Established during the Industrial Revolution as an epicenter for the lakeside logging industry, Manistee has now given over its woodland to Manistee National Forest.
Nestled snugly between Lake Michigan, Manistee Lake, and Manistee National Forest, this city of 6,000 people has made a new life for itself as a regional center of arts and commerce
Established during the Industrial Revolution as an epicenter for the lakeside logging industry, Manistee has now given over its woodland to Manistee National Forest.
Nestled snugly between Lake Michigan, Manistee Lake, and Manistee National Forest, this city of 6,000 people has made a new life for itself as a regional center of arts and commerce. With hundreds of historical sites, dozens of festivals every year, and immediate access to all the recreational possibilities of Lake Michigan, Manistee has become the destination of choice for regional residents and vacationers alike.
The City in the Woods
It's not often you find a genuine city nestled right in the heart of such a naturalistic landscape. Seen on a map the contrast is stark, with the city limits literally defining a wall beyond which exist a handful of houses and miles upon miles of water and woodlands. If looking out your city window onto a vista of shimmering water and soaring trees sounds like an absolutely fantastic idea, then a Manistee apartment search is something to get started on ASAP.
Suburb and City Rolled Into One
Fittingly as the only substantial population center for miles, Manistee contains a broad mix of property types. With condo rentals and 3 bedroom houses for rent existing side by side, the residential landscape here has plenty of variety and appeal to offer.
A Self-Contained Metropolis
Given its status as an island of urban life in a sea of rural farmland and literal wilderness, it makes sense that residents of the city don't need to look outside of its borders to meet their needs for commerce, employment, and recreation. That's an especially good thing too, because you're pretty unlikely to find a great sale on denim jeans in the middle of Manistee National Forest.
Start an Early Search
Because it's the only option for anything larger than a hamlet for miles and miles, the real estate market in Manistee can get pretty tight at times. If you're looking to move to the area, it's important to start your search early and hit every option you can. Fantastic as it would be to stumble into the perfect block of studio apartments you've been looking for, don't despair if your search isn't immediately fruitful! There are plenty of ultra-knowledgeable real estate agents in the area, and if worse comes to worse, you can also spend a bit of time driving the city streets and hunting for rental notices.
Culture Coming out the Ears
Very few cities of this size offer such a variety of options for culture and recreation. From museums to a vibrant theater scene to hunting and fishing and boating alike, Manistee has it all. With such a dense collection of extracurricular activities to draw on, it's no wonder the city's residents rarely have a reason to leave the region. Hooking up with the city's local government and commerce boards is a great way to get all the information you need about the many different options offered here.
Check out the below neighborhoods before signing on the dotted line -- you may find that one suits your needs better than the other.
Lighthouse Park: It says something special to be the most pastoral neighborhood in a city like this, but Lighthouse Park fits the bill. With the eponymous park, a golf resort, and Lake Michigan all sitting literally right across the road, the view out of any window in this neighborhood is guaranteed to be stunning. Because retail and business options tend to cluster further inland, there isn't a lot of choice in that regard in the immediate neighborhood, but the rest of the city isn't exactly a huge trek away, so any inconvenience is minimal. Douglas Park is also located nearby.
Sands Park: Bordered by Manistee River and Manistee Lake, looking out onto Manistee National Forest, this downtown residential district has all the Manistee you could ever want. Containing theatre districts, retail centers, and hubs of small business all within its borders, this is the neighborhood that puts the City into the City of Manistee. Housing options are still heavily weighted towards detached units, but you're more likely to find multi-unit apartment buildings in this neck of the woods.
The map says it all, really. If you're looking for the vibrant energy of a city surrounded by the tranquil relaxation of water and wood, this is the place to be. There's nowhere else in the region where you can so thoroughly combine working hard and playing hard, and that's just one of many factors that make Manistee truly one of a kind.
