Benton Harbor, Michigan
** The City of Benton Harbor currently has a lead in water issue. This home is located in Benton Charter Township and has a separate water system that has been updated in the recent past and lead water problem does not apply to this home.**
Nestled atop a lakeside hill in a charming residential neighborhood, 2 miles north of St. Joseph and steps away from Jack Nicklaus's Harbor Shores Golf Course, enjoy the beauty of lake views from your private deck and fenced in back yard. This home sits upon a bluff, with a staircase down the hill to the private association-owned sandy Lake Michigan beach. Walk for miles along the coast, swim, or enjoy water sports of all kinds, beach toys provided! With plenty of space to enjoy down time in this 3-story home, there are 5 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, with two separate living areas, an exercise nook, and a private office. Enjoy our yard games in the backyard while you grill or relax on the expansive deck.
For Winter enjoy easy gas fireplace to cozy up by in the living room to play games, watch movies or sports with lazy Sunday 4pm checkout.
Winter adventures!
Light up the Bluff through Feb 14 in St. Joe
St. Joe Magical Ice Fest. February 4-6 2022
snow shoeing or cross country ski trails/rentals
Swiss Valley Ski Resort (43 miles)
fat tire bikes at Love Creek Nature Center (18 miles)
Snow Tubing at Five Pines Ministries (18 miles) next to Love Creek
About the property:
This home welcomes 10 guests and no more than 4 cars. You have access to the entire house unit except the basement. which is closed from guests for house management use. Kitchen includes Nespresso and traditional drip coffee maker to get your morning started, as well as fresh local coffee grounds at your disposal. There are no stairs to enter this home, and one bedroom (queen) with a half bath + kitchen/dining/living room and laundry on the main level. Second level with 4 bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms, and third level with a recreation room with an air hockey table, workout space, and office. Yoga mats provided. High speed Wifi and cable tv is included, as well as central a/c. Home is equipped with a high chair, pack and play, and baby eating utensils/sippy cups, and plenty of toys, including yard toys and beach toys.
The exterior of this home is monitored via security cameras for occupancy. There are no interior cameras. The basement of the home has a separate entrance and is occasionally used by owners.
Exterior of home with be getting a facelift with new siding and outdoor shower in spring of 2022.
More details:
The main floor has an open inviting feel, with spectacular views of the lake from the kitchen and dining room. The kitchen features quartz countertops, stainless steel appliances, and a large peninsula which creates the perfect area to cook while visiting with your group. This well-equipped kitchen has all you would need to prepare a meal, grill, or even bake during your stay! Enjoy your choice of Nesspresso or traditional drip coffee from our coffee bar, stocked with fresh coffee from the local coffee shop. The dining room features an expansive table, which is the perfect place for large gatherings, and will seat up to 8 people comfortably. Or, even better, share your meal on the large deck while overlooking the lake and fenced-in yard surrounded by mature trees. Deck is complete with a grill, table with umbrella seating 6, and plenty of additional seating for relaxation.
Hardwood floors throughout the main level will draw you into the living room, with plenty of comfortable seating for large groups, an 65” flatscreen tv, and a cozy gas fireplace for those chilly evenings. From the living room, a hallway connects with the main level queen size bedroom, with large windows and a TV. Also on the main level is a half bath, and laundry.
Continuing up the stairs to the second level, you’ll find 4 bedrooms, a queen bedroom with en-suite full bathroom, a king bedroom with lake views, a bedroom with two twin trundle beds which is a perfect spot for kids of all ages, a room with full bed, and a large bathroom with double vanity and a breathtaking lake view.
On the third floor, you’ll find your favorite space of the house, the recreation room overlooking the bright blue lake. We have board games galore, an air hockey table, kids' toys, and a 55” tv for your viewing pleasure. Also make sure to make your way over to the cute lending library in the neighborhood to find the perfect book to read while relaxing in the rec room. There is a yoga area and a private office for ease of bringing work on the road.
Surroundings: This home has plenty of space for all, but we really think you will have a hard time leaving the beach during your stay. There are also plenty of activities in the nearby area. We are 2 miles to downtown St. Joseph with shopping and restaurants, as well as a Children's Museum and play fountain. Additionally, there are 18 miles of cycling trails directly outside of our neighborhood, as well as neighboring Jack Nicklaus's Harbor Shores Gold Course. Enjoy the winery trail, Sarrett Nature Center, berry picking, or the St. Joseph Lighthouse. In the fall, enjoy the beautiful foliage that surrounds the home, as well as fall color drives and hikes. The winter leaves the home with breathtaking views of the lake while you stay warm by the fireplace. Enjoy snow shoeing or cross country skiing on the beach! There is also axe throwing, charter boat fishing, and even a cycle-boat nearby for the more adventuresome!
