Stay in Lord of the Rings, Stranger Things Airbnbs, live with no regrets

Vacation season may still be a while off, but it’s never too early to plan. And when you do finally find time to get away from it all, why not travel to some of your favorite places from fantasy fiction?

Well, because those places don’t exist, but that’s not going to stop anyone with an entrepreneurial spirit. For example, the town of Hawkins, Indiana — as seen on Netflix’s Stranger Things — may not be real, and even if it was, the ’80s are long gone. But you can still get a taste of that Netflix life thanks to Ann, an Airbnb-er and St. Louis native who turned her basement into a Stranger Things-themed getaway called the Upside Den:

Really, the name alone is enough to sell us on this, but Ann went all out with the details, including and ’80s-style TV set (complete with over 50 VHS tapes), weathered rugs, and the alphabet spelled out in Christmas lights, in honor of Joyce Byers’ quest to locate her lost son/mental breakdown.

At $49 a night, the price is right, too. The Upside Den sleeps four. Head here for more info.

If you want to travel a little further than 1980s America, there’s another Airbnb you may be interested in under construction in Woodfin, North Carolina. Take a look:

Yep, a Lord of the Rings superfan is building his very own one-bed, one-bath Hobbit Hole, 90% of which is underground, as befits such a dwelling. This apartment isn’t completed yet, but keep your eyes on Airbnb. I predict a lot of competition for stays at this one.

Finally, if you don’t want to spend the whole night in a fantasy realm, maybe you’ll be inspired by these images of a Lord of the Rings-style wedding uploaded on Imgur by a user named Sgraceoh:

"Our Lord of the Rings themed wedding!"

From the signs to the tables settings to the food to the little LEGO Lord of the Rings figured scattered throughout the event, this looks like a long-expected party indeed.

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h/t Mental Floss, BoingBoing.net, CNN