Nestled in a small cove on a big lake, Swan Cottage is a fully renovated vacation rental that sits directly on Lake Wabasis with 65' of private shoreline. Swan Cottage includes the exclusive & complimentary use of a 20' pontoon boat, 2 kayaks, 1 paddle boat & 70' dock w/platform from May through October, weather permitting. (All watercraft/docking equipment stored away the rest of the year). The space Swan Cottage has a side patio that gets full sun all day long. It's surrounded by raised garden beds, planters and urns filled with flowers & fern set against a back drop of English boxwood & wall-climbing hydrangea. The patio has a large, round picnic table w/umbrella & 6 chairs; an outdoor love seat and 2 arm chairs. Plus an adjacent hammock & gas BBQ grill. Additionally, there is a raised front deck that is heavily shaded and contains 2 chaise lounges w/side table, and second, smaller picnic table (which easily converts into 2 benches). The deck is only steps away from a campfire ring with 3 garden benches. The front yard also contains a private, sandy beach area with 70' dock & platform (for swimming, sun bathing, fishing). The pontoon boat, kayaks, and paddle boat are all moored here . . . directly in front of Swan Cottage. The lake has a gradual/gentle slope from the shoreline (ideal for young children). A sandy, hard-bottom beach was added several years ago; however, the sand becomes softer the further you wade into the water. Any seaweed in the immediate swimming area, however, is removed regularly throughout the season. Swan Cottage is an open concept living space surrounded by windows that fill the house with natural light while providing picturesque views of Lake Wabasis. The cottage sleeps 4 people in 2 spacious bedrooms. Plus, there is a semi-private sleeping space for 2 more people (in a nook adjacent to the dining area). Swan Cottage has central AC, furnace, and built-in de-humidifier system. The drinking water is ultra clean & fresh (we have advanced filtration and softener systems). Plus there's an industrial-strength back-up generator that auto-activates to power everything if the public electricity grid goes down. The kitchen has all new: cabinetry, island (w/2 stools), stainless steel farm sink, dishwasher, french door fridge (w/ice maker), gas stove with large oven and built-in microwave. Other appliances include: 3 different types of coffee makers (Keurig, drip and French-press complete with pods & fresh beans in regular & de-caffeinated versions), griddle, waffle iron, blender, toaster, electric hand mixer, pop corn maker, crock pot, homemade ice cream maker, electric wok, bread maker, electric fondue pot, rice maker, electric roaster oven, and a full set of anodized pots/pans, baking sheets, casserole dishes and more. The kitchen is also stocked with a large variety of cooking utensils, including a set of chef's cutlery, measuring cups & spoons, spatulas, tongs, whisks, ladles, graters, peelers, fruit cutters, chopping tools, cutting boards, mixing bowls, bottle & can openers, colanders, funnels, lemon squeezer, garlic press (and more). There is also an assortment of essential ingredients, including sugar, artificial sweeteners, honey, flour, spices, herbs, liquid flavor extracts, olive & cooking oils, baking soda & powder. Additionally, we supply popular condiments, including ketchup, A1 steak sauce, mustard, Kraft bbq sauce, Lea & Perrins Worcestershire, Heinz 57 and soy sauce. Other kitchen supplies include plastic wrap, tin foil, parchment paper, food storage bags & lidded plastic containers. We also provide several serving items: pitchers, trays & platters, ice bucket, trivets, large serving bowls, sauce cups, appetizer plates, corn cob holders, mesh food covers (and more). Swan Cottage is very dog friendly. We have doggie life vests in several (but not all) sizes, as well as food & water bowls and poo bags. The yard is not fenced, but we can provide ground stakes with cable ties. Guest access Wabasis Lake is located 25 miles north east of Grand Rapids (on the outskirts of Greenville, Michigan). Wabasis is the largest lake in Kent county and has 418 acres of primarily undeveloped wetlands surrounded by dense forrest. The lake is naturally spring-fed, which keeps the water clean and refreshingly cool. And Wabasis is an all-sports lake that's great for boating, swimming and especially fishing. Swan Cottage is situated in a cove on Lake Wabasis, so the water near us is typically very calm ('smooth as glass' as we locals say!). It's a quaint, private neighborhood of 25 residences