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Entire home

Crane and Nature Lovers Dream - Perfect for Crane Viewing!

Lakefront vacation home in Shelton with kitchen

Photo gallery for Crane and Nature Lovers Dream - Perfect for Crane Viewing!

Exterior
1 bedroom, travel crib, WiFi, bed sheets
Interior
Property grounds
Fridge, microwave, oven, stovetop
Nestled in the countryside, this apartment is located inside a newly constructed shed/barn with private access to the Platte River. Relax by the river for bird watching or unwind at a private pond in the pasture outside your door, perfect for fishing and quiet nights.

Reviews

9.6 out of 10
Exceptional

Entire home

1 bedroom1 bathroomSleeps 374 sq m

Popular amenities

  • Kitchen
  • Parking available
  • Outdoor Space
  • Air conditioning

Add dates for prices

About this property

Entire place

You'll have the entire home to yourself and will only share it with other guests in your party.

Crane and Nature Lovers Dream - Perfect for Crane Viewing!

Come relax in the country! The apartment is located inside a newly constructed shed/barn. It has one bedroom, one bathroom (shower only, no bathtub), and a spacious living room and kitchen with all appliances except a dishwasher. We do have a very friendly farm dog on the property, so please take note if this will be an issue for you.

Crane season - perfect location! We typically book very early out for crane season. There is private access to the Platte River which is the perfect setting for bird watching (might be off-limits during hunting season - Fall/Winter - Please contact to check), especially cranes during crane season! The owner will also help you set up on the Platte River for private bird watching during crane season. A private pond is located in the pasture right outside of the barn for fishing and quiet nights relaxing. Our pasture and cornfields are typically filled with cranes during the season. We are conveniently located to the south of Shelton, Nebraska off of Interstate 80. We are within 10-15 minutes of two crane viewing spots - Rowe Santuary and the Crane Trust Nature Center. You will have unlimited access to the Platte River for optimal crane viewing all season long!

Pets are welcome to stay for a $25 fee.

Property amenities

Internet

  • Available in the house: WiFi

Parking and transportation

  • Parking on site

Kitchen

  • Coffee/tea maker
  • Cookware, dishware, and utensils
  • Dishwasher
  • Electric kettle
  • Microwave
  • Oven
  • Paper towels
  • Refrigerator
  • Spices
  • Stovetop
  • Toaster

Dining

  • Dining table

Bedrooms

  • Bedroom
  • Bedsheets provided

Bathroom

  • 1 bathroom
  • Shampoo
  • Shower
  • Soap
  • Toilet paper
  • Towels provided

Living spaces

  • Dining table
  • Living room

Entertainment

  • TV with cable/satellite channels

Outdoor areas

  • Garden

Work spaces

  • Desk chair

Comfort

  • Air conditioning
  • Heating

Pets

  • Pet friendly
  • 2 pets total

Suitability/Accessibility

  • Smoking not allowed

Location highlights

  • In a rural location
  • On a lake
  • On a river

Things to do

  • Birdwatching nearby
  • Wildlife walks nearby

Safety features

  • Carbon monoxide detector (host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property)
  • Smoke detector (host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property)

General

  • Garden
  • Unit size: 800 square feet

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Policies

Check-in

Check-in time starts at 4:00 PM
Minimum check-in age: 19

Check-out

Check-out before 11:00 AM

Special check-in instructions

You will receive an email from the host with check-in and check-out instructions

Pets

Pets allowed
Service animals are welcome, and are exempt from fees
2 total pets

Children and extra beds

Children are welcome

Events

No events allowed

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has indicated there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated there is a smoke detector on the property
This property is managed through our partner, Vrbo. You will receive an email from Vrbo with a link to a Vrbo account, where you can change or cancel your reservation

Property is also known as

Crane Nature Lovers Dream
Nature Lovers Dream - Fishing and Wildlife Wood River
"Barn" Apartment in the Country with Private Platte River Access

About the neighborhood

Located in Shelton, this vacation home is in a rural area and on a river. Great Platte River Road Archway and The Frank House are local landmarks, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at War Axe State Recreation Area and Windmill State Recreation Area. Bumblebees and Big Apple Fun Center are also worth visiting. Be sure to check out the area's animals with activities such as game walks and birdwatching.
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Map
Shelton, NE

What's nearby

  • Audubon Rowe Sanctuary - 16 min drive - 16.0 km
  • Great Platte River Road Archway - 18 min drive - 30.3 km
  • Classic Car Collection - 22 min drive - 33.2 km
  • Younes Conference Center South - 22 min drive - 36.4 km
  • University of Nebraska Kearney - 26 min drive - 39.9 km

Getting around

  • Kearney, NE (EAR-Kearney Regional) - 28 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Railside Highway Diner - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪Rise & Grind - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪Sportsmans Bar & Grill - ‬10 min drive
  • ‪Kokoriko - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪Fiesta Mexicana II - ‬10 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Crane and Nature Lovers Dream - Perfect for Crane Viewing! pet-friendly?

Yes, this property allows pets (limit 2 total).

What time is check-in at Crane and Nature Lovers Dream - Perfect for Crane Viewing! ?

Check-in begins at 4:00 PM.

What time is check-out at Crane and Nature Lovers Dream - Perfect for Crane Viewing! ?

Check-out is at 11:00 AM.

Where is Crane and Nature Lovers Dream - Perfect for Crane Viewing! located?

