Want something unusual and private? Your own private caboose at Livingston Junction Cabooses could be your ticket for romance!
The LJ Cabooses are located on a mountain north of town, soon after you pass the train station (which is not a recommendation by us for the ESNA – ride is deceptively short, and dinner meals are expensive for average quality). However, what it does mean is that while you are relaxing on your private deck or cuddling in the hot tub, the whistle of the train comes up from the distance (ultra cool!).
The LJ Cabooses have several accomodation choices: at the bottom of the hill is the Depot (which would be appropriate for families or groups); the next caboose is Country Decor # 101; then Victorian #102; and at the top is Old West Decor #103. The cabooses are real and are an exciting piece of history as well as an intimate romantic holiday getaway for an affordable price.
Keep in mind that this is an actual caboose and everything is nestled right into a real train compartment! We found this charming, however, it does mean everything is in miniature. Units have a very small kitchen, more like a mini-fridge and a sink. Bathroom areas, like toilet and shower, are also small.
We enjoyed grilling outside on the coals, while swinging in the hammock under the trees. The glorious hottub on your private deck under the stars, hearing the train whistle down the hill makes for the perfect ending of this storybook ride.
Drawbacks: Over the course of visits, we really saw the deteroriation of the unit. Housekeeping seemed to be poor and haphazard. On our last visit we saw peeling wallpaper, had a too soft bed, and found dead bugs in the window sills.
From reading the guestbook, it seems that the steel caboose is hot in the summer and the AC isn’t as good as it needs to be to compensate, so it may not be the best choice for the peak of the summer season. I would also pass on visiting in the dead of the winter for the same reason. Try to pick the spring or fall when weather won’t be as extreme.
We also noticed a huge decline in privacy when the Depot was added at the bottom of the hill, and again when the top caboose (#103) was added. This reduction in privacy is the primary reason we no longer stay at the Cabooses.
Real Pluses: the price! For what you receive, you can’t beat the competitive price that is offered for your own private accomodation, with deck and hottub especially as many in-town accomodations keep going up and up.
It’s also not that far out from Eureka Springs and with the build up now on North Main you can park and hop a trolley into town quite easily.
High up on the Romance Meter is the quaintness of staying in a real Caboose. For anyone that likes nesting and cuddling, get ready to ride!
3-4 Visits (primarily in the early fall – September)
