Affordable Family Vacation Rental with Lake Access
4.7
Outstanding(44 Reviews)House in Big Bay, MI
8 guests · 1 bedroom · 2 baths
Reasons to book
Guests love it hereGuests give this property a top rating
Great for petsBring all your friends and family, even the furry ones
Includes essentialsGarden, Pets allowed, Kitchen or Kitchenette and more
About this house rental
Looking for a nice quiet vacation in Michigan's Upper Peninsula? Well, come on up, we got just the place for you. This is an older two story house that sits about 300 feet back from Lake Independence (you can not see the lake) with a good driveway for you to walk down to get to the lake. The house is completely furnished and contains everything you'll need for your stay, you'll just need to bring your own food & toothbrush. As you walk into the house you are in a large screened in porch with a sofa, a couple of chairs and a table. Most folks like to sit here and read or do jigsaw puzzles, yup, folks still do those on quiet evening up here. Step into the living room and you'll see a sofa bed (queen sized) two recliner chairs and a TV and VCR/DVD, TV is limited to 2 or 3 channels (depends on the weather). From the living room you go back into the kitchen - dining area. Kitchen has a full sized electric stove and refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, toaster and other misc. electric
kitchen appliances. All the pots and pans and dishes are there that you'll need for a comfortable stay. Dining area sits 6 comfortably. Toward the back of the house is a large room that is mainly empty except for a washer and dryer and a few storage shelves, off this room is the downstairs bathroom which contains a shower. Adding to the rustic experience, you'll notice that the hardwood floors have a slight slope to them. This is due to the outside foundations having settled a few inches over the years.
The sleeping arrangements are what we like to call 'friendly'. Upstairs is one big room with a king size bed, queen size bed, and a set of trundle beds. Upstairs there is also a complete bathroom with a big old deep tub in it
On the grounds, you have a gas bar-b-q grill, a fire pit with a supply of wood, and about a half dozen bikes of various sizes for your use. As mentioned it is only a short walk to the lake where we have a dock available if you want to tie your boat up there (we do not supply a boat). The lake out front is great for swimming with a hard sand bottom and nice warm shallow water going out about 50 yards, perfect for small children. The lake is a good fishing spot. It contains walleyes, northern pike, smallmouth bass, jumbo perch and a few crappie. Smallmouth bass in the 20' size are common, northern pike up to about 35 pounds have been take from our lake and we even caught a Michigan Master Angler pike a few years ago (25 pounds).
Nearby there are nice hikes to wilderness waterfalls, stream fishing for native Brook Trout, a good boat ramp to Lake Superior and it's fishing, tours of the Big Bay Point Lighthouse, some great wild blueberry picking at the right times of the year, and viewing of Michigan's great wildlife. Within a mile of the the cabin our guests have seen deer, bear, moose, fox, wolves, eagles and osprey as well as lots of little woods creatures. You can often watch the deer in the yard from your screened in porch in the evening.
The cabin rents for $125.00 per day (minimum two days rental required) or $600.00 per week for up to 6 people. June, July & August, our rental weeks run from Saturday to Saturday. There is an extra charge of $15.00 per night or $50.00 per week for each additional guest. No more than eight guests are allowed. A $100.00 deposit is required to hold your reservation. If you have friends or family who wish to put a tent, pickup camper or travel trailer on the property while you are renting, you must get advance approval. There will be an additional charge of $25/night for campers.
Cabin is available for rental from May to November.
Deposit is fully refundable up to 30 days before date of reservation, non-refundable after that.
For more information and pictures we suggest you see our web site of or you may call show contact info
kitchen appliances. All the pots and pans and dishes are there that you'll need for a comfortable stay. Dining area sits 6 comfortably. Toward the back of the house is a large room that is mainly empty except for a washer and dryer and a few storage shelves, off this room is the downstairs bathroom which contains a shower. Adding to the rustic experience, you'll notice that the hardwood floors have a slight slope to them. This is due to the outside foundations having settled a few inches over the years.
The sleeping arrangements are what we like to call 'friendly'. Upstairs is one big room with a king size bed, queen size bed, and a set of trundle beds. Upstairs there is also a complete bathroom with a big old deep tub in it
On the grounds, you have a gas bar-b-q grill, a fire pit with a supply of wood, and about a half dozen bikes of various sizes for your use. As mentioned it is only a short walk to the lake where we have a dock available if you want to tie your boat up there (we do not supply a boat). The lake out front is great for swimming with a hard sand bottom and nice warm shallow water going out about 50 yards, perfect for small children. The lake is a good fishing spot. It contains walleyes, northern pike, smallmouth bass, jumbo perch and a few crappie. Smallmouth bass in the 20' size are common, northern pike up to about 35 pounds have been take from our lake and we even caught a Michigan Master Angler pike a few years ago (25 pounds).
