Enjoy your the Gecko Cottage

Five minutes walk to the bridge over the Galien River and you're at our lovely Lake Michigan beach. Restaurants, Shopping.

Relax at the private pool and comfortable lounging furniture for exclusive use by Merchant Street Cottage residents and guests.


You’ll love the comfort and beauty of a newer home: including high ceilings, lots of sunlight from windows and skylights, modern kitchen and bathrooms, spacious front and back porch, fireplace. Added bonus loft for children's play area.

Well stocked kitchen. Linens, towels, and cooking needs are provided.

The Gecko House - 4BR, Relax and Enjoy. Walk to Beach, Restaurants, Shopping, Groceries, Library. Ditch the car.

The Space
Cozy, clean, comfortable. Close to town, shopping & beach.

Interaction with Guests
You'll have full private access to the cottage, but your hosts are a call or text away to help with suggestions as needed.

The Neighborhood
Lots to explore, uPick Bluberries, Canoeing, Local Artists. Walk for miles on the sandy beach. Bike and walking paths/

Step out the back door to the exclusive pool.

Just a block away is the new library with both an entire floor dedicated to a kid comfy zone, and perfect spaces for remote computing.

Enjoy afternoon coffee with a book on the cottage front porch or back patio.

Getting Around
Take Amtrak from Chicago or from Ann Arbor/Detroit and walk five minutes to your cottage. Wow! Free parking in front or back. Once you arrive, put away the car keys and walk to the beach, upscale grocery, shopping and a brand new library.

There is additional hourly commuting access to Chicago on the Shoreline Train from Michigan City ( 8 miles away)

Other Things to Note
Kids and teenagers love the loft.

Great Wineries tasting and tours. We love Lemon Creek!

Casino fun on rainy days. There is a fun, well supervised, area at the casino where they will watch, feed and entertain the kids for a reasonable charge. The buffet and restaurant are great also.

*Please remove shoes before entering the cottage and leave them on the front or back porch, or inside the door.
**Notify us immediately if you have any concerns during your stay. We're here for you.
**Note that we are a pet-free property.
**You must notify us in advance if there will be more than the reserved number of guests

Other:
The pool will open in the spring as soon as weather permits in the spring and stay open in the fall as long as weather permits. The pool is private and shared only by our association of 23 homes.

Love the beach. It's 5 minute walk to the bridge. Once over the bridge you're at the beach parking. Very nice and convenient. I swim every day when we're here.

The cottage is cleaned and freshly painted for the season and there are many large and small improvements.

BBQ & firepit.

Family Fun
Lower level rec room with the professional ping pong table, and Streaming/YoutubeTV on the big screen TV. Couch rocking chair & huge comfy beanbag that can unzip into comfy queen futon. (please zip back into bean bag before leaving).

*Gather mornings and evenings in the front porch.
*Lounge on the back porch or canopy swing.
*Well equipped kitchen open to livingroom - dining room table and comfortable. A great place for gathering and games.

*Bar-B-Q on the Weber grill, or toast marshmallows on the petite grill.

*Use any of the beach toys, chairs, umbrella, sunshades that you'll find in the garage. There's even a 1-person kayak.

*Feel free to use the bikes at your own risk, but please bring your own helmets.