Here's an idea: For your next group trip, why don't you rent a town? Hotel rooms are often small and have no kitchen or private space to gather without paying extra event space fees. Renting a house solves those problems, but is one home big enough for everyone, and does it provide enough privacy and quiet places? Enter Texas Tombstone, a modernly built little town in East Texas that's a perfect "cowboy core" vacation destination
.With five Old West-themed buildings, each with its own bedroom(s)
and bathroom, the town has room for 22 people to sleep in a mixture of king, sofa, and even two bunk beds with queen-size mattresses. Texas Tombstone is a unique rental experience on 10 acres that are part of the owners' larger 75-acre ranch. The most creative sleeping arrangement is in The Jail, where two queen beds occupy a "cell" with iron bars for walls and a door. You'll find a teller window and chocolate gold coins in The Bank, and the General Store is stocked with free items like toothpaste and bottled water, but also ice cream and steaks from cattle on the ranch. The property is climate-controlled and has free Wi-Fi and parking.
Texas Tombstone is in Eustace, which is about an hour from Dallas, which has the longest major airport to walk across in the U.S., and 3.5 hours from both Houston and Austin. A three-night stay is $5,220, which averages to $1,740 per night and $79 per person per night, assuming 22 people.
Read more: The 5 Best Parks Where You Can See Bison Roam (Other Than Yellowstone), According To Visitors
What To Do At And Around Texas Tombstone
In the town's Bird Cage Theater, guests can grab free popcorn and candy, get comfy in leather recliners, and watch a movie on the 85" screen. The OK Corral's 40' by 40' pool and separate hot tub are key and welcome amenities. They are in an area with a mini-golf putting green and an outdoor fireplace with lounge seating. On the first floor of The Saloon, the kitchen has a Viking refrigerator, the expected bar, and the unexpected pool table that converts to a dining table with a specially designed top.
If the weather cooperates, you can take the party outside to the full outdoor kitchen with two large gas grills, a flatiron grill, and a wood pellet smoker, plus a bar, seating, and TV. For an added fee, guests can tour the ranch and visit with animals like cows, horses, chickens, and goats. Guests are also invited to use the on-property shooting range for pre-arranged target practice using lever-action rifles and six-shooter pistols, also for an added fee.
You might not want to leave the property, but if you do, there are three golf courses nearby and Cedar Lake for fishing (bass, catfish, and crappie) and boating (rentals available). Although the treasure trove of eclectic antiques in Austin may be almost 200 miles away, the world's largest flea market is 15 miles away on 450 acres in the town of Canton. It's held Thursday-Sunday before the first Monday of each month, so you might want to time your stay accordingly.
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