wishlist destinations

Secluded Texas treehouse is the most 'wishlisted' Airbnb property

The Air Castle Treehouse is about five hours from Houston.

Photo courtesy of Airbnb

Short term rental platform Airbnb has revealed its most wishlisted properties in the U.S., and an incredibly unusual North Texas treehouse has made the cut.

The collection of highly sought after properties comes in anticipation for the summer travel season, where Airbnb says spontaneous and last-minute trips have only become more popular since 2022. The majority of the listings share one commonality: providing one-of-a-kind experiences.

"For those seeking a nearby getaway this spring or summer, they can find one-of-a-kind experiences in their own backyards by exploring some of the most wishlisted listings across the 50 states," Airbnb said in a release. "The list showcases the diversity of preferences across the country, with stays that are perfect for every group, from family road trips to solo retreats."

The "Air Castle Treehouse" in Ladonia, Texas was unveiled as the most sought after Texas listing. The property is located about 300 miles north of Houston, hidden among thick trees and surrounded by natural wildlife.

Many children dream about living in a treehouse, and now travelers can appease their inner child when they explore the home. The treehouse was built using four shipping containers, and can accommodate up to four guests across two bedrooms and one bathroom.

Ladonia Air Castle Treehouse Airbnb The home was created using four shipping containers.Photo courtesy of Airbnb

Guests can relax on any of the five balconies that boast breathtaking views of nature, including an abundance of wild animals. An exterior spiral staircase leads to the highest balcony of the home where visitors can set their sights on deer, wild hogs, armadillos, rabbits, bobcats, owls, red-tailed hawks, and much more.

"The treehouse itself was beautifully designed, combining farmhouse rustic charm with modern amenities," a reviewer wrote. "It had cozy furnishings, a well-equipped kitchen, and comfortable beds. We enjoyed the large windows that let natural light flood in and allowed us to watch the squirrels, raccoons, possums, and birds feed from the hanging bird feeders."

The third floor of the home contains a hot tub for the ultimate relaxation time, while the sixth floor shaded crows nest has a hammock to swing in that's 40 feet off the ground.

Rates for the Air Castle Treehouse begin at $281 for a two-night stay in April, making it an ideal place for a romantic getaway or a fun summer trip.

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HISTORY CORRECTED

Houston documentary maker helps correct biased Texas historical marker

Photo by Virginia Diaz-Laughlin

Medrano stands in front of the Karankawa marker while filming 'Truly Texas Mexican.'

It's not often that a film has an impact past the box office, but one documentary has helped tell the truth about the Texas Gulf Coast's long-disparaged Karankawa people.

For years, the Indigenous Peoples of the Coastal Bend and the Karankawa Tribe of Texas have fought for a corrected Texas Historical Commission marker in Corpus Christi. Houstonian Adán Medrano’s 2021 film, Truly Texas Mexican, helped finalize a push that will lead to a long-due correction on July 25.

The old marker was plainly offensive. Not only did it say the Karankawa people had "gained a reputation for savagery," but it repeated the long-discredited claim that they practiced cannibalism — a contention born out of the colonial need to justify violence against the tribe.

Medrano, a San Antonio native who currently lives in Houston, became part of the fight when he stood in front of the marker and made a direct appeal to correct the sign.

"I call upon the historians who live in Texas to come up and stand up and say, 'Take this down. This is a lie,'" he said during a scene in Truly Texas Mexican.

Two of them heard the call. Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi history professor Dr. Peter Moore and historian Dr. Tim Seiter of the University of Texas at Tyler joined the years-long Indigenous effort following the film's release. Led by the Indigenous Peoples of the Coastal Bend and the Karankawa Tribe of Texas, the academics helped research and draft a replacement that honors them as one of Texas' first peoples.

The marker not only replaces racist mythmaking with scholarship and tribal knowledge, it presents the fact that Karankawa descendants aren't a historical footnote but a living community still present in South Texas today.

Medrano's advocacy here continues his work with the T exas Indigenous Food Project, a nonprofit dedicated to celebrating the Indigenous foodways of Texas and the Americas. But in many ways it is a continuation of a career devoted to amplifying voices rarely heard in popular culture. In 1976, he founded San Antonio's CineFestival, now the nation's longest-running Latine film festival.

At 10 am on July 25, representatives of the Indigenous Peoples of the Coastal Bend and the Karankawa Tribe of Texas will unveil the corrected marker, joined by Medrano. Visitors can find it at 6001 Ennis Joslin Rd.

adan medrano film indigenous history history

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HISTORY CORRECTED

Houston documentary maker helps correct biased Texas historical marker