You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.
Farm and Lake: Remote Getaway
Welcome to Lake Van Auken! Recently remodeled, our secluded lake + farm retreat (family-run red bell pepper and soy bean operation) features over 3,500 sq. ft. of living space including 6 bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms, with stunning water and farmland views.
Whether you’re enjoying a sunset meal on the upper deck, a cozy fire in the living room, kayaking on the lake, or time in the large yard, this home is ideal for a large family gathering and entertaining among friends.
NOTE: There is currently no developed beach on the property - but guests are welcome to use the public launch on Lake Van Auken with a small, swimmable beach area a block away or nearby public beaches on Lake Michigan. We also recently installed a pier that guests are welcome to use for fishing and to dock boats.
Property manager
Jack Hennessy
Languages
English
Add dates for prices
Property amenities
Internet
Available in the house: Free WiFi
Parking and transportation
Onsite parking options include a garage
Kitchen
Blender
Coffee grinder
Coffee/tea maker
Cookware, dishware, and utensils
Dishwasher
Electric kettle
Ice maker
Kitchen island
Microwave
Oven
Refrigerator
Spices
Stovetop
Toaster
Dining
Dining table
Bedrooms
6 bedrooms
Bedsheets provided
Sofa bed
Bathroom
3.5 bathrooms
Bathtub
Bathtub or shower
Hair dryer
Shower
Soap
Toilet paper
Towels provided
Living spaces
Dining table
Fireplace
Living room
Separate dining area
Entertainment
Books
DVD player
Games
Smart TV
Video library
Outdoor areas
Barbecue grill
Dock
Garden
Patio
Yard
Laundry
Laundry facilities
Washing machine
Work spaces
Desk
Desk chair
Office
Comfort
Air conditioning
Heating
Pets
No pets allowed
Suitability/Accessibility
Smoke-free property
Services and conveniences
Iron/ironing board
Location highlights
In a rural location
Near a hospital
Near a zoo
On a lake
On the waterfront
Things to do
Gym
Water park
Birdwatching nearby
Casino nearby
Fishing nearby
Horseback riding nearby
Hunting nearby
Jet skiing nearby
Motor boating nearby
Snowmobiling nearby
Swimming nearby
Water skiing nearby
Water tubing nearby
Wildlife walks nearby
Safety features
Carbon monoxide detector (host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property)
Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)
First aid kit
Fire extinguisher
Deadbolt lock
General
Garden
Similar properties
The Palace: Luxury Living the whole family will enjoy! Indoor Swim Spa Hot Tub
The Palace: Luxury Living the whole family will enjoy! Indoor Swim Spa Hot Tub
You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions
Pets
Pets not allowed
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Important information
You need to know
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
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit, and a deadbolt lock
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation
Property is also known as
Farm Remote Getaway Hartford
Farm and Lake: Remote Getaway Hartford
Farm and Lake: Remote Getaway Private vacation home
Farm and Lake: Remote Getaway Private vacation home Hartford
About the neighborhood
Hartford, MI
What's nearby
Surfari Joe's Indoor Wilderness Water Park - 23 min drive - 15.8 km
Four Winds Casino Hartford - 23 min drive - 17.2 km
Van Buren State Park - 27 min drive - 23.7 km
South Beach - 32 min drive - 29.2 km
North Beach - 32 min drive - 29.9 km
Getting around
Bangor Station - 22 min drive
Restaurants
Casey's - 18 min drive
McDonald's - 22 min drive
McDonald's - 16 min drive
Taco Bell - 18 min drive
Burger King - 18 min drive
Frequently asked questions
Is Farm and Lake: Remote Getaway pet-friendly?
No, pets are not allowed at this property.
What time is check-in at Farm and Lake: Remote Getaway?
Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.
What time is check-out at Farm and Lake: Remote Getaway?
Check-out is at 11:00 AM.
Where is Farm and Lake: Remote Getaway located?
Located on the waterfront, this family-friendly vacation home is within 9 mi (15 km) of Haney Lake, Surfari Joe's Indoor Wilderness Water Park, and Southard Lake. Nicholas Lake and Hillocher Lake are also within 9 mi (15 km).
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Farm and Lake: Remote Getaway Reviews
Reviews
10
Exceptional
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.
Rating 10 - Excellent. 27 out of 28 reviews
10 - Excellent
27
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 28 reviews
8 - Good
1
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 28 reviews
6 - Okay
0
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 28 reviews
4 - Poor
0
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 28 reviews
2 - Terrible
0
10/10
Cleanliness
10/10
Property conditions & facilities
Reviews
10/10
Lovely home, with Kayaks and a beautiful lake view!
Verified traveler
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022
10/10
This place is so peaceful. It was so clean. We had everything we needed, and the owner was super communicative. It was perfect for our extended family to get away for a few days without being all cramped on top of one another. It's a great lake house and we loved having access to the kayaks and ping pong table!
