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Lakefront Vacation home 2800 Sq/ft. Includes kayaks and canoes

Photo gallery for Lakefront Vacation home 2800 Sq/ft. Includes kayaks and canoes

Exterior
Living area
Private kitchen
Room
Living area

Reviews

9.2 out of 10
Wonderful
4 bedrooms3 bathroomsSleeps 12260.1 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Dryer
  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Parking available
  • Pet-friendly
  • Barbecue grill

Explore the area

Map
Atlanta, MI
  • Clear Lake State Park
    ‪18 min drive‬
  • Garland
    ‪38 min drive‬
  • West Twin Lake
    ‪41 min drive‬
  • Alpena, MI (APN-Alpena County Regional)
    ‪50 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 12)

Bedroom 2

1 Double Futon

Bedroom 3

2 Single Beds

Bedroom 4

2 Single Beds

Master Bedroom

1 King Bed

3 bathrooms

Bathroom 2

Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 3

Toilet · Shower only

Master Bath

Toilet · Shower only · Jetted bathtub

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen

About this property

Lakefront Vacation home 2800 Sq/ft. Includes kayaks and canoes

We’d love to share our home with you—a place our family has truly enjoyed for getting away from it all, savoring the outdoors, and spending time together away from distractions. We do provide WIFI and a couple of televisions for family movie nights or catching up on a favorite show. But if you’re looking for more tech-driven comforts and climate controls, this might not be the right fit for your getaway.

Our spacious 2800 sq/ft home has been designed to maximize the beauty of the surrounding outdoors, with large windows, vaulted wood ceilings, skylights, and expansive views across Crooked Lake and the protected state land beyond. Whether you’re here to unplug, to get active, or to enjoy peaceful moments by the water, there’s something for everyone.

Highlights of the Home:

- Two living areas for gathering—our downstairs media room has a 65-inch HDTV and a collection of classic DVDs, while the upstairs offers a cozy space for reading or conversation.
- Workout room (17 x 20 feet) with equipment for those who like to stay active—treadmill, weights, Nordic Track, and a heavy bag.
- Private dock on this quiet, no-wake lake with two kayaks and a canoe available for your use. Paddle out in peace with no Jet Skis or speedboats to interrupt the tranquility.
- Fire pit by the shore—perfect for evenings spent sharing stories under the stars.
- Concrete half-court basketball area for some friendly competition.
- Lake views from nearly every room.
- Washer, dryer, all linens and cooking essentials provided to keep things simple.
- Three bathrooms to comfortably accommodate up to 8 guests.

Also on our one-acre property you’ll find a two-and-a-half car garage with a small workshop. Please note that the garage must be manually opened. We also have a dog kennel for hunting dogs - this is getting a bit old, but reach out and we can share more pictures and details.

The area is an expansive outdoor space for running, hiking, or simply soaking in the natural setting. I grew up running and hiking the roads and trails between Crooked Lake and Avery Lake with my late father and friends. Feel free to ask for suggested routes if you are keen to hit the trails.

Come explore the charm of three nearby small towns, enjoy northern Michigan’s attractions without the crowds, and relax by the quiet waters of Crooked Lake. Golf courses, elk viewing tours, biking, and hundreds of miles of trails are all just a short drive (or paddle) away. We are a day trip to Mackinaw City and the ferry to the 7,000-acre Mackinaw State Park. and perfect for hiking, paddling, fishing, and watching for local wildlife—you might even see elk feeding along the edge of the woods.

We invite you to come enjoy the peace and quiet as we do—slow down, disconnect, and make lasting memories in the woods and on the water.

If you crave all the latest technology or need more extensive entertainment systems, this probably isn’t the best fit. But if you’re longing for the simplicity of quality time together, fresh air, and a true Up-North Michigan experience, we think you’ll love it as much as we do.

