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You Can Book a Night on a World War II Submarine Through Airbnb

A meticulously restored sub can be your next Airbnb experience.

ByJake Rossen|
The USS ‘Cobia’ is a living memorial—and an Airbnb attraction.
The USS ‘Cobia’ is a living memorial—and an Airbnb attraction. | Scott Olson/GettyImages

Normally, smelling diesel fuel during an Airbnb stay would be cause for concern and possibly evacuation. One of the few lodgings where it’s not only safe but expected is the USS Cobia. Eighty years after playing a pivotal role in World War II, the battle-hardened submarine is open to overnight guests.

According to the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, the 312-foot-long Cobia became operational in November 1943. It went on to sink 13 Japanese ships, including one convoy meant to bring Japanese soldiers to Iwo Jima in the summer of 1944. The feat is thought to have aided U.S. success in the territory months later.

Following the end of the war, the decommissioned Cobia was used as a training vessel and ultimately landed in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, where it served as a memorial. It became an official part of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in 1986, and in 1996, the institution began restoring the sub. The refurbished vessel now has period-accurate flooring and working radar, as well as features that sailors were unable to enjoy during their service, like heating and air conditioning.

In 2019, the museum began offering overnight stays on board the ship for larger groups—the bunks permit up to 65 overnight guests at a time—but switched to single occupants and families in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The attraction proved successful for history buffs as well as the Wisconsin Maritime Museum. Rates begin at $500 per night, though the museum does offer discounted stays during select dates and cheaper youth group rates throughout the year. Unlike the Airbnb bookings, these dates aren’t private. The revenue generated from bookings helps the museum offset the costs of maintaining the ship.

While actual warfare is not part of the experience, guests are welcome to take a tour of the ship, screen a nautically-themed movie in the onboard theater, and stroll around at their leisure. They should be warned that the once-functional submarine was designed for seaworthiness over comfort. According to Business Insider, traversing rooms requires some finessing through narrow entryways and hatches.

The museum hopes that a stay on the Cobia makes wartime history more visceral for guests. As museum director Kevin Cullen told Business Insider, they should experience “a moment of recognition of the tremendous sacrifice that submariners in World War II underwent … That’s what museums really are here for. The objects are witness to history — witness to tremendous tragedy as Cobia was in wartime efforts, but also witness to the tremendous humanity of those moments in time that I think connect us as people cross-culturally and cross-generationally.”

Despite the museum’s commitment to realism, there is one anomaly: The onboard bathrooms are non-functional. Fortunately, the neighboring museum remains open all night.

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