David C.
Stayed 2 nights in Aug 2022
10/10
Even though we are usually staying in South Haven proper this property was more reasonably priced for the size we needed. The drive was very doable once and even twice a day to the beach/town. The biggest hit was fishing off deck with Grandpa! Clean and roomy. We would definitely stay again.
Kris B.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2022
10/10
Our large family had a great time at this location! The owner was great to work with and the house/property worked very well for our stay. It's a peaceful property close to Lake Michigan. We didn't end up doing any fishing at Lake Van Auken because we ended up spending most of our time in South Haven or St. Joseph.
Verified traveler
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2022
10/10
Lovely spot away from it all. House had all the necessary amenities. Kitchen had enough items to facilitate cooking for 12. Close enough to Lake Michigan that we took a beach day in St. Joe. Owner was very responsive to inquiries. I would absolutely recommend spending some time here.
Chris N.
Stayed 7 nights in Jul 2021
10/10
Beautiful large house between the lake and the farm. Big yard and lots of space between us and neighbors. Quiet setting. Enjoyed yard games, making smores and visiting around the fire pit, grilling on the deck, kayaking and fishing the lake. Great location for lots of area attractions in easy driving distance. Highly recommend this place especially for family groups. Jack Hennessy is a great host.
Verified traveler
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2021
10/10
House was perfect size for our large family...we had 10 adults and 4 under 17. The rooms were very spacious and well kept! I loved spending our evenings out by the fire and our early mornings fishing from the provided kayaks. Loved the 1/2 bthrm on the main level! The kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms had everything you needed and more! The drive to the beach was a little longer than what were used to but the large yard, firepit and lake makes it worth the drive. Also, easy to communicate with! Thank you for all the beautiful memories!!
Lori L.
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023
10/10
The property itself is fairly secluded with a giant front and backyard. The house is very very well stocked with cooking appliances/utensils, board games, towels and toiletries. Also, the beds were more plentiful....atleast 2 king beds!
The hosts were extremely accommodating and helped answer any questions we had.
It is a bit tough to spend time in the evening outside with the bugs, but this is a great house if you're looking to spend time out by water and see the stars at night.
Max Y.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2021
10/10
Lovely home with great bedroom arrangements. Excllent Wifi service. TV was not a true Smart TV. Was not able to access the internet from the TV. This is the farthest we have stayed from St. Joe but not to inconvenient. You need to add a Keurig coffee maker. My entire family thoroughly enjoyed our stay. Your home had a little bit of something for everyone.Thanks for the late check out. I picked up a large screw in my tire and it was flat when we started to leave. I did not have a spare but did have a flat tire repair kit. Used your air pump to pump the gel into the tire and reinflate the tire. I drove it to Fairplane and bought a new tire. Thanks We are back home in Kentuky safe, sound, and satisfied.
Jerry J.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2022
10/10
Nice, well-kept property in the countryside. Plenty of room to spread out our multi-generational family. The kids loved using the kayaks on the little lake behind the house. 20 min from Lake Michigan beachfront towns.
A couple of things to note: the playroom with the futon is connected to the master bedroom, so you have to walk through the bedroom to get to the playroom. Also, there is a 2nd, smaller master bedroom with bathroom on the main floor. I must not have read the description clearly because I assigned my parents that room before arrival thinking all but the upstairs master bathroom opened to the hall. With the 2 master baths that leaves the other 3 bedrooms (8 people in our case) sharing the remaining full bathroom upstairs and half bath downstairs. Not a huge deal, but required some coordination since my parents went to bed early and my sister and her small kids were in the master upstairs.
Overall a very nice rental. The host was attentive, texting me daily to make sure everything was okay. Will stay here again if we're back in the area.
Tricia J.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2022
10/10
Patricia
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2024
10/10
The home was super clean and had everything we needed for our stay. Instructions for check-in were clear, and the host was very accommodating. Location worked perfectly for us. We enjoyed sitting on the dock and using the kayaks.
Diane L.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2024
10/10
Jack’s place was even better than the pictures. Super spacious, comfortable and the cleanest VRBO I’ve ever stayed at 😊. Awesome view of the lake and more room than we needed. We were very comfortable and appreciated the extra touches such as games, movies, super fast Wi-Fi and well equipped kitchen. Our family will be back. Thank you!!
Catherine S.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2022
10/10
Very nice house with plenty of bedrooms and bathrooms to accommodate a large group. Had a great time with friends on our golf trip. Some fished while others hing out by the fire pit.
Kenny C.
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2022
10/10
The views were beautiful ,great location! Not far from lake Michigan or south haven.
Fully stocked kitchen. Was a great vacation spot. Hosts are great to work with.
