Entire home

1 bed/1 bath, 1.5 blocks to beach/town, dog friendly, screened prch, fenced yard

Photo gallery for 1 bed/1 bath, 1.5 blocks to beach/town, dog friendly, screened prch, fenced yard

Beach nearby, sun-loungers
Beach nearby, sun-loungers
Exterior
Fridge, microwave, oven, stovetop
Property grounds

Reviews

10 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

2 bedrooms1 bathroomSleeps 3

Popular amenities

  • Parking available
  • Pet-friendly
  • Dryer
  • Barbecue grill
  • Washer
  • Kitchen

Explore the area

Map
Union Pier, MI
  • Gordon Beach
    ‪9 min walk‬
  • St. Julian Winery - Union Pier Tasting Room
    ‪3 min drive‬
  • Four Winds Casino New Buffalo
    ‪13 min drive‬
  • South Bend, IN (SBN-South Bend Intl.)
    ‪46 min drive‬

Room options

Similar properties

About the area

Union Pier

When you stay at this cottage in Union Pier, you'll be near the beach, within a 15-minute drive of Lake Michigan and Warren Dunes State Park. .This family-friendly cottage is 7 mi (11.2 km) from Four Winds Casino New Buffalo and 0.3 mi (0.5 km) from Union Pier Beach.

What's nearby

  • Gordon Beach - 9 min walk - 0.8 km
  • Round Barn Union Pier Tasting Room - 3 min drive - 2.5 km
  • St. Julian Winery - Union Pier Tasting Room - 3 min drive - 2.6 km
  • Townline Beach - 3 min drive - 2.1 km
  • Four Winds Casino New Buffalo - 13 min drive - 11.3 km

Getting around

  • New Buffalo Station - 8 min drive
  • South Bend Intl. Airport (SBN) - 46 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪The Buffet at Four Winds Casino - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪Four Winds Sports Bar - ‬13 min drive
  • ‪Timbers at Four Winds Casino - ‬15 min drive
  • ‪The Stray Dog Bar & Grill - ‬8 min drive
  • ‪Redamak's Tavern - ‬6 min drive

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

1 bed/1 bath, 1.5 blocks to beach/town, dog friendly, screened prch, fenced yard

Come explore Elephant Walk, a dog-friendly compound, walkable to beach and town, designed to make memories for your group. It provides multiple gathering spots both outside and in while ensuring ample privacy at the same time. Our Main House offers giant living spaces to accommodate the whole group and provides 4 very large bedrooms and 3 baths. On the same grounds, there are 5 smaller cottages that offer full kitchens/bathrooms/living spaces and house 1-2 bedrooms each. If you would like to rent the Main House as well as 1+ cottages, please see our VRBO links to the other cottages or message me to check on availability. Host your retreat, wedding party, or reunion here for an unforgettable experience!

We allow large group bookings only (Main House + at least 2 cottages) until late Fall of each year at which point we'll open up the calendar for anyone to reserve the house and cottages separately and allow for instant booking. Please message us for details, and we will respond within 24 hours.

Much work has been done to this compound since we bought it in Jan 2019. Stay tuned to this as we will update pictures as changes are made as well as provide more updates we'll make over the coming years.

*2024 updates from a home maintenance standpoint:
-Entire property: new exterior paint, parking signs for all of the cottages, new ceiling fans
-Main House: gas grill added to charcoal grill option, new screened porch furniture and ceiling (no leaks!), kitchen backsplash, new balcony off primary bedroom
-Cottage 2: electrical overhaul to fix sporadic outages
-Cottage 3: expanded private enclosed yard
-Cottage 4: new basketball hoop
-Cottage 5: kitchen refresh with new countertops and kitchen sink

**Everyone must review the rental agreement which is comprehensive: lists the terms of the rental agreement, the dog waiver (if you are bringing a dog), provides suggested packing items, lists the hot tub rules (for Main House only).

**Please designate upon checking out if you are bringing a dog so you can have the pet fee added onto your final total.

**Note that Cottage 1 shares a wall with the far hallway corner of the Main House but as of 2022, we've added insulation and other measures to ensure noise transfer is drastically minimized. Cottage 1 and 2 used to have an interior door that locked but it was the source of noise transfer so in Spring of 2022, we closed up that door and added insulation in the units to minimize noise transfer. Cottages 4 and 5 share no walls as they stand alone on the property. All cottages have a pull out couch, and the Main House has 2 pull out couches, one in each king bedroom.

