Nestled half an hour away from Seattle in the state of Washington, this rural property made headlines when it recently hit the market in August 2021. Listed for $1.8 million (£1.3m) with Kari Haas Real Estate, the vast lot encompasses five acres of land, shrouded in dense forest. However, it wasn't the home's stunning wilderness location that made house-hunters do a doubletake. 

In addition to the sprawling open-plan living area, which flows through from the airy kitchen and pantry to a cosy lounge and formal dining area, there's three bedrooms and five bathrooms on offer, as well as a walk-in closet. But while the house is beautifully presented, it's what lies in the grounds that really sets this estate apart.

The Old West Ghost Town can be found in the heart of Temecula, California, not too far from the bright lights of Los Angeles. The one-of-a-kind ranch boasts five impressive acres of land and plenty of character, including an entire street inspired by the state's long-abandoned boomtowns, that were left deserted after the California Gold Rush.

The ranch itself is suitable for eight guests and features three bedrooms and two bathrooms. Contemporary and chic, the home is filled with natural light and blends modern décor with traditional touches. You'll find plenty of Western replicas and authentic artefacts, too, including chandeliers created from old cart wheels, floor-to-ceiling stone fireplaces, cowboy-themed artwork and rope accents.

The kitchen is spacious and modern with granite countertops and high-end appliances, while the bedrooms are cosy and serene. There are plenty of fireplaces to snuggle up around on chilly evenings, as well as lovely outdoor spaces for balmy summer days. Gather around the firepit and toast marshmallows, or take to a porch rocking chair for a moment of calm. There's also an alfresco Jacuzzi, a shaded pond, and numerous seating areas for midnight stargazing.

The garden's best offering is its replica Californian boomtown. Available to rent on Airbnb, this private ghost town not only provides visitors with some nostalgia but it pays tribute to the history of the area. The faux town features everything you might need for a taste of Gold Rush life. There are no fake façades here; these buildings have been properly kitted out for an authentic experience.

If you're feeling lucky, round up the gang for a heist! The town's authentically decorated bank features a replica bank teller window and money bags – but watch out because there's also a sheriff's office equipped with a jail. If caught you could comfortably spend the night behind bars, thanks to the cosy bunk beds and soft furnishings that decorate the cell.

There's also an incredible, two-storey saloon with a 15-foot bar, two expandable poker tables, an antique Brunswick pool table and a self-playing antique piano. If you've fallen in love with this impressive property, then you can stay the night and try your luck at panning for gold. Even better, the property is located less than four miles away from the award-winning Wilson Creek Winery. What more could any cowboy or girl need? 

There is so much to love about the Casteel Creek Retreat. This huge contemporary mansion is nestled on a sprawling estate in the world-renowned Vail Valley, Colorado. The property is not only within easy reach of the area’s iconic ski slopes but offers its very own on-site recreational facilities that would put most holiday resorts to shame: elevators, a theatre, a swimming pool and hot tub, a gym, spa and on-site nanny suite. This mountain estate has it all!

Talk about living in the wilderness! The mansion backs onto the White River National Forest, allowing for captivating landscape views from every single living space. Built in 2001, the estate covers almost 440 acres of land and boasts a 32,000-square-foot interior. The entrance alone is enough to blow your mind; a scenic driveway cuts through a mountain forest and leads to a dramatic bridge that cost a staggering $1 million (£717k) to build.

There are eight bedrooms and 16 full bathrooms in the main house, many of which are the size of the average city centre apartment. The interior is dramatic and extravagant, with endless steel, glass, stone and copper on display. Rustic details blend with high-end contemporary design. Custom chandeliers by the American glass sculptor Dale Chihuly hang from the home's ceilings, while Vyara granite and beautiful marbles cover its surfaces. 

The estate doesn't stop there. Outside, you’ll find an entire resort of amenities, including a caretaker’s cottage, two Wild West-themed guest suites, three vacation lodges and a historic cabin, totalling 21 bedrooms and 34 bathrooms. This means you could comfortably accommodate 40 overnight guests. There’s also a stocked trout pond, a shooting range, a sledding hill, horse stables, a football field and an indoor arena for tennis, baseball and basketball. The property is also serviced by a private airport.