Maximum occupancy: 10 people. See more visuals of the home and lake here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8ZkbcMRdfY

Property manager

Drew Edwards

Languages

English, French

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Air conditioning
Gym

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  • Washer
  • Dryer
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House Rules

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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 and cats less than 23 kg per pet (limit 2 pets total)
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

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 indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property

About the area

Atlanta

Atlanta is home to this holiday home. Garland and Fairview Hills 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 Clear Lake State Park and West Twin Lake.
Map
Atlanta, MI

What's nearby

  • Clear Lake State Park - 18 min drive - 22.4 km
  • Garland - 38 min drive - 36.1 km
  • West Twin Lake - 41 min drive - 39.4 km
  • Little Bear Lake - 42 min drive - 39.1 km
  • Wild Frontier Fun Park - 47 min drive - 46.9 km

Getting around

  • Alpena, MI (APN-Alpena County Regional) - 37 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Chatter's Bullpen Bar & Grill - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Lucky D's - ‬5 min drive
  • ‪The Baklava Shop - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪Elk Crossing Cafe - ‬6 min drive
  • ‪J D's Pizza Place - ‬6 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Lakefront Vacation home 2800 Sq/ft. Includes kayaks and canoes pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows cats and dogs (limit 2 total) with a maximum weight of up to 23 kg per pet.

Where is Lakefront Vacation home 2800 Sq/ft. Includes kayaks and canoes located?

Situated in Atlanta, this holiday home is 11.6 mi (18.6 km) from Clear Lake State Park and 12.4 mi (20 km) from Garland. Omh Montmorency Medical Clinic and West Twin Lake are also within 16 miles (25 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. 25 out of 34 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 6 out of 34 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 34 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 34 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 34 reviews

8.4/10

Cleanliness

8.0/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Check-in

9.6/10

Communication

9.4/10

Location

8.8/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Dawn M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
House was amazing, got all of our needs for everyone that was with us. Beautiful home. Will definitely go back again. Very clean, made us all feel at home. Thank you for opening your home to us.
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Jennifer Z.

Liked: Check-in, communication, location
The location and most everything about the cabin was fine. However, Window air conditioners were not installed so in fact it was not air-conditioned. There was some cleanliness issues in the bathrooms. The duct tape on the headboard is still there (I read a review from 2016 that mentioned it). The two guest rooms with Trumble beds were uncomfortable and made a lot of noise. The workout equipment is non-usable. Not a bad place, but I had higher expectations for the price point. I will say the kitchen was well appointed. The lake is beautiful and quiet.
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

PAUL

Liked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, communication
Fit our needs perfectly. Great location for our purpose.
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2025

10/10 Excellent

MARK T.

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

A gem, close to the action!

The perfect home base for our activities with the Sno*Drift Rally. Amazingly situated near Atlanta Schools and the town itself. Owner is amazing and accommodating.
Stayed 5 nights in Feb 2024
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

BARBARA N.

love it we will be back

clean // beautiful lake and area--we will be back and tell others// well worth it
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Nora U.

Papa Bear was "just right!"

Papa Bear was "just the right size" for our group. We happen to be there the weekend of the Perseids meteor shower, to sit on the boat and watched the shooting stars was fantastic!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2017

10/10 Excellent

Lilliah C.

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

Labor Day Weekend

We stayed for the long holiday weekend. The house is spacious and comfortable. We had 4 adults and 2 teenagers and we had plenty of room. The lake is awesome, and we loved kayaking.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2023
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Denis R.

Great place to get away from it all!

Everyone had a relaxing time on the beautiful property, enjoying the fresh air, nature, and beautiful views. It was a good trip to end the summer. It's very likely that we will return next year and try out one of the other properties owned by Marc.

10/10 Excellent

Trish H.

Pleasant, relaxing, quiet

Our family spent a week here and had a very nice time. Marc was very helpful, and the lake was crystal clear and clean. Tall pine trees, a big deck, a dock out in the water, and plenty of kayaks made this a very relaxing spot. Had a couple of loons on the lake, plus fish, crayfish, and turtles.

6/10 Okay

david o.

Summer Time Pike Fishing Vacation

The lake view was beautiful, particularly in the mornings and evenings with the Loons present. The fishing was great. The cabin was great. The only negative was not being able to have the kids swim at the dock area due to the large snapper turtles.
Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2018
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Christmas Getaway

My family and I stayed at this cabin and the adjoining one during Christmas and had the best time ever. We felt at home and found all the amenities wonderful. Marc was very ease to work with as well as the caretaker. The view was beautiful. In the adjoining cabin, we were able to bring our dogs. It truly was a magical Christmas!

10/10 Excellent

Cindy A.

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

Great getaway

Marc is very responsive to inquiries even during your stay. The property has everything you’d need for a comfortable and enjoyable stay. The serene lake is just the thing for a relaxing yet fun time. You have access to several boats and motors. There’s a hot tub and fire pit and a couple of grills. Marc has thought if it all!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2019
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Allen E.

