Socrates Place Resort on Lake Van Etten in Oscoda, Michigan

Oscoda, Michigan
$192 avg/night
Bed 2

Bed

Bath 1

Bath

Home Private Vacation Home

Property Type

Sleep 6

Max Sleeps

Socrates Place Resort is a beautifully appointed upscale resort located on the scenic Van Etten Lake in Oscoda, Michigan. Van Etten Lake is a year round all sports Lake for boating, fishing, kayaking, jet skiing, canoeing, water skiing, tubing, swimming, ice fishing and snowmobiling. Relax dockside or by the fire pit in your comfortable Adirondack chair while roasting hot dogs or s’mores and watch the beautiful sunset over the lake. View the bald eagles that fly overhead or watch the mallard ducks and her babies as they feed at our mallard sanctuary. Tie up your own boat, jet skis (boat, jet skis, and motor bike rentals are available in the Oscoda area) or kayak to the dock, or wait for Jim and Joy to take you out for a cruise on the lake on their pontoon boat -- Socrates Place. The extended dock has a comfortable bench with dock umbrellas and fishing holders so that you can relax and fish. If you are new to fishing, Jim will provide you with fishing poles, equipment and bait. End your day of dreams and happiness with a swim in the crystal clear waters of sandy bottom Van Etten Lake. The Resort is a fully furnished and newly remodeled private resort (all new furnishings including new beds, refrigerator, stove and microwave, bedding and linens). Two dining tables with chairs will provide your family with plenty of space for your meals. Two fully furnished bedrooms provide magnificent new queen size beds with new linens and new Berber carpets. The fully furnished living room includes a new Samsung 32” 720p LED HDTV, with cable and WiFi service. The living room sofa pulls out for a comfortable queen size bed. Cook your freshly caught fish (perch, bass, walleye, northern pike and other pan fish) in the fully appointed kitchen that includes a new refrigerator with freezer, electric stove and oven, microwave oven, coffee maker with complimentary coffee, pots and pans, mixer, dishes, glasses, omelet maker, waffle maker, baking ware, cutlery, steak knives, and cutting board. Crock pot, bread maker and other speciality items will be added to the resort with vacationer requests. A new furnace provides a cool or warm resort, along with a new hot water tank, and ceiling fans in each room provide overall comfort for your relaxing stay. A laundry room with a full-size washer and dryer, (and laundry soap included), provides you with the convenience of a care-free vacation. City water and Culligan Filtered water are provided for our guests. Relax on your private patio with a table and two shade umbrellas, and view the lake while you listen to the peaceful sounds of nature. Yard games, for example, bean bag toss are provided for our guests. We have two new kayaks on the property which are available for half or full day rental. The kayaks are a Triton 100 sit-on-top, and an Envoy 106 sit-on-top tandem kayak. We provide the life jackets and the paddles. Two grills are available for outdoor cooking. The fire pit by the lakeside is also your private area for building a fire and relaxing. Lumberman’s Monument, the scenic Au Sable River, and the shores of Lake Huron with the beautiful Oscoda Beach which provides sandy beaches and water that stays shallow for quite a distance for children’s safety, picnic areas with grills, a playground, bathroom facilities, basketball hoops, a skateboard ramp, free movies on the beach, arts and crafts shows in the summer, and a scenic pier are just a quick five minute drive away. The Huron-Manistee National Forests are 9 minutes away for hiking, fishing, horseback riding, picnics, nature and bird-watching, swimming, biking, cross-country skiing, and down hill skiing. Deer and duck hunting in season are popular attraction in the area. Eagle Run Trails runs along the south shore of the Au Sable River where 7 miles of trails are available for vacationers in both the summer and winter months. The Au Sable River Canoe Marathon Race takes place the last weekend of July and is a 120 mile canoe race from Grayling to Oscoda. The YMCA campground Nissokone is on Lake Van Etten and several of our Socrates Place Resort guests have been families whose children are at the camp having fun. Be sure to travel the River Road Scenic Byway where you will discover Foote Dam and Champagne Hill with panoramic river scenery and bald eagles, and interpretative signs in the area to tell you about the natural history of the area, and how the Forest Service protects the habitat of the bald eagle. Take a cruise on the River Queen paddleboat and view swans, bald eagles, mallard ducks, turtles, and geese on the Au Sable River. Visit Wurtsmith Air Base Museum where you will learn the history of the Wurtsmith Air Base (slated to become the new Air Space Rocket Launcher facility), visit the Veterans Memorial, and stop by the Park Rangers Station at the entrance to Wurtsmith where you can get free maps and guides of the area that will show you hiking, biking, swimming, fishing areas, and snowmobile trails, in the National Forests. Visit Largo Springs which features viewing decks and boardwalk paths though the natural springs. Visit the Tawas Point Lighthouse on Tawas Bay on Lake Huron for a tour of the Victorian-era lighthouse, a gift shop, swimming, foot and bike paths through the park, and picnic areas. Visit Newmann Street in Tawas for a day of shopping in unique boutiques, gift shops, speciality shops, candy shops, and restaurants.Tawas City hosts numerous festivals throughout the year including a jazz fest, wine fest, chill cook off, car show, and fishing fest. And In September, the Paul Bunyan Festival is held in Oscoda, and the Harrisville Art Fair is held in Harrisville just north of us. In the fall, the tree leaves change-of-color is a beautiful display that you don't want to miss! For the avid golfer, there are several well-groomed golf courses in the area. Mackinac Island is 117 miles from Socrates Place Resort. Also nearby are grocery stores, pharmacies, shopping and restaurants, as well as coffee shops and ice cream parlors complete your dream vacation at Socrates Place Resort on beautiful Van Etten Lake. Come visit Socrates Place Resort; we promise you that you will return again!!

