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Historic Property close to South Beach and downtown - Upper Unit

Family-friendly holiday home in South Haven

Photo gallery for Historic Property close to South Beach and downtown - Upper Unit

dining and kitchen
great room
foosball & pub table
media center TV room
science room queen bed

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional
3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 8227.6 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Dryer
  • Washer
  • Barbecue grill
  • Fireplace
  • Kitchen

Explore the area

View map
South Haven, MI
  • Place, South Beach
    ‪7 min walk‬
  • Place, Michigan Maritime Museum
    ‪16 min walk‬
  • Place, Kal Haven Trail
    ‪4 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 8)

Little House in the Big Woods

2 Queen Beds

Science Room

1 Queen Bed and 2 Single Bunk Beds

Teacher's Lounge

1 King Bed

2 bathrooms

Guest Bathroom

Toilet · Shower only

Master Bathroom

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

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area

About this property

Historic Property close to South Beach and downtown - Upper Unit

The Indiana School will be your home-base for family fun. The schoolhouse is 2 blocks from Kids Corner park, 3 blocks from the blue stairs access to South Beach, and 7 blocks from downtown restaurants and shopping. The upper unit has 3 themed bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, and sleeps 8 comfortably. The massive great room provides plenty of space for families to spread out and play foosball. The Media Center has space for watching TV and playing games. The large front yard gives your family more time to play in the sun. A propane grill and fire pit with seating is available for your use. There is plenty of parking on the property.

For large families, this unit can be combined with the lower unit for an additional 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, TV room, and another huge great room with pool table. Rent the whole house for a week your family will never forget. See VRBO #858557.

Built in 1898, the Indiana School served as an elementary school until 2005. The schoolhouse underwent extensive remodeling in 2006. Many of the original finishes have been preserved including chalk boards, transom doors, wood paneling, and teacher's closets. Updates, painting, and all new furnishings were done in 2016. New windows, brick restoration, exterior painting, and heating/cooling improvements were made in 2023-24. The Indiana School has been designated as a historical site by the State of Michigan. The schoolhouse is truly a unique home.

Our summer weekly rentals run FRIDAY to FRIDAY. Check-in time is 4:00pm. Check-out time is 10:00am.

PLEASE NOTE there are 3 flights of stairs to access the living space for this unit.

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Free WiFi
Air conditioning
Outdoor space

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view from Indiana Avenue
Historic Property close to South Beach and downtown - Lower Unit
  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Free WiFi
10.0 out of 10, (214 reviews)
Historic Property close to South Beach and downtown - Lower Unit

House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 21
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
Guests must answer a series of questions via the Vrbo inbox within 24 hours of booking. Subject cancellation if unresponsive.
Repeat guest bookings are exclusively at the discretion of the host. Not all repeat guests will be approved and may result in cancellation.

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
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock

We should mention

This property does not have any lifts
A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

South Haven

Located in South Haven, this holiday home is near the beach. Lake Michigan and Pilgrim Haven Natural Area reflect the area's natural beauty and area attractions include Liberty Hyde Bailey Museum & Gardens and Michigan Maritime Museum. Travelling with kids? Consider The Fun Park and Kids Place Park. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
View more Holiday homes in South HavenOpens in a new window
Map
South Haven, MI

What's nearby

  • South Beach - 7 min walk - 0.6 km
  • South Haven Center for the Arts - 9 min walk - 0.8 km
  • North Beach - 10 min walk - 0.8 km
  • Michigan Maritime Museum - 16 min walk - 1.4 km
  • Kal Haven Trail - 4 min drive - 2.1 km

Getting around

  • Bangor Station - 19 min drive
  • Kalamazoo, MI (AZO-Kalamazoo-Battle Creek Intl.) - 52 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪South Beach Cafe - ‬12 min walk
  • ‪McDonald's - ‬16 min walk
  • ‪Clementine's - ‬11 min walk
  • ‪Burger King - ‬13 min walk
  • ‪Cafe Julia - ‬11 min walk

Frequently asked questions

Is Historic Property close to South Beach and downtown - Upper Unit pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

What time is check-in at Historic Property close to South Beach and downtown - Upper Unit?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Historic Property close to South Beach and downtown - Upper Unit?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is Historic Property close to South Beach and downtown - Upper Unit located?

This family-friendly South Haven holiday home is located near the beach, within a 10-minute walk of South Beach and Lake Michigan. South Haven Center for the Arts and Warner Vineyards are also within 15 minutes.

