Lazy 8 Ranch hosts six guests in a 1852 farmhouse that attracts families over bachelorette parties

Sarah Skerston Walczynski opened her childhood home as a vacation rental in December 2025, expecting a steady stream of women in their late 20s and early 50s seeking winery trips and scenic views of Starved Rock State Park. Instead, the primary clientele shifted quickly toward families looking for a secluded base camp.

The 1852 farmhouse sits on a rural side road near Tonica, with the nearest neighbor located almost half a mile away. The property features three bedrooms that sleep six guests, a full kitchen, a dining room, and a living room. The grounds include about three acres of yard, a furnished patio, and a gravel driveway that provides free parking for visitors.

Walczynski attributed the shift in guest demographics to the home’s history as a family gathering place. She grew up in a household of 10 on the farm, which was named Lazy 8 Ranch in the 1960s when her parents raised American saddlebred horses. The couple, who lives a short distance down the road, used the property as a guesthouse for relatives before converting it to a rental.

The interior is stocked with amenities that encourage group activities. A cupboard in the library holds dozens of board games and puzzles, while video game consoles are available in the basement. Yard games such as croquet, bocce, and volleyball are set up on the lawn. A cupboard filled with feather boas has become a favorite among guests, with Walczynski noting that adults and children alike enjoy playing with them.

The library also functions as a historical resource. It contains seven books written by Mark Walczynski, a regional historian and the historian for Starved Rock, alongside other works on local history, westerns, mysteries, and science fiction. Guests can also interact with the house’s history by marking their names and heights on a wall that displays the Walczynski family’s measurements over the past 60 years.

The home blends modern amenities with original architectural elements. The kitchen features modern appliances and lighting, while wood floors in older sections creak and slope with age. An addition was built in 2025 to expand the space. Antique farm items, including horse collars and hooks, are displayed alongside leather couches and fur accents. The couple repurposed a hand-hewn wooden beam from the original kitchen floor into an outdoor bar and uses cast-iron cauldrons from livestock butchering as flower planters.

Three animals are permanent residents on the property: two horses named Rein Dance and Contessa, and a miniature pony named Thor. Guests book the entire house and yard but must observe a rule regarding the animals. Physical contact with the horses and pony is prohibited unless Walczynski is present, and visitors are directed to Cedar Creek Ranch in Cedar Point if they wish to ride. The horses are kept primarily for photo opportunities.

The property is located at 2135 E. 675th Road, Tonica. Further details are available at lazy8ranch.com.