A Chance to Spend the Night with Lucy in Margate

Three lucky people will get a chance to stay inside the historic landmark pachyderm for a night in mid-March via Airbnb.


airbnb lucy overnight stay lucy exterior

On March 5th, you can book a Lucy overnight stay via Airbnb. | Photos via Airbnb

How much do you love Lucy? Lucy the Elephant, that is.

Well, if you’re gaga for the historic Margate landmark, you and your friends will now have a chance to stay inside Lucy overnight. 

Three lucky Lucy lovers will have the chance to stay inside the Jersey Shore icon through Airbnb. The offer makes it one of the first and only National Historic Landmarks to be listed on the room-sharing site, according to a press release announcing Lucy’s availability for an overnight stay.

Starting March 5th, guests can book their stay on Airbnb.  One Lucy overnight stay will be offered each night on March 17th, 18th, and 19th, each being priced at $138 per night — an homage to the number of years Lucy has resided at the Jersey Shore, making her older than the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower. 

bed in lucy

For the stays, Lucy’s interior has been done up in Victorian finery.

Lucy’s interior is open to the public for tours most of the time, but she has hosted overnight guests before: she welcomed her first overnighters in 1902. Over the years, she has served as a tavern and also hosted President Woodrow Wilson.

For these stays, Lucy has regained her youth, as guests will be transported back to the late 19th century and surrounded by the Victorian-style decor that captures what her interior looked like at the time she opened in 1882. 

lucy interior

Lucy’s split-level belly has played host to overnight guests before, including President Woodrow Wilson.

The three guests will also have access to bathroom facilities in a trailer rented for the purpose, since — despite her trunk — Lucy lacks running water. They will also have as their host Richard Helfant, executive director of the Save Lucy Committee. Helfant will share his memories of Lucy and local tips with the overnighters.

In honor of Lucy, Airbnb will make a donation to the Save Lucy Committee to ensure she stands for generations to come. The committee has made preserving her its mission for 50 years.

lucy cabin view

The view of the ocean from the cabin on Lucy’s back.

If you love Lucy enough to want to spend the night inside her, you’d best be quick with your mouse finger when reservations open March 5th at noon Eastern Standard Time. The three one-night stays are not being offered via a contest or auction — they will go on a first-come, first-served basis.

Sandy Smith contributed to this report.