Sunbeam Cottage - Stunning Views of Lake Independence in Big Bay

Marquette, Michigan
$309 avg/night
Minimum Stay 1 Nights
Bed 2

Bed

Bath 1

Bath

Home Private Vacation Home

Property Type

Sleep 5

Max Sleeps

Night 1 nights

Min Stay

Welcome to Sunbeam Cottage, a charming 2-bedroom house on Lake Independence, less than two miles from shops and restaurants in Big Bay. Original hardwood flooring, multi-paned windows, antique hardware, and vintage shutter blinds bring out the 1920s character of the cottage, while the sparkling lake views, welcoming sunroom, outdoor seating, and spacious deck create a picturesque and comfortable surrounding to relax and enjoy time away on your vacation. The property's 300 feet of lake frontage and private dock make the space is ideal for those looking for a peaceful getaway. While the U.P. boasts many lakes, Lake Independence's unique features include its stone-and-sand bottom, warm temperature, and shallow depth. No freezing limbs, no water shoes required, and no drop off after 20 feet! In summer, walk down the stairs at the end of the dock into the water and play in the lake all day, venture out onto the lake in the rowboat or kayak available for guest use, or relax in the hammock as the breeze blows. Open the windows in the sunroom to enjoy the feel of being outside, but without the bugs! And if fishing is on your to-do list, Lake Independence is an ideal place to catch jumbo perch, walleye, bass, and more. When hunger calls, the easy-to-use pellet grill is perfect for cooking for the whole family, or visit Big Bay's historic Thunder Bay Inn and then stop for ice cream afterward. While you're in town, enquire at Huron Mountain Outfitters about kayaks, canoes, paddle boards, and motor boats available for rent!

Although there is not a private boat launch on the property, boat launch for Lake Independence is available at Perkins Park.

Looking for a place to stay during your winter snowmobiling adventure Sunbeam Cottage is available for rental year-round. Stay cozy inside while enjoying the view of the frozen lake, or make the house your base for ice fishing on Lake Independence.

Pets welcome! Pet fee is $50 per stay.

Pack and play and booster seat/high chair are available upon request. Families with toddlers may wish to note that there is no fence to keep children from the steeply pitched hill down to the lake.

Occupancy is limited to five people (six with an infant): due to the size of the bedrooms, there is not space for air mattresses or additional sleeping options.

The second cottage on this property is undergoing renovations and will be ready to rent soon. Rest assured, no work will take place during guest stays. We can't wait to share this exciting expansion with you!

Seasonal Items:
The following are available for use from late May to mid-October and are removed for storage during the colder months:
- Metal dock
- Rowboat
- 3 kayaks
- 2 paddle boards
- Life jackets in assorted sizes

Tap Water:
The home’s water is tested regularly and is safe to drink. From roughly mid-October through mid-May, you may notice a mild sulfur or mineral odor due to seasonal water conditions. During this time, we provide gallons of purified drinking water for your convenience.

Accessibility:
Entry via back deck uses stairs
Entry via front (lake side) of house has no stairs but does require walking across lawn and up one step to enter house

Security:
Security camera faces away from house toward back deck and driveway
No cameras inside house

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

Feature Features

  • PETS

    2 Total Pets Pet Friendly Service Animals Exempt From Fees
  • BEACH

    Beach Towels
  • DINING

    Dining Table
  • SAFETY

    Carbon Monoxide Detector Installed (host Has Indicated There Is A Carbon Monoxide Detector On The Property) Fire Extinguisher Smoke Detector Installed (host Has Indicated There Is A Smoke Detector On The Property)
  • BEDROOM

    2 Bedrooms Bed Sheets Provided
  • GENERAL

    Eco-friendly Cleaning Products Provided
  • KITCHEN

    Coffee/tea Maker Cookware/dishes/utensils Electric Kettle Microwave Oven Paper Towels Refrigerator Stovetop Toaster
  • PARKING

    Onsite Parking
  • INTERNET

    Free WiFi
  • OUTDOORS

    Barbecue Grill Firepit Garden Outdoor Furniture Patio
  • BATHROOMS

    1 Bathroom Bathtub Or Shower Hair Dryer Shampoo Soap Toilet Paper Towels Provided
  • ENTERTAINMENT

    Books Foosball Table Games Music Library Video Games Smart TV
  • CLIMATE CONTROL

