Northport, Michigan
Cathead Bay Sand Castle sits on the shore of Lake Michigan and is in a private community on Cathead Bay. It is one of the best kept secrets of Northern Michigan. We are literally on the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula! The light house is five minutes away.
The house is surrounded by a nature preserve and sits at the foot of the Leelanau State Park Dunes. You can cross the road and take a hike up the dunes and usually you will have them all to your self, because the public has to park miles away and hike in to get to them.
The beach is pristine with fine, sugary sand and not rocky like the Grand Traverse Bay side can be and it is sandy as far out into the lake as you can walk. This beach seems almost tropical and you can walk the shore for miles, depending on how high the lake is. The lake height can vary greatly from year to year. If you head south you will end up, after the last house, in an area of protected lake shore that is also part of Leelanau State Park.
This house feels more like a colorful ocean beach house than a lake house and it is very cleverly designed. Closing the huge pocket doors between the Kitchen and Living Room creates a giant Master Suite, since the master bedroom w/full bath is off of the living room. At night there is great privacy from the other bedrooms which are towards the front of the house near the front sitting room.
There is another full bathroom in the hall near the two bedrooms that has a walk in tiled shower. The master bathroom has a large tub with shower.
The Bunkhouse next to the house has 1 bunk bed and a twin size bed, so this area can sleep 3. There is also a large sectional couch and TV in the bunkhouse. It is a big a hit with kids and also allows parents to get some quiet time. The Bunk house does NOT have a bathroom.
The bed sizes are as follows:
1st Bedroom in the main house MASTER -King bed, sleeps 2
2nd Bedroom-Queen bed, sleeps 2
3rd Bedroom-1 Twin size Bunk bed, sleeps 2 and 1 Twin bed, sleeps 1.
Total of 7 can sleep in the main house in beds.
Bunkhouse(Separate from house)
1 Bunk bed and one twin sleeps 3.
Bath #1: Full with walk in shower
Bath #2: Full with large tub/shower
All of the bedrooms look out to the dunes and the sitting room, kitchen and living room all have a great view of the lake. Every bedroom has a mirror.
The house has wifi and cable, with a tv in the living room of main house and one in the bunk house.
The town of Northport is about 15 minutes down the road and it has a great grocery store(Tom’s) and some restaurants and bars. You can be in Leland with the quaint shops of Fishtown and Suttons Bay with all of it’s shops and restaurants in 25-30 minutes. If gambling is your thing, there is the Leelanau Sands Casino in Peshawbestown, which is a little north of Sutton’s Bay. The “Big Town” of Traverse City is about forty five minutes south and so is Glen Arbor, home of our favorite coffee, Leelanau Coffee Roasters and for everything cherry there is Cherry Republic. The Leelanau Peninsula is home to several wineries that have tours.
The house faces west, so you will see some of the most amazing sunsets you have ever seen. At night there is no city light pollution so the sky is loaded with stars.
Whether you want to sit and relax all day by the beach, swim, go off exploring the many hiking trails in the area, check out the nearby towns, take a bike ride, hit the casino, plus so much more, we think you will be glad you chose Cathead Bay Sand Castle.
The deck has a table with seating for 8, two lounge chairs and a couple of other chairs..
Linens and towels provided. Please bring your own beach towels.
Their are extra blankets, but if you plan to stay in the bunkhouse during the cooler days at the beginning and end of summer, we recommend bringing sleeping bags or whatever you think you'd need.
Rates vary with the seasons. Summer weeks from late June to the end of August are Sat to Sat only. Plus Pet Fee, Cleaning Fee and Tax.
NO RVs ALLOWED ON THE PROPERTY.
PLEASE REPLACE ALL MOVED FURNITURE.
PLEASE CLEAN UP SAND IN THE HOUSE.
PLEASE READ OUR RULES AND POLICIES AND INFORM ALL MEMBERS OF YOUR GROUP. THEY WILL BE ENFORCED.
A lovely, well kept home in a nice quiet area.
