The house is wonderful and beautiful however water is 1/4 mile away. No beach , shore not swimmable…read moreits mucky and tree branches everywhere. Pontoon boat provided was from 1970 and had many quirks. Nice wooded lot very private. No view of lake.

Stayed at the Barn Cottage in late July 2014. Fantastic family getaway!…read more Reservation process: All online. No hassles. Simple. Blue Lakes Vacation contact was prompt and responsive. The Barn: The living area is four floors with newer furnishings. There's a bathroom and shower stall in the basement with two rooms each with bunk beds. The basement has a game room with a mini-sized pool table and a futon. Nice for rainy days. The main floor has two futons, a kitchen area, laundry, a full bath, and a bedroom with a queen bed. Plenty of room for family. The third floor has the master bedroom with a queen sized bed and large walk in closet. The fourth floor has great views of Upper Herring Lake and two more futons. The other amenities: You get free access to a nice operational pontoon boat, two kayaks, a rowboat and a water trampoline. Dock access includes a fire pit, chairs, life jackets of all sizes and the great sounds of Northern Michigan. There's also a wrap around deck to the house, a charcoal grill, a sandbox and swing set. Kitchen is fully stocked and there's a DVD player and plenty of recent movies to watch. The amenities are good quality and nice compliments to the overall beauty of the cottage and the location. Negatives: Admittedly, this is nit-picky but the cottage bathroom situation is a little cumbersome for those sleeping on floors three or four. It's a long walk from floors three and four to the bathroom. Also, the shower in the basement is a little low on water pressure. If you have multiple families going at the same time, water pressure and hot water will be an issue.

This is a beautiful and peaceful place to relax. Situated on the edge of Black Bear Lake, Michigan…read morewith many pine trees and a swing overlooking the water. I've stayed in each of the wooden rustic cozy cabins and love the 50s vibe of the original decor. Laid back living!

Absolutely amazing staff! When there was a mixup with our room, the two women behind the desk went…read moreover and above in their attempt to help resolve in a way to keep these two old and fussy people happy. And they did it with a smile. Better yet, when my husband mentioned the snowy path between our room and the hot tub, they immediately had someone out there and shove it for us. I can't believe that we found such wonderful service. Kudos to the staff at this place.

Very overpriced for what it is and overall a let down, based on all the great reviews. This whole…read moreplace is really about the location. Perfectly situated on a gorgeous white sand beach on Lake Michigan. Being steps away from the sand was fantastic, but that was kind of it. Staff was not very friendly, property seemed a bit run down, and we had a view of a parking lot.

I visited this quaint venue on Friday, September 23rd for a show by an Acapella quartet out of…read moreMinnesota.The show was so much fun. Good times. It was my first time at the Ramsdell theater, though I had heard of it's connection with James Earl Jones. The artwork in the lobby/foyer and on the ceiling inside the auditorium was very lovely. The art show in the reception area (Hardy Hall) was a nice surprise, too. Very eclectic. Like paint pours, but with resin and acid and painted driftwood( for $400). I liked how the lines to order/pay for beverages is separate from order pickup- I may suggest that to my local theater (though the Ramsdell is much larger than our theater).

Fantastic Gallery inside! The Ludington 8 previewed today…read moreArtist are an amazing group!

This place could be so much but it needs some $$$ and a loving touch . When it's open the food at…read moreLahay's is good but we arrived by boat on a Saturday only to find the bar closed for a private event .... No advance warning .. the dock cleats are in need of replacement as are some power breakers. The seasonal boaters seemed to be less than happy about the arrival of transients to enjoy the resort. The grounds are beautiful and the setting idyllic. The lodge reminds you of the movie Dirty Dancing , but at times it also resembles a horror movie . The pool is small but nice , and there is a dog friendly beach on the lake side with a Lake Michigan beach a short walk away. The resort needs to maintain the dog run areas and stock the dog waste dispensers as they were all empty throughout the resort. A notice that the bar would be closed on a Saturday for a private event would have been nice . Also larger boats are put on the outside wall and there is not a no wake area around them . Locals come by within feet to view boats and not at a no wake speed, doesn't make more a comfortable mooring. They need a no wake zone around marina and restrooms for Marina guests hat are not a half a mile walk.... Though I was able to close my move ring on my watch just walking the dogs to their area and me to the restroom. They do have great pizza and cocktail menu looks great but private event and closure Sunday to Wednesday made us unable to sample the tantalizing drinks .

I visited Portage Point Inn recently during a trip to Onekema- I was greatly saddened by the…read moredisrepair that the "grand lady of the north" historic hotel has fallen into. I am sure that the innkeepers are trying to do all that they can to preserve this hotel (originally built in 1904) but it is apparent that many millions of dollars are needed very soon to repair the structure before the decaying infrastructure ruins the hotel forever. With the downturn in the economy- I feel it's a struggle to keep quaint inns such as this open for business. I can only hope that in the age of big bailouts for corporations; the powers that be can find some aid money to save the Portage Point Inn. That being said- Portage Lake is certainly one of the most beautiful destinations in the North country of the USA. The serenity of the nearby woods, the spectacular sunsets and all of the tourist destinations in Manistee and Benzie counties are "what the doctor ordered" for a wonderful and memorable romantic vacation or a family getway.

Another amazing dinner at our favorite restaurant! Celebrating Mothers day early with coconut…read moreshrimp. The S'more's cheesecake was fantastic but I was defeated by the last three mouthfuls! Delicious!

Recently had dinner at this restaurant in early January of 2026 when many other places were closed…read more(winter hours). Outstanding food and service with a cozy ambiance (we sat in a booth by the fireplace). The walleye was perfect, along with baby potatoes and mixed veggies. Fresh bread and butter were also delicious. Rumor is that they are renovating the basement ballroom to become a "speakeasy". Will definitely go back.

They recently held a wine tasting weekend with appetizers and later in the evening, a full dinner…read morewhich included two nights stay (and of course, two breakfasts). The house is gorgeous and has nearly all original details from 100 years ago. The room I was in (the Canfield Suite) was beautifully redone with the most gorgeous window seat I've seen. Everything was extremely clean and beautifully decorated. The food was excellent! They cater well to specific food restrictions and changed the menu daily. If they have the coffee cake or the blueberry French toast bake (similar to a quiche), you will have seconds! The team there is superb and we're very welcoming. They are the new owners of the property and seem to have a lot of plans for themed weekends and events. They were keen to make everyone's stay perfect and we're so helpful even when my flights were canceled multiple times and I needed to unexpectedly extend my stay.

We stayed in the Stone Cottage and found it to be the best cottage or motel/hotel we have ever…read morestayed in...Wendy was phenomenal from the first phone call to the greeting as we left. The cottage was cozy (electric fireplace in the bedroom area)),as weather was cool), the large bathroom with walk in shower complete with body wash, shampoo..etc. The decor was cottage and historic of the area, but with all modern conveniences...refrigerator, microwave, coffee pot (coffee provided)..wine glasses and all dishware, utensils, even a small first aid kit in the bathroom. Pool towels and a Weber grill and table and chairs for each unit (good market with fresh meat and bakery items nearby).. A pool and fireplace for guests to gather and meet also included. Know this review is long, but this place is a gem and we will return and tell everyone! Bob & Jan D'Alcorn Visiting from Florida with Onekema family