Amber M.
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2022
10/10
We hosted a three night grief retreat here. The house was the PERFECT place to hold us through the intense and emotional sessions, with plenty of gathering space to be together, and enough spaces for everyone to break off and process individually and in smaller groups. The back yard is incredible and we even had a fire under the stars in the fire pit. Everyone enjoyed the lake dock, and we frequently walked out there to process, and be with nature. We cooked soups, and beautiful breakfast meals, we had lasagna, and baked fresh brownies and corn bread and had everything needed to make all these meals delicious and fresh. There was two fridges one in the house and one in the garage that kept the beverages cold. There were kayaks in the garage that we took out to play with. No issues with hot water, and they had plenty of clean bottles drinking water on hand. Lots of towels for showers. The house had a feel of summertime, and everyone loved the patio deck outside the kitchen to gather post meals and in between sessions. We cannot wait to come back to this secluded paradise.
Lynelle F.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2022
10/10
The house was as described and perfect for my kids and grandkids. The teens especially appreciated the kayaks. The location was close enough that we were able to spend a few hours at the dunes.
The only recommendation would be for window coverings upstairs to keep early morning sunlight out.
Marilyn L.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2022
10/10
The house was big, beautiful, and nice. You're pretty far out in the country, so it's perfect for a getaway. No trouble finding the place or getting in. There was an issue with the heater, but the host was super helpful and communicative and it ended up not being a big deal. We would love to come back in the summer so we could use the lake that it's located on.
Olivia G.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2022
10/10
N/a
agnes m.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2021
10/10
As a family of 5, we were looking for space to spread out as we visit our family in Michigan...and this place was perfect! A ton of space with all the things we needed. Secluded, quiet location. Owners emailed and texted so we knew how to get in touch with them if needed. May need to come back during summer to take advantage of the lake!
William D.
Stayed 7 nights in Dec 2021
10/10
Our stay here was absolutely wonderful! The house was bigger and nicer than we expected. The kitchen was perfect for cooking our thanksgiving dinner. The firepit, jacuzzi tub, fireplace and piano was nice to enjoy. As well as kayaking on the lake right out back.
There's a nice little slope that would be perfect for children to use for sledding during the winter. And the open field is perfect to enjoy a nice star filled sky. All in all a great time here!
JeQuon A.
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2021
10/10
We loved the privacy and the size of the property. Everything at the property was suited for large gatherings and it made for a really comfortable weekend.
As other have noted, the owner has everything you'd need to "live" in the house for your trip. The bottled water was a great touch and saved us from hauling a bunch of heavy water jugs with us or water bottles that will just end up being single use plastics.
I will add this to the review as It was something I was looking for and didn't get much info on...
We only fished for a couple of hours all weekend and in those couple of hours on a lake we had never fished caught a solid 5lb largemouth. We'd wished we put more time into fishing.
The place is very secluded which was great for us but might not be for some so FYI.
Jerome P.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2021
10/10
We had a great stay. Property was clean and very family friendly. I rented it for a wedding we attended in south haven and a few of my family members stayed with us. Plenty of room in a nice quiet area. Everyone enjoyed themselves.
Andy O.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2021
10/10
We couldn't have been more pleased with the home and property. The home is big and very clean, the bedrooms and bathrooms are a great size and the bedding is very soft.
We stayed for a week and other than the weather being ridiculously hot while we were there the air conditioning was a welcome reprieve from the sun and heat.
We had a great time just wished there was a nice beach on the property but we were able to get out past the lilypads and then the water was nice and clear and the grandkids loved it.
Nights were nice as we had visits from the tree frogs and we all enjoyed their company and watching them on the windows from the inside and out.
The playroom was great for the kids and kept them busy when we stayed in and they loved sleeping in there. Toys & games they didn't have were great, they learned something new just about every day.
You won't be bored that's for sure with so much to do and the wildlife to watch.
The kayaks were used daily by just about everyone, the fire pit was great for s'mores and just relaxing. Mosquitoes weren't as bad as was mentioned by someone else but we had bug wipes so it worked out great.
The owners felt like friends right from the beginning and even being on their own vacation they were very available for anything you needed or questions you had.
I would definitely recommend staying here and enjoying the beautiful, quiet country life.
Michelle K.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2021
8/10
Perfect place to rest and enjoy the family . GPS took us right to property. House very clean , laid out nice and it has everything you need. Host communicated quickly . Would do it again!!! Ideas: Blinds on upstairs bedroom windows that face eastward. Ceiling Fire alarm near kitchen dining room is faulty. Tried 3 different batteries and still chirped. I’d replace the unit itself. Possibly add some gravel on roadway/ private driveway. Pretty muddy when raining with deep pot holes. These are minor things. Overall very very nice house and property.