Entire home

4 bed/3 bath huge house, 1.5 blocks to beach/town, hot tub/game rm, dog friendly

Photo gallery for 4 bed/3 bath huge house, 1.5 blocks to beach/town, hot tub/game rm, dog friendly

Front of Elephant Walk Resort Main House
Front of Main House zoomed in
Main House front door and garage/ping pong room door
Main House entryway with coat hooks
Main House family room

Reviews

9.8 out of 10
Exceptional
4 bedrooms4 bathroomsSleeps 10278.7 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Hot tub
  • Kitchen
  • Pet-friendly
  • Fireplace
  • Dryer
  • Barbecue grill

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
  • Michigan City, IN (MGC-Michigan City Municipal)
    ‪17 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

4 bedrooms (sleeps 10)

Bedroom 1

1 King Bed, 1 Double Futon and 1 Crib

Bedroom 2

1 Double Futon and 1 King Bed

Bedroom 3

1 Queen Bed

Bedroom 4

2 Single Beds

4 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathtub · Toilet · Shower only

Bathroom 2

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Bathroom 3

Toilet

outdoor shower

Outdoor shower

Spaces

Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Outdoor shower
Kitchen
Balcony
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area

About this property

4 bed/3 bath huge house, 1.5 blocks to beach/town, hot tub/game rm, dog friendly


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. This is a listing for our Main House, which 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 around 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.

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

The Main House is the anchor for the compound-- kitchen and main living spaces can house a huge group, and the backyard provides a huge space for games and has a large fire pit. Main House renters have use of a private driveway although there is ample street parking.

• 2 Bedrooms King
• 1 Bedroom Queen
• 1 Bedroom w 2 Twin Beds
• 2 Queen Sofa Beds/Futons (1 adult can fit )
• Cable TV
• Free wi-fi internet
• 4 TV's with DVD player
• Two Large Balconies
• Oversized Screened Porch with Harvest Table and Sitting Area
• Soaking tub in Master Bath
• Wood burning Fireplace
• Air Conditioning/Central Heating
• Large Yard
• High end Weber Performer Charcoal Grill and gas grill
• Fully Equipped Kitchen
• Outdoor Shower and Hot Tub
• Game room in garage with ping pong table and bar stools w bar top
• Use of private driveway

--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!

Property manager

Erica Carli
Premier Host

Languages

English, Spanish

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Hot tub
Kitchen
Washer
Dryer
Pet-friendly
Free WiFi

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House Rules

Check in after 4:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 10:00 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0–17
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Events

Events allowed: family gatherings and birthday parties
I don't host weddings or anything formal
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Pets

Pets allowed: dogs (limit 1 total)
Dogs only, waiver must be signed, $100 fee applies
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted
-Pls bring own paper towels, toilet ppr, garbage bags. We provide starters only. No Saturday check outs ever! Cleaners don't work on Saturdays.
- Well behaved dogs are welcome, must adhere to pet waiver and must pay $100 pet fee at check out.
- 7 night rentals, Fri-Fri,last week of June-early Aug, unless week is already broken up.Email for exceptions for large gps. 2 or 3 nt min other times

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
Parties and events (including family gatherings and birthday parties) are allowed on site. Maximum attendees: 10
Note from host: I don't host weddings or anything formal
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a deadlock

About the area

Union Pier

Located in Union Pier, this holiday home is near theme parks and near the beach. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Lake Michigan and Warren Dunes State Park. Travelling with kids? Consider Round Barn Union Pier Tasting Room and Local. Make sure you get close to the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
Map
Union Pier, MI

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, IN (SBN-South Bend Intl.) - 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

Frequently asked questions

Is 4 bed/3 bath huge house, 1.5 blocks to beach/town, hot tub/game rm, dog friendly pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows dogs (limit 1 total).

What time is check-in at 4 bed/3 bath huge house, 1.5 blocks to beach/town, hot tub/game rm, dog friendly?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at 4 bed/3 bath huge house, 1.5 blocks to beach/town, hot tub/game rm, dog friendly?

Checkout is at 10:00 AM.

Where is 4 bed/3 bath huge house, 1.5 blocks to beach/town, hot tub/game rm, dog friendly located?

This family-friendly Union Pier holiday home is located near the beach, within a 15-minute walk of Union Pier Beach and Lake Michigan. Gordon Beach and Burnison Galleries are also within 15 minutes.

