NEIGHBORHOOD: The location of the property is right in the heart of northern Michigan, so it's really a great location to explore all that northern Michigan has to offer! The cottages are about a 15-minute drive from downtown Kalkaska, which is a cute little northern Michigan town with a nice collection of shops, restaurants, cafes, bars, and a grocery store. Kalkaska County (in which the cottage is located) is regionally famous for lakes, fishing, hiking, boating, outdoor / nature activities, and snowmobiling. (The county is in a "snow belt" section of Michigan and gets a great deal of lake-effect snow.) Snowmobiling trails in the area are readily accessible from the cottage. Skiing and snowboarding are also very popular in the area. Forbush Corner is a great place for nordic cross-country skiing and is only 16.6 miles east of the cottages. Similarly, Mount Holiday provides downhill skiing and snowboarding and is only about 30 miles west of the cottages! The cottages are also only 20 minutes away from Torch Lake, which, with its famous turquoise-colored water, is widely regarded as the most beautiful and popular inland lake in all of Michigan! Torch Lake makes for a fun day trip and additional sites to see. The little town of Alden on Torch Lake is also very charming and enchanting. If bigger city activities are desired, although the cottage is in a very natural and peaceful setting, the cottages are actually only a 45-minute drive from Traverse City. Traverse City is the tourism, entertainment, dining, and financial hub for all of northern Michigan and, in addition to lots of scenic natural beauty associated with its location on Lake Michigan, the city has a wide and wonderful array of shops, restaurants, cafes, museums, and nightlife.