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Lakefront cottage close to Traverse City, Sleeping Bear Dunes & Crystal Mountain

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Dining
Fridge, microwave, oven, stovetop
Exterior
On the beach, sun-loungers, beach towels
Interior

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

2 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 493 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Beach view
  • Parking available
  • Dryer
  • Barbecue grill
  • Air conditioning
  • Washer

Explore the area

View in a map
Traverse City, MI
  • Bass Lake
    ‪1 min walk‬
  • Great Wolf Lodge Water Park
    ‪10 min drive‬
  • Turtle Creek Stadium
    ‪13 min drive‬
  • Traverse City, MI (TVC-Cherry Capital)
    ‪18 min drive‬

Room options

Similar properties

Exterior

Bass Lake waterfront! Close to Traverse City and the Sleeping Bear Dunes!

  • Kitchen
  • Washer
  • Dryer
  • Free WiFi
4.8 out of 5, Exceptional, 49 reviews
Bass Lake waterfront! Close to Traverse City and the Sleeping Bear Dunes!

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Lakefront cottage close to Traverse City, Sleeping Bear Dunes & Crystal Mountain

Just 10 minutes from Traverse City, 30 minutes from Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, and 35 minutes from Crystal Mountain, Whitetail Cottage is nestled on the shores of Bass Lake. Although it's an all-sports lake, it is best suited for fishing and kayaking. With 500 feet of shared sandy beach frontage, Whitetail Cottage has a gas grill on the deck overlooking the water as well as a beachfront fire pit. Two kayaks are available for renters to use for free and two child-size kayaks are available upon request. We also have paddle boards and bikes that can be rented for a separate fee by the day based on availability.

The cottage has two bedrooms with queen beds. There is a strict 4 person limit due to township rules. The upstairs bathroom has a tub and the downstairs bathroom has a newly renovated, walk-in shower.

A few quirks to note:
- The upstairs, where the bedrooms are located, has lower than standard ceilings, so if you are more than 6 feet tall, please take that into consideration.
- Whitetail Cottage has window air conditioner units in place during the summer - one downstairs and one upstairs (as pictured). Traverse City summers tend to be temperate and while these should do the trick, additional fans are also provided.
- The dock at Whitetail Cottage is not big enough to tie up motorized boats. Please contact us first if you plan to bring a boat and we will see if we can help!

Unfortunately, we don't allow guests to have pets; however, the property owners have doodles that love people and will want to say hi at some point, guaranteed!

While Traverse City is well known for its festivals, shopping, and restaurants, easy access to a quiet lake and extensive trail system are what sets our property apart. Plus, our proximity to Sleeping Bear Dunes and Crystal Mountain makes it a perfect location for those seeking natural beauty, freshwater beaches, and more.

Here are some of our favorite leisure activities by season:
- Summer: Beach days, fishing, kayaking, rock hounding, paddle boarding, and berry picking
- Fall: Mountain biking, leaf peeping, hiking, beer/cider tasting, and apple picking
- Winter: Cross-country/downhill skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing, sledding, and snowmobiling
-Spring: Cherry blossoms, trail biking, bird watching, winery hopping, and morel mushroom hunting

We are more than happy to offer local insight on our favorite spots to do all the above - except for morel mushroom hunting - you're on your own :)

Lastly, we are a family-run property with multiple listings, so if you're interested in coordinating several cottages for a larger group, please don't hesitate to contact us. Thanks for considering Whitetail Cottage and please reach out with any questions!

Long Lake Township Certificate Number: STR22-00071
During your stay at this holiday home, you're just a quick walk from Bass Lake. Enjoy features like laundry facilities. The holiday home includes amenities such as free WiFi and a kitchen.
  • Air-conditioned home with kitchen, washing machine and 2 bathrooms
  • Free WiFi
  • Amenities include laundry facilities
  • 13 minutes by car from Lake Michigan and 14 minutes from Front Street
Lakefront cottage close to Traverse City, Sleeping Bear Dunes & Crystal Mountain offers its guests barbecue grills and laundry facilities. The front desk is open around the clock.

