Entire home/flat

Entire home/flat

6 Guests

2 Bedrooms

0 Beds

1 Bathroom

Enjoy an intimate experience with nature and all the amenities of a luxury resort yet only minutes away from Traverse City's finest restaurants, beaches, wineries, shopping, and golf. Only 3 miles from the Great Lakes Equestrian Show and 1.5 miles from Turtle Creek Casino. 780 sq. ft. of living space with majestic views. The dome is spacious and 16' tall. Enjoy a private bathroom complete with a bathtub/shower, vanity, & toilet, kitchen with a refrigerator, microwave, & hot plate. AC & Heat.

The space

Geodesic Dome-Home #8 is handicap compliant and sleeps six. It features a massive, handcrafted king-size barnwood bed that is positioned to provide incredible views of the surrounding pristine forest. A dividing wall separates the bedroom spaces. On the backside of the wall are two handcrafted timber frame twin-over-twin bunk beds sturdy enough to support four adults. If you have small kids, you can fit more. There is a private, indoor bathroom and kitchen.

Outside you will find a private firepit, barbeque, and hammock. We provide one complimentary bundle of firewood for each day booked.

With 75 acres of private land surrounded by state land on three sides, you will have access to miles of trails for hiking and birding. Pine, cedar, spruce, and cherry trees provide a natural privacy barrier from neighboring accommodations. Neighboring accommodations range from 80' to 300' away. Please be careful driving in or out in the evening as there is an abundance of deer and other wildlife in the area. We seek to provide you with a unique, intimate interaction with nature, yet you are only a few miles away from the best of Traverse City.

Therapeutic Massages Are Now Available in Your Dome

Our geodesic domes provide an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. Once you unpack and settle in, the stress of work and everyday life will just melt away. Our guests have shared with us that they reserved a dome to celebrate a birthday, an anniversary, an engagement, or a marriage. Others just want a unique vacation experience. Suppose you are looking to add one additional amenity to those already provided by Silver Birch Resort, you may want to consider scheduling a massage right in your dome with a professional massage therapist. To schedule a massage, call Charity at 231-709–5597.

WOW, WOW, WOW! - Within twelve months of hosting guests, we have received 500+, 5-star reviews between the two major reservation platforms. Our family and staff planned and prayed for such an incredible response. Thank you! We will continue to add new amenities to make this the most unique vacation spot in all of Michigan! Thank you to all the wonderful guests who have stayed with us. To the new guests considering staying in one of our geodesic dome homes, we will do everything possible to provide you with a unique, northern Michigan experience. We look forward to hosting you! Rob, Family, & Staff

NOTE: Our resort has eleven (11) additional geodesic dome-homes. If this one does not have the desired dates available, check out our other listings.

Airbnb will not allow us to post the links. To see the other listings cut and paste this into the search bar:

Geodesic Dome-Home, Williamsburg, Michigan

Three of our listings showed up on page one and the others on page two.

The neighbourhood

NEARBY DESTINATIONS

Silver Birch Resort is located near dozens of attractions.

1. Horse Show - the Traverse City Horse Show/Great Lakes Equestrian show grounds, the largest horse show in North America is only 3 miles away.

2. Beaches & Swimming - one of Traverse City’s finest beaches is only 5 miles away on East Bay (due west until you dead end into US31, turn left and immediately turn right. See additional beach information below at #6 - Elk Rapids.

3. Wine Tasting - Traverse City’s reputation for producing world-class wines is quickly growing as local wineries have been winning awards. Old Mission Peninsula is home to several of the popular wineries. Just driving through the rolling hills of the peninsula with the breathtaking views of East and West Bays is worth the drive. The mouth of the peninsula is approximately 10 miles from Silver Birch Resort. After sampling the wonderful wines, you might as well drive to the northernmost point of the peninsula and visit Mission Point Lighthouse.

