The quiet village of Onekama is located near the shore of Lake Michigan on beautiful Portage Lake (a 3.5 mile long lake that connects to Lake Michigan via a channel). Unique in that it has no fast food establishments, Onekama is home to The Glenwood (one of the finest restaurants you will find anywhere), Lineback’s (a wine shop featuring excellent Northern Michigan wines), the Blue Slipper Bistro (an extremely popular eating spot), and boasts the Portage Point Historic Inn (100 years old and built by the people who did the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island). Onekama is the site of the county fairgrounds and sits half way between Manistee and Frankfort.

The nearest private airport is 7.5 miles away, just north of Manistee. Traverse City (54 miles north) has a very fine airport that connects with Chicago and Detroit. Traverse City brims with wonderful shops, chic boutiques, fine restaurants, Oryana’s (a great organic-natural food store), lots of terrific galleries and the Dennos Museum Center. Fruit orchards abound in this part of the state.

World class golf at Arcadia Bluffs (rated Michigan’s #1 course) is just 6 miles up the road from Hill House. The Heathlands golf course overlooks Onekama. Other golf courses in the surrounding area include: Crystal Mountain Ski and Golf Resort, Bear Lake, The Manistee Golf and Country Club, Chestnut Hills and The Bear at the Grand Traverse Resort and Spa (opened by Jack Nicklaus). The Traverse City area alone has over 20 courses, including some designed by Gary Player, Arnold Palmer, Jerry Mathews, Tom Doah and Mike DeVries. Golf Magazine includes Traverse City in its choice of the top six golf destinations in the United States.

And of course, there is sailing, scuba diving, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, sand volley ball, skiing, morel hunting, trout fishing, biking, hiking and bird watching at several nature preserves, and many other year round outdoor activities.

For over 44 years, Interlochen Center for the Arts (a little over a half-hour north of Onekama) has presented world-class performers such as Lyle Lovett, BB King, Van Cliburn, Willie Nelson, The Irish Tenors, Lee Ann Womack and Bobby McFerrin, as well as wonderful concerts by its students who attend from all over the world. The Ramsdell Theater in Manistee (the theater where James Earl Jones got his start) hosts performances throughout the year. Onekama presents free concerts in the park throughout the summer and has a very active artist community.

Dock your boat in a nearby Lake-Michigan-access marina (Arcadia-10 miles, Manistee-14 miles, Frankfort-20 miles, and Onekama). Charters are available at all area marinas.

Lake Michigan shoreline in winter.

Many award-winning wineries conduct tours and have wine tasting gatherings in surrounding communities.

All in all, this is living in Paradise.