Property manager

Katlyn Martin

Property amenities

Beach

  • On the beach
  • Beach loungers
  • Beach towels

Internet

  • Available in the house: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Parking on site

Kitchen

  • Blender
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Hob
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Paper towels
  • Refrigerator
  • Spices
  • Toaster

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 2 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • 2 bathrooms
  • Hair dryer
  • Shampoo
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Dining table
  • Living room

Entertainment

  • Games
  • Smart TV

Outdoor areas

  • Charcoal grill
  • Firepit
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Patio

Laundry

  • Laundry facilities
  • Washing machine

Comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Suitability/Accessibility

  • If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
  • Upper floors accessible by stairs only
  • Smoke-free property

Services and conveniences

  • Iron/ironing board

Location highlights

  • On a lake
  • On the waterfront

Things to do

  • Kayak
  • Casino nearby
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Kayaking nearby
  • Motor boating nearby
  • Wildlife walks nearby
  • Winery tours nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector (host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property)
  • Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
  • First aid kit
  • Fire extinguisher

General

  • Unit size: 1,000 square feet

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 3:00 PM
Contactless check-in and check-out are available
Minimum check-in age - 25

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Check-out instructions

The host requires you to complete the following before checking out:
Strip any used beds and gather used towels
Remove personal items, remove leftover food and drinks and take out the rubbish
Failure to complete these may result in a negative review from the host.

Pets

  • No pets allowed

Children and extra beds

  • Children are welcome.

Events

No events allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a first aid kit
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions. You will also receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, which will enable you to manage your booking.

Lakefront cottage close to Traverse City, Sleeping Bear Dunes & Crystal Mountain Reviews

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 72 out of 86 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 10 out of 86 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 4 out of 86 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 86 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 86 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Kelsey H., Fairplay, USA

Liked: Cleanliness
We had a great stay on the lake. Quiet, calm and clean. Look forward to staying again.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

Mark G.

Liked: Cleanliness
Beach was great! Proximity to both Traverse City and Sleeping Bear made for a great vacation. Would definitely rent again!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Diane S.

Liked: Cleanliness

Great cottage

We enjoyed our stay. We had everything we needed to just rest and relax. Nice sandy beach.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2025

10/10 Excellent

James G.

Liked: Cleanliness
Great location!!
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Courtney O.

Liked: Cleanliness
Loved it! Thank you to awesome hosts, great location- peaceful and short drive to TC!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness
The location was indeed lovely on the lake.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jessica Q.

Liked: Cleanliness
Perfect for a short girls trip! My daughter and I used the kayaks for a trip around the lake, relaxed on the beach with my mom, took a day trip to Sleeping Bear Dunes and played games inside at night. Jody and Katlyn were great hosts! They found a tube pump so my daughter could float around on the lake during the day.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Derek B.

Liked: Cleanliness

Nice awesome Lakeview front house for vacation.

Overall it was what our family was looking for for our vacation mini trip! Has exactly what everything we needed and more! Was a fun trip to get out of the city life and fish from the dock and do alot of exploring!
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

6/10 Okay

Kimberly J.

Liked: Cleanliness

Interesting

Had some issues. Manager did everything they could but had to leave a day early due to extreme heat and air conditioner not working and hot water kept going out.
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Lorna N.

Liked: Cleanliness

Comfortable, and perfect location for us

Cute and cozy. Great view. Great communication with host.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jessica W.

Liked: Cleanliness

So relaxing

The property has everything needed to relax, kayak, fish, enjoy the incredible view. Very clean lake, quiet lake.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sara L.

Liked: Cleanliness

Cute cottage perfect for family getaway!

Stayed with my two kids (4 & 1.5 yo) & my mom and it was the perfect space for us. Great location to explore Traverse city. After a busy day trip downtown it was nice to come back and relax by the water.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kory B.

