Up North Living at its Best

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Entire home

Overview
Amenities
Policies
Location
Host

Exceptional

3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 10185.8 sq m

Popular amenities

Pet-friendly
Parking available
Hot tub
Dryer
Washer
Barbecue grill

Explore the area

Williamsburg, MI

Turtle Creek Casino
‪5 min drive‬
Flintfields Horse Park
‪7 min drive‬
Grand Traverse Resort Golf Course
‪11 min drive‬
Traverse City, MI (TVC-Cherry Capital)
‪21 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 10)

Bonus Room

2 Single Beds and 2 Double Futons

Front Bedroom

1 Double Bed

Master Bedroom

1 Queen Bed

Rear Bedroom

1 Queen Bed

2 bathrooms

Main Floor Bathroom

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Master Bathroom

Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only · Jetted bathtub

Spaces

Deck or patio

Porch or lanai

Kitchen

Office

Garden

Dining area

About this property

Our beautiful home is set in the country, but still only 15 minutes from Traverse City. We have a small 4-H farm with a variety of animals that changes every year after the fair. We have lots of open spaces for anyone who would need to park a boat or a horse or livestock trailer.

The Master Suite is on the 2nd floor, along with the Biliards room that is equipped with extra beds so you can bring extra guests along. These rooms are separated by a large loft that overlooks the great room below.

The Kitchen, Dining, and Great Rooms all flow together as one, only separated by a natural wood, island fireplace. The Dining room opens out to the Screened in Sun Room and back deck, where you can enjoy a family barbecue or just a quiet evening under the stars.

The main floor bedrooms share the main bath, with both rooms able to accommodate 2 people. The rear bedroom is slightly larger and more private with a queen bed to accomadate a 2nd couple. The front bedroom has a standard bed, with a beautiful window that overlooks the front yard.

Please note that this is an active farm. We do have animals that need to be cared for, so we are on site daily, but we never enter the guest area of our home and we do our best to stay out of sight. Of course, we are available if you need us and we are happy to show you the animals or even show you how to help feed them if you so desire.

Property manager

Doug Thomas

Languages

English

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Hot tub

Kitchen

Washer

Dryer

Pet-friendly

Free WiFi

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Air conditioning
Game room
Parking available
Laundry

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM

Minimum age to rent: 25

Check out before 11:00 AM

Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17

There are no child locks.

Events

No events allowed

You will be asked to leave without refund.

Pets

Pets allowed: dogs less than 23 kg per pet (limit one pet total)

Small dogs only in house, large dogs in Mudroom.

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Smoking is allowed outside.

Quiet time is between 11:00 PM and 9:00 AM.

Guests are not allowed to enter any barns or animal pens.

Pets are not to be left home alone, unless they are in a locked kennel, in the mud room. Pets are not allowed on any furniture (inside or out).

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

Note from host: You will be asked to leave without refund.

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

We should mention

A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Williamsburg

Located in Williamsburg, this holiday home is in a rural area. Shoppers can check out Front Street, while everyone can enjoy the natural beauty of Lake Michigan and Torch Lake. Flintfields Horse Park and Music House Museum are also worth visiting. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.

Williamsburg, MI

What's nearby

Turtle Creek Casino - 5 min drive - 5.3 km
Flintfields Horse Park - 7 min drive - 7.6 km
Elk Lake - 11 min drive - 6.1 km
Grand Traverse Resort Golf Course - 11 min drive - 10.7 km
Torch Lake - 19 min drive - 19.1 km

Getting around

Traverse City, MI (TVC-Cherry Capital) - 21 min drive

Restaurants

‪Season's Buffet - ‬6 min drive
‪Bourbons 72 - ‬6 min drive
‪Crossroads Bar - ‬8 min drive
‪Cone Corral & Pizzeria - Rapid City - ‬13 min drive
‪The Deli - ‬6 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Up North Living at its Best pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 1 total) with a maximum weight of up to 23 kg per pet.

What time is check-in at Up North Living at its Best?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Up North Living at its Best?

Checkout is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Up North Living at its Best located?

Situated in a rural location, this holiday home is within 6 miles (10 km) of Haynes Lake, Turtle Creek Casino and Elk Lake. Lake Skegemog and Sand Lakes Quiet Area are also within 6 miles (10 km).

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.

Learn more

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

10/10 Excellent

Janice K.

24 June 2024

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

Farm House Vacation Rental

I would stay here again.

Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

CHAD S.

30 June 2024

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

Nice house

The house was clean and comfortable. Within easy driving distance of many locations. We enjoyed our stay.

Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Chad V.

15 October 2024

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

Highly recommend!

