Chicago area family enjoys their vacation home at Harbor Shores Resort, just 90 miles away in St. Joseph, Michigan

When Jeni and Ryan Murphy purchased their vacation home at Harbor Shores Resort eight years ago, they wanted to be close enough to the Chicago area to be able to maximize its use.

With their children, Cole, 11, and Mae, 8, the Murphys are an active family with a variety of interests that they wanted to pursue while at their vacation home at Harbor Shores Resort.

"We like the friendly, relaxing atmosphere of the community and the unusually large number of recreational attractions," Jeni said. "Ryan is a golfer and the beautiful Jack Nicklaus Signature Design golf course is a major attraction at the resort. We are all swimmers and spend plenty of time at the pool or one of the five Lake Michigan beaches within walking distance of our neighborhood. We also purchased a 32-foot speed boat and keep it at the 60-slip deep water marina at the resort."

Harbor Shores Resort is a 530-acre community located at the junction of the Paw Paw and St. Joseph Rivers at Lake Michigan. The nautical environment is ideal for various water sports including kayaking and canoeing on the rivers and power boating on the lake. The challenging golf course is the home site of the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship through 2024. Another highlight is the Inn and Spa at Harbor Shores Resort, a 92-room waterfront hotel with state-of-the-art facilities for dining, concerts and other special events.

"We own a three-bedroom single-family home in the Hideaway Cottage neighborhood that gives us the space and comfort we need in a picturesque spot. It overlooks the Paw Paw River which has docks for kayaks and canoes," Jeni said. "The Hideaway Cottages include freedom from exterior maintenance which gives us more time for fun and relaxation. Our neighborhood has a private club with a pool and a fire pit, so it is a great place to gather with the neighbors.

"We also enjoy hiking on the 12 miles of trails that wind around the Harbor Shores property, and our two Greater Swiss Mountain dogs get plenty of exercise. In the winter, we enjoy being at our vacation home because we like winter sports and downhill skiing. There is plenty to do in every season, and the convenience of Harbor Shores Resort to our home in Western Springs enables us to take full advantage of everything the resort has to offer. Ryan works in downtown Chicago and he can take the Amtrak commuter train into St. Joseph for the weekend," she said.

In addition to the Hideaway Cottages, Harbor Shores Resort features a variety of housing styles and prices, including the Trailside Cottages, Fairways Signature Golf Homes, Champion Village Golf Villas and the Enclave. The homes feature upscale Coastal Shingle Style architecture, with big welcoming front porches, reminiscent of the homes in southwest Michigan towns.

The resort attracts both vacation home buyers and year-round residents. Harbor Village, the newest neighborhood, is now open for sales. Evergreen Development has created an inviting sense of community with careful land planning, distinctive architecture and landscaping that enhances the wooded natural environment.

"Harbor Shores Resort is great for relaxation, but there are many different things to do," Jeni said. "During the summer there are concerts on the patio at the Inn, live music at the golf course and at the St. Joseph Pavilion, and the Symphony performs at the beach. And, St. Joseph and Benton Harbor offer shops, dining spots, breweries, wineries, parks, farmers markets and more. Every year we discover new adventures, and treasure our time here more and more."

Eleven-acre Harbor Village is the newest and largest neighborhood at Harbor Shores Resort. The first phase of development is now underway, and will include 78 residences, including 30 single-family homes and 48 attached townhomes and rowhomes. Harbor Village boasts a Lake Michigan waterfront location where the two rivers intersect, so many of the homes have riverfront sites, and all have direct or indirect water views. Twelve miles of walking paths within and around the community ensure easy access to Lake Michigan beaches, the Inn, golf course and the marina.

Construction is now underway on innovative Cottage Court homes, five townhomes with golf course views, just a short walk from the Inn at Harbor Shores Resort. A clubhouse is also under construction.

The five townhomes, priced from the $330,000s, include 1,700 square feet of living space, and many of the two-story plans have first-floor master suites as well as additional bedrooms and 2½ baths. Large decks enable residents to enjoy the breezes and scenic views.

The Cottage Court homes are 2,400-square-foot residences arranged in groups of five homes around an inner courtyard. These designs include three bedrooms and 2 ½ baths. Lavishly landscaped courtyard spaces will provide places to visit with neighbors or relax with a book. The Cottage Court homes are priced from $425,000.

Two semi-custom single-family homes are also under construction, including a traditional single-family home and a single-family side yard cottage. These homes include lush landscaping and shade trees, and garages are tucked away in the rear of the homes.

The single-family side yard cottages are placed to one side of the site, creating a large side yard. Homes range from 1,600 to 2,100 square feet with three or four bedrooms, 2½ baths and popular open concept living areas, priced from the high $300,000s.

Traditional single-family homes range from 1,800 to 3,000 square feet with three or four bedrooms or more, three baths and views of green space and the Paw Paw River, priced from the low $400,000s to the low $600,000s.

In addition, homeowners can rent their vacation homes when they are not using them, using the rental income to offset the cost of owning a vacation home.

Interested buyers can take advantage of the Harbor Shore Resort Discovery Package. The Harbor Shores Discovery Package enables visitors to meet with Resident Ambassadors who can provide valuable insights into the community. The $299 package includes overnight accommodations for two at The Inn at Harbor Shores, dinner at the inviting Plank's Tavern and a choice of activities such as two rounds of golf or a spa experience.

For more information, visit harborshoreresort.com or call (269) 932-1600.