Arbutus l Bonfires l Beach l Lakefront l Pets OK!

White-painted, porch-fronted, and nestled on a pine-shaded lot that steps straight down to Arbutus Lake — this cheerful Traverse City cabin rental brings the cottage-country feeling that Northern Michigan does best.

The crisp white clapboard exterior stands out against towering pines, a wide front deck fitted with a round table and black iron chairs overlooking the grounds. Out back, the lakeside setting opens up: a stone fire ring surrounded by rustic benches and Adirondack chairs sits right at the water's edge under the pines, with a dock stretching into calm, clear Arbutus Lake and a pontoon moored alongside. The aerial view confirms the scale, a broad, forested lake with the cabin backed right against the waterline.

Inside the cottage

The main living space runs wall-to-wall in knotty pine paneling and a tongue-and-groove wood ceiling, giving the whole room an amber warmth on grey days. A round river-rock fireplace dominates the living wall, stacked smooth stones rising right to the roofline, with a flat-screen TV above and plaid sofas arranged in a U-shape around it. The open kitchen just behind shares the same wood-wrapped walls: light maple cabinetry, white counters, a full fridge, and a bar-height counter with stools overlooking the dining area where a harvest table seats the group.

Room to rest

Three bedrooms sleep up to ten guests, including one knotty-pine bunk room with a twin-over-full configuration, walls paneled in the same warm pine as the rest of the cabin. Two bathrooms cover the group, and the full in-unit washer and dryer handle a multi-day stay with ease.

Outside your door

The fire pit on the lake bank is a proper outdoor living room, stone ring, log benches, direct water views, and the dock steps away. Arbutus Lake is clear and quiet, ideal for early-morning kayaking before the rest of the house wakes up.

What's Nearby

Arbutus Lake sits just south of the main TC metro, putting Traverse City's downtown restaurants and West Bay beach within about fifteen minutes. Interlochen, the Boardman River trail system, and the Grand Traverse Bay wineries are all easy day trips.

Perfect For

Pet-friendly groups and larger families, up to ten guests, who want true lakefront access, a fire pit at the water's edge, and the flexibility of an in-unit laundry for longer stays.