Apartment in Empire, MI

The Tree House in the Heart of Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore

The Tree House in the Heart of Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore

Photo gallery for The Tree House in the Heart of Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore

Ship wreckage washed ashore on Lake Michigan
Sleeping Bear Dunes..a short hop from the Tree House
summer
Sunset over Lake Michigan near Glen Arbor  2015
garden pond

Overview of The Tree House in the Heart of Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore

Reviews
4.8 out of 5 Exceptional
1 bedroom1 bathroomSleeps 365 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Pet-friendlyPet-friendlyPet-friendly
  • KitchenKitchenKitchen
  • Barbecue grillBarbecue grillBarbecue grill
  • Free WiFiFree WiFiFree WiFi
  • Outdoor spaceOutdoor spaceOutdoor space

Explore the area

Empire, MI
  • Popular LocationGlen Lake9 min drive
  • Popular LocationSleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore11 min drive
  • Popular LocationSleeping Bear Point Coast Guard Station Maritime Museum15 min drive
  • AirportTraverse City, MI (TVC-Cherry Capital)46 min drive

Rooms & beds

1 bedroom (sleeps 3)

Bedroom 1

1 Double Bed and 1 Single Bed

Convertible bed(s)

1 Double Futon

1 bathroom

Bathroom 1

Soap · Towels provided · Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Deck or patio
Kitchen
Balcony
Garden
Dining Area

About this property

The Tree House in the Heart of Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore

NOW TAKING SUMMER 2024 - 2025 RESERVATIONS.

Welcome to our Tree House in the Sleeping Bear National Park. The Tree House is a carriage house in the forest approximately 3 miles from the Village of Empire and 3 miles from Glen Arbor. Twenty to 30 minutes to Traverse City.

. You may rely upon the accuracy of the calendar that appears on VRBO.
>Minimum stay during peak season (Memorial Day - Labor Day) is 7 nights. (Saturday-Saturday)
>Check in on Saturday, and check out on Saturday. Sorry, we do not break up weeks.
>Maximum fire law occupancy is 4
>We are pet friendly, within reason. There is a pet fee to consider and crates are required for a pet left alone on the property. We have purchased a crate that you may rent if you cannot bring one. We no longer allow cats.
>All guests are required to purchase VRBO rental insurance and we also participate in the refundable deposit program.


National Geographic
2012 TOP 10 BEST SUMMER VACATION PLACES.

The Tree House is located in the heart of Good Morning America's Most Beautiful Place in America...Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore.

This completely furnished carriage apartment was built by the owners. The house is situated on 30 acres, on a secluded road with minimal traffic, directly across from the Sleeping Bear National Forest. Comfortably sleeps 2 adults but can sleep 4. The apartment is upstairs, essentially a tree house in the woods and separate from the main house. Exactly half way between Glen Arbor and Empire. Less than a mile from the beautiful Glen Lakes; swimming, jet ski rental, boat rental and fishing. Empire and Glen Arbor restaurants, shopping, art galleries and more within a 10 minute drive. Golf, horseback riding, hiking, less than a mile and only 20-25 minutes from Traverse City.
There is also an art studio on the property and a large garden. Down the hill from the apartment is a large natural pond and from the apartment balcony deck you can observe the wildlife at the pond. Anytime you might see cranes, deer, foxes and even an occasional coyote. There is also a small pond off the garden, near the main house.

Please check the calendar for available dates during your intended stay. During Peak Season (May - September ) check in day is ONLY on Saturday and check out the following Saturday. In the upper right side of the main page there is a link to the reservation calendar. You can view the available dates there. Check in Saturday, 5:00 pm - Check out Saturday 10 am.

The property is closed to rentals from October 15 until Memorial Day weekend.

PLEASE: when you inquire about reservations, please email me back and let me know your decision ! Thank you.


Keywords: Sleeping Bear, house, apartment, upstairs, gay friendly, pets, Empire, Glen Arbor, Traverse City.

Property manager

Norm
Premier Host
Premier Host
Lock

Protect your payment — always book on Vrbo

If someone asks you to book through them or pay them directly before you book on Vrbo, report it.

Amenities

Kitchen
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi
Outdoor space
Barbecue grill

House Rules

Check in after 5:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 27
Check out before 10:00 AM

Children

Adults only

Events

No events allowed

Pets

Pets allowed: dogs less than 50 lb per pet (limit one pet total)
Pets left alone in the house MUST BE CRATED

Smoking

Smoking allowed: in designated areas
OUTDOORS ONLY
We reserve the right to limit or withdraw pool use.
Only those people on the reservation may occupy the facility. If the reservation is for 2 people, then only two people may stay.
Pets left alone on property MUST be crated at all times for safety and damage purposes. We have a crate to rent if necessary.

Damage and incidentals

You will be responsible for any damage to the rental property caused by you or your party during your stay.

Important information

You need to know

This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
On-site parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Safety features at this property include a carbon monoxide detector, a fire extinguisher, a smoke detector and a deadlock

We should mention

A car is required for transport to and from this property

About the area

Empire

Located in Empire, this apartment is in a rural area and on the waterfront. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and Lake Michigan. Sleeping Bear Point Coast Guard Station Maritime Museum and Great Lakes Children's Museum are also worth visiting. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.

