Sandy Toes Retreat Cedar River

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Sandy Toes Retreat:(Stephenson, MI) Sleeps 7, Beachfront on Lake Michigan. Dog friendly.

Pets Welcome

Bedrooms

3

Baths

2

Sleeps

7

Sandy Toes Retreat
SLEEPS: 7
BEDROOMS: 3
BATHROOMS: 2
*LAKEFRONT (Green Bay—Lake Michigan)
*SWIMMING ON PROPERTY
*Ring doorbell on property

*Fire pit and fire table available for use!
**Book now to reserve your 2023-24 snowmobiling/ATV trip! See 'Offroad' section below for more details!


**Great for ice fishing!



There isn't a name more apropos for this slice of Michigan's Upper Peninsula southern paradise.  Not far from the Michigan-Wisconsin border, Sandy Toes Retreat is an ideal place to literally dip your toes into one of Michigan's Great Lakes-- Lake Michigan itself.  The 120-foot beach is wide, and the sand provides the ideal cushion for your beach towel. Set up for the beach day, right outside your lake house door, without the traditional beach crowds you generally find further south.

The initial look of Sandy Toes Retreat is unassuming.  It has a classic vibe with simple accents, all on one level.  Outside the sliding door wall, facing Lake Michigan is a deck to soak in the view. 

The kitchen is open and spacious, with seating at both the countertop bar and traditional kitchen table. On top of the traditional kitchen appliances such as the fridge and stove/oven, having a dishwasher is a convenience that is deeply appreciated when traveling with a family. It's also a pleasant surprise to have air conditioning, even though it often isn't needed in the upper peninsula. Plus, having an electric fireplace to soak in the ambiance and cool evenings sets an ideal tone of tranquility and ease.

The Master Bedroom not only has a King-size bed, yet comes with an en-suite bathroom, so your privacy and peace are enhanced. The 2nd bedroom is simple with a Queen-size bed.  Nonetheless, once you enter the 3rd bedroom, your kid's hearts will skip a beat when they lay their eyes on the dreamy fort of a bed.  There will definitely be a rock, paper, scissors match to see who gets the top bunk within the 3 twin beds here. 

Don't forget to bring along your beach towels, toys and sunscreen as you enter your lakefront, beach space. Enjoy the sandy beach without the crowds, yet with all the memories an ideal family vacation provides.


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Air Conditioning:
 Yes-central air conditioning. 

ATV'S/Snowmobile Trails: Not accessible from cottage, but there are some nearby. 

Animals: You may see a variety of birds, deer, wild turkey, eagles, swans, and frogs.

Bathrooms:
    Bathroom #1: Full Bathroom attached to master bedroom.  Shower, sink and toilet. 
    Bathroom #2: Full Bathroom with tub, shower, sink and toilet. 

Beach/Swimming:  This property allows great swimming conditions with120 ft. of sandy beach. The lake is a beautiful, sandy-bottom lake, which has a very gradual slope. 

Bedroom Configurations:
     Bedroom #1: 1 King size bed with attached bathroom.
     Bedroom #2: 1 queen size bed
     Bedroom #3: 1 twin bunk bed and separate twin bed

Boats: 2 kayaks with life jackets. There is also a paddle boat. Available from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
 
Bugs: Mayflies, black flies, mosquitos, spiders are prevalent on a waterfront home in the Upper Peninsula.
 
Cell Phone Service: Verizon, T-Mobile & AT&T work well.

Coffee Maker: Keurig coffee maker. No drip coffee maker at the moment. 

Distances:
              * Iron Mountain: 1 hour and 13 minutes ( 98 miles) 
              * Green Bay, WI: 1 hour and 26 minutes (81 miles)
              * Pictured Rocks: 1 hour and 42 minutes ( 92 miles)
              * Marquette: 1 hour 42 minutes (92 miles)
              * Green Bay, WI: 1 hour and 26 minutes (81 miles)               
              * Milwaukee, WI: 3 hours (198 miles) 
              * Mackinac Bridge: 3 hours (174 miles)

Dock: No dock is available at the property.