We stayed a few nights with friends for a fishing tournament. The house is very nice, clean and has everything you’ll need and more. Beautiful setting in the country. The hosts were great, very responsive and accommodating. You won’t be disappointed if you stay here, I highly recommend it.

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Emily E.

16 August 2024

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

Great stay, close to GLEF

We had a great stay at this house. It is very spacious and as described. The kitchen had everything we needed, plenty of towels, blankets, etc. Communication with host was great. 10 minutes to the horse show. We would definitely stay again.

Stayed 31 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kristin C., Wellington FL

4 August 2020

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

Extremely Helpful and Responsive!

Wonderful property, great space, clean and organized, perfect accommodations for our trip!

Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2020

10/10 Excellent

Deana F.

16 July 2023

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

Wonderful place

Great communication with the host. Beautiful, comfortable place. Loved the animals, which provided additional entertainment. Provided a great place to relax after a day of visiting Traverse city and Gaylord.

Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

M L.

4 August 2023

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

Escape the city

The property was just as described. Doug was super easy to get ahold of and helpful. A little bit of a farm feel, which we loved. The cows, pigs and goats were the sweetest! Just a hop, skip and jump to Torch Lake. Lake was amazing!!!!!!

Stayed 5 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Kyle P., Lansing, USA

14 August 2023

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

Great home just a little outside the city

Family trip 2023 had 8 of us stay at this property. Was great to have so many rooms to socialize in and was very clean. Beautiful bathroom on the second floor. Little things may be helful for future renters like explaining all the technology in the house. So many switches on the walls we couldnt figure out what they were all for. The main bedroom fan didnt work and we couldnt figure out the bed. It has an electric base and remote but felt extremely firm.

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

terrie h., Frankenmuth

23 September 2021

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

Annual girlfriends golf weekend

Very nice property in close proximity proximity to golfing and Gambling and a few good restaurants.. Hard to find place that sleeps 8 with no pull out couch. Charming and claim.. And the owners paid attention to details And respond quickly to any questions

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

Christine O., Huber Heights

22 August 2021

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

Really nice lodging

This home was perfect for our family vacation. Our daughter, her husband an d 5 year old daughter took over the upstairs and my husband and I took over the first floor. The living room, kitchen, and screened porch were big and comfortable. The home was immaculate. Location was convenient for us since we needed to be in both Traverse City and Kalkaska during our stay. And Doug, the owner, was excellent with communicating and accommodating us.

Stayed 6 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Surrey W.

11 August 2021

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

Perfect TC rental

We rented this wonderful house for a long stay during the horse show. The location is perfect- short distance from the showgrounds. The house is perfectly appointed and the owners were fantastic!

Stayed 35 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

tracey k.

10 August 2021

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

Beautiful home in serene countryside

We thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Poplar Bluff Farmstead (if I’m remembering the name correctly). The home is very comfortable and spacious with plenty of room for our party of 9 to spread out. The Kitchen is fully stocked with all you would need. Other people mentioned the lack of a coffee maker so we brought our own, but discovered they now have a kuerig as well as a regular coffee pot. We loved the open floor plan of the first floor, with a large, comfortable couch and reclining chairs in the living room and both a large table as well as an island for seating during meals in the kitchen. The screened in back porch was so nice to enjoy the outdoors in the evening without worrying about being eaten alive by mosquitos and our kids appreciated the spaciousness of the game room where they could all hang out. The surrounding area is peaceful and quiet. If you’re looking to get away from the hustle yet still be within 15 min of a city, this is a great space. We boated one of our days on Torch Lake so this was a great in between location for us. The owners technically live somewhere on property to care for the animals. I believe a daughter lives in the walkout basement but we never heard or saw anyone or even heard a car going down the driveway. Yet, if we needed anything at all the owner was extremely quick to respond. We all loved seeing the animals (cows, pigs and chickens) on property each day too.

Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2021

10/10 Excellent

Christopher S.

16 June 2021

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

Peaceful family retreat

We had a great stay here! It was such a great location where it was outside the city and private, but a short enough drive to get in to Traverse City. The house was clean and we'll taken care of and communication with the host was excellent.

Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Cheryl G., Grove city,ohio

3 June 2021

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

We had a great time. House accommodated all of our needs. Area is great

The property owner was super to work with

Stayed 5 nights in May 2021

10/10 Excellent

Pam A.

16 October 2020

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

We called it the "Moo!" house

Quiet, lovely relaxing weekend. Property was as described and perfect for our girls get away. Great year (covid) to be in a more remote location.

Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2020

10/10 Excellent

Matthew N.