Always a fabulous trip! Enjoyed new additions (runner to beach, air conditioner in Man Cave, stick vacuum and new location of fire pit). Kitchen is always well equipped. Beds are all comfy! We look forward to coming back every year! Anne
A remarkable place on this planet. Sugar sand, child friendly slope into Lake Mi, sandbars, etc. The house is most pleasant and the entire ezperience was terrific. This was our third time renting this property.
Sunsets are picture perfect, beautiful beach, couldn't ask for more!
We had the most amazing stay at this house. The location is stunning and the house is cozy and has anything you could need. The beach is pristine and peaceful! We can’t wait to come back.
This property was exactly as advertised but gave us so much more. We loved being able to see the lake from inside and listen to the waves all night. The beach was amazing, so clean and sandy. We walked for miles in both directions multiple times, picking up driftwood and pebbles to become treasures. Sunsets were dramatic every night in every kind of weather. I was the only one to appreciate the Dark Sky at 3am with the Milky Way arced overhead, but I could not resist laying on the sand in the dark to let it all wash over me (the stars, not the waves). We saw plenty of shooting stars, and I got a glimpse of the Northern Lights on our final night. We would rent again in a heartbeat, if available.
fantastic, the quintessential beach house. Everything my family was hoping for and more.
Very clean, bright space in a beautiful location.
We've spent many vacations in Northern Michigan and the Sandcastle is one of a kind. The pictures don't do justice to what you see in person. This beach can hang with any beach in the world. The house was perfect for our group. Well stocked and everything we needed to be comfortable. The location is perfect. Nice and remote, but Northport is only 15 minutes away. Leland, Sutton's Bay, Traverse City and Sleeping Bear Dunes are all close by and are great places to visit. If we get the chance we will stay again.
Our stay at Cathead Bay was wonderful. The house was tidy and welcoming with beautiful views. Access to the beach couldn't be easier, and the view of the lake was unsurpassed. The sunsets in particular were perfect. We loved our stay here and would return in a heartbeat.
Wonderful house in one of the most beautiful and serene settings in the midwest. Loved every bit of it.
The whole family enjoyed this wonderful beach house. Plenty of room for hanging out and enjoying family. The location was so great. It was quiet and peaceful. Lots of time spent walking on the beach. It was everything we were looking for on this trip. The town of Northport was really nice too. We REALLY enjoyed the New Bohemian Cafe. Thanks again for a perfect trip.
Beautiful beach perfect for walks, kayaking & paddleboarding. The house has great beach decor that compliments the views to the outdoor oasis. We have stayed twice and look forward to returning in the future!
Had a great time at Sandcastle on Cathead Bay for 3rd year in a row. The weather all week was stellar Michigan weather!
Great property, well stocked, clean, amazing location. Will stay here again. Kids loved it and fast internet for working while looking at the lake.
Our family of 4 loved this place. The house was clean and well equipped, with gorgeous views out each window. The beach is beautiful and quiet. The fire pit was put to good use, and we were able to see shooting stars and the Milky Way while sitting at the fire each night. No complaints at all.
As listed. Easy check in. Great location. 4th room is detached and has no bathroom but would work as bunk room as listed. Owner was very quick to respond helpfully when we asked about air conditioner. And even helped me get a tube inflated.
What a wonderful stay! We loved that our whole family age 1- 65 could enjoy this property together. Very kid friendly, with no stairs and a great back deck to enjoy that is just next to the huge sandy beach! Our kids and dog enjoyed running the dunes near the property each day and then splashing in the lake. Mike was easy to communicate with and made sure we had what we needed - a great booster chair for our toddler and a basket full of beach toys! A campfire with the awesome sunset each evening was the highlight. We hope to be back!!
Simply Wow! Lake Michigan in the front yard and towering white sand dunes in the back yard. The house was updated while maintaining the charm of a vintage beach house. Looking forward to another visit!
Beautiful views, secluded and quiet. Everything was very clean. On our last evening we built a fire in the firepit and watched the sunset.
We love this location and property the setting and views are amazing! Love the property
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Includes taxes and fees