Kampeska - 1 min walk - 0.1 km
  • Watertown Mall - 13 min drive - 16.0 km
  • Dakota Sioux Casino - 13 min drive - 15.5 km
  • Terry Redlin Museum - 16 min drive - 19.1 km
  • Lake Poinsett - 45 min drive - 66.5 km

Getting around

  • Watertown, SD (ATY-Watertown Regional) - 7 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Subway - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪Casey's - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪Page's Place Cafe & Grill - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪2nd Street Station - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪Backroads Coffeehouse & Lunchboxx - ‬10 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Lake Retreat Close to Town and Enjoy Nature on Bike Trail pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much does it cost to stay at Lake Retreat Close to Town and Enjoy Nature on Bike Trail?

As of 12 May 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Lake Retreat Close to Town and Enjoy Nature on Bike Trail on 17 May 2026 start from NZ$256, 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 Lake Retreat Close to Town and Enjoy Nature on Bike Trail?

On-site parking is available at the property.

What time is check-in at Lake Retreat Close to Town and Enjoy Nature on Bike Trail?

Check-in begins at 3:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Lake Retreat Close to Town and Enjoy Nature on Bike Trail?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Lake Retreat Close to Town and Enjoy Nature on Bike Trail located?

Situated on the waterfront, this cabin is steps from Lake Kampeska and within 6 mi (10 km) of Cattail Crossing Golf Course and Sandy Shore Recreation Area. Bramble Park Zoo and Glacial Lakes Distillery are also within 6 miles (10 km).

Reviews

9.2

Wonderful

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. 37 out of 60 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 19 out of 60 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 4 out of 60 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 60 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 60 reviews

8.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

9.8/10

Communication

9.8/10

Location

9.6/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

10/10 Excellent

Paul F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We rented the site for 30 days and enjoyed every day we were there.
Stayed 25 nights in Apr 2026
Response from VrboOwner on 7 May 2026
Thank you for your kind remarks. We hope that you found everything that you needed for your stay. Thank you for leaving the property in such good condition, also. We hope if you need to work in the area again, you will consider staying again at Kampeska rental.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Tania R.

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

Great Stay

Really nice place to stay!
Stayed 4 nights in Apr 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 28 April 2020
Thank you for your kind words. Kampeska Rental is a place that is close to Watertown, yet a “get-away” from the busy areas. We hope you can stay again soon!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Artena M.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great access to the lake / ice. Level entrance from driveway to the house. Great to have the fireplace in the winter. Great lakeside community. Walking / biking path nearby. Close to town, restaurants.
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 29 December 2025
We are glad that the weather was decent for your stay. Winter weather can change very quickly in South Dakota. The fireplace adds a nice coziness to the living room. We hope you can stay again in the summer and use the dock and lake.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jens C.

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

Spacious Lake House

Great location with lots of space. Right in the lake with a boat dock.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 24 June 2025
Thank you for your review. We try to provide a comfortable and convenient place to stay while visiting Watertown. We hope that the Mayfly hatch didn’t get too “buggy” for you. At least the seagulls were happy!!!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jennie G.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Paula was great to work with and easy to contact! The house worked perfectly and very clean! Great location right on the water!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Craig O.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We have stayed here a number of times. It fits our family perfectly. Thank you Paula!
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2025
Response from VrboOwner on 24 July 2025
Thank you for your review. We always love repeat guests, and hope you can stay next summer, also!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Lea N.

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

Great Lake House

Great location on the lake and very comfortable.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2020
Response from VrboOwner on 6 July 2020
Thank you for your review. We hope that you will stay at Kampeska Rental again.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Ross K.

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

Pheasant hunt

Had a great trip! Host was very responsive.
Stayed 6 nights in Oct 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 28 November 2024
We are glad you had a good stay. Hope you got your birds!!!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

P K.

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

Peaceful lake stay

The view is great - excellent location. Good for families. The home is equipped with everything needed for a comfortable stay. Thank you!
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 8 August 2024
We are glad you had a good stay. We hope you enjoyed the fire pit and grill, the lake from the dock, and the lawn toys. We try to provide things to make our guest’s stays fun. Thank you for leaving the home in good condition. We hope you can stay again!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Jessica P.

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

Great place!

The property/house was perfect for our family vacation. The dock to the lake was a kiddo favorite for swimming and fishing. The owner was great at communicating with house details. We’d definitely go back again!!
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 26 June 2023
Thank you for your kind remarks. We try to keep Kampeska Rental clean, comfortable, and supplied with the things you need for a fun vacation. We hope you can return again!
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Pat D.

Great place for a family visit

We make at least one trip to Watertown every year and have been staying at this property for the last several years. It is a wonderful place to stay. Very peaceful and beautiful. The owner has always been very attentive to our needs. We look forward to coming back next year.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2016
Response from VrboOwner on 2 April 2020
We love repeat guests! We try to keep the home comfortable and clean, and with the trees and lake, we agree it is a peaceful spot to relax and unwind. Thank you for your kind remarks.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Beverly M.