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  • Feature Features
  • Map Map
  • School District Availability
  • Review Review

Feature Features

  • PETS

    No Pets Allowed
  • BEACH

    Beach Sun Loungers Beach Towels
  • DINING

    Dining Table
  • SAFETY

    Carbon Monoxide Detector Not Reported (host Has Not Indicated Whether There Is A Carbon Monoxide Detector On The Property; Consider Bringing A Portable Detector) Deadbolt Lock Fire Extinguisher First Aid Kit Smoke Detector Installed (host Has Indicated There Is A Smoke Detector On The Property)
  • BEDROOM

    2 Bedrooms Bed Sheets Provided
  • KITCHEN

    Blender Cookware/dishes/utensils Electric Kettle Microwave Oven Paper Towels Refrigerator Stovetop Toaster
  • LAUNDRY

    Laundry Facilities Washing Machine And Dryer
  • PARKING

    Onsite Parking
  • INTERNET

    WiFi Available
  • OUTDOORS

    Barbecue Grill Firepit Garden Outdoor Furniture Patio
  • BATHROOMS

    1 Bathroom Hair Dryer Shampoo Shower Soap Toilet Paper Towels Provided
  • THINGS TO DO

    Bicycle On Site Cycling Nearby Golf Nearby Hiking Nearby Hiking/biking Trails Nearby Kayak On Site Swimming Nearby
  • ENTERTAINMENT

    Books Games TV
  • LIVING SPACES

    Dining Room Living Room
  • CLIMATE CONTROL

    Air Conditioning Heating
  • FAMILY FRIENDLY

    Children's Games Children's Toys
  • SERVICES AND CONVENIENCES

    Iron/ironing Board Safe
  • SUITABILITY/ACCESSIBILITY

    Smoke-free Property

CheckIn Check-in : 04:00 PM CheckOut Check-out : 11:00 AM
No Wheelchair No smoking No pets Children allowed
Occupancy Max occupancy : 6

Map Map

School District Availability

Review Review

  • Kelly

    Submitted Aug 5, 2024

    Stayed Aug 1, 2024

    This lovely 2 bedroom retreat has everything you could want for a getaway, and more. Quiet setting, yet a lot to do in the area. Perfect blend. The host is very pleasant and accommodating.

  • Tiberiu M.

    Submitted Sep 1, 2025

    Stayed Aug 29, 2025

    Great location everything was perfect

  • harry c.

    Submitted Aug 19, 2025

    Stayed Aug 9, 2025

    Wonderful host and very responsive. We enjoyed our week-long stay.

  • Sarah G.

    Submitted Aug 9, 2025

    Stayed Aug 2, 2025

    Beautiful little cottage with an amazing view. Bring your fishing rods. We caught some fish on Lake Van Etten. We swam in the water which was nice. There are stairs to get in and out of the water and when you go out towards the middle of lake the bottom is sand. Bring a roku stick as cable is provided. Washer and Dryer. Large kitchen. Plenty of pillows, sheets, blankets, towels etc. The hosts are wonderful! P.S. the train comes 2x at night.

  • Jeffrey B.