What's nearby

  • Little Glen Lake - 5 min drive
  • Glen Lake - 9 min drive
  • Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive - 9 min drive
  • Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore - 11 min drive
  • Sleeping Bear Point Coast Guard Station Maritime Museum - 15 min drive

Getting around

  • Traverse City, MI (TVC-Cherry Capital) - 47 min drive

Restaurants

  • Cherry Public House | Glen Arbor - 10 min drive
  • Boone Dock's - 10 min drive
  • Arts Tavern - 10 min drive
  • Friendly Tavern - 9 min drive
  • Shipwreck Cafe - 9 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is The Tree House in the Heart of Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 1 total) with a maximum weight of up to 50 lb per pet.

What time is check-in at The Tree House in the Heart of Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore ?

Check-in begins at 5:00 PM.

What time is check-out at The Tree House in the Heart of Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore ?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is The Tree House in the Heart of Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore located?

Situated on the waterfront, this apartment building is 2.5 mi (4 km) from Little Glen Lake and within 6 miles (10 km) of Lake Michigan and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Glen Lake and Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive are also within 6 miles (10 km).

Reviews

4.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 5 - Excellent. 63 out of 76 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Good. 10 out of 76 reviews" "
Rating 3 - Okay. 1 out of 76 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Poor. 2 out of 76 reviews" "
Rating 1 - Terrible. 0 out of 76 reviews" "

4.8/5

Cleanliness

4.9/5

Check-in

4.8/5

Communication

5/5

Location

4.7/5

Listing accuracy

Reviews

5/5 Excellent

Lisa B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Peaceful getaway
We have been coming to Sleeping Bear Dunes for years and this was our first stay at the Tree House. The location is great. It is nestled in the woods on a quiet lane which was perfect for an evening stroll with our dogs. The unit itself was very clean and nicely decorated. The kitchen had everything needed to make all our meals and the furniture was comfortable. The bathroom was up to date with a beautiful shower but the bedroom was my favorite. I loved all the wood and large windows. It was nice to meet the owner. Norm was available for questions and super nice person. There are a few steps to go up so unless you have issues with those we would recommend the Tree House to anyone without hesitation and will be back ourselves.
Stayed 7 nights in Sep 2023

3/5 Okay

Chelsie D.

Liked: Cleanliness, location
Disliked: Listing accuracy
TOO CLOSE TO HOSTS' HOME
I want to preface this review with the fact that my husband owns & operates short-term/vacation rentals for a living & has been doing so for years. We have stayed at numerous properties in Northern MI with our dogs + around the country & have never had any issues or complaints. PROS: Great location, very clean, upgraded bathroom. CONS: While Norm seems like a nice guy, in our professional opinion, he holds his rental property a little too close to home, literally & figuratively, which caused us to not enjoy our stay to its fullest potential. #1: The “tree house” is located right next to his house. This is not accurately described in the description. #2: There is no key to the property. We were not aware of this until 48 before check-in when we received the instructions that said “There is no key, there hasn’t been for 15 years.” This is something that needs to be properly communicated in the description of the listing as some may not be comfortable with this. #3: While this property accepts dogs, our dogs seemed to be an issue for him. On our first morning, we woke up to a text message that said “I’m not angry but…” followed by a long paragraph of things Norm was not happy about (ie: barking, not crating our dogs, having them off-leash, etc.). We had so much anxiety about leaving our dogs at the property and upsetting Norm that we ended up taking them with us everywhere we went and left them in the car with the AC on when needed. Overall would not stay at this property again.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

5/5 Excellent

Carol S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
The treehouse
Very peaceful and quiet
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

5/5 Excellent

Tom C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Lovely Stay in the Treehouse
The treehouse was comfortable, quiet and a great base from which to explore Sleeping Bear Dunes and the western shore of western Michigan. Beautiful setting in the woods and our host, Norm, was most responsive to our questions and requests.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

5/5 Excellent

Maija P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Exactly what we needed
Our stay was cozy, comfortable, and serene. It was wonderful to be surrounded by trees. It also was close to everything we needed. Thank you for a wonderful time!
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2023

About the host

Hosted by Norm

Host profile image
Please check our reviews. Some of the best reviews for the area. We have hosted many guests over the 15 years from performers at the Manitou Music Festival, to artists in residence of the Glen Arbor Art Association. Whatever we can do to make your stay in Empire/Glen Arbor/Traverse City better, we will be happy to help in any way that we can. Please be sure to leave a review after your stay.Thanks for your kind support.

Why they chose this property

Just read the reviews ! We have many return guests year after year.

What makes this property unique

In the heart of Sleeping Bear National Forest, the Tree House is centrally located, with quick access to the Glen Lakes, Sleeping Bear Dunes and Lake Michigan. Within a 20-30 minute drive, guests can find themselves in the midst of Traverse City. Come stay with us during the National Cherry Festival or the Manitou Music Festival. Everything is within reasonable driving distances. Benzie, Honor, Cadillac, Suttons Bay, Acme, Williamsburg, Bear Lake, Northport, Leland, and Lake Leelanau.

Premier Host

Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests
Tell us how we can improve our siteShare feedback

People also search for

More Holiday Rentals ideas