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

Reunion on Kampeska

The rental house was just what we wanted to relax by the lake. Everyone liked the casual feel of the house.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 17 June 2023
We are glad you enjoyed our lake home. We hope you can return again soon!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Ryan A.

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

Fishing trip with the guys

Property worked out great for us. Everything was well supplied and suited our needs.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 1 November 2023
Thank you for your nice comments. We try to have the home supplied with the essential items for our guests. We hope you can return again. We hope you caught some fish!!
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Craig O.

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

Summer Tradition

We have stayed at the property a number of times. Location is excellent and the property provides excellent value for the money. Can't beat the view.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2019
Response from VrboOwner on 2 April 2020
Thank you for your kind remarks. We try to provide an excellent value to our guests, and lake front views are always great, especially when the weather is good!
Verified

8/10 Good

Gaylan L.

The property was comfortable for our three families of eleven total. Never ran out of hot water.

We had a great time, topped only by the three days of nearly perfect weather for boating sports with the grandchildren. The garage was nice for keeping fishing and water sports items stored when not in use.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2018
Response from VrboOwner on 2 April 2020
Thank you for your kind remarks. We hope that you caught some fish!! We also love spending time at the lake, and hope that you can return (with great weather) again soon.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Paul A.

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

Nice property

No issues with anything. Owner was great to communicate with
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 26 October 2022
Thank you for your review. We try to provide a clean and comfortable “home away from home” when you stay at Kampeska. Hopefully you were able to enjoy the lake and dock before the dock was taken out for the season.
Verified

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

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

Family time

Our family enjoyed the time spent together. We visited the zoo, water park, and a hotel waterpark. The children enjoyed playing outside. Unfortunately, the only fish that someone caught was a big carp!
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 15 June 2024
We are glad you enjoyed your visit to Watertown. Too bad you only caught a carp. There are usually bass and catfish and some walleye off the dock. The best fishing months are late April and all of May. Sometimes later in the fall months also.
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Karie S.

Family Celebration

Beautiful property with an amazingly inviting home. We have always preferred staying in a home rather than a cramped hotel room - this property did not disappoint. Everything you could possibly need - dishes, wine glasses, etc. There were only three of us this trip but price still compared to three hotel rooms. This property could easily sleep 9 people.
Response from VrboOwner on 2 April 2020
Thank you for your booking. We always think that Fall is the best time to travel, if possible, with less crowds, and the weather in South Dakota is usually still good into October. We try to keep Kampeska Rental a comfortable and clean place to stay, and if all the available bedding is used, it can actually sleep 12! (sofa bed included) We hope that you can return again for another family celebration.
Verified

8/10 Good

Michael W.

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

On the lake in South Dakota

Nice place on the lake. Served us well as we were in Watertown working-mainly at night and sleeping during the day. Roomy and comfortable. Good alternative to a motel/hotel. Exterior of house needs some attention to all the cobwebs/etc. and tree limb trimming. could not sit outside and eat due to hordes of flies- maybe that time-of-the-year thing. Could be a really nice place with a little more TLC.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 26 August 2022
Thank you for your review. Lake houses attract LOTS of bugs! We provide yard guard "fogger" spray under the sink in the kitchen to help with the fly problem in the summer.... on windy days the flies are not bad, but then there is the WIND! We hope that you can return again.
Verified

8/10 Good

Benjamin F.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Cleanliness

Cabin on the Lake

Property Manager was very prompt and responsive in communicating. Overall the cabin met all of our basic needs and we enjoyed our stay. Upon arrival, the basic up keep of the outside needs more attention to detail (knock down the cob webs, broom & weed eat) and the inside floors, windows, and kitchen simply need cleaned. Bathrooms, Linens and bedding were very clean. We enjoyed the beautiful lake and peaceful setting. Washer and dryer are on premise but tucked away in the basement. Overall, it meets the basic needs but could use some attention to small details and updating to bring it up to a 5 star.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 9 August 2024
Thank you for your review. Since the cabin is on the lake, bugs are a continuing exterior problem. Although the floors and kitchen were thoroughly cleaned, the wooden flooring is 100 years old, just like the rest of the cabin! I agree that the windows did need cleaning, since many guests open them at night to let in the cool night air, so they should have been cleaned, and were attended to as soon as I became aware of it. We hope you can stay again.
Verified

8/10 Good

David B.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Kampeska Lake House

If internet isn’t important to you, then the spotty use of the neighbors service will be fine. Fortunately no one in our group had any work issues requiring their use of the service though WiFi was advertised as available. Would also recommend a little deeper cleaning, but I understand that spiders are pesky at Lake Kampesky (pun intended).
Stayed 13 nights in Jul 2022
Response from VrboOwner on 5 August 2022
I found out that the neighbor’s internet was out during most of your stay. And just to be clear, we do NOT have WiFi advertised at the property. We are glad you were able to use the unadvertised neighbor’s WiFi when it was working. Regarding the insects, keeping bugs outside near a lake is hard to do, especially since the home is 100 years old. We have tented it in the past, and will probably do it again soon.
Verified

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

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

Sleeping with the windows open.