    Air Conditioning Heating
  • FAMILY FRIENDLY

    Children's Dinnerware Children's Games Highchair Travel Crib
  • SUITABILITY/ACCESSIBILITY

    Hardwood Flooring In Public Areas If You Have Requests For Specific Accessibility Needs, Please Contact The Property Using The Information On The Reservation Confirmation Received After Booking. No Elevator (single Level Property) Smoke-free Property Smooth Flooring In Public Areas Stair-free Path To Entrance Wheelchair-accessible Path Of Travel

CheckIn Check-in : 04:00 PM CheckOut Check-out : 11:00 AM
No Wheelchair No smoking No pets Children allowed
Occupancy Max occupancy : 5

Map Map

School District Availability

Review Review

  • Kimberly M.

    Submitted Jun 26, 2026

    Stayed Jun 12, 2026

    A beautiful peaceful retreat! It had everything we needed, the owners thought of everything we would need. I hope to go back! My favorite place was on the dock, or sitting in the closed in porch. We ate all our meals on that porch, played games, and watched the viewI came home refreshed

  • Janeen S.

    Submitted Jun 12, 2026

    Stayed Jun 10, 2026

    Very nice cottage! Very comfortable, and well equipped with everything you could need. Host was very accommodating and even left a nice gift of Smore fixings!! Bed were very comfortable and the lake is gorgeous! We saw 3 newborn fawns and IDed dozens of songbirds. Thanks for a great 2 days!

  • Abby W.

    Submitted May 4, 2026

    Stayed Apr 12, 2026

    Clean and adorable cottage on a beautiful lake. We had a great stay!

  • Sara B.

    Submitted Oct 24, 2025

    Stayed Oct 21, 2025

    Fantastic place with beautiful views. The cottage had every amenity we could possibly want or need with personal touches from the host such as the hand written thank you note, to the fire starters and smores pack. Will definitely be back

  • Richard K.

    Submitted Sep 29, 2025

    Stayed Sep 23, 2025

    Yes, very clean and cozy. Right from entering the cottage we knew this was going to work. Perfect for us two who are in our early 70's.Fully equipped kitchen, large bathroom, great bedding and spectacular lake view. Where else can you catch a sunrise and sunset from the same place. Shaded yard, great lawn chairs and swings, fire pit with lots of cut wood.Thanks for your attention to detail with old mixed with modern conveniences.My favorite was the wooden screen door. Memories from the past on the farm!Planning to return next Fall.Richard Koehler

  • David D.

    Submitted Sep 22, 2025

    Stayed Sep 10, 2025

    Beautiufuyl cottage on lake. Very secluded and well kept.

  • Krista B.

    Submitted Aug 25, 2025

    Stayed Aug 22, 2025

    This property was fabulous for my small family of 3 and our dog! It had everything we needed to enjoy independence Lake and we were very comfortable. I highly recommend this location to anyone looking for relax and refresh in the UP!

  • Emily D.

    Submitted Aug 5, 2025

    Stayed Jul 30, 2025

    My family and I stayed at this wonderful cottage for an extended wedding trip. The lake was absolutely perfect! Our young kids (7 & 4) were able to walk out quite far with how shallow the lake is near the beach. They spent hours splashing around and paddling in the canoe. We ended our days with a fire and s'mores. Unfortunately, we didn't see as many stars like we hoped due to wildfire smoke. The beds were comfortable and there were plenty of towels. We used quite a few! In the mornings we enjoyed the sunroom for breakfast. We saw some hummingbirds and deer around the property! One thing that would be helpful is to have a step stool for kids. We ended up using a chair so they could wash their hands and brush teeth on their own. Overall, we had a wonderful time and made many memories here!

  • Nancy M.

    Submitted Jul 30, 2025

    Stayed Jul 21, 2025

    Place to sleep and fish needs central air yard nothing but sand garbage never got picked up smelled last 3 days couldn’t sit out side it’s not a 3,000 dollar rental that’s what I paid for the dam house with air dishwasher and laundry the windows had spider webs we had to clean them to have windows open needs a lot of updating and the stairs are to steep

  • Sarah A.

