Yellow Birch Lake Inn is an iconic 1940s lake-house estate that has been masterfully modernized into a luxurious private “family inn,” while also carefully preserving the beautiful bead board in the five bedrooms, and the original Douglas Fir wood paneling and the majestic stone fireplace in the living room. With 400 feet of lake frontage on Yellow Birch Lake, the Inn is a very special place to experience the world’s largest chain of 28 connected lakes and the beauty of the Northwoods, with the added convenience of being close to the quaint town of Eagle River (it’s a five-minute drive). The spacious home is designed to comfortably accommodate five couples (or singles) or even three families: three bedrooms for the couples and two bedrooms for the kids.

Indoor heaven: As of August 2020, just about everything in the house is BRAND new — the furniture, beds, fine linens, beach towels*, cookware, dinnerware, and the outdoor grill.

The dreamy gourmet kitchen features two GE ovens (one is convection), a 6-burner gas GE stove, a GE refrigerator, two GE dishwashers, and a microwave. The commercial-grade kitchen is fully stocked with pots, pans, bakeware, serve ware, and place settings for 20. Enjoy eating those gourmet meals in the airy dining room (seating 14) with a breathtaking view of the lake. Cozy up with a book or a board game in front of the fireplace. Gather in front of the 75” Smart TV to stream a movie on Netflix. And stay connected with your smart devices and laptops because The Inn has free, uber-high-speed (1-gig) internet!

The five bedrooms all have lake views. At night, retreat to one of the five bedrooms and, if you’re lucky, fall asleep to the loons calling. In the morning, wake up early to watch the sunrise from your bedroom. Four of the bedrooms have full en suite bathrooms and one bedroom has a full bath across the hall. There’s also a powder room! Because the Inn is connected to the city’s sewer and water system, guests can take long hot showers (with plenty of water pressure) all at the same time, which isn’t typical in larger homes. Having city sewer and water also eliminates annoying issues associated with well water and septic systems. Plus, The Inn has a boiler, a dual furnace, and air-conditioning zones!

Outdoor fun The enormous front lawn is a great place to play badminton, croquet, or corn hole. Or relax in the lakeside gazebo. Or laze in the Adirondack chairs near the shoreline and enjoy the lake activity (great boat and people watching!). Bring your boat(s) (or rent watercraft from the nearby marina) and dock them in the historic two-stall overwater boathouse. At night, gather around the firepit or spread a blanket on the lawn and gaze up at the stars.

Extracurricular activities Summer/Fall: Walk to the Eagle River Golf course (across the road) for a leisurely 18 holes or rent a pontoon boat, pack an ice chest and explore the chain of lakes. Rent kayaks, paddle boards, and SeaDoos. Boat to one of the many waterfront restaurants on the chain for lunch or dinner. Bring binoculars and a bird watching. Bring bicycles and ride on the Wild Eagle Trail. And don’t forget fishing! The chain of lakes is legendary for sports fishing, including competitions — northern pike, bass, trout, and the 1000-casts-to-catch-a-muskie. Visit Yellow Birch Inn during Colorama when the Northwoods is transforming from lush greens to vibrant oranges and reds.

Winter: Eagle River is the Snowmobile Capital of the World! Ride the wide network of trails. Watch a hockey game at the iconic Sports Arena. Snowshoe or cross-country ski on nearby trails. Ice fishing on many nearby lakes. Oohs and Aahs: One guest said “the echoes of yesteryear resonate,” another that “Yellow Birch Lake Inn is the kind of place where’d they’d film a movie — the kind of place you don’t want to leave,” and another guest called it “the perfect place for a family reunion — it can be your own very private world.”

*Bath Towels are not provided, only Beach Towels.