Nearby there are nice hikes to wilderness waterfalls, stream fishing for native Brook Trout, a good boat ramp to Lake Superior and it's fishing, tours of the Big Bay Point Lighthouse, some great wild blueberry picking at the right times of the year, and viewing of Michigan's great wildlife. Within a mile of the the cabin our guests have seen deer, bear, moose, fox, wolves, eagles and osprey as well as lots of little woods creatures. You can often watch the deer in the yard from your screened in porch in the evening.
The cabin rents for $125.00 per day (minimum two days rental required) or $600.00 per week for up to 6 people. June, July & August, our rental weeks run from Saturday to Saturday. There is an extra charge of $15.00 per night or $50.00 per week for each additional guest. No more than eight guests are allowed. A $100.00 deposit is required to hold your reservation. If you have friends or family who wish to put a tent, pickup camper or travel trailer on the property while you are renting, you must get advance approval. There will be an additional charge of $25/night for campers.
Cabin is available for rental from May to November.
Deposit is fully refundable up to 30 days before date of reservation, non-refundable after that.
For more information and pictures we suggest you see our web site of or you may call show contact info
Amenities
Pets allowed
Kitchen or Kitchenette
Parking
Laundry
TV
Garden
Map of Big Bay, MI
Reviews
4.7
Outstanding(44 Reviews)4.7
Russ and Theresa are amazing! We had a great time fishing and exploring the area. Our pups loved it as well. We can’t wait to book with them again!
4.7
Great location! Short bike ride to Lake Superior shore. Short drive to several beautiful hikes including Thomas Rock, Yellow Dog River Falls, and Alder Falls.
We also enjoyed campfires in the yard.
Hosts are very friendly and helpful. We had a relaxing and peaceful getaway.
4.7
We enjoyed our stay! Rustic, yes. Accommodating host, big yes! If you know you're in the UP, then you'll be prepared for outdoor bugs and inclement weather. We used the fire pit the first night, but our agenda in town was rather busy. We really only spent time there to sleep, but everything you'd need to hang out for days is provided if you bring your food supplies. If you forget anything, Cram's store isn't far! Hungry Hollow Cafe with put you straight with an excellent breakfast, and there are two bar/ restaurants in Big Bay as well. Did I mention access to Lake Independence, and a short drive to Lake Superior? Russell was a wonderful host!
4.7
Lots of things to do hiking, fishing, spend the day in Marquette. Abundance of wildlife if you like that or just relax.
4.7
We stayed 3 times about 9 years ago. Had to come back again for nostalgia sake. Love this house and the owners!
4.7
Russ was a great host. Helping with anything we need. Even had some superglue for me to fix one of my rods. Great communication via text and in person talk. Already booked for the same wknd next year! Cant wait to be back up!
4.7
We choose this spot because it was centrally located to everything we wanted to do and see on the vacation in the U.P. Loved seeing the deer every morning and the peace and quiet of the area! Enjoyed day trips to the Keewanaw Peninsula, Munising/ Pictures Rock National Lakeshore also did the shipwreck tour and sunset cruise! Spent lots of time hiking and discovering all the local waterfalls and beauty the area has to offer! It was nice to have the bikes available to ride down to the lighthouse and/or check out Squaw Beach!
4.7
Loved the old house, even enjoyed the warped floors and the narrow stairs of the old house. Clean well maintained old house. Quiet evenings on the north side of the lake.
4.7
We had a peaceful, lovely week at the camp with our 1-year-old and dog! Perkins park was perfect for swimming and we loved the bikes! Beautiful sleeping in the trees with birdsong in the morning Thanks!
4.7
The location couldn’t be better for our vacation plans. Was able to get anywhere in the UP in a maximum of 3 and a half hours. Was beautiful and tranquil. Great price. Great hosts had everything we could (and couldn’t) think of.
4.7
For the value, this cabin has everything! Our hosts, Russ and Teresa were exceptionally friendly and helpful. They really should call this “Three Bears Cottage” because of the quirky bedroom upstairs! The claw foot tub is inviting, the milk glass lamps are charming- if you want a true get away- this is it! Big Bay offers a unique get away experience where you can wind down with outdoor activities! Everyone in Big Bay is friendly, as you walk down the paved road, you hardly see a car but when you do, everyone waves at you, how nice is that? I suggest venturing out to the Lumberjack for a burger with Jack, hiking the many paths down county road 510 to the waterfalls on the Yellow Dog river, the beach, of course and dinner at Thunder Bay Lodge. Perfection!