Wonderful family retreat

We live in Northwest Kansas and booked this cabin to get together with our kids and grandkids and this was a central location for everyone. We are so glad we did, the house was clean and well kept. The views from the house were wonderful and the lake was quiet and clean.... We fished, kayaked, went to the beach with the grandkids, took a day trip to Mackinac Island....just overall it was a great time.....the whole transaction went smooth and Marc was helpful with any questions we had...I would definitely stay here again...Great family memories....
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

8/10 Good

andra p.

Amazing family getaway

We stayed at papa bear for 4 days. My husband turned 30 and thought it would be nice to celebrate with our families. The cabin was nice, plenty of space to accompdate all of us. The lake view from the deck was amazing . We really enjoyed nighs around the fire overseeing the lake. The owner, Marc was very understanding when it came to our little furry friend( really hard to find a cabin that is pet friendly). Unfortunatly, the pantoon was not available (was not working) for out stay there, but we took full advantage of the 2 kayaks. The water was nice and wam and we swam a lot. The bedrooms were large enough where we could all fit. Our family had the BEST vacation ever and we reslly enjoyed the property. We eill definetly come back.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Zack S.

Would Definitely Go Back Again

My group of friends decided to rent out the cabin/house for a weekend getaway. This place is everything we could have hoped for and more. The house is located on a beautiful, peaceful lake. The nature was amazing; loons, you could hear the elk at night, and fishing for days. Marc was really great to work with. Easy to get a hold of. Was there for anything we needed help with. Overall, this is who you want to be renting from. If you rent this beautiful property (which I absolutely recommend), I would recommend spending the extra amount for the pontoon. We spent most of our time out on the pontoon and had a blast. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone and will be back very soon!
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Sherry B.

Dream Vacation

In our attempt to leave the heat of south central Texas we headed to Michigan for some family outdoor fun. We fished Crooked lake off the dock and in the boats. We ventured over to Avery lake as well for some fishing. We also took a guided fishing trip on Lake Superior. Atlanta is the perfect spot to be based out of and take a day trip here and there to experience some outdoor fun. We also went to Mackinac Island for the day. Wonderful! Brunch at the Grand Hotel is a must. The weather, scenery, and friendly locals enhanced our enjoyment of our family vacation. We ate at Elk Crossing Cafe for breakfast, lunch, and supper on various days. The food was good, wait staff friendly, reasonably priced, and conviently located. Pappa Bear was perfect for our family. It was clean and well maintained. The owner provided good customer service. I recommend this VRBO.

4/10 Poor

Angie D.

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

Disappointed

Tried to message privately, but was unable to they VRBO. For the price charged, this was a disappointment. There is/was animal feces on the floor in the weight room, stained sheets on one of the beds, and when I went to find new ones, dirty unfolded linen was shoved into the dresser drawers. The king bed was made up with flannel sheets, and with no other apparent clean ones, we had to use those in the middle of July. Fixtures were falling off of the walls, and wall paper falling down in a bathroom. The jacuzzi tub was filthy, one of the reclining chair had fabric that was literally shredded and dangling on the side and back, and a ladder, totes and rugs shoved into a corner of one bedroom. Bed frame was duck taped together and a dresser mirror just sitting in the floor, not to mention the huge cobweb in the dining room window. If there is someone else caring for this, it needs a lot of work to be charging that much per night.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Karen K.

Perfect!

Four adults and four teenage boys. Plenty of room. All we had to bring was the food for the grill! There were plenty of towels, kitchen essentials and toys for outside fun. Our days revolved around getting out on the pontoon. Plenty of room for all of us plus, cooler, snacks and fishing supplies. Plenty of seating for meals inside or outside. Teenagers loved the media room for late night TV and parents could sleep in peace. Gorgeous early morning sunrise on the kayak felt like the world stood still. The loons were fun to watch and listen to. Many crayfish and turtles in the lake. Clean water for swimming. Caught some pike on the last day. We were all very comfortable and highly recommend this home for your northern Michigan get away! Marc was a pleasure to work with. Very responsive and thorough!

8/10 Good

Glenn L.

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

Great time..