Reviews

10

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. 181 out of 192 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 10 out of 192 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 192 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 192 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 192 reviews

10/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

10/10

Location

10/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Amy O.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We loved our stay! Such an accommodating space and near the beach! Telling all of our friends and family about this special place!
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

James Y.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
perfect for our needs - a guys' golf weekend
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sierra S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We had a wonderful time staying at your beautiful home thank you so much!
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Amy R.

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

Indiana Schoolhouse in South Haven

This was our 4th time staying at this beautiful home! We absolutely love it and will be back again. Close to the beach and town, and the unit was great! Thank you for a wonderful vacation!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jean R.

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

Living Space!

So many comfortable spaces to relax in, such a great kitchen for sharing food with family! We loved our stay here! Everyone in the family had a great time!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Richard B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location
This was our second time at the school house, and it was as enjoyable as the first time. We even had a chance to meet Jennifer and have a few nice chats with Kirk. They made us feel welcomed and free to navigate the property as needed. Looking forward to spending time there again.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jane D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Exceptional on every level!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Brendan B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Great place. Has everything. Huge rooms. Easy check in and out. Just a few block walk to the beach or to town. Cool setup being an old schoolhouse.Note, the walk up to the second floor unit is a decent amount of steps. We did not mind and was not an issue, but just an FYI in case steps are a problem for you.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

James Y.

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

perfect for our group

guys annual golf trip - this is perfect for us with the main area to hang out and plenty of beds for everyone.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jason W.

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

Fantastic and fun property / Highly recommend

Such a great location, within walking distance to town. This is the 3rd time staying and the property is clean and well maintained. Looking forward to next years stay.
Stayed 2 nights in May 2024

10/10 Excellent

Michelle O.

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

Such a great place to stay! So many cute details representing the schoolhouse.

Very large open space, tastefully done and near the water.
Stayed 13 nights in Mar 2021

10/10 Excellent

Jaymie B.

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

Wonderful!!!

This was our 4th stay at this property & we already scheduled for a 5th next year! It’s perfect for our family!
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Verified traveller

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

Family reunion / 4th of July

By far the best rental available in South Haven/South Beach, with the flexibility to easily handle a variety of family sizes. Great owners that had the home fully stocked and with bonus amenities, easy check in/check out process, and phenomenal communication throughout. Truly the crown jewel of a memorable vacation!!
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Suzan W.

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

Another Great Stay

Friends and I love staying at the Indiana School and this new stay was terrific. The “School” is always spotless, has well stocked kitchen, comfy chairs & coach, games, off street parking, garage space, etc. Plenty of space for us to gather AND space for solo time. It’s so easy to walk to the beach and quick drive to area orchards and other venues. Access information was clear and check-out tasks were few and easy.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Jodi B.

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

End of summer getaway for our family

Our family had a wonderful stay at this amazing property. The schoolhouse was not only unique, it was furnished and decorated beautifully. Our granddaughter absolutely loved the chalkboards and all the games. We also appreciated the big gathering rooms so we could all hang out together. This property also has very nice amenities - everything you’d need to make your stay feel like home. We would definitely book again when staying in South Haven. Location was perfect to the beach or to downtown. Thanks for wonderful memories!
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sarah W.

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

Great Stay in South Haven!

We absolutely loved our week in South Haven and our stay at the school. The unit was clean and so spacious - our kids loved the chalkboards, the foosball table and the bunk beds. Location was fantastic - we loaded up a wagon for the few block walk to the beach, and walked into the cute downtown for dinner and ice cream every night. Bowling on a rainy day and Lake Arvesta water park were fun outings - but we mainly just soaked in the beach and gorgeous sunsets! Owners were helpful with questions ahead of time and so kind and friendly when we happened to meet them on-site. A great week - already planning our return trip!
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

JoAnne Z.

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

Awesome weekend and wonderful property

Best VRBO we have ever stayed at. House was spacious and clean and had every amenity you could ask for. The property was an refurbished school house and we loved the historic features that have been preserved. We will be back. So perfect in every way. Thank you for sharing your beautiful home.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Brendan B.

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

Great place to stay

Great place in a great location. The unit is much bigger than it looks in the pictures online. The old classrooms are huge. Very clean and accessible. Easily walkable to the beach, kids corner, and to town. Be aware, the upstairs unit is up three flights of stairs. Not an issue at all for my family, we had a great stay, but if stairs are an issue you should know.
Stayed 11 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Melanie D.