Liked: Cleanliness

Northen Michigan lake cottage

The hosts were very nice people and very accommodating with great and prompt communication. The cottage is quaint and has everything you need.
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2024

8/10 Good

Mary S.

Liked: Cleanliness

Lovely & quiet, would have been perfect for a few things

It's a little haven of peace & we really enjoyed it. As the host mentioned there are dogs in the neighborhood which was fine with us (we love dogs!). We were a bit worried about some noisy jet skis but the host quickly reassured us & indeed it happened only once during our stay. Beds are very comfortable (but the pillows are a bit 'plasticky'). Like in many cabins the water's sulfurous. It smells but is safe to drink. It dissipates if you let it sit a while. The staircase steps are pretty narrow & can be tricky for a person with balance issue. All in all we recommend the cabin for anyone who wants to enjoy the quiet by a beautiful lake. For families/group of friends there are plenty of games available too. Now compared to other cabins we rented there are a few things we were surprised not to find hence the 4-star overall rating. We didn't find any shower gel/soap or shampoo, only hand soap. We don't expect a full pantry but since there was oil, spices and coffee we were surprised not to find tea or sugar/sweetener. Some foil or wrap to pack our leftovers would have been helpful. We didn't find a scrubbing pad or dish brush to do the dishes. The Welcome Book could have more practical info on the area: the nearest store for basic shopping, where to get bait, good breakfast place... Of course there's internet for that but it's always nice to have the host's personal recommendations.
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Susan C., Crete, IL, USA

Liked: Cleanliness

Great Getaway

Great place to stay. Kayaked, biked & just relaxed. Lake is beautiful. Hosts are awesome, so very friendly & helpful. Highly recommended anyone considering, you won’t regret the stay.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2024

8/10 Good

Susan P.

Liked: Cleanliness

Lake House

Clean and easy check in. Probably not the house for us - 2 elderly couples. More for a small family. One of the bedrooms was really small and one of the bathrooms only had a bathtub - no shower. Also - they had air conditioners / dehumidifiers running constantly both upstairs and downstairs - loud
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mariel C.

Liked: Cleanliness

The perfect get away!

This was the perfect place for our friend weekend getaway. The house is right on the lake, which was so perfect and serene. Location is close to downtown Traverse City and Sleeping Bear dune. Jodi was super responsive to our messages and questions - we look forward to staying here again.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Michael E.

Liked: Cleanliness

Nice Quiet Cottage

We enjoyed our nice quiet mornings on the beach drinking our coffee.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

gail T.

Liked: Cleanliness

Girls getaway

Spent 3 nights enjoying the lake and nearby attractions. Short drive into Suttons Bay and up to Fishtown. Host was very sweet.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024

8/10 Good

kim z., Illinois

Liked: Cleanliness

Lake house

Beautiful view of lake. Fun to kayak and fish.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2024

8/10 Good

A S.

Liked: Cleanliness

Beautiful View

The cabin location was fanastic, right on the lake. Bass lake was quiet and peaceful. I enjoyed the kayaks and my son loved fishing on the dock. The house was clean and rustic. The neighborhood was private and felt safe. We enjoyed adventuring around TC and other surrounding areas. The host was easy to communicate with. We enjoyed our stay!
Stayed 6 nights in Jul 2024

6/10 Okay

Lisa M., Southfield, MI

Liked: Cleanliness

Rustic Hunting Cabin

As an animal lover, it was very disturbing to find a mounted buck on the wall that was not in the listing photos. If I had been aware of this, I never would’ve rented.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Carolyn W.

Liked: Cleanliness

Beautiful peaceful setting

Perfect location for a family reunion
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Adria L.

Liked: Cleanliness

Quiet Rustic Retreat

A beautiful setting that was very relaxing. Nice amenities provided to enjoy the lake.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Brian C.

Liked: Cleanliness

A great stay!

We enjoyed our accommodations and our vacation was very nice. Clean & quiet. Had a great time at Sleeping Bear dunes.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024