THE PERFECT PLACE FOR A FAMILY VACATION!

Our family (kids, grandkids and aunts) had a wonderful time celebrating my husband and sister’s birthdays in this beautiful, welcoming home.

The grounds are beautifully cared for; the home itself is even prettier in person than in the photos. In fact, the home and landscape are breathtaking. The kids had a ball playing outside (inside too!), the property is spacious. The deck (and porch) was peaceful and serene with views of Lake Huron everywhere. We roasted marshmallows in the fire pit on the beach, made many s’mores and happy memories.

The interior of this beautiful historic home was awesome (OK, I know I keep repeating the word beautiful-but it is!). First of all, everything is sparkling clean. The kitchen has gazillions of custom cupboards and has every imaginable cooking or serving item available to be used and enjoyed. All of the rooms are oversized with large windows; this is a sunny, bright inviting home, restored and furnished with good taste and comfort.

My husband and I feel blessed to have spent our precious family time in the Egbert Smith home. We will remember our vacation time with joy for many years to come (and so will the rest of our family) and we thank the owners for their gracious hospitality.

J. & T., Howell, Michigan

We stayed here for a family reunion with adults of all ages and children ages 5 months - 13 years. We had the most relaxing and wonderful time! The home is managed by Rich and Sandy and you can certainly feel the difference from having a management company handle it(which we experienced last year when renting a home). They were very accomodating and attentive. Any time we called with a question, we were able to reach them promptly. They have put so many nice touches everywhere in the home and are so gracious as to allow visitors to use all their personal items -- we felt like guests in their home, not renters.
We were all impressed by how well stocked the home was and how high quality everything was ( from bedding & towels to appliances and cookware to wine glasses and patio furniture ).
It was a beautiful aesthetic view and a huge lush lawn for our kids to play on. The men and boys couldn't get enough of the horsehoes, and I couldn't get enough of relaxing on the porch enjoying the beautiful view, wonderful breeze from the lake and peace and quiet .
We did have a bonfire down by the beach, and also a picnic lunch where we grilled dogs in the fire pit and used the picnic table. The beach area really wasn't appealing to most of us for swimming. Our older boys did go in a couple times, however. We took a short drive to Cheboygan State Park and swam at that beach, which was much sandier.
Our favorite day trips were Mack Island and Mullet Lake Marina, where we rented a pontoon and went tubing. Unfortunately, parasailing was booked up, so be sure to reserve ahead for that if you want to go. We mostly just enjoyed visiting and catching up since we hadn't been together in a while.
The home was not only beautiful, but spotless and very well maintained; everything you could possibly need for cooking or entertaining was there. The grill was huge and the decks and flowers were gorgeous. Having 4 bathrooms, all with shower or bath (or both) was great with such a large group. The bedrooms were all very spacious and lovely. We could all fit at the dining table for our meals. This home is made for big families! Having two huge refrigerators to keep all our food and drink in was much appreciated.
Honestly, I have never enjoyed a home so much as this one. My entire family loved it. Thank you Rich and Sandy.

Our family celebrated my mom's 85th birthday at the Egbert Smith House. It's the perfect place for a celebration, vacation or any inclination! And then there's location. From Cheboygan it was easy to get to Cross in the Woods for Sunday mass, to head west to Petoskey where the gamblers could visit the casino and the shoppers could wander a charming downtown, for friends to visit from the east (Presque Isle), and for several trips to Mackinaw City: a ferry tour of lighthouses, a day on Mackinac Island, and a celebratory dinner and all-you-can-eat crab. Downtown Cheboygan is just a few minutes away by car, or a nice half hour walk, and we bought some fun things in the shops there. Morning started on the wraparound porch drinking coffee, making plans, watching the freighters and reading. The evening bonfire was full of stories and scorched marshmallows for s'mores. Make sure you check the Cheboygan Opera House schedule; it’s a grand old hall with great acoustics where we enjoyed a sing-a-long concert with Peter Yarrow (of Peter, Paul and Mary) and ice cream afterwards. The kitchen was a dream for the cooks in our family and we ate most of our meals in, either at the formal dining room table which was big enough to seat everyone, or at the smaller table in the nook overlooking the expansive lawn which runs to the beach. The Saturday farmers market meant fresh produce for our meals and the chance to purchase a loaf of fruit nut bread from Sandra’s sister. Don’t miss it - the market or the bread! The house is spacious, so you may retreat if quiet time is needed but the huge rooms are intimate enough for cozy chats. And did I mention the gigantic whirlpool tub; an Olympian could train in it. The next door neighbor is very friendly but not intrusive and it feels like you have acres to yourself! Sandra welcomed us to her home so warmly that we felt we'd known her forever. One of the best family vacations ever … I urge you to give Sandra and Rich a call and book soon.