If you've been craving an "Oh, home on the range..." moment, where you can just relax and get away from it all, then Airbnb has a lot of options. There's always somewhere new to discover that looks decadently remote. A place to relax and to unplug from the hectic modern, but sometimes (and only sometimes) do these opportunities come with their own alpacas. That's right — you can stay on an alpaca ranch thanks to Airbnb's never-ending thirst for more and more interesting listings.
If you've been looking for an opportunity to take a break, but still be surrounded by some furry friends, it doesn't get much better than an actual working alpaca ranch. Located near Paso Robles, California, you can rent a private room on the ranch and wake up every morning to stunning views and furry friends. Oh — and they also have almonds. "A working alpaca and organic almond ranch just 10 minutes from downtown Paso Robles," the description reads. "Country living where the roads are dusty in the dry summer months. Private entrance to your room with private bath located just across the hall from the room. A variety of bread, bagels, fruit, and yogurt provided." Alpacas AND bagels?! That's all I need to get by. Apparently, the host, Daphne, is an utter delight, and I want to get there and have my soul soothed already.
Although the room seems fairly small and modest, it comes in at only $74 a night when I searched the listing options on Airbnb. And for the $74 you get the aforementioned BAGELS, plus it looks like a goodie basket and other treats are also included. Oh, and an opportunity to hang with the llamas and look out at the gorgeous sky. Seriously, you get cuddly friends from start to finish. "Daphne's ranch hideaway offers a unique and comfortable stay for animal lovers in beautiful Paso," one reviewer wrote. "Upon arrival, we were immediately greeted by a very friendly pyrenees mix, Blue, and very sweet cattle dog, Pistol. Later, we met darling Lana, another affectionate pyrenees."
They also said that the hosts gave them a lovely tour and more information about the property, the animals, and alpaca products — a total gem for other yarn nerds out there (like me) who want to see it from the source. It's a great opportunity for animal lovers — though it looks like it gets booked up well in advance, so you may want to keep your eyes peeled for openings.
Airbnb has a lot of unique travel experiences at the moment — from weird places you can stay to a contest Airbnb is running with the Louvre museum to the good old fashioned option of staying somewhere haunted. If you're not looking for a chance to be spooked by ghosts or hang out with a herd of delightful alpacas, may I suggest the crowning glory of all Airbnb options: the opportunity to stay in a giant potato. Art, ghosts, potatoes — Airbnb really does have something from everyone.
Finding the perfect vacation spot isn't easy, but Airbnb certainly makes it easier to think outside the box. For an animal lover, staying in a working alpaca ranch is clearly a dream opportunity, so get booking and take a lot of photos — because those alpacas are too pure for words.