If you thought we were done, think again! The Casteel Creek Retreat is also home to its very own ice cream parlour and an authentic replica of the Silver Dollar Saloon in Leadville, Colorado. If all this wasn’t enough, the estate also boasts a separate 25,000-square-foot recreation building, complete with a five-storey rock climbing wall, an indoor racquetball court, an authentic Japanese Teppanyaki bar, a gym, a spa and an Olympic-sized lap pool. The house even has a petrol station!

It might be difficult to imagine putting a price on such a vast and unique property but Sotheby's International Realty did just that. Previously listed for $78 million (£56m), three all-terrain vehicles, 12 high-performance snowmobiles and a German snowplow come included in the price. The property is also fully staffed with a caretaker, a handyman and a housekeeper, so you'd need never leave the comfort of your estate.

Located in an idyllic neighbourhood in the city of Tampa, Florida, this self-built A-frame home enjoys an attractive waterfront position. Constructed in 1986, the house is entirely unique – not least because of its bespoke design.

Inside, there are three bedrooms and two bathrooms and every room is light and bright, thanks to the home's elevated position and double-height windows. High ceilings and a soft colour palette help to emphasise the feeling of space, allowing the rooms to flow into one another. There are hardwood floors throughout, as well as a video surveillance system for complete peace of mind.

The home's kitchen is simple yet functional and offers a skylight to allow in additional sunlight, making the most of the state's enviable climate. With a simple, open-plan layout, the property also features air-conditioning to keep the occupier at the perfect temperature all year round. Yet it's the exterior of this house that's really worth exploring...

Head outside and you'll find over half an acre of land – a space that will have you thinking you've accidentally stepped onto the set of a Spaghetti Western! As well as a custom timber swing, which hangs directly below the raised house, there's also a tiny replica town that's straight out of an old film.

The tiny town features a row of shop fronts, including a general store and a classic barbers. Enjoy a sarsaparilla in the traditional saloon, and if the patrons get out of line, lock them up for the night in the town's very own tiny jail. 

Along with the model town, the garden also boasts a beautiful man-made lake, on which the next owners could race their jet skis or enjoy a spot of fishing! The property comes with plenty of space for entertaining and sunbathing, as well as room for numerous cars, thanks to its large RV garage. It's no wonder then that this house went up for sale for $295,000 (£212k) and sold in just 10 days!

Upon first glance, you might be fooled into thinking that this classic Colonial property was just like any other American mansion. Yet this magnificent gated estate is anything but ordinary. Constructed in 1987, the seven-bedroom house can be found in the heart of the affluent community of Potomac, Maryland, and offers far more than just an opulent interior...

Perched on four acres of land, the house offers just over 12,000 square feet of inside space across three floors. Grand and traditional, the interior is just as you would imagine. High ceilings, magnificent light fixtures and Grecian columns add to its charms. There are eight bathrooms, a library, a music room, a billiards room and a lavish foyer with a sweeping staircase. The home's refined antique furnishings also come included in the sale price.

As well as the main house, the estate boasts a two-bedroom guest house, plus a pool house with a full kitchen and bathroom – the perfect spot for after-hours gatherings. Also on the property you'll find a newly resurfaced tennis court and a heated pool. But that isn't all...

Talk about a home with a big secret! Hiding below the main house is a basement garage unlike any other. The space has been transformed into a tiny turn-of-the-century replica town, complete with everything from a church to a candy store. Cars can enter the basement via an unassuming garage door on the driveway.

As well as a quaint cobblestone street, the replica town also offers a black ceiling, which was created to resemble the night sky. The quirky basement features 15 faux storefronts, including a massage parlour, a pub, an auto repair shop, a post office and a florist. There's also a movie theatre advertising Mary Poppins and The Exorcist. 

The original owner built the house 33 years ago and decided to transform the basement into the ultimate playroom for his young children. As well as the storefronts, the owner also created an incredible toy shop and a large lounge where the whole family could spend time together. On the market for the very first time, you'd need a whopping $4.5 million (£3.2m) in order to buy this incredible home.

