Cottage in Michigan
6 guests · 3 bedrooms · 1 bath
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
Well priced for this locationPriced under area average
About this cottage rental
Just 20 miles north of Traverse City, Birch Lake is the family friendly lake. Warm water, sandy shore, gently sloping shallows, great for families, fishing, boating, water skiing, swimming, playing and relaxing.
The water front cottage is on the south side of Birch Lake, just 3 miles north of Elk Rapids. Cottage has 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, cathedral ceiling, full kitchen, washer.dryer, outdoor deck with charcoal grill. It has cable TV, WIFI and CD player. Sheets & towels are provided.
Amenities include: a sandy beachfront location; gently sloping shallows area for children; dock, boat tie out, full kitchen, comfortable great room, deck, picnic table, charcoal grill, fire place, beach fire pit, close to Grand Traverse Bay and Elk Rapids. Pets welcome.
The water front cottage is on the south side of Birch Lake, just 3 miles north of Elk Rapids. Cottage has 3 bedrooms, 1.5 baths, cathedral ceiling, full kitchen, washer.dryer, outdoor deck with charcoal grill. It has cable TV, WIFI and CD player. Sheets & towels are provided.
Amenities include: a sandy beachfront location; gently sloping shallows area for children; dock, boat tie out, full kitchen, comfortable great room, deck, picnic table, charcoal grill, fire place, beach fire pit, close to Grand Traverse Bay and Elk Rapids. Pets welcome.
Amenities at The Family Vacation You're Looking for on Birch Lake
Non-smoking
Pets allowed
TV
Coffee/tea maker
Refridgerator
Kitchen
WiFi/Internet
Microwave
Dishwasher
Washing machine
Dryer
Patio
Kitchenware
Oven
Stove
Laundry services
Fireplace
Bath or shower
Towels
Hairdryer
Map of Michigan
Ratings and reviews
10.0 / 10.0Outstanding·Oct 2025
Another wonderful vacation at the Red Cottage. We were there for 3 weeks - late August and early September. The weather was unusually cold and wet but we made the most of the usable lake time. The cabin location allowed for impromptu trips to local small towns and new discoveries. We had warm and cozy game nights when campfires were not possible. There was plenty of room for everyone whether playing, watching movies or eating. I can’t wait until next year!
10.0 / 10.0Outstanding·Jul 2025
We had another fantastic family vacation at this lovely lake house! I brought the grandparents along with my kids (ages 3 to 9), and everyone had a great time. The week started off with some hot weather, but the house was well-equipped with fans, and of course, the lake was the perfect way to cool off.The kitchen was fully stocked, which made it easy to prepare all our meals right at home. We made a fun trip to the ice cream shop in Elk Rapids—just a heads-up, it’s cash only! We also spent a day exploring Charlevoix, where the kids were fascinated by the marina, the drawbridge, and we enjoyed the dine in Pizza Hut.Back at the house, we made full use of the hammocks, sand toys, paddleboards, and the dock—especially since we brought our boat along. It was the perfect mix of relaxation and adventure.We’re already looking forward to our next visit!
10.0 / 10.0Outstanding·Jun 2025
We really enjoyed our stay here and found the cabin to have everything we needed, including several kayaks, beach chairs, and a nice dock. The lake is sandy and shallow and, at least at the time we visited, quiet. Excellent location, with Elk Lake, Torch Lake, the East Bay, and several nature preserves (including my favorite, Maple Bay) within a 10-minute drive. Great communication from the host as well.Note that some of the less-stellar reviews on this property are from before they did renovations. When we stayed, everything was updated, in good repair, and very clean!
6.0 / 10.0Average·Aug 2014
Been renting on Birch Lake for 12 years. As far as I'm concerned, if you're looking for a great "up north" location, this should be your destination. Birch Lake is small and perfect for families. It's beautifully clean, warm and children can walk out into the water a long way before getting in too deep. Over the years we've rented 3 different cottages. This particular rental had pros and cons over the others. There's a nice, large deck on the back that has a table large enough to accommodate at least 6 comfortably. The beach area is good sized and there's a long dock that we used for sunning, towels, coolers, etc..... The living room has been remodeled, quaint and has nice wood floors. I personally don't like carpeting because of odors and being this cottage allows pets, I worry about fleas, dog hair and so on. Allowing pets is "ify". I appreciated my family being able to bring their dog but worried about what the pets before us had left. There weren't any noticeable odors, messes or hair, so... The master bdrm. was good, comfy queen bed and the second bdrm. also an okay queen bed. The 3rd bdrm was good but for us the bunk beds were useless. No one but small children could have slept in them; adults aren't going to climb to the top and feel claustrophobic on the bottom. We split the beds immediately. However, they still didn't get slept on because both mattress's were on boards and too uncomfortable. One of my family members opted for the couch instead, which made me worry about the flea issue again. The bedroom would be much better with 2 twin size real beds or 1 full size. It is also big enough to somehow accommodate a stack-able or small washer/dryer. The only laundromat nearby is closed; the closest one is 20 miles away. One of the other cottages we get does have a washer/dryer. There is a dishwasher and some sort of water filter. We used the filtered water for coffee and ice and it was fine. However, within a couple of days the sinks, tub and toilets were brown from the water and it was "yucky" for lack of a better word. The dishwasher leaves the dishes looking filmy. This cottage has WiFi, (actually better than mine at home) and the other cottages don't but the cable sucks; couldn't even catch a Tiger game, maybe 6 channels, total. The bbq grill was charcoal and had one rusty leg that fell off a few times. All that being said, I still may choose this cottage again because of the deck, beach and dock. A few small improvements would make this perfect!
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Top rated by guests
9.4Outstanding
(37 Ratings)
"Another wonderful vacation at the Red Cottage. We were there for 3 weeks - late August and early September. The weather was unusually cold and wet but we made the most of the usable lake time. The cab..."
Michele P.Don't miss out! Price and availability may change