Situated on a river, this vacation home is 0.2 mi (0.4 km) from Platte River and 2.7 mi (4.4 km) from War Axe State Recreation Area. Windmill State Recreation Area is 10 mi (16.1 km) away.

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Crane and Nature Lovers Dream - Perfect for Crane Viewing! Reviews

Reviews

9.6

Exceptional

Rating 10 - Excellent. 114 out of 136 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 18 out of 136 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 2 out of 136 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 1 out of 136 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 1 out of 136 reviews

9.8/10

Cleanliness

9.8/10

Amenities

10/10

Property conditions & facilities

10/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

8/10 Good

Patty C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, listing accuracy
Great place to stop for the night during our trip with our two pups.
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Denise M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
This place was so cool. Love the design of the place.
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Kent T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
We love the Kropp Kabin!
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jill S.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice place for a quick stay with a dog

We were traveling across the country with an older dog that can be grumpy towards other dogs, so a pet friendly hotel wasn't an option. This worked perfectly...clean, comfortable, air conditioning worked great and the Ducks Unlimited decor was great to look at.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

NSchmaltz 2.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Wonderful clean stay for us as we travelled to Denver. Was exactly what we needed!
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sheila

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
The property was very nice inside and out. The owner was quick to respond to my questions.
Stayed 3 nights in Jun 2025

10/10 Excellent

Sara B.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Wonderful location and peaceful space

Great communication with host, cozy and beautiful spot. Thanks for accommodating us for a short animal rescue transport. It was perfect.
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Lilly H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Very nice property

We just stayed for one night but it was super clean and the fully stocked kitchen was nice so we could make our own meals. Overall very nice
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Joanne F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great for crane watching!

Lovely place. It had everything we needed.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Maundy D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Barndominium Type Residence

One of our favorite type of homes. Possibly, our next home could be a Bardominium with the home and ample garage in the same type steel building. Excellent design was used on this building. Very spacious! Thanks for sharing this rental on Vrbo.
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Renee D.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Stranded in a blizzard

We planned to stay two nights to see the sandhill crane migration, and ended up staying a third due to being stranded by a blizzard. Hosts were able to accommodate us and asked if we needed anything. Great location for seeing cranes!
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

10/10 Excellent

Red Cedar Retrievers

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect for our hunting trip!

We used this for a 4 day hunting trip, it was perfect! Lots of room for gear, friendly hosts, place for the dogs and well kept!
Stayed 4 nights in Dec 2024

10/10 Excellent

Mark L.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
My daughter and I needed a place to meet 'halfway' between Mpls and Denver. We have become familiar with many NE towns and their hotels and decided to check on VRBO options. I can't speak to the crane viewing benefit of this listing. The rural road the property is on provided a peaceful dog walk, so that was as far as we ventured. The location is extremely convenient for those traveling I-80, was priced in a range comparable to hotel with much more privacy , pet friendly, and full kitchen. The hosts communicated with us when needed , and were sure to allow us privacy otherwise. The property is visually and audibly close to I80 , but still has a private feel with quick access to get back on the road. I will certainly considering using this property again.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2025

8/10 Good

Kristine T.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Crane viewing

Absolutely gorgeous viewing of dawn and dusk crane flights. We enjoyed the solitude in the midst of thousands of cranes.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2025

8/10 Good

Paul M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Overnight stop

Farmland along I-80 on dirt roads. Traffic noise was a muted drone but not disturbing. Property was well landscaped and spotlessly clean. Definitely themed for hunters which we enjoyed. Would have liked to spend more time enjoying the nearby river but had another long drive ahead. Would definitely recommend. Google is a little off; go to last house on dirt road and turn left into parking area.
Stayed 1 night in May 2025

10/10 Excellent

Jennifer H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great short stay

We had a softball tournament in Hastings and found this wonderful spot! Much more reasonable than a hotel and not too far from anything. Great stay!
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2024

10/10 Excellent

Michael J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Stay

Nice place.
Stayed 3 nights in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

Terry

Liked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities, communication
Location worked out great. Loved your dog!
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2024

10/10 Excellent

James C.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Farmland retreat

Wonderful,clean quiet stay
Stayed 2 nights in Jul 2023

10/10 Excellent

Janice R.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Quick and wonderful

I was a one night stay on my way to a family reunion. The place is great and I enjoyed my stay.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2024

10/10 Excellent

Charles F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great little place.

Nice property, great value and everything we needed. Thank you!
Stayed 2 nights in Apr 2024

10/10 Excellent

Brandie M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Nice little place!

My husband and I enjoyed our stay. The place was nice clean and cozy. It was perfect for a weekend getaway.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Alexandria F.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Perfect place to stay right off the highway!

Stay is exactly as shown in pictures. Would stay again.
Stayed 1 night in Jan 2023

10/10 Excellent

Bruce M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great place to stay

We enjoyed the comfortable accommodations, big screen tv and well-stocked kitchen. A good location for crane viewing. Interesting hunting-theme decor and friendly dogs. We’d stay here again.
Stayed 3 nights in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Kathy H.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Great stay during the sandhill crane migration

I picked this space due to the proximity of the Platte River and the sandhill crane viewing experience. I used the blind and it was amazing. I saw thousands of cranes fly and land across the way. As soon as it got dark they popped over closer to me on the river with a thunderous roar. The space has everything you need. Nice and open. Beautifully decorated with nice pieces. My husband would have loved all the mounts on the walls. I would stay again if in the area.
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2025