Rock Hill Ranch appears to be a fairly ordinary abode. Yet take a closer look and you'll discover a whole world hiding in its backyard. Located in Valley Center in northern San Diego, California, the all-American home offers plenty of cinematic bang for your buck, since it comes with its very own replica of an old Western town. 

Dating back to 1959, the timber frame home sits on an acre of land and has a modest two bedrooms and two bathrooms. The interior is traditional and rustic with exposed wooden beams, pretty stained-glass windows, log-burning stoves, decorative stonework and floor-to-ceiling fireplaces. Many of the rooms also enjoy attractive views across the Palomar Mountain range.

Covering a single storey, the house features just five rooms in total. The dining room is one of the most nostalgic spaces, thanks to its Native American memorabilia, equestrian paraphernalia and unusual cowboy-themed trinkets. Despite needing a little bit of modernisation, Rock Hill Ranch has plenty of personality to make up for it. The compact ranch also features a quaint porch – the perfect spot to soak up the surroundings.

Yet it's the ranch's garden that is its main selling point. Inspired by the classic Westerns of '60s cinema, the town looks like it's been lifted from the set of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Take a walk through the traditional ranch gates and browse the wares in the general store, stop for a drink at the saloon and do your best to avoid a night in jail! For this pad, you'll need to dust off your cowboy boots!

The town features its very own steam train, tracks and crossing signal, as well as a blacksmiths, a barbershop and a print shop. The equestrian property also comes with horse stalls, enclosures and a tack building, so real-life cowboys can play out their favourite movie scenes. There's covered RV parking, a large workshop and plenty of exterior storage too.

All of the replica buildings are decorated with Western artefacts and antiques that the property's original owner spent 60 years collecting. As an avid fan, they needed the perfect place to display their prized possessions. What's more, the authentic Old West town has proven to be so realistic that it has even been used as a set for several television commercials and movies!

Positioned just 20 minutes from Joshua Tree National Park in Pioneertown, California, this cool and contemporary ranch has it all – including a street plucked from your favourite Western. The town itself was founded in 1946 by a group of Hollywood investors, including the actor Roy Rogers, who created an Old West set for producers to use. Though movie shoots have dwindled here in recent times, Pioneertown's saloons and parlours are still standing.

The owners of the Stargazing Desert Retreat created their own miniature Western set on their land, in honour of Rogers and his fellow town founders. Formerly known as Big Horn Ranch, the property spreads across 18 acres of land and features everything from a church to a jail. With natural sandy ground and the odd tumbleweed blowing through the estate, this ranch couldn't feel any more authentic.

The retreat's town comes with a faux bordello, a hotel, a restored train caboose suite and a decorative teepee. On the grounds you'll also find stables for up to six horses and three riding rings, making this property ideal for a real-life rancher! With a beautiful wild landscape, an authentic windmill tower and plenty of vintage lanterns, machinery and props decorating its grounds, this ranch takes make-believe very seriously.

The ranch's stunning saloon can accommodate 50 guests at any one time and features everything a classic watering hole should. With vaulted ceilings, decorative rope and American flags draped from its walls, the Stargazing Desert saloon is just missing a cowboy or two having a brawl or challenging one another to a stand-off in the dirt outside. 

As for the interior, the ranch was completely transformed in 2016 by an award-winning designer. Despite being built in 1990, the ranch is now a chic and stylish home with high-end appliances, vaulted ceilings and walls of glass for uninterrupted views across the landscape beyond. Spacious, light-filled and open-plan, the house feels far removed from the American Old West.

As well as a stunning living area, the house also boasts four bedrooms and four bathrooms across its 3,000-square-foot interior. Every room is contemporary with subtle nods to the Wild West, including decorative rope, fur accents, rustic timber, stone and leather. Antique maps decorate the walls, while old suitcases and frontier paintings celebrate the home's historic surroundings. In a world of its own, the Stargazing Desert Retreat is truly unlike anywhere else.

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