**From Memorial Day to Labor Day we require 3 night minimum stay, but a 7 night stay (Fri-Fri) is required in the heart of the summer, from June through beginning of August unless the week is already broken up.

**Well behaved dogs are welcome. Pets are required to be on leash outside of fenced yard, and you are required to pick up after them or fee will be assessed.

**Note our suggested packing items we provide right before your arrival. Starter paper towels, toilet paper, and garbage bags are provided but you'll have to bring your own after the starters. We don't do this because we're cheap or insensitive. We do this because we are not often in the area to run these kinds of things over, and we also like for guests to be respectful of the environment which we've noticed happens more often when guests bring their own disposable supplies. Thank you for your understanding!

Thank you for visiting, we hope you choose Elephant Walk for your next group get-away! Email us with any questions, and we'll answer any questions within 24 hours.

The links to the other units on the property are as follows:

Elephant Walk- Main House: www.vrbo.com/1519363
Elephant Walk- Cottage 1: www.vrbo.com/1519692
Elephant Walk- Cottage 2: www.vrbo.com/1519733
Elephant Walk- Cottage 3: www.vrbo.com/1519782
Elephant Walk- Cottage 4: www.vrbo.com/1519804
Elephant Walk- Cottage 5: www.vrbo.com/1519825

Cottage 5 is a stand alone cottage with screened porch and lofted ceilings. Already has a private, fenced in yard. Still a great arrangement for an extended family visit as you can connect through the backyard. Cottages 5 parks in the street.

• 1 Bedroom Queen
• 1 Twin Sofa Bed in Living Room
• 1 Bath
• Cable TV
• Free wi-fi internet
• washer, dryer
• Air Conditioning, Central Heating
• Private screened porch
• Private fenced in yard with bbq grill
• Access to Main House big backyard and other amenities (hot tub, outdoor shower, fire pits, etc.) if sharing compound with large group
• Weber Kettle Grill for Charcoal
• Fully Equipped Kitchen

Make yourself comfortable in this air-conditioned cottage, featuring a kitchen with a refrigerator and an oven. There's a private patio. Complimentary wireless internet access is available to keep you connected. Conveniences include a microwave and a coffee/tea maker.
Enjoy recreation amenities such as a water park or take in the view from a garden.
Guests will find features like internet access and onsite parking.

Property manager

Erica Carli

Languages

English, Spanish

Property amenities

Beach

  • Beach nearby
  • Beach loungers

Ski

  • Cross-country skiing nearby
  • Snowboarding nearby

Internet

  • Available in the cottage: Free WiFi

Parking and transport

  • Parking on site

Kitchen

  • Blender
  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Electric kettle
  • Hob
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Refrigerator
  • Toaster

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • 2 bedrooms
  • Bedsheets provided
  • Sofa bed

Bathroom

  • 1 bathroom
  • Bathtub or shower
  • Hair dryer
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Dining table
  • Living room

Entertainment

  • Games
  • TV with cable/satellite channels

Outdoor areas

  • Barbecue grill
  • Fenced yard
  • Firepit
  • Garden
  • Outdoor furniture
  • Patio

Laundry

  • Laundry facilities
  • Washing machine

Comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Pets

  • Pet friendly
  • Welcoming dogs only
  • One pet total

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoke-free property

Location highlights

  • Near a health/beauty spa
  • Near a hospital
  • Near a zoo
  • Near an outlet shopping centre
  • Near the marina

Things to do

  • Water park
  • Basketball nearby
  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Casino nearby
  • Cycling nearby
  • Fishing nearby
  • Golfing nearby
  • Hiking/biking trails nearby
  • Horseback riding nearby
  • Hunting nearby
  • Ice skating nearby
  • Jet skiing nearby
  • Kayaking nearby
  • Motor boating nearby
  • Sailing nearby
  • Sledding nearby
  • Snowmobiling nearby
  • Swimming nearby
  • Theme park nearby
  • Water skiing nearby
  • Water tubing nearby
  • Wildlife walks nearby
  • Winery tours 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)
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Deadbolt lock

General

  • Garden

Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Contactless check-in available
Minimum check-in age: 25

Check-out

Check-out before 10:00 AM
Contactless check-out available

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

Pets allowed
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
Welcoming dogs only
1 total pets
Restrictions apply; for more information contact the property at the number on the booking confirmation
Note from host: dogs only, waiver adhered to, $100 fee @ check out

