Prospector Ranch’s Conestoga Covered Wagon is Open for Business!
Photo by Natalia Radcliffe
~ Natalia Radcliffe ~ Our Conestoga Covered Wagon has officially been on the short-term rental market for about two weeks now through Airbnb and VRBO! We’ve already had 5 bookings!
The story behind how we got this covered wagon spans back 2 years.
Meggan first saw the Conestoga covered wagons being sold at a virtual Glamping Convention in 2020, and became really interested in the idea of having one as her own for a short-term rental. She was especially intrigued in a particular company, the Conestoga Wagon Company, based out of Idaho.
She got in touch with the owner/seller, Jason Olson. The plan was to come back to the convention the following year, provided Covid restrictions would not make it virtual again. After all, she wanted to see the wagons in person because it was a huge financial investment for her. Wouldn’t you?
Thankfully, the 2021 glamping convention was indeed in person, and she got to properly meet Jason and see the Conestoga covered wagons up close! Meggan and Jason hit it off. She liked both the wagons and her interactions with him. He came across as down-to-earth, honest, and authentic. That’s something she values when dealing with those in the sales business. It’s a fine balance between wanting to sell something, and upholding integrity.
In fact, she loved the covered wagons so much, that, as a former sales professional herself, the itch to promote and sell these wonderful pieces of history was quite a strong feeling.
Meggan bought a covered wagon for her guest ranch/short term rental business/filming and photoshoots location in October 2021. The wagon arrived at Prospector Ranch in April of 2022. It took so long because the wagons are handmade and needed to be shipped from their manufacturing location in Idaho to here in California.
The wait was well worth it.
The covered wagon arrived by semi truck, but because it was too big to maneuver through the canyon and up the narrow driveway leading to the property, a second much smaller truck had to be brought in. At Potrero Road and Westlake Boulevard, the last place wide enough for the semi, the covered wagon was offloaded and pulled only by a pickup truck, through the narrow canyon, to its final home at Prospector Ranch.
The covered wagon arriving at Prospector Ranch! Photo courtesy of Meggan Kimberley.
Once there, we got to decorating and making it the way our guests see it today!
The biggest project in completing the covered wagon Airbnb was refurbishing an old bathroom. Meggan wanted it to match the look of the ranch and covered wagon with a rustic, old-time western feel. It was quite the project, and she couldn’t have done it without the help of her husband Chris who built it all. For the rustic look for the front of the bathroom, Chris had a property with an old barn on it in Montana, so he took some of the wood and a door from the barn. Meggan also drove to Santa Ana to get reclaimed wood as well, to finish the rest of the look for the building.
The outside of the bathroom! Photo courtesy of Megan Kimberley.
Meggan put together the look and feel she wanted for the bathroom from Pinetrest over a year ago, gathering antiques and old items to decorate the space with. It was important this space has everything a discerning guest could need or want, so Meggan made sure to stock the space with bubble bath salts, almond and rose body oils, natural makeup wipes, face cleanser, goats milk body lotion, organic body wash, lavender shampoo and conditioner. She also procured an old antique white clawfoot tub she put in for total relaxation, an easy way to wind down after an eventful day. To tie up the stress-free vibe, the back of the bathroom has a large open window to a hill and the sky. Imagine taking a bubble bath or shower looking up at the stars!
The inside of the bathroom. Perfect for relaxation in rustic elegance next to nature! Photo courtesy of Meggan Kimberley.
Months later with a lot of hard work and planning, our new short-term rental is ready to be the place you can relax in style with historical nostalgia.
We are so excited to welcome our Conestoga Covered Wagon to our AirBnb/VRBO family! Come check it out and see this unique high-end place to stay during your travels.