Reviews

9.8

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labelled.
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Rating 10 - Excellent. 17 out of 19 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 1 out of 19 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 1 out of 19 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 19 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 19 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

10/10

Communication

9.4/10

Location

9.6/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

10/10 Excellent

Courtney R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Best fall getaway

The property is very well cared for and all your needs are anticipated. Since the weather was unusually warm the first day we were able to walk less than 5 minutes to the beach and enjoy Lake Michigan in October. Wonderful! We enjoyed the fire pit out back both nights as well as the hot tub. The ping pong area in the garage made for a great place where either the kids or the adults could go and have fun separately or together. There was plenty of space and a great wifi connection for our teens. Our family is already planning to book this property annually if not more often. We loved it.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

James C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Stayed 4 nights in Aug 2024

10/10 Excellent

Emily H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great winter getaway for a group of friends

Our group of 8 friends came and stayed for a weekend in February. The house was perfect for hanging out - loved the fireplace especially. Plenty of room for everyone and great kitchen for cooking together. Erica was so helpful and friendly with any questions we had. Short walk up to nearby coffee shop, nice yard, and the backyard fire pit all a huge plus too, even in the winter!
Stayed 2 nights in Feb 2023

10/10 Excellent

Pam F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect holiday getaway

Our family of 7 spent Christmas weekend at Elephant Walk. It was perfect in every way. Our hosts, Erica and Fred, we’re awesome. They responded quickly with any questions we had and were a joy to work with. We were snowed in most of the time we were there. The fireplace and Christmas decorations made for a warm and cozy atmosphere for us to play games, watch Christmas movies, cook in the well equipped kitchen and have good ol’ family fun. Hot tubbing during the blizzard was a highlight for the young folks. The location is perfect and very walkable to many things (except everything was closed due to the storm). We look forward to going back in warmer weather so we can explore the area more. A good time was had by all!
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2022

10/10 Excellent

Richard P.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Stay!

We really enjoyed staying at Elephant Walk! Erica was very helpful when we needed check-in information. The house was extremely clean and spacious. My girlfriend & I enjoyed cooking in the well stocked kitchen. We also enjoyed the big backyard with the fire pit. The only minor setback we had was with the hot-tub. We used it only a couple of times because the water temperature was way too hot one time, and the display pad controls were not working properly. We could not get it to a more comfortable temperature. Other than that, we all truly enjoyed the house, and walking the short distance to the beach. We lucked out with beautiful beach weather! My gf and I agreed that we would stay at Elephant Walk again & maybe bring a few friends with us next time!
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2022

10/10 Excellent

Jeff M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Awesome time

Elephant Walk was great as usual. We have stayed here multiple times. Location is fantastic and the Main House is great. Perfect fall destination. Highly recommend.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2022

10/10 Excellent

Paul C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Spacious and comfy!

Erica was accommodating and helpful and a pleasure to work with. The house was perfect for our family of 11 and dog. The kitchen is large with lots of counter space and a good supply of cookware, dishes and utensils, and the living room has plenty of comfortable seating. The weather for our visit was rainy and cold, so the ping pong table saved the day! Seems like a great summer rental with the beach only a few minutes walk.
Stayed 2 nights in Dec 2021

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family Thanksgiving Getaway

We rented the main house at Elephant Walk for a family Thanksgiving. The kitchen has every item you can imagine from crock pots to serving trays and large mixing bowls with a fabulous stove/oven and an abundance of serving spoons and silverware. We needed nothing to pull of 3 days of appetizers, meals for 12 and a full Thanksgiving dinner. There is plenty of seating for lounging around the TV to watch football or sitting at the dining room table. The bedrooms are huge with lots of extra pillows and blankets. We enjoyed the hot tub immensely. Appreciated that the owner was very clear this is a shared property with other rental cabins. We did see other guests in the back yard during our trip. Erica was amazing providing excellent communication and a few extra perks. We would definitely stay again and highly recommend this property!
Stayed 4 nights in Nov 2021

10/10 Excellent

Melisa C., Hoffman Estates

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Return Renters' Review

This is our second visit to the Elephant Walk Resort and consistent with our last trip, everything was wonderful. The house is spacious and clean and kitchen has everything we needed and more! The fire pit and hot tub are great at night, after a long day at nearby Warren Dunes or trips to Tabor Hill or Round Barn Wineries. Great dog friendly location too and a very comfortable stay. Erica is so responsive and helpful and made check in and check out so easy. You won't be disappointed staying here!
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2021

10/10 Excellent

Judith R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

40th B'day Weekend

Elephant Walk was perfect in every way! Lots of room to spread out, great screened-in porch, plenty of outdoor space, and the location was terrific! Kitchen was well equipped, and the beds were super comfortable. We are all already planning for next summer

10/10 Excellent

Melisa C., Hoffman Estates

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Beautiful place for a family weekend away.