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 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

1 Bed/1 Bath 1.5 Blocks Beach/town dog Friendly House Union Pier
1 Bed/1 Bath 1.5 Blocks Beach/town dog Friendly House
1 Bed/1 Bath 1.5 Blocks Beach/town dog Friendly Union Pier
1 Bed/1 Bath 1.5 Blocks Beach/town dog Friendly
1 Bed/1 Bath 1.5 Blocks Beach/town dog Friendly House Union Pier
1 Bed/1 Bath 1.5 Blocks Beach/town dog Friendly House
Cottage 1 Bed/1 Bath, 1.5 Blocks to Beach/town, dog Friendly
1 Bed/1 Bath 1.5 Blocks Beach/town dog Friendly Union Pier
1 Bed/1 Bath 1.5 Blocks Beach/town dog Friendly
Cottage 1 Bed/1 Bath, 1.5 Blocks to Beach/town, dog Friendly
1 Bed/1 Bath, 1.5 Blocks to Beach/town, dog Friendly Union Pier
1 Bed/1 Bath 1.5 Blocks to Beach/town dog Friendly

1 bed/1 bath, 1.5 blocks to beach/town, dog friendly, screened prch, fenced yard Reviews

Reviews

10

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 25 out of 27 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 2 out of 27 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 27 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 27 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 27 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Julie K.

Liked: Cleanliness

Great location and responsive host

The cottage at Elephant Walk was a great location and stay. It is perfect for a couple looking for a getaway to Western Michigan. Bed and Linens were comfortable. We didn't get to use the sunroom due to weather, but it would be perfect on nice days. The host was super responsive. We had a family emergency that delayed our stay and she was accommodating to our needs. The location was a great jumping off point to other locations but there were restaurants within walking distance too.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2025

8/10 Good

robin h.

Liked: Cleanliness
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Devon B.

Liked: Cleanliness

Dog friendly beach cottage

We loved our time here! A cozy cottage with the essentials, a five minute walk to a peaceful beach and cute grocery store/coffee shop, and fenced backyard for our dog. Very easy and peaceful! One thing to be aware of is the cottage is very close to the other properties so you’ll hear/see other families.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Cuiting Z.

Liked: Cleanliness

Cozy

Beautiful cozy house, just like the pictures
Stayed 7 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Sarah T.

Liked: Cleanliness

Beach Dog friendly Cottage

Cozy cottage, very close to the beach & dining.
Stayed 5 nights in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Perry Y.

Liked: Cleanliness

Labor Day Week

Great stay. Clean, comfortable unit with great location to Whistle Stop, Road House, and Beach. Freddie and Erica were super hosts and were very attentive during our stay. Screened porch, rear deck, and fenced yard were our Frenchie's favorite hang out spots. We'll definitely be back.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2023

10/10 Excellent

jennifer d.

Liked: Cleanliness

Elephant Cottage

cute , close to beach 🏝️ and activities
Stayed 3 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Nancy W.

Liked: Cleanliness

Pictures Do Not Do It Justice!

We stayed in Cottage 5, my sons in Cottage 1 and other family in Cottage 4. All were very clean, stylish and comfortable. The pictures do not accurately reflect how nice these cottages are!! Perfect location - steps from the beach, right around the corner from Whistle Stop cafe and in the heart of the most adorable beach town ever!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

Don N.

Liked: Cleanliness

A nice Fall retreat

We found Elephant Walk to be a nice break from the daily grind.
Stayed 5 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Shelley H.

Liked: Cleanliness

Cute cottage close to beaches and wineries

Enjoyed our stay at the cottage. It was comfortable after a busy day of checking out the local area. It had everything we needed. The deck was quiet and private. The bed was very comfortable. Close to good places to eat.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Debbie D.

Liked: Cleanliness

Short Walk to the Beach!

This cottage and its proximity to the beach was just what I was looking for! Clean and cute! We will likely return!
Stayed 5 nights in Sep 2022

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Enjoyed our stay here

Cottage is quiet. It is well equipped with everything you would need. Close to beach and walking distance to the Red Arrow restaurant serving great food.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Amy B.

Liked: Cleanliness

An Elephant Walk Ecperience

My teen daughter 10 year old son, and I arrived and were greeted by a quaint cottage surrounded by a couple of other cottages, in a cozy area with voluptuous ivy and green grass, called The Elephant Walk. The inside of the place was squeaky clean and fresh. The decor was inviting, as well. We also loved, it was a short walk to beautiful Lake, Michigan.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2022

10/10 Excellent

Kelly C.

