How do I get there?
We are located north of Wausau and south the Minocqua and the Northern Highland State Forest. Before your visit, we will send directions to the cabin via email. In the meantime, things to think about when planning your visit.
Airports: Rhinelander – Oneida County Airport is a 45 minute drive. Central Wisconsin Airport is a 75 min drive. Appleton Airport is under 3 hours from us. It’s a beautiful, easy drive up to Minocqua.
Driving: We are 5.5 hours from Chicago and 4 hours from Minneapolis and 3ish from Madison or Milwaukee. We willl provide the exact address during booking.
What does the house feel like?
A bit like your house, probably. With fresh windows, insulation, siding, and new forced HVAC heating and air, it feels more like a house than a cabin. Now, we LOVE cabins (and tents and campervans…) but this is a house. And, it is influenced by the weather and the very specific way the house is situated next to the lake. The dining room is like a solarium, and warms up the house significantly during the morning hours when the sun is coming up. The living room is cooler. The four west-facing bedrooms are also cooler, perfect for sleeping.
Is this a house for little kids?
You’re asking a family who brought their first born to family camp at 8 weeks… so consider the source, but we believe the house is friendly and welcoming to all ages. For the budding naturalist, there are endlessly curious things to investigate. As a good host, we’ll point out a few things to keep in mind that may not come second-nature. For instance, footing is irregular. We’re working to install more handrails that will be essential for those concerned about their balance outside walking the stone paths on the property. But a parent walking a child should be easy. The lake is shallow immediately off the property, for those who want to wade. If you have specific questions, we are happy to answer.
Can I bring my dog?
Sorry, we don’t allow pets.
What is your cancellation and refund policy?
In order to hold your reservation, we ask for half of the rental fee. Before January 1, that amount is fully refundable. After that, it is non-refundable. May 1 we ask for the balance due, which is also non-refundable. We appreciate this is a strict policy. Here’s a great article about travel insurance which may help you book with confidence.
What is included in the price?
Accommodations, linens (bathroom and beach towels too), toilet paper and cleaning supplies that work with our septic system, access to the washer and drying in the basement, housekeeping and tax.
What will I find inside?
We’ve purposely focused on the basics–so that you can focus on the individual extras that make you feel comfortable. No doubt that’s a vision based on our own travels with extended family and with kids. So, let us get specific:
Bedrooms
Sturdy beds with wool blankets and a single hypo-allergenic pillow per bed. (Two for each queen bed.) Each room as a towel holder, since the bathrooms are shared. You’ll have floor-to-ceiling space to stash your gear–a mix of shelves, hooks and hangers. We have a crib and sheets, but not a high chair.
Bathrooms
Each bathroom has a shower, and the north one also has a bath. You’ll find fresh towels and washcloths. We’ll stock you with a few rolls of toilet paper.
Living
A few throw blankets, books, firewood and games. We don’t have a TV in the house. We have do have WiFi, but you may want to bring your hotspot to stream movies.
Kitchen
We’ve collected items that we hope facilitate easy gathering around the big dining room table. Sturdy pots and pans, baking tools, serving basics. The dishwasher makes clean up easier. We’ve traveled enough to appreciate a few essential pantry items, like dish soap, paper towels, salt and pepper to get you started.
Outdoor
There’s several outdoor seating options—on the main deck, on the side deck, on the grass, in a hammock. There’s a dock for you to tie up your own motor boat. There’s space for your human powered toys—paddle boards, kayaks—and space to stow your life vests. Bait shops abound and you can buy another rod if yours is out of date.
What if it rains?
Watch it! Nature’s iMax–included in the price of admission. From the dining room, you have the perfect spot to watch a storm come over the house across the lake and then have it dissipate. Okay, that’s not always so interesting for kids. You might try jumping in puddles with them. The pine ridge path gets pretty soggy in a downpour. Ripe for a satisfying splat! Once that’s run it’s course, there’s movies, bowling or how about an escape room with mini golf attached?
What should I bring?
For guest who haven’t spent much time in the Northwoods, a few hints:
Clothing: Temperatures can swing significantly from evening to afternoon, but also within the same day. Layering is an effective way to be in and outside throughout the day. As we used to say at camp “cotton kills” but wool is warm even when wet.
A raincoat is pretty fundamental to a visit to the Northwoods. We don’t recommend an umbrella, though a good rain hat is also immensely useful. Clothes that dry quickly will enable you to enjoy your outdoor time more.
Shoes: The ground is uneven and unpaved everywhere except inside the house. Flip flops don’t give you much protection or stability. That means you’ll be moving through dry gravel or muddy gravel in the parking area or near the house. Taking your shoes off whenever entering the house will mean less need to sweep during your stay. You may want to have slippers inside.
Personal items: We have some solar lamps that can be moved around after dark, but a good flashlight or headlamp can be useful. To keep you comfortable, you might want sunscreen, bug spray—biodegradable would be best for our lake.
Are you staying in the boathouse all summer?
We’re bound by our boys’ school schedule, so “summer” depends on your perspective. When we’re here, we’re happy to be helpful. We’re just a phone call away if you’re staying in late August and into September. We are connected to local resources, if necessary. Here’s a bit about our family, if we haven’t had a chance to meet.
Is the house winterized?
Yes! It doesn’t warm up the way your home does, as we still have some old charming windows in the bedrooms. But the fireplace is all the more cozy.
Where can we restock our provisions?
You’ll have to leave, even if you hate to, if only to gather supplies. Our favorite grocery is Save More. Round trip, it takes 20/25 minutes to grab a few essentials. For a Tomahawk steak from the town of Lake Tomahawk, you have a bit further to go–but carnivores will appreciate the wide selection of homemade jerky, sausages and fresh cuts. Those with an organic focus can find well stocked shelves and surprising fresh variety within 30/35 min round tip.