Drinking Water: Well water. There is a filtration system.

Drugs/Smoking/Fireworks: Freshwater does not permit illegal drugs of any kind on the property. Due to the location of the properties, smoking is strongly discouraged around the home and strictly prohibited in the home. Fireworks are prohibited at a Freshwater location for the safety of all persons in and around the property, even if it is legal in that city.

Fireplace: There is an electric fireplace in the cabin.

Fire-pit: Propane fire table and a wood burning firepit as well(please bring your own wood)

Fishing/Ice Fishing: You can wade in the water a bit and fish by the shore, or you can travel 2.3 miles to Cedar River and fish along the river. Please be sure to bring your own poles/gear as there are none at this property. Also, in order to fish in Michigan lakes, one is required to hold a fishing license. You can purchase your fishing license on the Michigan DNR website. Always check ice conditions before ice fishing. 

Grill: Propane grill. 

Grocery Store: There is a gas station/convenience store 2.3 miles away, which also has a restaurant in it.  In Stephenson, which is 18 minutes away, there is a Family Dollar store.

Internet: Starlink internet. Great speeds! 

Linens: Yes, we provide your sheets and linens. Just like a hotel, the beds will be made for you upon arrival. We have the basic sheets, pillows, pillowcases, and bath towels.


Offroad: There is trailhead parking that is about 15 minutes south in Cedar River. It is the Forest Island Trail & Route South. We do recommend trailering your ORV's to the parking area since the property is on the highway. Please check out ridecommand.polaris.com for more details on trail locations around the property.

Parking: There is room for 3 cars. 

Pets: Yes, we do accept 1 dog, yet we do ask that you please clean up after them both inside and outside the cabin. We do provide a medium sized kennel and kindly ask that you kennel your pet if you leave them unattended. Because of nearby wildlife please keep dogs close by. Plus, if you allow them on the furniture, we do ask that you please bring your own linens/blankets for them to sleep on. Plus, if the pet hair starts to build, we do ask that you please run the vacuum.  Pet food does tend to attract mice, so vigilance is needed. 
Freshwater Vacation Rentals currently charges $75/per pet for your entire stay.

Privacy: You are in a neighborhood. Neighbors are close by. 

Snowmobiles: There is an area on the side of the house where you may park a snowmobile. Though you're not able to ride on the property itself, there are many trails nearby to access! A trail map may be provided upon request. 

Space:  One Floor

Televisions: There is a Smart TV in the living room. 

Towels: Yes, we provide bath towels. Please bring your own beach towels for swimming. 

Veterinarian:  Mid- County Veterinary Clinic   906-753 - 6312.  E111 South Dr. Stephenson, MI 49887  
  

Washer and dryer:  Yes! Laundry soap is provided.



 

Amenities

Property/Indoor Amenities
  • Basic Paper Products (Paper Towel & TP)
  • Blankets
  • Blow Dryer
  • Board Games
  • Books
  • Carbon Monoxide Detector
  • Ceiling fans
  • Central air conditioning
  • Fireplace - Electric
  • Heat - Propane Forced Air
  • Internet/ WiFi
  • Linens & Towels included
  • Smart TV
  • Smoke Detectors
  • Vacuum
  • Washer & dryer
Kitchen Amenities
  • Blender
  • Cleaning Supplies
  • Cooking and Baking Pans
  • Crockpot
  • Dishwasher (plus Detergent)
  • Ice maker
  • Keurig--some K-cups provided
  • Microwave
  • Mixer
  • Oven
  • Refrigerator
  • Soaps (Hand & Dish Soap)
  • Standard Kitchenware & Utensils
  • Stove
  • Toaster
Outdoor Amenities
  • Beach Toys
  • Canoe or Kayak included
  • Deck/Patio
  • Fire Pit
  • Good Fishing
  • Grill-Propane
  • Kayak Included
  • Patio Chairs
  • Paddle Boat Included
  • Playground on Site
  • Sandy Beach
  • Swimming on Property
Special Features
  • High Chair
  • Pack and Play

