• Houseboat image by John Sandoy from Fotolia.com
  
  Michigan has more than 11,000 lakes, and houseboats are a unique way to experience them. Houseboat vacations are not common in Michigan, but there are some options available for those who want to stay as close to the water as possible. The houseboat rentals in the state are quite spread out, from lower Lake Michigan to the Upper Peninsula's Lake Superior.
  
  

Houseboat Lily Pad

• Located in the small vacation town of Douglas, the Lily Pad houseboat offers a peaceful vacation for two in southwest Michigan. The houseboat is docked at Point Pleasant Marina at the mouth of the Kalamazoo River where it empties into Lake Michigan. It has one bedroom with a queen-sized bed and is decorated in a navy and white nautical theme. Amenities at the Lily Pad include a screened porch, a deck, air conditioning, a coffee maker and wet bar, microwave, refrigerator, linens and a full bathroom with a walk-in shower. Houseboat guests also have access to marina facilities like a laundry, swimming pool and grills. The vacation rental costs $1,188 per week, plus tax as of March 2010, and is available through Shoreline Realtors. The marina is a short walk from downtown Douglas and a couple minutes' drive from the lakeshore city of Saugatuck. Both towns offer unique shopping, waterfront dining and many art galleries. Other nearby attractions include Saugatuck State Park, Oval Beach, Douglas Beach and sand dunes. The beaches around Saugatuck and Douglas were rated among the world's top 25 by Conde Nast International Traveler magazine in 2008.
  
  Houseboat Lily Pad
  Point Pleasant Marina
  Douglas, MI 49406
  269-857-4759
  shorelinerealtors.com/RentalProgram/RentalHomePages/indexrent.htm
  
  

Windjammer Cove and Marina on Crooked Lake

• Windjammer Cove and Marina offers houseboat vacation rentals on Crooked Lake, a small lake in the Little Traverse Bay area in Michigan's northern Lower Peninsula. Crooked Lake is along Michigan's Inland Water Route, a series of small lakes and channels that run between the Great Lakes of Michigan and Huron. Houseboating on Crooked Lake is safe and small enough for tourists to explore easily. Much of the wildlife and scenery is the same as that found on the Great Lakes. Both 30- and 40-foot houseboats are available for rent. The larger sleeps up to eight people, and the smaller sleeps up to six. Both boats include a grill on the back, a stove and refrigerator. The 40-foot boat includes a rustic bathroom with a shower and hot water. The 30-foot boat has a microwave and a waterslide off the back of the boat.
  
  Windjammer Cove and Marina
  3520 U.S. 31 N.
  Oden, MI 49764
  888-454-8825
  houseboating.org/crookedlake/overview
  
  

River Cove Condos and Houseboat Rentals

• River Cove Condos and Houseboat Rentals is located near the Soo Locks in Sault St. Marie at Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. River Cove is mainly a vacation condo and charter fishing business, but a houseboat is available to rent for special occasion vacations like honeymoons or anniversaries. The Get-Aweigh is available for rent from May through October. Attractions near River Cove include the Soo Locks, Tahquamenon Falls, golf courses, casinos and the Shipwreck Museum in Whitefish Point.
  
  River Cove Condos & Houseboat Rental
  2841 Riverside Dr.
  Sault Sainte Marie, MI 49783
  906-632-7075
  michigan.org/property/Detail.aspx?p=g14051