Crafty Cottage at Lake Panorama

Relax with the whole family at this peaceful Craftsman cottage on beautiful Lake Panorama, just 50 minutes from the Des Moines metro and 90 minutes from Omaha. Located in a private lake community featuring three beaches, hiking trails, playgrounds, tennis, basketball, award-winning golf courses and a dog park, this off-water property on a wooded lot with partial lake views welcomes you into a relaxing getaway the moment you open the door. The space The cottage is a beautiful Craftsman-style home that welcomes you with a wide front porch furnished with comfortable chairs and tables perfect for taking in the sunrise over your window views of Lake Panorama with your favorite morning drink. Upon entry, you will find a great room with a soaring vaulted ceiling, oak built-ins stocked for you with a variety of books, puzzles, and games, and sealed concrete floors that take whatever the beach can throw at them. Be sure to check the cabinet just inside the front door for fun crafts and activities for the kids. You will enjoy two king bedrooms, a bunk room with two sets of twin bunks, two full bathrooms, laundry, dining area with seating for six, and a fully-equipped kitchen with a custom-built island, a 12-cup coffeemaker, French press, Chemix pour over, and a Keurig single cup coffee / cappuccino machine to jump start your day. A strong Wi-Fi connection and smart TVs throughout the home make it easy to set up a work refuge away from the hustle and bustle, or to relax with the family after a day in the sun. Outside, you and your guests will find a large paver patio with an all-weather furniture set to host dinner or enjoy a nice evening grilling out with the propane BBQ grill. Before turning in, head to the fire pit and swap stories about the day under the crystal clear night skies that are perfect for stargazing. Guest access You will have full access to the home and outside amenities on the property. Lake Panorama offers a championship 18-hole golf course and a Par-3 course just minutes from the cottage. Tee times can be booked directly with the clubhouse. Numerous hiking trails surround the lake, and Lake Panorama’s three beaches are each just a short drive in either direction from the cottage. This rental is off-water and does not include dock or boating access. Fishing from docks at the various beaches is allowed and requires an Iowa DNR fishing license. Non-LPA permitted motorized watercraft are prohibited. There is a boat launch by the Lake Panorama marina. Any private motorized craft will need to be inspected, and you will need to purchase an LPA permit and sticker for the season. Other things to note We are excited to welcome you for stays of one week or longer at Lake Panorama! The lake offers an abundance of outdoor and water activities, and Guthrie County and the surrounding area are some of the most beautiful parts of our state. At Lake Panorama, you can enjoy the sun, sand, water, hiking, biking, snowmobiling, playgrounds, basketball, tennis, and golf all at your front door. Love shopping? Check out antiques, clothing boutiques, and a social-media sensation home decor store in downtown Panora and nearby Stuart. Want to venture a little further? Visit Nation’s Bridge State Park between Stuart and Panora for light hiking, kayaking, birdwatching, and disc golf (15 minutes). Explore the dramatic changes in Iowa landscape while hunting for mushrooms or deer sheds at the edge of the ancient glacial Des Moines lobe in Springbrook State Park (15 minutes away), or choose from several hiking trails that range in length and challenge level, visit the bison, canoe, kayak, UTV and stargaze at Whiterock Conservancy (30 minutes), Iowa’s only dark park. Training for RAGBRAI? Hop on the Raccoon River Valley Bike Trail next to the Pedal-In in Panora and take yourself as far as you’d like to go…Des Moines is a 25-mile ride away. Prefer a slower pace? Rural Iowa will deliver. Sample some local wine from Twin Vines Vineyard, just five minutes from the cottage. Relax at The Captain's Pick or venture up to Tojo’s Bar & Grill in Jamaica for a takeout tenderloin voted Best in Iowa (20 minutes). Take a stroll back in time at the Guthrie County Historical Village on the south edge of Panora, learn about Nikita Krushchev’s 1959 visit to the Garst Farm, now part of Whiterock Conservancy, and visit the scene of Bonnie and Clyde’s last bank robbery on April 16, 1934 at Stuart’s First National Bank (now home to the Stuart Police Station). Whatever you are looking for out of your time at the lake, we can help make sure you find it. We have made some of our best family memories here and can’t wait to share it with you and your guests.