Season Period Min.Stay Nightly Weekly
January - December 2024 01/01/2024 - 12/31/2024 2 $299.00
January - December 2025 01/01/2025 - 12/31/2025 2 $299.00
01/01/2026 - 12/31/2026 2 $299.00

Reviews

An absolutely magical weekend. We walked in looked at each other and said almost in unison: "Do we have to leave?" It was a relaxing weekend we BOTH needed. The house was quite literally perfect. The waves, the full moon, that Adirondack chair, the beach. Magic is what this place did. Stress melted away, pressures relaxed, and anxieties were simply gone. Will ABSOLUTELY be returning. This weekend was lovely could not have asked for better. I said can we move in <3. The calm and scenery (firsts for my dog Ian) were wonderful. He loved playing in the yard and checking out the new smells. He got closer to the water than anticipated :) Want to come back in warmer weather and for longer. XOXO- April and Ian
April
Oct 2024
Love this place. Has everything you need! Love the view of the lake!
James
Sep 2024
Thank you for a great stay! We loved staying here, and will definitely recommend to anyone looking for a beachfront place to stay.
Jordan
Sep 2024
Love this place! Clean and cozy. We were here with our 3 kids (9,8, & 5) and had the best time! It rained all day and day but the games kept us busy. Thanks for sharing your place!
Kathy, Michael and Crew
Sep 2024
Thank you for a beautiful stay at the beach! We and our two kids soaked up our beach days! Absolutely lovely! We'll happily share with others! Cheers!
Elise
Sep 2024
Thanks for amazing accommodations! Our kids loved all the extras, both in and out of the house. We all are from different parts of the world- Great Britain, Australia and Michigan. None of us have been to this part of the UP.. Thanks for providing a great extras <3 - The Trolls from under the bridge
Melissa
Sep 2024
Thanks for a great stay! We appreciate all the touches that made us feel so cozy! Our girls so enjoyed the swimming and the parents so enjoyed relaxing on the chairs and in the water. The heat and the gorgeous clouds played their part, and those onion rings were really good at The Halfway!
Ross
Sep 2024
Thank you for sharing your nice clean beach getaway. Hope to rent next year again
Greg
Sep 2024
5 stars
Sandy toes was very clean with large bathrooms, and comfortable beds. The kitchen is well equipped and easy to use appliances. The beach was very nice with little to no rocks. Did not see many bugs. Over all it was a great place to stay.
Nora
Jul 2024
Great Stay
Would recommend and stay again! Location was amazing. Property was very clean and well equipped. The extra snacks and amenities were an extra plus. Beach was wonderful. We only stayed 2 nights but would love that house for a longer trip. Thank you for doing a great job hosting me and my family!
Karolina
Jul 2024
Awesome place!
We loved it here- had 2 small children with us and it was the perfect location. Great yard, great sandy beach and kid friendly home. Can’t wait to come back!


FVR RESPONSE: 

We're so happy to know you and your family loved your stay at Sandy Toes and found the location to be perfect, Lauren! It's so great that you all could enjoy the beach, and could appreciate the family friendly setting we aim for. Hopefully we will have a chance to host you again in the future! -Jessica FVR 
Lauren
Jul 2024
Waterfront getaway
Had a wonderful couple of days at Sandy Toes. Everything was as described. Clean and comfortable. Just wished we could have stayed longer.
Greg
Jun 2024
Perfect retreat
We have stayed at this location several times and have always found the lodging to be clean, well stocked and the perfect layout for our needs. The setting has been magical for us on lake Michigan as we have seen northern lights, beautiful moon rises and nature on breathtaking display every time we stayed here. Maybe we’re just lucky but we will definitely return and try our luck again!

