I picked this place for a vacation for 2 families, envisioning the adults sitting on the porch while the kids (ages 9-11) frolicked in the lake right in front of us, and we did! The house is quite literally right on Crystal Lake and an easy walk into downtown Beulah. The water in front of the house is very shallow, making it ideal for kids.
Beulah is very small and doesn’t have the best selection of restaurants, but there are some options there, and more in nearby towns within a 10-15 min drive. We also enjoyed being able to walk right on to the Betsie Valley Trail just outside the home.
The entire house is one floor, with the “bunk room”, a queen BR, and a full bath on one side and another queen BR, a king BR, and the other full bath on the other side (along with living and dining). The two sides are only connected by a narrow galley kitchen, which is not ideal, but workable.
The house was well stocked with kitchen gear (the only thing we couldn’t find was a kettle), linens, towels, and some paper products. Beach towels are not provided. You’ll also want to bring life jackets if you want to use the provided 2 single kayaks and 1 double kayak. We also enjoyed using the fire pit (buy your own firewood locally).
The general area is great—you’re within 30 minutes of lots of great beaches and cute towns on Lake Michigan, lighthouses, Crystal Mountain, Sleeping Bear Dunes, and more.