This is a gorgeous lakefront vacation rental home that is right on Lake Huron in Alpena, Michigan! It has 4 bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms, and sleeps 10. It has a large and gated yard for kids and dogs to play! The rental of the house also includes the use of 2 kayaks and the use of the boathouse on the property, so you can walk out the front door and immediately be in your boat and on the lake! Please note that a liability waiver must be signed before using the boathouse and/or the kayaks.
GUEST INTERACTION:
We have a wonderful local property manager that lives nearby and meets guests in person. After check-in, she is available to address any questions or issues as needed.
NEIGHBORHOOD:
Alpena is a wonderful and rather affordable getaway to nature and water in northern Michigan! Downtown Alpena is approx. a 10 to 15 minute drive from the house, depending upon where you are going. It has a nice historic downtown area with some excellent restaurants and shops. The area is renowned for beaches, swimming, fishing, kayaking, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and exploring the beauty of nature in general!
Here are some additional details regarding local activities:
* Boat Rentals: We have had several guests ask about boat rentals in the Alpena area. We would suggest contacting Dodge Marine in Alpena if you are interested in boat rentals.
* Ice Fishing: Ice fishing is a popular winter sport in the area. Please visit www . icefishingalpena . com for more information on local ice fishing.
* Snowmobiling: There is a wonderful 70-mile snowmobiling trail runs from downtown Alpena to Cheboygan, and then continues either north to Mackinac City or south to Gaylord. Maps of this trail are available online.
GUEST ACCESS:
Guests have access to the entire property, including the boathouse. The only thing that is off-limits to guests is the apartment that is attached to the boathouse.
THE SPACE:
There are a few other items that we should mention regarding this vacation rental property:
* The lake bottom in front of the house is rather mucky, so for swimming we recommend going to one of the nearby public beaches, which are less than a 10-minute drive from the house. (Right in front of the lake wall, the lake is also approx. 3 feet deep. PLEASE BE CAREFUL WITH CHILDREN!)
* There is a separate small apartment on the property that is attached to the boathouse and is used by the property owner. At any time it is possible that the property owner may be staying in the boathouse apartment.
* The vacation house is pet-friendly and up to 2 dogs are permitted. Cats are not allowed. For other pets or more than 2 dogs, please discuss things with us first.
* The vacation home includes high-speed Wi-Fi. There is also a streaming television provided.
* There is a gated entrance (opened and closed by hand) that allows the large yard to be completely fenced in for kids and dogs.
* The house features a modern, large, and well-stocked kitchen with a gas range as well as a gorgeous view of of the lake while cooking.
* There are both indoor and outdoor dining tables for 6 people.
* The vacation home has a front loading washer and dryer in the downstairs bedroom. (The washer and dryer are in the bedroom closet.)
* There is a very nice fire ring with adirondack chairs for having wonderful bonfires and s'mores!
* Although not shown in the photos, there is a charcoal barbeque grill provided.
* The name of this vacation home, The Life Aquatic, derives from the property owner's passion for scuba diving as well as his love for Wes Anderson movies and is an allusion to the 2004 motion picture The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.
TRANSIT:
We would suggest that guests have their own vehicle.
PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING:
(1) WATER LEVEL: Please note that the level of Lake Huron varies significantly. As such, the boat house may or may not be usable by boats depending upon the lake level. If you are interested in using the boat house for your boat, please contact us to discuss water levels and feasibility before making plans to use the boat house.
(2) PROPERTY NAME: The name, The Life Aquatic, derives from the property owner's passion for scuba diving as well as his love for Wes Anderson movies. :-)
(3) BOAT RENTALS: We have had several guests ask about boat rentals. We would suggest contacting Dodge Marine in Alpena if you are interested in boat rentals.
(4) SECURITY CAMERA: There is an exterior security camera at the property. There are no interior cameras though.
(5) PET POLICY: Up to 2 dogs are permitted at the property. If bringing 1 or 2 dogs, please make certain that they are included on the reservation and that the pet fee is appropriately paid. More than 2 dogs is strictly prohibited and any pets other than dogs are also strictly prohibited.
(6) NUMBER OF GUESTS: Please note that our pricing is based upon the number of guests, with pricing being higher with each additional guest that is included on the reservation. Please make certain that the correct number of guests is specified on the reservation so that the pricing is correct.
(7) EARLY CHECK-IN: Our policy is to allow early check-in on the day of arrival if the property is available for check-in. We will not know until the day before arrival whether or not the property will be available for early check-in or not. You can check with our local property manager the day before arrival or on your arrival day to see if the property will be available for early check-in or not.
(8) LATE CHECK-OUT: We maintain a very strict and structured cleaning schedule. As such, late check-outs are strictly prohibited.