FVR RESPONSE:

Thank you for such a lovely review, Jim! We love that you continue to have great luck with the sites during your stay, but it truly is such a great location and hard to go too wrong! It's great to know you found the home to be clean, well stocked and ideally laid out! We can't wait to host you again next time you're in the area! 
Jim
Feb 2024
Wonderful stay/ time :) We brought our kids; 21 years old, 10 years old, and 5 years old. Thanks to the owners. We will be back!
Briseida
Sep 2023
WI Buddies <3
We had so much fun for a 10 year reunion for a group of high school friends. What a beautiful weekend!
Megan
Sep 2023
We enjoyed the stay and the beach. We loved the water! Thank you for letting us use the beautiful house
Evelina
Sep 2023
This was our second year coming here. The beach is perfect. We loved the addition of the kayaks and the little playpit. The Halfway Bar and Grill has wonderful food. We will be back!
Heather
Sep 2023
What an amazing place you have here! This was our first time to the UP and it didn't disappoint! The house was more than comfortable and had everything we needed. The beachfront here is gorgeous and our 2.5 year old loved it!! Thank you so much for everything. Your team was stellar! We will be back!
Adam
Jul 2023
Perfect place and setting to meet up with our Iowa family. We really appreciated the quick response of Freshwater mgt and the caretakers when we needed it.
Bill
Jul 2023
Paradise
Loved every moment in this house my kids enjoyed,5year old,11 year old and 21 year old. ❤️ and my husband and I enjoyed the mornings sitting by the chore and watching the sunrise.
Briseida
Jul 2023
Vibes were immaculate
Raul
Jul 2023
A great stay! Fabulous beach and loved the kayaks!
Dee
Jul 2023
Exceptional
Home was great. Location was amazing and the service from Upper Peninsula Rentals was exceptional. I am already talking about renting the same place again!

FVR RESPONSE
Jason, thank you for this lovely review!  We do so love when the word "exceptional" is used in a review for one of our properties.  We're glad that the home was great, and we appreciate your kind comments for FVR.  We look forward to your return!
Jason
May 2023
Great host! Fantastic views! Highly recomend. 

FVR RESPONSE: 

Patrick, thank you for your recommendation and your kind words for FVR! We're so glad that you plan on returning.
Patrick
Nov 2022
Everything was pretty darn close to perfect. First off, the beds, sofa, and two recliner chairs were super comfortable. Usually, the first night I stay somewhere, I sleep terribly. I have back issues, arthritis, and some other health issues which make it hard to travel. That was not an issue at this house. Not only that, but the bedrooms and bathrooms were spacious and well appointed. The shower was a generous size and not cramped. Extras were also provided, like toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, body wash, which was nice. Towels were plush and not cheap.
The AC and heat were obviously relatively new. They were quiet, efficient, and worked quickly. The washer and dryer were tucked away and, detergent and fabric softener were both available. They also had a water softener for the house, along with filtered water at the sink.
The kitchen was very well equipped with plenty of matching dishware, bowls, cups, glasses, silverware, etc. Small shallow mixing bowls along with other cooking supplies, including a full knife block and hand mixer were available. There was a coffee maker and tea kettle with a gas stove/oven. The space was pretty good too. We were able to cook all our meals easily and even baked some brownies one night.
The front room is great and a comfortable space. The TV is great, the fireplace is nice, the lighting is good, and the ceiling fan was lovely. The windows throughout the house are very good, but they are particularly good in this room as you have a wonderful view of the lake, can hear the sound of the waves, and feel the cool breeze coming in off of the water.
Lastly, the backyard had a deck and patio, plus a separate fire pit closer to the beach area. A propane grill was also available, which worked great. We also had access to two kayaks, along with life jackets. It definitely added to our enjoyment of the being on the lake. Honestly, I wish we could have stayed a month. It was very pleasant and we'd definitely come back again.

FVR RESPONSE: 

Jeanne Marie, thank you for this marvelous review! It means a lot to us and to potential guests. We're so happy to know that you will be returning.
Jeanne Marie
Nov 2022
Gorgeous property, clean house, nice location! 

