Celebrating 15 Years on Lake Missaukee

As usual, I am excited to get started on the new season…this time Summer 2025.  BUT Summer 2025 has a bit of a special meaning as it marks 15 summers of us being in Lake City providing guests a special place for their special family vacations on Lake Missaukee. We were not necessarily new to renting, but back in 2011 we started our own vacation home renting on Lake Missaukee.

 We purchased “Jennings” fifteen Januarys ago in 2011.  After a large renovation and updating we were able to open Jennings in June of the same year for our first summer season.

We had such a large request and waiting list year after year for families trying to get a vacation week that we purchased in 2012 another property a little less than a mile to the west on the same lake.  This property had an old cottage with many additions, many different floor heights, a strange layout and water issues - it had to be torn down.  On this property we started from scratch with a new construction.  In a flurry of activity throughout the fall, winter and spring, we had this property called “Arbutus” ready for visitors in June of 2013.

In May, 2016 we were able to purchase from a wonderful couple a beautiful 4 Bedroom cabin near our first purchase of 2011.  After some fixing up of the basement and doing some “upgrades/changes” to make it renter-ready, we were able to host our first guests in “Tranquility” in July of 2016.

This whole endeavor of cottage renting was and still is a family affair.  Each of our children had a part and still do help at times.  They are now all adults and look upon these experiences with sometimes fondness and sometimes not so much, depending which member you might speak to :-o!  Each year we learned a bit more how to better things in the realm of hosting and renting to vacationers.  One thing we knew each year is that our properties were desired, and so our goal was to give the best experience we were able to give with the knowledge we were able to gain and with the resources we had.  There are always new experiences or circumstances, but I would like to say that we have been able to tweak things and gain the know-how to make great spaces to vacation in for each of our guests.  We thank each of our guests for making it possible for us to host.  Without you we would not be where we are today.  Returning guests year after year and the many word-of-mouth referrals speaks volumes! (A special thank you to all those who have been with us from the very beginning!!)

THANK YOU for being a part of our 15th season!

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