    Submitted Aug 2, 2025

    Stayed Jul 30, 2025

    Beautiful home. So many of your needs were already established in the house like furniture, utensils towels anything you might need. The host was on site but gave you your freedom and space to enjoy your time which was greatly appreciated. Highly recommend!!!

  • Debby M.

    Submitted Jul 30, 2025

    Stayed Jul 26, 2025

    Property is clean, well equipped, grounds are meticulous including a host that cleans up the duck poop several times a day! I can’t recommend this place enough and Joy was a j-o-y!!! You won’t be disappointed!

  • alissa M.

    Submitted Jul 14, 2025

    Stayed Jul 10, 2025

    Felt the care of the owners. Perfect spot for our family trip.

  • Charlene B.

    Submitted Jul 7, 2025

    Stayed Jul 4, 2025

    We could not be happier about our stay. EVERYTHING was gorgeous! Im already thinking of booking for the next available weekend!

  • Kathy C.

    Submitted Jun 29, 2025

    Stayed Jun 26, 2025

    The location was perfect Plenty of amenities in the kitchen and enjoyed the kayaks

  • Jeanie S.

    Submitted Jun 23, 2025

    Stayed Jun 16, 2025

    Joy is an excellent host and made us feel very welcome and comfortable with the little extras, showing us around and being available should we need anything. Living room has a view of the lake with great places to sit outside to enjoy the lake and sunshine. Although we did not use them, nice kayaks are available and would be a fun way to enjoy the lake.

  • Anthony W.

    Submitted Aug 22, 2024

    Stayed Aug 16, 2024

    It was our 5th stay at Socrates Place and it is always amazing. Jim and Joy truly have something special and the fact that they share it with others is incredibly special.

  • Traian T.

    Submitted Aug 13, 2024

    Stayed Aug 8, 2024

    We had an exceptional stay at this beautiful property on Van Etten Lake! The house was spotless and had all the amenities we needed for a comfortable and relaxing vacation. Jim and Joy, the amazing hosts, truly went above and beyond to make us feel welcome. They even printed out a lovely welcome sign for our family and surprised the kids with homemade cupcakes—such thoughtful touches that made our stay extra special. Our girls had an absolute blast, especially around the fire pit making s’mores and enjoying some Bestie pops. The fishing experience was a perfect way to unwind and enjoy the serene lake. This property is a true gem, and we’re so grateful for the time we spent here. We highly recommend it to anyone looking for a memorable getaway and can’t wait to return!

  • Crystal D.

    Submitted Jul 22, 2024

    Stayed Jul 18, 2024

    I recently had the pleasure of staying at this charming house with a perfect location overlooking beautiful Van Ettan lake. The view was absolutely stunning, making it an ideal spot for enjoying morning coffee and watching the sunsets. The house itself was exceptionally clean and cozy, providing a warm and inviting atmosphere. Joy and Jim, our hosts, were nothing short of perfect. They went above and beyond to make our stay special, even welcoming us with delicious cupcakes and fresh flowers upon our arrival. I wish we had enough time to visit with Joy and Jim more. Their hospitality truly made our experience memorable. I highly recommend this rental for anyone looking for a relaxing and picturesque getaway.

  • Christopher C.

    Submitted Jul 10, 2024

    Stayed Jul 3, 2024

    We had a great time at Socrates Place! It was clean, as described, had a kitchen with a lot of pots and pans, and I was very appreciative of the grill and firewood. I'm very sorry that I forgot to message our hosts about disposing of the coals, and re-covering the grill! Location is great as you get to enjoy the smaller lake front and Lake Huron is just a few miles away. We only spoke with Joy, but she was extremely friendly and helpful, and made us feel very welcome. Check in instructions, and process were the best that I've ever had. Would recommend!

  • Christina L.

    Submitted Jul 2, 2024

    Stayed Jun 29, 2024

    Cozy house, well appointed, convenient location. Great hosts that made us feel right at home. We would have stayed longer if they’d had availability!

  • Tammy W.

    Submitted May 27, 2024

    Stayed May 24, 2024

    This is a cute little cottage on Van Eaten lake in Oscoda, MI. We had a late check-in and the process was easy. Thank you Joy and Jim for making our trip a great experience and very welcoming. They have everything you need and then some. It was very quiet and relaxing and lots to do in the area. We spent a lot of our time fishing at Lake Huron on the pier in Tawas and also fishing at Foote Dam. So many other places to go. We really enjoyed our stay. Thank you again!

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Total

Includes taxes and fees
$192+
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