The facility was fine. Excellent upstair bedroom arrangement for family with kids. Parking was good. Dock was good. Furnishings were good. My only and major complaint is that the evenings and nights were so pleasant that I wanted to sleep with the windows open. Somewhere, relatively close to the east, a dog barked ALL NIGHT LONG! If I wanted to spend the evenings/nights with windows closed and air conditioning running, I would have stayed in Texas. Not fair to the hosts, I know.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2023
Response from VrboOwner on 1 July 2024
We are sorry that the neighbor’s dog kept you awake in the night….. since the neighbor with the dogs are three lots away, they rarely bark unless someone is in their yard. If you had let me know, I could have addressed this issue with the owners. Usually people are hearing the pheasants and crickets at night!!! We hope you can return again and find a quieter stay! As an update, on July 1, 2024, we coordinated with the neighbor to install a privacy fence between the two neighbor properties......the dogs cannot see anything now, and consequently they bark MUCH LESS!
Verified

8/10 Good

Tara M.

Great location and wonderful view/lake access!

This lake cabin is a great spot relative to Watertown, the lake and public access to put boats in/out. We loved: the patio, propane grill and fire, the view!, yard to enjoy when not in the water, the lake and beach areas, a great home base to play all weekend. The cabin has 3 double beds, a twin bed and twin bunks along with a double pull out sofa. We were a little tight with 4 couples and a few small children. It is a smaller cabin but the loft area upstairs is really nice and roomy. The cabin is older and wasn't super clean when we got there. But, it was just a home base for us to be outside most of the time so it worked well. Super quiet area and the bike path is a nice asset. Thanks for a fun weekend get away cabin!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2018
Response from VrboOwner on 2 April 2020
Thank you for your comments. As an older cabin, the rooms are not huge, and the 2 QUEEN-sized beds take up most of the space in the bedrooms downstairs. The KING-sized bed in the upstairs loft has a bit more room, since the loft addition was added as one big room with alcoves. The queen sized sofa bed in the living room adds sleeping space, but is not as private. The dust issues will be told to the housekeepers, for future reference. We hope that you can give Kampeska Rental another chance.
Verified

6/10 Okay

Amber N.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Disliked: Cleanliness

Great view!

This was an adorable house, in a good area, easy to get to everything and the back view of the lake was wonderful! The responsiveness of the owner/main contact, Paula, was very quick to respond which was appreciated. We all fit comfortably and it worked just fine for us. The only main issue we had was the cleanliness. While the house was clean as far as the bathroom and kitchen goes which is huge! The outside just needs a good pressure washing and the inside ceilings, walls and floors need to be cleaned of the spiderwebs and bugs. The bugs are everywhere. All and all it worked for us and we appreciated the view of the lake very much!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024
Response from VrboOwner on 22 July 2024
Thank you for your review. Since the home is lakeside, it gets a lot more bugs than a home that is not lakeside. That being said, the windows and screens do need cleaning. And the floor was cleaned, but bugs are everywhere outside, and try to get in all the time ! I will make sure that the cobwebs are gone from the ceiling. I hope that you will give Kampeska Rental another chance.
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Barbara S.

Watertown Property ID 30979

Very nice Property. Top 2 levels very clean and well set up. Basement had bugs but since they were dead it didn't bother us too much - sign on basement door said it was only for tornadoes; but since property was advertised as being equipped with washer/dryer we had planned on using them as we came from another place first assuming we could each throw in a load of laundry to get us by for next couple days. It was either use the washer/dryer or go buy new clothes. Would suggest trimming driveway trees a bit - was tough backing in 2 pickup/boat rigs. Lovely view of the lake.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2016
Response from VrboOwner on 2 April 2020
Thank you for your comments. We try to discourage use of the basement, except in emergencies, and should note that the washer and dryer are in the basement of a very old home, before we remodeled it. We wish you had called for clarification, and we would have explained. We hope you had a good time anyway. We will modify our property use description. It was windy, and fishing conditions were not good. Lake Kampeska is unusually low this year also, so dock fishing and boat mooring are not so good. We hope you give us a second chance and consider us as a vacation option again in the future. We trim the trees every spring, I guess they need another trim, thanks for letting us know!

About the host

Hosted by Paula Christensen

Host profile image

Why they chose this property

We grew up in the area and always enjoy the people, recreational options, and the change of seasons.

What makes this property unique

This property provides good family or group accommodation value compared to local area motels.

Languages:

English

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