Never Bored in Orlando
A caboose on a working cattle ranch
The caboose came from the Winter Garden train museum and has been completely renovated inside. What it sits on is the part that makes it more than a novelty: a spur of the old Florida East Coast Railroad, Flagler's line, on the stretch where turpentine and cattle were loaded in the 1920s. Central Florida was a working landscape long before it was a holiday one, and here you sleep directly on top of that rather than reading a plaque about it.
It is still a working landscape, which is the other thing to understand before you book. The caboose stands on a cattle ranch, reached through a locked gate off Highway 441, North Kenansville Road, with the codes sent to you before you arrive. Everything inside the fence is yours to use. Beyond it is somebody's livelihood, so you stay within the fencing.
The host mentions deer, turkey and visiting cows. We did not see any on our stay, so treat that as a possible bonus rather than the reason to book.
Key facts
- Where
- Kenansville, FL, on a working cattle ranch about 20 minutes from Wild Florida
- What it is
- A fully renovated caboose from the Winter Garden train museum, on a spur of the old Florida East Coast Railroad
- Sleeps
- Up to 4: two loft beds reached by a wooden ladder, plus a queen size pull out
- Inside
- Air conditioning, full size bathroom, smart TV, Starlink wifi, microwave, small refrigerator, two-burner stovetop, washer and dryer, and all the dishes, pots, pans and utensils
- Outside
- Fire pit, deck for the sunsets, park-style grill, picnic table, ample parking
- Bring
- Extra pillows and s'mores ingredients for the fire pit
- Getting in
- Locked gate off Hwy 441 (N Kenansville Rd). Codes are provided. Stay inside the fencing.
- Book it
- View the listing on Airbnb
Inside the caboose
Sleeping is split two ways and takes four people. There are two loft beds you reach by climbing a wooden ladder, and a queen size pull out below. The ladder is part of the fun, but worth knowing about if someone in your group would rather not climb into bed.
For a small space it is far better equipped than it needs to be. Air conditioning, which in Florida is definitely a must. A full size bathroom with a shower. A two-burner stovetop, microwave, small refrigerator, and every dish, pot, pan and utensil you would need to actually cook rather than eat out of a bag. There is a washer and dryer, and a smart TV with wifi over Starlink. We loved having the wifi out there.
Outside is the point
The deck and the fire pit are where you will spend the evening. There is a park-style grill and a picnic table, so dinner can happen out there, and the sunsets over open ranch land are the reason to eat late. Parking is generous and can take an RV, though there may be an extra fee for one.
What to bring
Two things we would pack again. Extra pillows, because a loft bunk is cosy rather than plush and a couple of your own makes a real difference. And s'mores ingredients, because that fire pit is the best thing on the property and turning up with nothing to put on it would be a waste of an evening.
Bring groceries too. There is no supermarket nearby, though there is a small convenience store about two minutes down the road for anything you forget. You are an hour from the parks and less than an hour from the beaches, and the kitchen is well enough equipped that cooking there is a better evening than driving out for food.
More Central Florida stays and day trips
Kenansville puts you about twenty minutes from Wild Florida, so the airboats and the caboose make an easy pair over one weekend. If unusual places to sleep are your thing, we also spent two nights glamping with Highland cows and a camel at two Florida farm stays, and there is a day trip to Mount Dora if you want something shorter.
Last verified August 9, 2026. Availability, pricing and what is provided change. Always check the current Airbnb listing before booking.