We had an absolutely beautiful weekend away at Elephant Walk resort, Main House. This house is spacious, clean and has an extremely well stocked kitchen, one of the most complete we've ever seen, Ideal for making family meals together like our Easter Brunch we made before heading home. Highlights included the large bedrooms with decks, hot tub, fire pit and pet friendly accommodations. It's just a short walk to the beach and a short drive to pet friendly Warren Dunes beach. The Red Arrow Roadhouse had fantastic food and we appreciated the convenience of the Whistle Stop for groceries. Great MI wineries nearby too. Thanks for welcoming our furry family members too. Erica was lovely to work with and very responsive. We look forward to a return visit sometime.
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2021

10/10 Excellent

Susan O.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Family Fun at Elephant Walk.

We all had a great time at Elephant Walk. The main house was big enough to give us all our own space, with plenty more space for eating together and playing lots of games. We also enjoyed the hot tub. Just a short walk to the lake. Hope to go back during the summer.
Stayed 3 nights in Dec 2020

10/10 Excellent

Lauren W., Chicago

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place, even in the winter

We did a little COVID Christmas at the property since we couldn't be with the usual people. The house is very nice for a group. Plenty of space to gather together while still having a retreat in the bedrooms. Communication was easy with Erica and Fred. They had nice bird feeders right outside the main area so it was fun to watch the birds gather. Overall a great place to stay for a family.
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2020

10/10 Excellent

Tracy K.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great house!

Great house in a perfect location. Short walk to the beach and short drive to state parks. Wonderful yard and screened in porch. No need to go anywhere else, just hang out at the house and enjoy it. My only critique is that the beds are not very comfy. Would definitely go back.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2020

10/10 Excellent

annie b.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect!

We had such a wonderful stay at Elephant Walk! The house and property is so beautiful and the neighborhood is very cute and relaxed. The beach and water was clean and easy to get to. We really enjoyed the big yard and even though all the cottages were occupied, the space is well arranged that everyone had their private outdoor areas. Well equipped kitchen, comfortable beds, lots of toys and games - just perfect for a family getaway! There is a loud train that goes by (hence the Whistle Stop cafe) and there was construction on the main road.
Stayed 5 nights in Aug 2020

6/10 Okay

Vanessa L.

Liked: Check-in, communication
Disliked: Listing accuracy

Birthday getaway

The elephant house is a lovely home. I wished we had better weather for my mom birthday weekend but it was a nice getaway. We had some hiccups with the house but Erica was great with staying in touch with me to help solve the problems. Overall it’s a lovely place
Stayed 4 nights in Sep 2019

8/10 Good

Carolyn M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, listing accuracy

Beautiful home

You cannot tell from the outside how spacious and beautiful the inside of the main house is. The kitchen was more well stocked than mine at home. The owners were very responsive and helpful. The walk to the public beach is a little longer than expected (approx 3 long blocks.) and more crowded than I like,, but we were there over the July 4th weekend, maybe I am spoiled. The screened in porch was also perfect for morning talks and coffee. Overall it was a very nice property and I would highly recommend it.
Stayed 4 nights in Jul 2019

10/10 Excellent

Beau B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice Getaway House

Spacious house and yard for up to 11 in the main house. Nice place to have a fire at night, barbecue, and walk to the beach. We enjoyed the place.
Stayed 2 nights in Jun 2019

10/10 Excellent

susan c.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great Stay at the Elephant Walk

Erica is a great host! She was very accommodating, with check in and check out times. We had a curtain issue in the master bedroom and she promptly offered to come adjust. We also set up a vball net/set in the yard and some great family fun! The exterior of the house does not do the interior any justice. The inside is nicely furnished and updated, with the kitchen as the star attraction. We had thought the house was on the beach but it’s actually a short walk, approximately 2 blocks away. The forecast called for a rainy weekend but ended up being nice at just the right times. We had plenty of room for our crafts, and cooking and feasting when we were indoor bound. Overall, we had a lovely stay and appreciated Erica and Fred for being such great hosts.
Stayed 3 nights in May 2019

About the host

Hosted by Erica Carli

Host profile image
We live in Chicago and discovered Harbor Country through a family member, who has a home in New Buffalo. We fell in love with the area as it is a very short drive from Chicago, but makes you feel like you are a world away from the hustle bustle of the city. We know you will love this area of the country as much as we do. We are very detail-oriented when it comes to furnishing a home and have tried to think of everything to make your stay fun, relaxing and enjoyable. We are fair, level-headed and love to hear feedback about how to make your stay even better.

Languages:

English, Spanish

Premier Host

They consistently provide great experiences for their guests