Lakeside Cottages -ON Benway Lake/Central Lake, MI

Relax and enjoy this peaceful cottage on Benway Lake in Central Lake, MI. Located on the Upper Chain of Lakes. You can enjoy boating, skiing, tubing, kayaking, jet skiing, fishing plus more! 2 sit “on” kayaks/2 sit “in” kayaks / 1 paddle boat are available for guests. The space This three bedroom newly remodeled modern cottage (sleeps 7) is located on peaceful Benway Lake, part of Antrim County's unique Upper Chain of Lakes. Along with the three bedrooms (King, Queen, and the 3rd bedroom a bunk with a twin, full, and a trundle twin roll-out); the cottage has one full bath, a bathroom with a shower unit, a full-service and roomy kitchen / common area, a lovely sunroom and large deck. It also boasts a large, flat lawn before the beach, where kids can play games and run off energy. Benway Lake is an all-sports lake where you can travel through several of the Upper Chain of Lakes by motorboat and traverse all of them by kayak or canoe. There are over 15 bodies of water considered part of the Antrim Chain of Lakes, with 6 of them on the Upper Chain. You may want to research information about the Upper and Lower Chain of Lakes before your arrival. This cottage has 4 kayaks (2 sit in and 2 sit on on) and a paddle boat available for guest use. Life jackets are required on boats, kayaks and paddleboat when in use. There are 4 adult universal and 4 child universal life jackets located in the boathouse, but you may want to bring your own, especially for children, in case the fit is not appropriate. There are no toddler life jackets at the cottage. There are two private docks (not in the water from Sept. 30-May 15) in front of the cottage for guest use. Bring your pontoon, jet ski or small fishing boat for your family to enjoy. One of the docks (left one as you gave the lake) can be used to moor one watercraft: one on each side of the dock. Fishing is possible from either dock. There is no diving off or running on the docks. While the waterfront at the cottage is natural and swimmable, please note that there is a soft bottom and some weedy areas. There is a public boat launch on Intermediate Lake in Central Lake at Thurston Park (2.5 miles south of the Cottage) and another on Wilson Lake (approximately one mile north of the cottage. All the channels between the lakes in the Chain of Lakes are no-wake zones. There is a channel between Wilson Lake and Benway Lake making the travel time by boat approximately 10 minutes. A leisurely 20-minute boat ride between the cottage and Intermediate Lake will take you traversing through two channels, Handly Lake, and under two bridges. Based on how high the water is at the time of your visit, you may have to lower your Bimini for under the bridge or check the depth of the water in certain shallow areas, but otherwise, most boats have no difficulty navigating the channels and bridges in this area. There are two designated public swimming beaches nearby: Intermediate Lake (2.5 miles south on Rushton Road, at Thurston Park); and Ellsworth Lake (4.7 miles north on Rushton Road). Lake Michigan and Torch Lake beaches are a 15-minute drive. The Upper and Lower Chain of Lakes are separated by a dam in Bellaire, creating a need to carry your kayak across to the next lake, or having to take your larger boat out of the water to trailer it to the next lake (Lake Bellaire). At night enjoy a bonfire at the cottage near the beach. You can plan on starry nights and tell stories about your day. Firewood may not always be provided but is available for purchase in Central Lake. After a day of fishing in any of the Lakes you can enjoy a fish dinner with your family. Several species of fish can be caught in the area lakes. Kayaking (2 sit-on and 2 sit-in kayaks available) in the channels is especially peaceful and you have opportunities to see close-up: fish, turtles, ducks, loons, swans, etc. The Fall colors across the water are vibrant and many Fall color-tour drives are nearby. If you want to get out of the water and tour the area you will find Charlevoix a half hour north, Petoskey is about a 45-minute drive north, and Traverse City is about an hour south. But do not forget about our smaller towns that provide great shopping, food, and entertainment…. Central Lake, Bellaire, Alden, Elk Rapids, Eastport, Ellsworth…all in Antrim County. You will love it here! Guest access You will have access to the entire cottage as well as 2 private docks. 1 of the docks is for tying up a boat or jet ski. The left dock (as you face the lake) is the one to tie boats to. Other things to note Please note: 1. The waterfront is natural and although you can swim here please note that the bottom is very soft and has weedy areas. There are 2 designated public swimming beaches nearby - one is in Central Lake (2.5 miles) on Intermediate Lake and one is on Ellsworth Lake (4.7 miles). Public beaches on Torch Lake and Lake Michigan are only a 15 minute drive. 2. You may dock a pontoon, jet ski or small fishing boat at one of the docks. There is room for 1 watercraft to dock during your stay. In order to go from Benway Lake to Intermediate Lake you will need to go through 2 no-wake channels, under 2 bridges that range from 6' (first bridge) -9' (second bridge) and Hanley Lake. This leisurely boat ride to Intermediate Lake is approximately 20 minutes. 3. Please be sure to read the rules section about your stay at the cottage. There will be a binder at the cottage with additional information regarding rules/guidelines at the cottage. 4. The primary guest must be at least 25 years old.