Wine Tours – Grand Traverse Tours will pick you up and drop you off from our resort. 231-947-7433
www.GrandTraverseTours.com

TC Wine Girl
www.TCWineGirl.com

4. Breweries – Traverse City and the surrounding areas have a plethora of microbreweries featuring locally grown hops. Our favorite is Stone Hound Brewing Company. Please note: The owners believe in constantly checking the quality of all our local beers. We have never had a bad beer in any of the dozen downtown breweries.

Stone Hound Brewery - 3593 Bunker Hill Rd, Williamsburg, MI 49690

5. Shopping - Downtown Traverse City with street after street of unique gift shops, clothing boutiques, restaurants, and bistros is only 11 miles away.

6. Elk Rapids - Charming Elk Rapids is only 10 miles away. Would you like to see a real-life “Norman Rockwell” town? It does not get any better than this. The beaches are the finest in northern Michigan, but sharing this secret will get us in trouble with the locals who refuse to tell visitors about Elk Rapids for not wanting to see it lose its “yesterday” charm. Please do not tell anyone where you got this information (smile). If you have young children, the Elk Rapid's Beach is the best because connected is a small offshoot (lazy river) with very little current in which kids can play. We used to take our kids there all the time when they were young. Elk Rapids also has an authentic single-screen movie theatre built in 1940. You will feel like you are stepping back into a bygone era. The popcorn, root beer, & cherry soda are outstanding. If a movie is desired, be sure to bring cash as twenty-first-century plastic (credit/debit cards) are not accepted. All employees at the movie theatre are committed to keeping the old-fashioned movie experience authentic.

7. Restaurants - both Traverse City and Elk Rapids are considered “foodie” towns. Restaurants in our area that serve mediocre food do not last long. Most restaurants in this area provide excellent quality food. The owners’ favorites are:

Red Ginger is in downtown Traverse City. If you like calamari, you must try the appetizer.
237 E Front St, Traverse City, MI 49684
(231) 944-1733

Red Mesa on US31 offers Mexican/Spanish dishes.
1544 US-31 N, Traverse City, MI 49686
(231) 938-2773

Pearls in Elk Rapids specializes in Louisiana Cajun cooking.
617 Ames St, Elk Rapids, MI 49629
(231) 264-0530

McGee’s in Acme. The closest restaurant and only four miles away.
4341 M-72, Williamsburg, MI 49690
(231) 421-8800

Jolly Pumpkin on Old Mission Peninsula.
13512 Peninsula Dr, Traverse City, MI 49686
(231) 223-4333

Hopscotch Brick Oven & Taproom
2032 US 31, TC, MI 49686
(231) 252-4718

Pizza Options:

East Bay Pizza - In our opinion, the best pizza (partly because the owner’s brother operates it) is East Bay Pizza. Their pizza is outstanding and dining in will also give you one of the best views of the Bay. They also serve 50 flavors of Moomer’s Ice Cream. Moomers won the title of Best Ice Cream in America in a contest sponsored by Good Morning American. A perfect summer night in northern Michigan is defined by a good pizza, ice cream, and breathtaking sunsets on the Bay. East Bay Pizza has all three.
4386 US-31, Traverse City, MI 49686
(231) 938-9160

That’s A Pizza - want to eat in? That’s A Pizza will deliver right to your site. This was the owner’s favorite pizza place until his brother opened his restaurant. They have excellent pizza, sandwiches, salads, and a great staff.

8. Watercraft Rentals

Grand Traverse Bay Watercraft Rental
Blue Sky Rentals
(231) 631-0107

Torch Lake Watercraft Rental
Luhr’s Landing
231-322-2868
www.luhrslanding.com/

Dockside Water Sports
231-377-7777
www.dockside-watersports.com/

There are additional companies providing rentals. Google “Boat Rental Torch Lake, Michigan” and more will come up.

