Going Underground: Cave House, Festus, Missouri
There is a cave in Missouri, USA, that has a particularly storied history.
It began as a mine underneath a forest in the 1930s. In the 1950s, the 17,000 square foot space became ‘Caveland’ – a roller skate rink and concert venue that played host to major pop acts, including Tina Turner.
Caveland closed its doors in 1985, and it was transformed again, this time into a glass recycling center until it shut in 1990.
After that, it stood unused, seemingly for good. Then, finally, in 2003, it was discovered for sale online by Curt and Deborah Sleeper. The couple fell in love with the cave, bought it, and set about the arduous task of turning it into a home.
It nearly didn’t happen at all. Struggles in financing the cave’s purchase meant the Sleepers were on the verge of moving to Belize before the owner finally agreed to a down payment of half the value in return for funding the rest.
With finances stretched to the limit, he Sleepers enlisted acquaintances’ help to build the property from glass doors and other material from a nearby store. In the meantime, they lived in a giant tent inside the cave.
Four years later, the cave had been converted into an incredible three-bedroom house and office space. Inside, the space is vast (the cave itself is three acres in size), with dining and living rooms on the ground floor and the bedrooms on a mezzanine above the kitchen. The property also benefits from a natural spring.
Living in a sandstone mine does have its drawbacks, though – notably, a huge umbrella has to over the living, dining, and sleeping areas to catch falling sand.
However, this only adds to an unusual home’s quirkiness befitting of a cave with such a varied and distinctive past.
The website, caveland.us, is currently run by the Sleeper family and they still live in the home. It is located at 1101 North 11th Street in Festus.
UnusualPlaces Field Notes
- Location
- Caveland USA (formerly Cave House), 215 Cave Dr, Festus, Missouri, USA (OSM-mapped property address; reservation-only lodging/event venue, not a walk-in attraction)
- Coordinates
- 38.231172, -90.394105
- Access
- This is an operating short-term cave stay and event venue, not a walk-in attraction. Access is for booked guests or event attendees; the operator invites visitors to contact it about availability. The listed guest space includes the front and back chambers, the second-floor house and parking. The house is reached by two short flights of stairs. Gravel parking is listed for up to 40 cars. The cave has no air-conditioning or central heating; the listing gives a natural temperature range of about 64–69°F. Sand/silica may fall inside; swimming in either pond and climbing on rocks are prohibited.
- Admission
- No walk-up admission or public tour is listed. Overnight stays and private events require advance booking. The current listing says the nightly rate includes up to 25 people, with an additional $100 per 10 people up to 65; a $500 refundable security deposit is due 15 days before arrival. The base nightly rate varies by date and is shown in the booking calendar.
- Time needed
- There is no separately ticketed sightseeing visit or operator-published recommended stay length. Caveland is booked as an overnight rental or private event venue; the current Vrbo listing permits one-night stays and recent guest reviews mention both one- and two-night bookings. Those are examples, not a required or ideal duration; choose dates from the live booking calendar.
- Best season
- The operator does not recommend a best season. Its current listing says the cave naturally stays around 64–69°F without central heating or air-conditioning, but does not describe that as a seasonal recommendation. Rates and availability vary by dates, so check the booking calendar.
- Opening hours
- No public walk-in hours are published. Access is by confirmed lodging or event reservation; contact the operator to confirm availability and arrival details.
- Location checked
- 2026-10-16
- Facts checked
- 2026-10-16
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