Wayfarer Lodgings
Relaxing Daily and Weekly
Vacation Rental Cottages

1912 South Scenic Hwy (M-22)
Frankfort, MI 49635
800-735-8564

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Wayfarer Lodgings

Nestled on 11 beautiful acres and circled by rolling hills, our cottages offer quiet, comfort, and scenic surroundings — a perfect place to get away from it all.

See our Tour page for a jaunt around the grounds.
We are located within walking distance to picturesque Lake Michigan, surrounded by an abundance of local attractions, including Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, named the "Most Beautiful Place In America" by Good Morning America in 2012. In addition, the Wine Country, Lake Michigan beaches, Lower and Upper Herring Lakes, Crystal Lake, and charming shops throughout Frankfort, Beulah, Manistee, and Traverse City are all just minutes away.

Are you an angler? You’ll enjoy our local waters and cleaning your catch at the end of the day on our fish cleaning table complete with running water.

Come sail away...A Bit About the Wayfarer and Your Hosts

The main house was built in 1914 by a local politician. At $4,300, it was the most expensive house built in Benzie county at the time.

Legend has it that the house was purchased a few years later by a ferry boat captain. Seeing a business opportunity, he started building little guest cottages for the passengers. Guest rooms were rare in those days. The first guest cottages were built in the early 1920's, and Wayfarer Lodgings has been in business under various names ever since...

A romantic kite flying...In the autumn of 1994 Mike and Iris Jones bought Wayfarer Motel, as it was called, to raise their then 11-month-old twin boys. Since then, many changes have occurred – some subtle, some more noticeable – all to make the guests feel cozier and at home here.


Customer Comments

We very much welcome your comments and feedback about your stay at Wayfarer Lodgings. Please include your name and email address so we can reply to you, and if you wouldn't mind us using your name and comments on this page. Please use the contact information at the top of the page to write to us.


Bubba , Cindy, and Angel

Iris & Mike, THANK YOU, really that is all I can say; the stay was fantastic. Both Cindy, Angel, and myself had a wonderful time. Your place is definitely one of the nicer places that we have had the pleasure of ever staying and we are looking forward to seeing you guys again soon.


Michelle Dolby 

Hello Mike & Iris, I just wanted to let you know that we really enjoyed our stay last weekend. It was a perfect weekend getaway!! I own a shop with my mother in Grand Haven and have told all of my customers about your cottages.  I know my parents already want to come next fall. Thanks again for a wonderful stay... I'm sure we will return.


Bob Elliott

Mike and Iris, It was great to spend the week at your cabins in Frankfort. I really enjoyed the fishing, but it was extra nice to come back and know that there were great people like yourselves at the cabin. Bo has been asking me to come up for many years and I am so glad I finally decided to do it. I am going to talk with my wife, and the next time we come up to Michigan, we will stay at your place. Thanks again...........


Kathy Carlile

Thanks for the wonderful stay recently. Everything was perfect,as always. I swear you even have a direct link to control the weather; it's always just splendid!! Nice to see you all again!! Please reserve #3 for me again next year for Thurs. 7/31- Sat.8/2, 2008. Thank You!!


Beth and Rusty

Another summer has come and almost gone and we continue to enjoy the Wayfarer Lodgings. Elberta, Frankfort, and the surrounding area delight us. We look forward to returning to the cabins and the relaxed atmosphere that surrounds us when we are there. Thanks to Mike and Iris for their friendly piece of the past.


Joe Sus

Mike and Iris! Thank you again for a wonderful stay! I am in love with the place and I look forward to coming back. Thanks for the great rate on a great room. Also, thanks for all the help with making my trip as exciting as a trip in a big city....with all the fun places to explore and check out! I look forward to visiting again soon. The Trick Dog was amazing as well as Dinghy's last night! Have a great week!


Jan Goulart

Hi Iris, I'm back home and into my routine again. I wanted to take a few minutes and let you know I had a great week-end last week. Staying at the Wayfarer was terrific for me....it was just what I needed. The entire area was beautiful, the weather perfect and my retreat well worth it. I hope to return again.


Tracy Ortlieb

Hi Iris, I just wanted to thank you for a wonderful visit at the Wayfarer (July 22/ Cabin 9). We have already passed your information on to some friends that were interested after hearing about our trip. I’m sure we will try to make it back again! Please extend our gratitude to your husband and sons. They of course helped make it an enjoyable time.  How could we have buried our boys up to their heads on the beach without that little camp shovel?!!! Thanks Again!


Joe

Thank you again for a wonderful stay! I am in love with the place and I look forward to coming back. With all the traveling I have done, I need to take my car in for its expensive oil change tomorrow! Thanks for the great rate on a great room. Also, thanks for all the help with making my trip as exciting as a trip in a big city....with all the fun places to explore and check out! I look forward to visiting again soon. The Trick Dog was amazing as well as Dinghy's last night! Have a great week!


Annette

Hi Iris and family, Opening day was a huge success!  Our web site is www.EatAtJoesGarage.com.  It would be wonderful to have you be our guests and let you have a good time and relax like you do for us. I also wanted to write and share a piece of work of Skyler’s with you. In our local paper there is a column school kids write for in there classes. Each week is a new topic, and different kids from local schools have their work picked and published. Last week Skyler wrote a paragraph on the topic “summer dreams.” This is what she wrote,

“My summer dream is to go to Frankfort and go to the sandy beach. On the beach I want to ride the waves and build a sandcastle and look for seashells. I also want to go the the Mayfair restaurant and their awesome seafood. I also want to go to the Wayfarer cabins and see our good friends, Iris and Mike, and the boys, Tyler and Mark. We are going to have a blast. But I really want to go to the new Chinese restaurant. I’m as excited as a puppy that just got a new toy.”

She already has some outfits picked out to pack!


Bruce

Iris and Mike, Thank you so much for a beautiful place to stay. I've always wanted a motel just like this. You're livin' my dream, girl. Whish we could stay longer. Thanks again.


Mike and Janet R.

Dear Mike and Iris, After more than a 40 year hiatus, it was truly a joy to return to the Wayfarer and re-live some memories and hopefully create some new ones for my children. Not only is the condition of the individual cabins immaculate, but your skill as gracious Innkeepers combines to make the Wayfarer one of Northern Michigan's hidden jewels.


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