Benton Harbor, Michigan
Few places offer the gorgeous scenery and hours of fun you’ll find in Southwest Michigan. 5 miles north of St. Joseph, this spectacular house on park-like property offers the perfect getaway for families and friends. Located at the top of the bluff overlooking Lake Michigan and its gorgeous sunsets, surrounded by parks and beaches, rivers and woods, with recreational options galore, we think you’ll enjoy your stay in this beautiful location so much you’ll want to return again and again.
With approximately 220 steps in the back yard that lead down to the lake, the house is located in the middle of a 6+ miles long stretch of privately owned properties, only a few of which have staircases. The property is large, with mature trees providing a blissful location to lounge in a hammock, a huge side yard with plenty of room for outdoor games, and a campfire ring located at the bluff's edge for roasting marshmellows and enjoying the breathtaking nightly sunsets.
Interior finishes, colors, and lighting combine elegance and comfort. Serene lakefront sunroom, gourmet kitchen, cozy and elegant den with fieldstone accents - the list goes on and on! 3 living areas provide plenty of room to enjoy time together along with plenty of space for privacy. A great place to experience "Pure Michigan!"
We kindly ask that you refrain from excessive noise outside of the house. No parties or large events.
House was well stocked, owners thought of everything.
Our family had a great time! The pictures of the house don’t do it justice.
We enjoyed our time in this house! Several living areas to spread out in, a table large enough to seat us all, beautiful deck to hang out at near the lake. Had everything we needed!
We had a 3 generation family reunion. Sleeping accomodations were fine. There was a lovely variety of gathering spaces, both indoors and out. And the kitchen is well equipped to allow much cooking and baking. We were delighted with the overall experience and would not hesitate to book here again.
The property was wonderful for our first extended family gathering in many years. The kitchen is really well supplied and the many different gathering spaces were ideal for our group. We loved seeing the lake, especially sunsets. And we all enjoyed the stairs down to the water. Beautiful place!
Highly recommend this home. Although we often drove to easier access beach locations our extended family really enjoyed this well stocked home with great bluff views.
The property was as shown in the photos on listed. Our group was 12 adults, 1 child and 1 toddler. The family with child/toddler used the studio above the garage and it worked well. The only complaint about the studio was a off odor, but it didn't prevent the family from staying there. The main house had ample bedrooms and bathrooms. the dining areas were large and the outdoor table is where we often sat. Two fridges provided plenty of space for food (we brought out own coolers for drinks). So many appliances! Didn't want for any. Beds were comfortable. Plenty of space for parking. Our house was one of only a few on the road that had stairs going down to the Lake Michigan beach. We felt very lucky! Those who didn't have stairs were out of luck, but we did share ours with the neighbors. The property had plastic chairs and a few sand toys to offer, which was very helpful. St. Joseph had great restaurants and shopping. We golfed just out of town at a course any novice could play, and we drove into Sagatuk for the sights, although I would say St. Joseph had as much to offer as Sagatuk, with easier parking. I would highly recommend this property and location for a family vacation!
Our extended family thoroughly enjoyed our week at this property. The house had everything we needed for our stay, and we had plenty of room for everyone, to include the separate guest house which worked well for our family with young children. The only challenge is the 200+ steps to the beach but we planned ahead to lessen our time on the stairs, and when we did have to make the climb, we considered it forced fitness! There is lots of room for yard games and we enjoyed a visit to downtown St. Joseph. Great area and a great house!
Our family enjoyed our stay very much. We had 16 people in all and there was more than enough room for us all in the house. The St Joe area was really nice, included nice beaches and lots to do regardless of age. Our little ones especially enjoyed the huge splash pad at Silver Beach. And the owners were very responsive to any and all questions we had during our stay.
We celebrated our parents 50th anniversary on our trip. The house/property accommodated our large group well. We had a wonderful time and communication with the owners was great. The stairs down to the water are no joke! But we knew that going in and it did not stop us from enjoying the beautiful shores of Lake Michigan!
Family all had a great time after almost 3 years since we had been able to get together. The porch area was a popular area for gathering during the day. Had bonfire every night. It would have been very useful to have had a floor plan of the house. Would have been more able to decide which bedrooms each person would get. Surprised that the first-floor bedroom did not have and adjoining bathroom, but was across living room, up a couple of steps and down the hall. Not ideal for someone with a handicap.
Our family (3 generations ages 1-66) loved this beautiful home. Plenty of space to spread out as well as gathering for breakfast and dinners. View was fantastic - loved the sunsets. Large yard for the kids to play volleyball, badminton, whiffle ball and more. No one was ever bored. Walked down the 220 steps which was a little rough but was convenient to enjoy the small beach. Easy quick drive to a few other beaches too. Overall one of our best vacations! Shannon, the owner, was nice to work with. House needs a new dishwasher,
One of the best places we’ve rented for our annual family reunion. 13 people - 5 families / couples. Plenty of room, both day & night. Pros: Quiet location, right on water, good beach, warm water with some fun wavy afternoons, amazing sunsets from water or house level, best stocked kitchen we’ve ever rented, plenty of bedrooms, amazing sunroom, plenty of dining areas & tables / chairs, very clean, good bedding, towels, & starter supplies, attractive property, good working a/c. Cons: Lots of steps to the beach. Knew this going into it. Not a problem if you take it slow but it did separate house & beach. No handrails on 2 interior staircases for those that need it. 3 1/2 bedrooms upstairs (including twin open space @ top of stairs) share a single bathroom unless sharing the master ensuite. Overall we had a fantastic stay and would absolutely rent again.