Elk Lake Watercraft Rental

Elk Lake Marina
231-264-9500
https://www.elkrapidsmarina.com/

Elk Lake is the favorite lake of locals (and the owner). You can get to Torch Lake from Elk Lake (if desired). Elk Lake has the coolest little downtown area in all of northern Michigan. Everything is within walking distance of the marina. Be sure to check out the beach on the Bayside (not accessible by boat from the lakeside, but you can walk there). This beach is on the Lake Michigan side (Grand Traverse East Bay). This might be confusing. If you look on a map for the town of Elk Rapids, you will see that there is access to the large water, Lake Michigan, and access to the inland lake of Elk Lake. You cannot take a small boat from the Elk Lake side and cross to the Lake Michigan side. But both marinas are next to each other and a 3–4-minute walk. It is a nice walk through the marina on the bayside to see the beautiful large boats that motor or sail around the Great Lakes down to Chicago. Some take their boats from Elk Rapids to the Caribbean in the winter.
There is a beach and restrooms on the northernmost tip of Elk Lake. To access Torch Lake, follow the map to Skegemog Lake (connected) and go east through Skegemog Lake to find Torch River. Take Torch River to Torch Lake. This sounds far and difficult, but it is not. It is a nice boat ride. Once you enter Skegemog Lake, it takes about 25-35 minutes to get to Torch Lake.

9. Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes – Named by Good Morning America as "The Most Beautiful Place in America" and voted one of America's Top 10 Family Destinations by Family Fun magazine, the Sleeping Bear Dunes are a wonderful day trip. Silver Birch Resort is located approximately 48 miles from the sand dunes.

10. Groceries, Medication, & Supplies

There is a Meijer store with a pharmacy 4 miles away.
4900 M-72, Williamsburg, 49690. Regular Summer Hours are 6:00 a.m. to Midnight.

11. Charlevoix, Michigan – another wonderful, charming town with great restaurants, shopping, and breathtaking views.

12. Golfing – we are located near three of Michigan’s finest golf courses: The Bear, The Wolverine, and LochenHeath. Check out their websites for all the awards and reviews. These golf courses are only 4 miles away.

13. Turtle Creek Casino – If you enjoy the excitement of gambling and the nightlife, you will only be 1.5 miles away from the beautiful Turtle Creek Casino. In addition to your favorite games, there is a fine restaurant and club with music and dancing.

14. Local Farms Selling Produce- A guest recently asked about local farms selling locally grown fruits, vegetables, & jams. Elk Lake Road is approximately a 1/2 mile to the east. A drive north on Elk Lake Road will have 5-6 fruit and vegetable shops maintained by the adjoining family farm.

Myrtle & Maude’s has a nice gift shop with unique items. Tell them Gina (Rob’s wife) referred you.

Welcome to Myrtle and Maudes! A unique farm market located in Williamsburg Michigan on Orchard View Farms ~ a fourth-generation cherry and apple farm!
https://myrtleandmaudes.com/

15. Dog-Friendly Beaches & Places to Go – this is just the start of a list. Sayler Park has a nice beach and park. To get to Sayler Park, take 72 West until you dead-end into US31. Turn right on US31 heading north. Go about two miles until you come up on Yuba Park Road. Turn left and take this to the parking area. You are also allowed dogs in the Elk Rapids Beach area. I will research restaurants that allow dogs. I do not have that information currently. If any guests come across “dog-friendly” businesses, please let me know.

Local Dog Kennels
Daily/Hourly Drop-Off
(allowing sightseeing, dining, shopping, wine tasting)

Acme Creek Kennels
5311 Bunker Hill Rd
(231) 938-9518

Bokhara Pet Resort
11535 Elk Lake Rd
(231) 264-5855

16. Local Fishing – if you do not have a boat and want to go fishing, locals say the dam in Elk Rapids is a good spot. The town is small. Drive around the marinas until you cross the dam or ask a local to point you in the right direction. There is parking nearby.

17. Boat Launch – If you want to launch on East Bay, we suggest Sayler Park in Acme. It is only 7 miles away. Few people know of it, so it is rarely crowded. Type Sayler Park (Yuba Park Road) into your GPS. If you want to boat on Elk Lake or Skegemog Lake, there is a nice boat launch on Skegemog Lake. You can also launch here and get to Torch Lake easily. Take M72 east to Baggs Road. Turn north and follow to the state park.

