Nestled in the heart of the woods on the Emerald Isle, is a place where campers and non-campers alike can gather for an unforgettable experience on the island.
“We are a certified campground, but we lean more towards luxury accommodations. And the reason is because we combined our personal likes. He’s the camper. I am the luxury vacationer. And we developed it. Brian was sure to keep all of the things that people love about camping, and I was sure to make it easy to for all of those things to happen, plus include the spa kits and the luxury towels and the bamboo sheets,” said Co-owner Maria DalPra
I like to call it the best of both worlds, and somewhere you get to pick your experience.
“We have sort of a shared space and private space model, so there’s lots of shared spaces, which creates opportunities for great social interaction that are completely devoid of any stress or obligation. So, it’s actually a really nice way to meet people if you feel like it,” Co-owner, Brian Vaeth said.
You might be wondering how Brian and Maria decided on such a unique camping experience in one of Northern Michigan’s most beloved spots...
“We actually bought a lot of property and decided it was too much just to have as a vacation place or something. So, we came up with a business plan and in developing that business plan, we came up with three principles. And those three principles were to protect the amazing assets of the island, the natural assets and the beauty and the wildlife and the second principle was to not compete with other businesses on the island, because there’s only so much business that comes here in the summer. And the third was to try to create jobs,” DalPra said.
This was my second time staying at the Beaver Island Retreat, and I can attest that it is a one-of-a-kind experience from the gift baskets awaiting you filled with goodies on top of the queen bed, dressed in bamboo bedding, bath towels and the best part, luxury bath houses for those not too keen on utilizing nature’s resources.
“They are 8x10 little buildings. So, when you’re in them, they’re all for you. Now, when you are done, we clean them, and the next person come in and use them. But they’re high-end amenities such as a rain shower showerhead and waterfall faucet with raised vessel sinks,” said DalPra.
But one of my favorite parts is the thought that went into even the smallest of details.
“Other than our original opening furniture. All of the furniture and everything that we do is built from reclaimed lumber or lumber that’s milled on Beaver Island. So, when guests are in our pavilion, they’re sitting in chairs that have been reclaimed from the woods from bunks of lumber,” said DalPra.
Equipped with a community kitchen, a Black Stone Grill and all utensils provided, all you have to do is show up and get ready to explore!
“We get to meet just such wonderful, cool people. And I guess that makes sense because you would expect that the people would have similar attitudes because they like camping and the outdoors. This is an outdoor experience. And we just try to make it as comfortable and awesome as possible,” said Vaeth.
Learn more and book your stay here.