Liked: Cleanliness

MI Get-away

I was looking for a weekend get away to celebrate my husband's retirement within 2 hours of Chicago. This location (cottage #5) was the perfect quaint, clean home with a small fenced in yard with fencing covered in ivy with a bench and 2 airondeck chairs for morning coffee. The area is surrounded by tall trees on quiet streets. It is a great location for relaxation and fun. Recommend and would also love to potentially rent additional houses on the property for friends and family another time.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

Karen F.

Liked: Cleanliness

Cozy cottage

My husband and I stayed for three nights at this cute cozy cottage. The kitchen was well equipped which we appreciated as we’re not yet comfortable dining indoors. Small fenced outdoor area for dog to explore unleashed. Location was great - just a short walk to the beach. Highly recommend!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

Pasquale M.

Liked: Cleanliness

Great Time Had

We will definitely be back. We brought our pup and cottage 5 was perfect! He really enjoyed the neighborhood strolls. SW Michigan is very scenic with lots to offer nearby. My wife and I feel refreshed after 4 days of peaceful vibes away from Chicago. Cottage 5 was comfortable with a private back deck area that’s fenced in for the dog! The place was clean and stocked with most items you’d need. There is a wardrobe in the bedroom but next time we’ll bring hangers. Great experience all around and Erica was wonderful.
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

Pete D., Schaumburg, IL

Liked: Cleanliness

Cottage retreat

Elephant Walk is a quiet, cozy complex with easy beach access. We stayed in pet-friendly cottage #5 and loved having a screened-in front porch as well as a private back yard with deck for our pooch. Cute and comfy the cottage was the perfect setting for a relaxing get-away.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2021

10/10 Excellent

Julie H.

Liked: Cleanliness

Union Pier cottage

Loved the Elephant Rocks cottage. First visit to Union Pier. We will definitely be back!
Stayed 4 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Justin W.

Liked: Cleanliness

Nice location. Easy, convenient beach access.

Easy check-in and owner was responsive to any questions. Important to know that dogs are not allowed at Barrien Public Beach but Warren Dunes State Park had a nice dog beach nearby. Surrounding area is great with plenty of dog friendly spots.

10/10 Excellent

Vince A.

Liked: Cleanliness

Excellent long weekend getaway

Perfect relaxing getaway for a long weekend. The dog got to come along too! The well kept cottage has everything you need and is a close walk to the beach and a short drive to downtown New Buffalo. Highly recommend!
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2021

10/10 Excellent

Ariana M.

Liked: Cleanliness

Amazing city getaway

Had a wonderful stay at Elephant Walk with my boyfriend and our dog! Def recommend booking cottage 5 if you have a pup so that you can take advantage of the screened porch and fenced backyard. Spacious living area, comfortable bed, plenty of towels and linens, very clean. Beach is so close and SO beautiful. Will def be back!
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2021

10/10 Excellent

Courtney M.

Liked: Cleanliness

Elephant Walk Cottage 5 🧡🐶

For my birthday this year I decided I wanted to have my butt in the sand with my best pal (Zane my pup). Elephant Walk allowed us to stay in the cutest cottage that’s a one bedroom apartment size cottage with a cute fenced in back yard. The cottage is only a block and a half away from the public access area to the beach!! There’s a very cute grocery store around the corner, literally a 5 minute walk! My pup and I were able to try dinner at The Stray Dog and Grill they even had a walk up window so Zane could help me pick up dinner and he got a dessert pup cup for visiting! Everyone was so helpful and friendly! Definitely planning a return visit!! Thanks Erika for a great stay!!
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2021

10/10 Excellent

Nicholas Z.

Liked: Cleanliness

Enjoyed the stay very much

Spot was was great, loved my stay.
Stayed 3 nights in Apr 2021

10/10 Excellent

Shelley S., Evanston

Liked: Cleanliness

Dog-friendly!

Charming little cottage with small fenced in yard perfect for us and our 2 dogs. Beach is a 2- minute walk. Brought our own couch covers from home since owners didn’t want pets on the couches, understandably. Loved our snowy, wintry weekend.
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2021

10/10 Excellent

Kathy N., Sycamore, IL

Liked: Cleanliness

Fantastic cottage! Beautiful upgrades. Walking distance to the beach and restaurant.

We will definitely come back!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2020