along the lake. It is reachable only through an unpaved road that dead-ends 5 houses beyond Swan Cottage. This private road is well maintained by our HOA (including daily slow plowing in winter), but it is not heavily trafficked. NEARBY ACTIVITIES Although Swan Cottage is in a remote, bucolic location, there are several small towns nearby, including Greenville, Belding, Rockford and Lowell. They all have grocery stores, local restaurants & fast food outlets, taverns, and specialty clothing & gift shops. Additionally, there are many other local points of interest and places for fun (away from the lake). Popular activities include picking fresh fruit at family orchards; visiting an Amish community for home made cheeses, baked goods, handwoven baskets and handmade furniture; horseback riding; and walking/hiking/biking the Fred Meijer Heartland Trail (42 miles of pathways through farmland, forests & several small towns). There are also guided fishing tours of nearby rivers you can charter. This area also has several public golf courses, an auto racetrack, and a small resort for downhill skiing & tubing in winter or outdoor concerts during summer. Plus there is a petting zoo and 2 different entertainment centers for kids (with go-karts, arcade games, mini-golf, bumper boats, and zip line). Downtown Grand Rapids is only 30 minutes away. The city has a diverse mix of restaurants, craft breweries, clubs, shops and historic neighborhoods. Plus 6 museums within walking distance of each other, including the children's museum, an art museum, and the Gerald Ford Presidential Museum. If your preferred form of entertainment is to hunker down and relax at home, we have two HD televisions (1 in living area; 1 in master bedroom) with Netflix and Amazon Prime. Plus an extensive collection of jigsaw & crossword puzzles; family board games; cards, dominoes, backgammon, cribbage and chess. There are also books for all ages, as well as children's playthings (e.g., building blocks, dolls & doll house, stuffed animals, kid-puzzles and coloring books). Other things to note House Rules * Minimum age to book is 28. Also, the booker must be among the guests (i.e., not booking for someone else). * Parking: the gravel driveway accommodates up to 3 standard size cars (no big/commercial trucks, trailers, campers, ATVs, golf carts permitted). There is no street parking. * Visitors: guests may entertain up to 2 visitors per day with advance notice. But no overnight stays are allowed and all visitors must leave before 11p. * Fishing: Michigan requires fishing license (which can be bought online or at local bait shops) for anyone over 17. * Pets: we allow a maximum of 2, fully grown dogs (no puppies). However, each must weigh less than 75 lbs and be house-trained. There is an incremental/one-time pet fee of $99 (covering both dogs). They must be kept off furniture, beds & boat seats. No other animals allowed. * Boating requirements/restrictions: a) Guests replenish boat gas used during their stay. b) Pontoon boat is for leisure rides only (no water skiing, tubing, etc.). Maximum capacity is 6 people (driver & passengers). Minimum age to drive pontoon: 25. Children under 6 & all dogs must wear life vests at all times on the boat. County 'wake laws' restrict high speed motor boating before 10:00a and after 6:30pm. All boaters must obey Michigan's water safety laws. c) Pontoon operating demonstration & lake tour: upon arrival and/or at guest's earliest convenience (but prior to turning over boat keys), all qualified pontoon driver(s) must participate in ride-along w/host(s) for live demonstration of operating instructions (starting motor, docking, switching gas lines, etc.), right of way/water safety protocols, and troubleshooting. Plus guests and host jointly do a pre-use watercraft inspection, with post-use follow-up prior to guest departure. d) Minimum age of 11 for kayaks and life vests required for all (regardless of age or ability). Paddle boat users under 11 must be accompanied by an adult and life vests are mandatory regardless of age. Kayaking & paddle boating allowed after sunrise until dusk (but all watercraft must be docked before sunset). e) Dock safety: No diving or running allowed. Children under 6 must wear life vests whenever on dock. * COMPLIANCE & LIABILITY: adults (guests as well as any daily visitors) must read house rules and sign compliance pledge & liability waiver. Violating boating requirements and/or state watercraft safety laws will result in immediate cancellation of boating privileges for duration of their stay.