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

Great for a large family!

This was a perfect option for adult children (to walk to town for drinks/shopping), as well as young grandchildren (to walk to the Kids Corner). The beach is within walking distance, which made it easy for all. The house offers lots of space too, which made it very comfortable for all. The homeowners provided everything needed during the stay. There was an issue with the internet and the owners responded to this throughout the day. We will definitely stay here again when visiting South Haven.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2022

10/10 Excellent

Katrina P.

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

South Haven 2024 Vacation

This is a wonderful property. Great space, good location and responsive property managers. It is about a 5 block walk to the South Beach. Very doable. Take note: there are lots of stairs to enter. Good exercise but a little hard for those older. Lots of open space indoors. Outdoors was limited on the property but that was completely ok. The kids and grownups loved the chalkboards throughout the property! Great memories were made here.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2024

8/10 Good

Kristin S.

the Upper School was very spacious, close to beach and town, lovely interior.

Loved the space... And we always love South Haven. I only wish that we had known about the abundance of stairs in the Upper School. The property description only mentioned the 10 stairs that lead to the access doors for each floor. It didn't mention that there were 2 more flights of stairs for the Upper School once you came through the access door. We had 2 ladies in our party who are over 70 so this ended up being a bit of a struggle. However, it didn't dampen our enthusiasm for our trip!
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2018

10/10 Excellent

Barb N.

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

Together time

Overall great property. Clean. Well-stocked. Nice mix of modern amenities and old schoolhouse charm. Loved the chalkboards! The location is super! Quick walk to the beach, playground (a big one) or downtown, but out of the hustle and bustle of a lot of people. Grocery store (which has a little bit of everything) is about a five minute drive. Owners were wonderful to work with. We had a chance to simply chat with them about how they came to find the house, future plans, etc. It rained during our entire stay, so we did not get to utilize any of the wonderful outdoor areas that are on property. I will have to make a return trip to check that out. Which I will for sure be doing!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Jeff K.

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

Great place to stay with friends or family

This converted schoolhouse is so cool. We had the upstairs unit that has a big great room. Lots of fellowship and laughter was shared in that room. We were in town for a Sk8 Ministry Conference and had 3 other couples stay with us for the weekend. Very spacious, very clean, walking distance to downtown South Haven. We can’t wait to rent the property again. If you’re going with other couples or larger fam, look no further. Side note, there is a blue binder by the microwave with the home rules, town info and such. Peek through it. There’s a cool history of the school building in there. And keep your eyes peeled for the black squirrels in Michigan. They’re awesome. If you make your way down to the beach, definitely walk out to the lighthouse if the weather allows. We had a blast and I know you will too.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2019

10/10 Excellent

Lesli G.

Spacious rental in great location!

We really enjoyed staying at the Indiana School. It was extremely large, with plenty of room to spread out. We had 7-8 people during our visit and could have had more. The location is wonderful, close to the beach and Kids Korner, and even walkable to downtown. The unit was clean and well decorated, with comfortable furnishings, as well as a good supply of consumable products to make it easy to settle in. It had nice appliances as well! The history of the school was very interesting and the building was beautiful. Well landscaped as well! Keep in mind that two bedrooms will share a small(ish) bathroom, which is located off the main living area. So you should be comfortable enough with each other to be able to do that! :) The only thing that would have been nice is a bathtub, especially for kids, but we made it work. The driveway for this unit is a bit tricky as well, so we ended up not using the garage and parking down the driveway much closer to the street to avoid the awkward turn-arounds. We had a great time in South Haven and at the Indiana School!
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2016

10/10 Excellent

Yvonne C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Very nice. Master bath needed swept, black hair everywhere, some cobwebs in tv room. Otherwise clean. We thought the location and property were terrific for our family gathering. Thank you.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2025

About the host

Hosted by Jennifer Wiley

Host profile image
Kirk and Jen have been spending summers in South Haven for more than 30 years. We recently retired and moved into the schoolhouse full time. We hope you enjoy experiencing a piece of history by staying in our schoolhouse.

Why they chose this property

We love the family focused south beach neighborhood. It's close to the beach and close to town. There is a variety of full and part time residents, second home owners, and visitors. We love the energy that this diversity gives our neighborhood.

What makes this property unique

The Indiana School is an historic property on the state of Michigan's register of historic places. It is the perfect place for families to gather and spend time together.

Languages:

English

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