We had a great time at Papa Bear on Crooked Lk. The kids fished off the dock, kayaked and went for a boat ride with me. We visited Clear Lake State Park to swim one day, and also used the beach on Croocked Lake a couple times. At night we sat around the fire and listened to owls, loons, and other wildlife under a star filled sky. The house/cabin was plenty big enough for all of us. The common space down stairs was a favorite of the kids to watch TV at night. Having 3 bathrooms was a plus also. The property manager was extremely responsive, and very helpful when I had questions. Only downsides are no beach at cabin for young kids to play(which we knew about going in), and the dock is old and in need of repair. I only gave 4 stars on cleanliness, because it was clean enough for me, but my wife thought it was a bit dusty, and was not a fan of the cobwebs that were in the corners. Other than that it was pretty clean. All in all, I would recommend this place to anyone looking to have a relaxing time in northern Michigan!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2019
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Goldilocks should have stayed...in all three!!

We just spent a wonderful week in Papa Bear...with a nice tour of Mama and Baby Bear next door. First, we came to realize that these three properties are located on the best part of Crooked Lake. The lake is quiet (except for the well-loved loons which made the experience even better), and beautiful...you will feel as if you are far away in the U.P. Rent the pontoon boat; you will be glad you did for those quiet rides around the lake, as well as good fishing while on it. We caught perch, bass, and pike from the dock as well as the boat. Papa Bear is spacious, well equipped, (nice laundry room that came in very handy), and the master suite is like being in a tree house of your own! The fire pit down by the water was used every night. Take the wonderful foldup chairs from the deck down there, and enjoy. Now, let me tell you about Baby Bear: Perfect for a couple! The cabin is very nice, wonderful kitchen, bedroom, living room, BUT the deck! Oh, that deck. You really ARE eating in the trees! Mama Bear is for the more rustic in mind. Although the kitchen is modern, the living area is what you want for "cabin up north". Now this deck is the largest, and has a view that will make you never want to leave! Marc was easy to work with, gave us lots of information about the houses, and we could call with any problems. We were in good hands. We took rides into the Pigeon River area, and searched out the Elk, which we were happy to find. We had with us a 4 year old, and a 89 year old....and I'm not sure who had the most fun. We plan on going back again.
This review was submitted before 2018 and has not been verified.

10/10 Excellent

Scott G.

Amazing Family Retreat!

We just completed our week getaway at Papa Bear with our three adult children, their spouses and two grandsons. This house is extremely spacious and the two levels are perfect for families to have their own space for activities and the set up of the four bedrooms is perfect. We found the lower level entertainment center and workout room were favorite hangouts at various times of the day while the upstairs dining area provided a perfect spot for board games and cards. At night the fire pit down by the lake found most of us roasting some kind of s'mores concoction and chatting away for hours! Everything was extremely clean and all the listed amenities were provided and much more. The description of the property almost doesn't do it justice! Marc is a wonderful owner and very helpful answering questions promptly. The true highlight for our family was renting the pontoon boat and we had many excursions for fishing or just touring around the lake. We caught a fair amount of fish, delighted in observing the wonderful loon couple who resided on Crooked Lake not to mention all the turtles and birds. Our grandsons, ages 3 and 5, enjoyed long swims off the dock and we also took them to the nearby beach for some fun in the sand! The location of Papa Bear is perfect for short excursions or day trips. We made a fun trip to Lewiston to the Talley Bar for their fabulous hamburgers! Other highlights included hiking around Avery Lake and some of our children ventured out on an early morning jaunt to Clear Lake where they encountered a few huge elk and some deer! I would highly recommend Papa Bear for families looking for that relaxing nature inspired vacation without any of the 'roughing it'. You will feel back to nature, but feel very pampered too! Thanks Marc for sharing your great home!

About the host

Hosted by Drew Edwards

Host profile image
This home has been in our family for three decades. I grew up swimming, kayaking, and fishing around Crooked Lake. As I got older, I joined my late father who created running routes from and near our home. The space is large and we work to keep it up to date, recently expanding the deck around the house for a more full view of the lake and for more space to accommodate guests.

Why they chose this property

We chose Atlanta precisely because it is NOT as popular as other towns across Northern Michigan. You have everything you need in Atlanta, but will have to drive about an hour if you want anything more than that. In recent years, Alpena and Gaylord have been our go to for nearly everything beyond the scope of the area.

What makes this property unique

The view across the lake from our home is largely state conservation land, sans one house.

Languages:

English, French
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