House rules:
We ask that you keep pets at home, though children are warmly welcomed. Parking accommodates 4 vehicles max, and they must be parked in the driveway and may NOT park on the street. Please honor the serenity of this gorgeous neighborhood so as not to disrupt the neighbors. As such, we do not allow group events. No smoking of any kind is tolerated. There will be an additional cleaning fee for smoke or pets.
Lots of indoor and outdoor space, lovely bedrooms and bonus room in the loft. Beach access just down the hill was super fun to enjoy. 10 people using 2 showers was a challenge at times but overall very nice place to stay.
We definitely enjoyed our week at this house. Spacious enough for our family. Kitchen is very nice too. Neighbors are friendly. We would definitely stay again.
House was perfect for a 3 families that included 5 kids under 5. It was very spacious and the 3rd floor playroom was fabulous. There were great toys for the kids. Jodi is incredibly responsive which was most appreciated. The location was 5-10 minutes from downtown St. Joe's. Would definitely return there. I would
Very comfortable with plenty of space for our family and children. The children enjoyed the third level play room as well as the outdoor deck area and back yard. Plenty of attractions in the area with especially nice shops down town. A bit tricky to find but well worth the stay.
It was superb, we all had a great time. The accommodation were excellent and plenty of room
My family spent a great, long weekend in St. Joseph and loved this house. It felt secluded and remote despite being just 5 minutes from town. Lots of space for kids to spread out as well as nice communal space. The views of the lake are also quite stunning.
Jodi has an incredible property. We traveled with a total of five kids and three other adults and the place easily accommodated all of us. The neighborhood is extremely nice and friendly and the beaches are amazing. Close by to lots of fun activities in restaurants. I highly recommend.
Nice sized home in an amazing location. The location was perfect because of it's proximity to a private (for residents) beach. The neighborhood was very walkable, including good proximity to a local brewery. Jodie, the owner, was responsive to any questions or suggestions. Everything that was needed for the vacation was provided, including toys for the kids. There were several stunning sunsets visible from our back yard, as was a view of Lake Michigan. We really had a lovely stay and hope to visit again next year.
We had a small family reunion at this great house in a charming neighborhood. There was plenty of space both inside and out. The kitchen was well equipped with lots of cookware and dishes. The bath towels were luscious and plenty of beach towels available. There was nice view of the lake from the great deck off the kitchen. The access path to the beach was right next to the driveway. The beach in this area was large with deep fluffy sand but the sunsets …. they were remarkable! Jodi was easy to contact and wonderful to work with. We hope to return again and again.
We had a great time - the home is clean, large living spaces and bedrooms. Big, well equipped kitchen and the deck and yard were a great retreat. Access to the beach was our favorite part. Communication was above expectations. We are so grateful they share this beautiful home.
Jodi provides so much support--a wonderfully equipped kitchen (the coffee drinkers were delighted by the bean grinder); most helpful sand toys; rainbow coverlets, night light, and games that wowed our young granddaughters: and comfy pillows and beds for all of us. The dining and deck tables are large and comfy--creating a space for both wonderful conversations and the rain shower card games--der rigour for MI summers. All the furniture is as wonderful as it appears in the pictures and there have been small but lovely upgrades (especially the shower facility in one bathroom and an outdoor shower for washing off beach sand that has warm water) that contribute to the ambience since the VRBO pics were taken. All of this shows the actions of a welcoming host who wants the experience to be special. Our youngest granddaughter summed it up: Can't we all just live here, Mommy? We'd come again in a heart beat! I've stayed in other VRBO properties and this is far and away the best experience. Deep gratitude to you, Jodi!
Great location just a stones-throw from the beach. Jodi was very accommodating and helpful throughout the stay.
We had the perfect vacation. Checking in was seamless and the home was immaculately clean. The kitchen was fully equipped. The view of Lake Michigan was breathtaking. The very short walk to the beach was convenient and relaxing. There was plenty of space in the home and tons to do. We will definitely be looking to go back as soon as possible.
Five close friends stayed at the property Mother’s Day weekend to celebrate being mothers and grandmothers. Great location. Plenty of space and everyone had their own room. We hired a driver to take us to the wineries on Saturday which was so much fun. The weather was perfect. The owner was very responsive to all my questions. Property looked just like the pictures. We hope to return one day in the future.
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Includes taxes and fees