FVR RESPONSE:

Jordan, we're so glad that you loved Sandy Toes Retreat, and we hope that you come back again.
Jordan
Nov 2022
Location is awesome. Kids loved playing on the beach. Water is shallow which was great. This house had everything we needed for a getaway! Sunsets were beautiful from both the deck and the beach. A bit tricky to find. The driveway branches off to another house. Find the driveway by looking for the wine bottle art.

FVR RESPONSE:
 
Heather, we love when guests use the word "awesome" in their reviews. We appreciate your feedback and hope that you come back again.
Heather
Nov 2022
Beautiful location and great place to stay. Would definitely stay here again.

FVR RESPONSE:

Holly, we would love to have you back again! We love hearing that you enjoyed your stay.
Holly
Nov 2022
Great place to just chill by Lake Michigan! 

FVR RESPONSE:

Abdullah, we're glad that you enjoyed staying at Sandy Toes Retreat, and we hope that you come back again.
Abdullah
Nov 2022
Wonderful location on lake Michigan.

FVR RESPONSE:

Karen, nothing beats being on Lake Michigan! We're glad that you had good stay, and we appreciate your feedback. We hope to work with you again.
Karen
Nov 2022
This is a kind of place you dream of.

FVR RESPONSE: 

Nagarjun, what a delightful review! Thank you for it. We'd love to have you come back if you return to Michigan.
Nagarjun
Nov 2022
It was great. 

FVR RESPONSE:

Shaheda, we're glad that you had a great stay, and we do hope to work with you again.
Shaheda
Nov 2022
This is a chill and laidback stay that is very well located if you want to do upper Michigan stuff. We wanted to do pictured rocks national park and the tahquamenon falls, and this place was in a good spot. The hosts were very prompt with the replies and helped with flexible check-in too. 

FVR RESPONSE:

Samuel, chill and laidback are the perfect descriptions of Sandy Toes Retreat. We're glad that it work out well for you and hope to see you back again.
Samuel
Nov 2022
stayed July 4th to 6th. Great location, view of Michigan is peaceful and nice clean place. Enjoyed the backyard very much. Please check with the rental office about the internet speed if you plan to stay here and work that includes team meetings over video call. I had some challenges but that might not be the same next time.
Sayan
Nov 2022
We had an amazing stay at Sandy Toes! It was super clean, with beautiful views and the shore was perfect for our kids! I can’t wait to come out here again. I can’t thank you enough for the great memories!
Linda
Nov 2022
5 stars
Place was great. Only comment would be, needs four beds to accommodate 4 men, bunk bed not useable by an adult.

FVR RESPONSE:

Thank you for taking the time to review your stay Michael! We are glad to know that you enjoyed your stay, though it is unfortunate that the bunk bed was not able to work well for the amount of adults in your group. Hopefully we get a chance to host you again, at this or any of our other Freshwater properties
Michael
Nov 2022
We absolutely loved staying at Sandy Toes! The house was great - spacious and very comfortable. The beachfront was phenomenal. The adults in our group loved sitting and relaxing on the beach chairs while the waves rolled in (especially at night!); the kids loved building sand castles, swimming, and looking for shells. Would definitely book again!
Greg
Nov 2022
This home is the perfect getaway at the beach. It has everything you might need to sleep 5 adults comfortably and the beach is clean and private. The kitchen is well-stocked and the appliances are great. The beds are all very comfortable and the home is very clean. It's a little challenging to find the driveway as approaching but the address numbers along the road are very helpful - you just have to slow down and look for the wine bottle tree near the driveway. We highly recommend this home if you enjoy quiet days at a beautiful and well-appointed beach house. The host- provided treats, K-cups, some condiments and spices, and cereals were a really welcoming touch.

FVR RESPONSE:

Martha, thank you for this review. We appreciate your feedback and hope to work with you again.
Martha
Nov 2022
Communication was great the rental was great too 

FVR RESPONSE:

Yareli, werter glad that you had a great stay and that you found the cottage to be amazing! We look forward to your return.
Yareli
Nov 2022
This is a kind of place you dream of
This honestly is one of the best places I've booked on Airbnb. I'd love to stay there again if i come to Michigan.
Nagarjun
Jul 2022


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