Secluded family-friendly lake house in the woods

Amenities

About the house:

DOWNSTAIRS: Enter through the den where our comfy leather reclining chairs and sofas double as charging stations for your devices, then head through the fully-equipped kitchen, which has everything you'll need to prepare a feast including a slow-cooker, a blender and a waffle maker. The attached dining area features ample seating including a large dining table, a smaller table (perfect for jigsaw puzzles) and a pair of lounge chairs overlooking the lake.

UNPLUG and UNWIND: This house has no TV but it has decent free wifi so bring any screens you'll need with you.  

NOTE: All of the bathrooms are on the second floor so this house is not ideal for people with limited mobility. Keep an eye on small children. 

THE DECKS: The back deck features an outdoor dining table, two folding chaise chairs and a folding hammock chair that can be brought to the fire pit, a larger hanging hammock chair that stays on the back deck and a gas grill. The fire deck has a fire pit and a pair of inviting Adirondack chairs looking out over the lake. A hammock hangs nearby.

THE BOAT DOCK: Sit on the waterside bench, or take one of our kayaks out to the inflatable swim island. Guests who've brought fishing gear have told us they've caught bluegill, crappie and bullhead. Fish off the dock, or from a kayak or paddle board. We have three single kayaks, two inflatable double kayaks, and a paddle board.

NOTE ABOUT SWIMMING: Our lake fills with lily pads and other plants in the summer so swimming close to shore isn't ideal. We've cut a path through the lily pads that leads out to an inflatable swim island in clear water. Take kayaks and inflatable swim rafts out to the island to splash all day. If plants grow too close to our anchored inflatable island (or if birds leave a mess), we have a foam swimming pad that's easy to bring farther out. Just unroll and enjoy. We have four kid-sized life jackets, three adult life jackets (two M/L and one XL) and a toddler life jacket.

OFFICE: Need to stay connected with the office? We have two work areas where you can plug in to monitors, keyboards and mice. Our private office on the first floor has a sit/stand desk overlooking the front porch, a single monitor and a laptop stand. A futon in this room offers another sleeping area (note that the office is on the first floor but the bathrooms are upstairs).

UPSTAIRS: You'll find the foosball table in the common area, a cozy reading nook with a light and a curtain that can close to create a semi-private oasis, a LEGO nook with lots of LEGOs, a crafting nook with plenty of art supplies, and a washer/dryer. Note: The floor sofa from the reading nook can migrate up to the loft to sleep more kids up there!

BEDROOM 1 features a queen-size bed, a dresser, a lending library (take a book, leave a book), a walk-in closet, a working area with a desk chair, two computer monitors, a keyboard and mouse, and a private bathroom with a shower. The twin bed in this room can be great for parents traveling with a child. Don't like this configuration? This twin bed has legs that fold up so it can move to another room or up into the loft.

BEDROOM 2 has two twin beds, a closet, a dresser and a view of the lake. It sits beside a newly renovated bathroom with a tub and shower.

BEDROOM 3 has big windows with glorious views of the lake, a king-size bed, a closet, two dressers and a private bathroom with a big tub and a shower (note: because the slope of the ceiling in this bathroom, there's no shower curtain so things might get a little wet!). This room has a foyer with a floor sofa that can sleep a child or small adult. The floor sofa can be moved elsewhere. This room and bathroom were built separately from the rest of the house so are not connected to the main heating and cooling system. Use the floorboard heaters in the winter. In the summer, use the a/c window unit or open the windows, turn on the ceiling fan and fall asleep to the sounds of nature!

THE THIRD-FLOOR LOFT is the ultimate kid hideout that runs the length of the house! (Adults can sleep here too but they'll have to walk down the middle of the room). The spacious loft has lots of light, two twin beds, a small storage unit for clothes and a bean bag chair. Three additional beds/futons can be added — the twin bed from bedroom 1, the floor sofa from the second-floor reading nook and the floor sofa from the entry to bedroom 3 to make a fun slumber party! Kids will find more LEGOs and K'nex to play with as well as a K'nex ferris wheel.