    Submitted Jul 17, 2025

    Stayed Jul 14, 2025

    This is an adorable, comfortable cottage with stunning views of Independence Lake. Owner Amy is responsive and lovely. We had a great time!

  • Erica H.

    Submitted Jun 30, 2025

    Stayed Jun 21, 2025

    This cottage was the perfect spot to escape and start the summer for our family. We had a wonderful week long stay with our 6 & 8 year old daughters, and our dog. Everyone loved it for different reasons, the kids loved swimming in the lake, my husband enjoyed having a fire in the evening, and I loved my morning coffee out on the screened in porch watching the birds. The host has thought of everything and all the small touches made the week easy and convenient for us. This place has a very homey and welcoming feel. We hope to be back again soon!

  • Maureen C.

    Submitted May 4, 2025

    Stayed Apr 28, 2025

    I had a wonderful time at this cozy cabin. The host was super - responsive and I had everything I needed for a comfortable stay. Thank you!

  • Jennifer K.

    Submitted Apr 10, 2025

    Stayed Mar 28, 2025

    This was a wonderful place for my adult daughter and I to have a getaway weekend.

  • Donald S.

    Submitted Mar 16, 2025

    Stayed Mar 8, 2025

    We arrived at the property to find the deck covered in ice and snow. Had to clean the deck off before our 85 year old friends could walk on the deck..drvieway was cover with snow and icy. We could not drive all the way up the driveway. Our New Expedition in four drive was spilling pulling up our 30' enclosed trailer. Had to haul our luggage and food half up the driveway to the house. Once in the house found black ants crawling around the kitchen and bathrooms floors...On Monday my 85 year old friend fell on the driveway. Had to rush him to the Marquette Medical Urgent Care for exrays ..no bones broken but bruised his shoulder and neck. The Doctor put him in a sling. Had to cancel our snowmobiling plans for the week. Can't believe anyone with any brains would allow renters to come to this location and not have the driveway and deck cleaned and ready at 200 plus per night. At less have sanded or salted the driveway. Plus, nowhere to hang our cloths, lousy 3 hooks in the bedrooms. Are you KIDDING.. the couch in the living is a joke. Yes, you tell we are NOT HAPPY

  • Mike M.

    Submitted Feb 23, 2025

    Stayed Feb 20, 2025

    Very nice location to walk out on the water and ice fish. Cozy cabin. Nice sunroom.

  • Krystin H.

    Submitted Jan 21, 2025

    Stayed Jan 12, 2025

    The home was well appointed, and the owners were very responsive. Would definitely return and recommend the location.

  • Jenna R.

    Submitted Nov 27, 2024

    Stayed Nov 7, 2024

    Perfect little retreat! All the basics for a fall weekend. Checked out the area hiking trails.

  • Jason T.

    Submitted Oct 16, 2024

    Stayed Oct 10, 2024

    We had a truly memorable visit to the Marquette/Big Bay Area. The cottage was super cute and comfortable and the view was mesmerizing! The owners went above and beyond and had all the amenities covered, plus many extras! Staying at the cottage made our long weekend truly memorable from relaxing at the cottage enjoying the views from both the cottage and the provided kayak to the numerous breathtaking hikes. In addition, downtown Marquette was easily accessible for great dinners/breweries! I highly recommend this cottage and hope to return someday! Thanks for allowing us to visit your beautiful property!

  • John G.

    Submitted Oct 14, 2024

    Stayed Oct 4, 2024

    This place was great. Attention to detail as far as everything you might need. Great view, screened-in porch is a plus

  • Jacqueline S.

    Submitted Oct 10, 2024

    Stayed Oct 6, 2024

    Great place to stay, cottage is cozy and clean, sits on a beautiful lake, very close to Lake Superior, sunrise/sunsets hard to beat! Close to hiking, city or just a quiet place away from busy life! Might even catch the northern lights!

  • Matthew R.

    Submitted Oct 4, 2024

    Stayed Sep 16, 2024

    Absolutely Beautiful view, very comfortable, clean cottage. Would definitely stay again!

Your dates are Available!

Total

Includes taxes and fees
$309+
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