The 10 most unique Airbnb and Vrbo listings

Generally, when you book a stay via Airbnb or Vrbo, you’re just looking for a base to rest and plan local adventures. But sometimes there’s a listing so unique, like a Dali-esque seashell-shaped house, that it becomes the destination itself.

Staying in one of these listings is a guaranteed unique experience. So even if you have no good reason to travel to any of these destinations, they are each worth the trip just for the bragging rights.

In 1968, Finnish architect Matti Suuronen designed the “Futuro House“, a prefabricated structure designed to be used as a portable ski lodge. Fewer than 100 Futuro homes were built and today there are only 63 left in the world, including this one in Joshua Tree, California. It There’s no skiing in Joshua Tree’s arid climate, but Futuro’s house flying saucer design lends itself perfectly to Joshua Tree’s Martian landscape and supposed vortexes of energy.

You can’t get much more rural than staying in a yurt surrounded by farm animals in upstate New York.

Get to know the host goats who apparently have big personalities, then take a pre-ordered picnic for a walk in the woods, and come back for a solar-heated outdoor shower and star gazing – even inside through the skylight of the oculus. The yurt is also heated by a wood stove, making it a cozy escape from the city grid.

When you hear a helicopter, you don’t immediately think of comfortable accommodation, but this listing kind of made it possible.

Located on a campground near Liverpool, England, this military Lynx helicopter has been upgraded with bespoke beds, kitchenette, TV and sleeps up to four people. What better way to live out your action hero fantasy?

This one takes the 60s space-age obsession to the next level.

Head up the ramp through the entrance hatch and you’ll enter a spaceship complete with retro control panels, lots of star wars souvenirs, and yes, a bar called the “Lunar Lounge”. According to the hosts, the ship landed at its current location in Washington state 30 years ago, but that shouldn’t stop you from trying to make extraterrestrial contact.

Not to be confused with silos that are taller and narrower, these two grain silos have been converted into tiny living quarters in Phillipsburg, MO. Bins have been renovated with lofts that overlook a living room and kitchen with retro-style appliances to authenticate your agrarian fantasy. In case this list makes you feel a little claustrophobic, don’t worry, grain silos have windows and lots of light.

So it’s not really a saloon, but this listing in Tetonia, ID is pretty authentic for its cowboy heritage.

Harness your horse or wagon and put on your boots in this wood-panelled cabin decorated with Western paraphernalia. Play pool and relax by the fireside inside, or dip into the saltwater hot tub and gather around the fire pit outside to take in Grand Tetons views and stargaze soothing.

According to his listing, construction of the Bloomhouse in Austin, TX began with “a few hippies and a dream.”

Two architecture students from Austin built this house in the 70s to be “in harmony” with its environment. Is it a seashell? Is it a meringue? It’s hard to say. What can be certain is that this house is quite unique and almost devoid of right angles (except for the rectangular doorways, as the host points out).

The two connected domes on this Minnesota list aren’t even its coolest part. because the whole concept sounds like a children’s book fantasy. There is a slide to go from the loft to the ground floor, an indoor putting green, a table tennis table and a mini stage. Outside is a backyard oasis with a pond and trickling waterfall that feels like you’ve stepped into Neverland. There’s even a gym, but maybe you’re too busy living out your childhood dreams to care.

For fans of The crown who want to live like royalty, look no further than this castle in… North Carolina.

For $2,400 a night, this list is definitely bordering on the splurge on the spectrum, but what would you expect from a chateau with catered meals? Wake up like Princess Margaret in a lavish Victorian bedroom, then hike through the North Carolina woods while pretending it’s Balmoral. Then, take a cooking class with the five-star chef, then book a massage to complete your grueling day of “royal” homework.

Be like Sam Baldwin in the iconic romantic comedy and escape your past to the soothing sound of water lapping against your own home at the end of a dock. This Seattle listing obviously offers stunning waterfront views (over Union Lake to be exact) and provides everything you need for water sports activities. Now get on this paddle board and orchestrate a cute encounter.