4.7
It was a great stay with fabulous host!! Great location in the Marquette area with a great camp feel. I also love that if you have leftover food that they have a family in the area to give the food too so it's not just thrown away!
4.7
It was a great stay with fabulous host!! Great location in the Marquette area with a great camp feel. I also love that if you have leftover food that they have a family in the area to give the food too so it's not just thrown away!
4.7
We had a great time here. Fishing was good and hosts were very friendly. The cabin was better than advertised. Grill was top notch and everything we needed was there. Thanks for a great stay!
4.7
Charming cabin yes floors slop a little more than I expected but very clean and has everything you could possibly need. We went mainly to fish but pretty windy, did lots of sight seeing gorgeous country. Russ and Theresa are super nice and very informative on things to do. We would definitely go back.
4.7
The cabin has an unique character. It is well stocked with everything. We appreciated the travel info in the cabin. Russ was very friendly and concerned that our needs were met. We had a great time.
4.7
The hosts of this property are super nice! Everything we needed was at the cabin. The floors are wavy but given the age of the home is understandable. There are so many cool places to see and things to do in the area. Theresa and Russell had fantastic suggestions on things to see. I would recommend this place to anyone looking to go to this area!!
4.7
We enjoyed our stay very much! Something for everyone in the cabin and nearby! The lake by the property is perfect for smaller kids as it's not very deep for some distance. My teenager also enjoyed the water even though it was shallower. The floors add to the charm for sure but no one minded them at all. The kids liked ramping their cars on the hills! The hosts were very kind and respectful of our space, my kids kept talking about how nice they are. The stairs are creaky and as humans on the bigger side we had to step just so near the top but it wasn't terrible. Love the giant bath tub! We only wish there was a picnic table or something like it outdoors. Overall great experience and location for the price! Well worth it! Looking forward to coming back sometime! Also if you're lucky to be there during harvest the owners sell delicious blueberries that made for a nice road trip snack going home!
4.7
We enjoyed our five-night stay at the cabin. It was accurately described in the listing, and its unique features certainly added to the cabin’s charm. Despite the warm temperatures, the ceiling and floor fans provided perfect relief. The beds were comfy and the grill worked great, and a good deal of time in the early morning or evening was spent reading and relaxing both in the sunroom and outside by the fire pit. It was especially nice to observe the two bird nests in operation—one a robin and the other a wren. Being able to keep our boat docked at the front of the owners’ property was a huge perk. The water was clean and the ground sandy—easy to wade in. The cabin is a short jaunt into “town,”—we spent a bit of time enjoying cold beer and live music at the Lumberjack Tavern, enjoyed a late lunch at Duke’s Grill at the Thunderbay Inn, and a breakfast at Hungry Hollow Cafe. The cabin is also centrally located to visit Thomas Rock Overlook and hike to Yellow Dog Falls. We also spent a day in Marquette—do the cliff dive!!—and this is where we grocery shopped, as well. Fishing was fun on the lake, but it took a few days to figure out where to fish. The owner didn’t seem to want to give up any fishing secrets, which seemed counterintuitive to wanting people to return. My only issue with the cabin is that it is in need of a deep clean. While I appreciate not having to pay a cleaning fee, I didn’t expect dead bugs lining the inside window sills or moths fighting me for the bedside table lamp as I read before bed. Overall, we had a really good experience at the cabin. It is affordable and family-friendly, and the location is great. You just need to go into the experience with an open mind and a rustic attitude.
4.7
We went to enjoy some family time over the fourth. The lake was warm absolutely beautiful. The camp owners were so nice and helpful definitely going back
4.7
The house had been moved from another location and placed on a wood foundation. Overtime the timbers had rotted and the house is sinking. The floors were wavy & a challenge to walk on. The stairs up to the dormitory sleeping area were very weak & rickety. We feel VRBO should look into the properties people rent out.
4.7
A nice, convenient spot.
FAQs
How much does this house cost compared to others in Big Bay?
The average price for a rental in Big Bay is $228 per night. This rental is $142 less expensive than the average.
Is parking included with this house?
Yes, parking is listed as an amenity at Affordable Family Vacation Rental with Lake Access. For more information, we encourage you to contact the property about where to park.
Is there a pool at this house?
We didn’t find pool listed as an amenity for this house. It may be worth double checking if a pool is important for your stay.
Is Affordable Family Vacation Rental with Lake Access pet friendly?
Yes! This house is pet-friendly. For more information, we recommend contacting the booking provider about animal policies.
What amenities are available at Affordable Family Vacation Rental with Lake Access?
We found 6 amenities for this rental. This includes pets allowed, kitchen or kitchenette, parking, laundry, and tv.
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