House rules

Noise Policy – Quiet Time

The fundamental reason for Silver Birch’s development and existence is to allow people and families to unwind, relax, and disengage from society by engaging with nature in a peaceful & tranquil environment while creating lasting memories. I often joke and say we offer “digital detox” for those living in the concrete jungles of larger cities. We have tried to create an oasis in a pristine forest. Hundreds of our guests have shared they loved the peace and serenity yet are a short drive to all that Grand Traverse County offers. I asked one friend how they would summarize the dome experience. She said the domes offer “luxury under the stars”.

We would rather be honest and lose a reservation than have a problem with guests over noise. We welcome soft music and equally soft conversations around the campfire, but we are not the place for parties and loud music. Sound carries at night through the woods. We recently had 13 ladies from Toronto stay with us for a bachelorette get-together. They went into town and partied hard. They came back and had a great time around the campfire. They were respectful of other guests. We even offered to provide rides should they have too much fun in town. They were a wonderful group to host.

We have two different groups staying with us next season. Each reserved seven domes. One group has a wedding on the peninsula and plans to stay with us after the wedding. The other group reserved domes for a family reunion. We are building out a larger, common area allowing the group to meet in one place for barbeques and campfires. They all understand that we have other guests, and we want all guests to have a relaxing interaction with nature. This cannot happen with loud music and partying throughout the night. We ask for your commitment to “quiet time” after 9:00 PM. Thank you!

PET POLICY

We are dog lovers. We have two of our own. We realized at the end of last year that we must have a pet policy. Last year, a guest last season left their dog all in the dome all day. The dog barked the entire time they were gone disrupting the experience of other guests. This was a dog with a deep, loud bark. The dog barked for eight hours straight which was impressive as you would think it would lose its voice after a few hours. Everyone’s nerves were fried by the time the people returned.

We recently had a guest that asked if they could bring their dog. Even after reading this policy, they let their dog bark for almost an hour. It was not continuous, but it was 5 to 10 seconds of stressed-out, loud barking, and then silence. Every 5-10 minutes there was a barking outburst. I think they tied it up outside, and it wanted to come in the side. The dog was trying to get their attention. I did not want to have to walk down there and have a talk with them as we were trying for everyone to have a nice experience. I was very close to walking to their site, and then it stopped for the evening. The problem is the other five domes in the area. This had to disrupt their barbecues, campfires, and evenings.

Everyone knows their dogs. Our two dogs would not bark if we left them somewhere unless they were startled. This is understandable and acceptable. If you have a dog that will bark from separation anxiety, we ask that he/she not be left alone (or outside alone while the family is indoors). If you feel, the dog would only bark if startled, then we are fine with a dog. If you are going to leave for a few hours, we ask that it be kenneled and left in the kitchen/bath structure – NOT left in the dome. The kitchen/bath structure has more insulation, and the occasional bark will not travel through the entire property.

The other requirement we have for pets is that they are not allowed on the beds. We have already had to replace two comforters this year because we were not able to get the dog hair out. Please try and bring a dog bed. If you cannot, we leave an extra sheet in the dresser drawer. This is specifically for your dog. You can lay this on the floor in an area and your pet is welcome to sleep on this. Dog hair on the comforter is subject to a $100 replacement fee.

If you agree to these pet policies, you are welcome to bring your dog. Our pet fee is $25.

We are located on 75 acres and surrounded by thousands of acres of state forestry with trails. You can walk for miles and miles. This is the perfect property to take your dog for a nice long walk. If he or she will run after a deer, fox, raccoon, or porcupine, then we strongly suggest a lease as you are sure to see wildlife.

Amenities

Location

Kelli

October 2024

Peaceful, inviting, and unique. Will be back in the future.

Mary

October 2024

We had a wonderful stay at the geodome. Loved the bottle of wine and s’mores basket. Enjoyed fires under the stars. It was cozy warm in the dome on cold nights. Checked out shops in Elk Rapids and Traverse City. Especially loved Elk Rapids. All instructions and directions were super helpful. Loved our stay!