11 October 2020

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

4H Farm stay

We loved the property! We enjoyed our stay with our children and grandson... He especially enjoyed the animals that were on the property! They're were 7 of us... 6 udults and our 3 year old grandson. We had plenty of space. It is a great location.. Only minutes to Traverse City, Elk Rapids and Alden. Great shops and restaurants near by. Would definitely stay here again!

Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2020

10/10 Excellent

Nicole B.

30 September 2020

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

Great stay

We enjoyed our visit. The home was welcoming and comfortable. Furniture and bedding were very clean, and kitchen well stocked. Plenty of space to spread out and relax or gather around the dining table for a board game. The kids loved visiting the animals- the host’s niece came and told them about how she feeds and cares for the cows and pig (this was my daughter’s favorite part of our trip!). Kids really wanted a bonfire, but there wasn’t a firepit, that was the only downside. Would stay here again !

Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2020

10/10 Excellent

Gus S., Aurora, CO

11 September 2020

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

Our Week on the Farm

My wife and I and our son and his wife were looking for a place to stay out of the mainstream near Traverse City and we certainly found the perfect place. Poplar Bluffs is a small 4H farm with a beautiful home, large front yard, and some small farm buildings. The home is quite spacious, clean with a fully equipped kitchen (except you'll have to bring your own coffee maker!) All the furniture is very comfortable and the beds were to our liking. The bed in the master bedroom is a sort of sleep number kind and so is adjustable from firm to hammock. The bathrooms are very nice too. While you'll have access to the main and upper floors, the family's daughters stay in the lower level which has a walk-out entrance at the back of the house. While this is certainly a different arrangement and you may see them coming and going during your stay we never heard a peep from them the whole time we were there. There is a sunroom off the kitchen which is especially enjoyable for relaxing 'almost' outside. Our three small dogs enjoyed their stay as well. (We did bring our own sheets to protect their furniture) They were especially entertained by the farm animals and there is plenty of acreage for walking them. BTW you will get a whiff of the animals occasionally depending on which way the wind is blowing. We did not find this off-putting at all. Just part of the character of the place. Doug is great to deal with and is very available to answer any queries you may have. He and his wife live in a 5th wheel trailer up on the hill east from the house. You'll see their cars coming and going throughout the day as well but it never felt intrusive. During our stay, we ate at and can recommend Pearls in Elk Rapids and Amical in Traverse City. Of course, we also went to some wineries and found Mari's and Bowers Harbor Vineyards in addition to having excellent wines practicing especially good social distancing, and felt very comfortable there. I'm sure you'll enjoy your stay at Poplar Bluffs however long it is.

Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2020

8/10 Good

Kimberly Z.

22 August 2019

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location

Beautiful home on a beautiful property

The home was very spacious and beautiful. We had a ladies weekend, and we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves in their home. Everyone agreed that they would do it again! We did have to bring our own coffee pot. We were unaware that there were additional family members staying in the basement of the home until about 30 minutes prior to our arrival. We thought we would be able to have the space completely to ourselves, however we felt a little misrepresented by the fact that their children were still staying in the home during the weekend, although they were in a separated and locked area with a separated entrance. The owners were still on property in a hill which overlooked the house, which was fine. If I were coming up there again with my family and small children, I would feel very happy to choose this location again. If I were coming with all adults for a woman’s weekend again, I would probably choose a different location so I do not feel like we might be bothering the children below the main floor. We were mostly all teachers, so it was a little odd to have this situation. The rooms were all beautiful, house was gorgeous and organized. It had everything we needed in the kitchen for cooking (which we did a lot). The owners had good lines of communication if we had any issues, which we didn’t. I would definitely take my family to this property if coming up to Traverse City again. Thanks Doug!

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Ashley K.

15 August 2019

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

Lovely Stay Up North

This was a lovely house that worked nicely for our extended family of 9. It was clean and well appointed, and we greatly enjoyed the pool table and four season room. In addition, the location was perfect for all of our sightseeing in Elk Rapids and downtown Traverse City. All in all a lovely weekend!

Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

Nancy C.

6 August 2019

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

Weekend

Very nice

Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2019

10/10 Excellent

TODD D.

31 July 2019

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

Great place to stay

Great place to stay great location between Traverse and Kalkaska amazing layout and four seasons room. Has a great 4 seasons room which was great to relax in. Super clean and nothing needed when we arrived. 5 stars. For sure.

Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2019

About the host

Hosted by Doug Thomas

Languages:

English

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Up North Living at its Best

Photo gallery for Up North Living at its Best

Reviews

Popular amenities

Explore the area

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 10)

Bonus Room

Front Bedroom

Master Bedroom

Rear Bedroom

2 bathrooms

Main Floor Bathroom

Master Bathroom

Spaces

About this property