Finnish cottage culture

Finns love spending time at their lakeside cottages, known as mökki, which typically include a sauna, boat dock, and fire pit or grill.

Manninen’s Cabins were built in this spirit. My paternal grandfather, who emigrated from Finland in his early 20s, grew up with the cabin culture there so it’s what he knew. I often wonder if it was his inspiration for creating that same sense of place in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, a “little Finland.”

Finns value nature and enjoy escaping to a quiet setting where they can slow down and spend time with their families and friends. Staying at a cottage on a lake provides the freedom to either relax or partake in a wide range of physical outdoor activities at your own leisure.

Like Yoopers, the Finns make the most of their summer. Short but satisfying, the bright, warm summer months are filled with color and life and especially appreciated after the long period of darkness, snow and cold.

Summer is also the time to enjoy the water, whether swimming, boating, paddling or fishing. Both Finland and the U.P. are blessed with abundant lakes and streams. By some estimates, Finland has just shy of 200,000 lakes, so it’s no surprise that they play key roles in Finnish culture and recreation.

You’ll see many Scandi touches at Manninen’s Cabins so you might feel like you’re actually on holiday in Finland. Among these are the cabin names, which correspond to the Finnish numbers:

Yksi = 1
Kaksi = 2
Kolme = 3
Neljä = 4
Viisi = 5
Kuusi = 6
Seitsemän = 7

Take it from the Finns, a cottage vacation provides just the right mix of life energy and Nordic zen. We all need more of that.