The USS Cobia floats in theManitowoc River outside the Wisconsin Maritime Museum. Wisconsin Maritime MuseumFrom lighthouses tobaseball stadiums, globetrotters have no shortage of unique accommodations to choose from while traveling.But history buffs may find one experience particularly intriguing: staying on a fully restored World War II-era submarineincluding the very same bunk beds American sailors slept in during war patrols. Intrepid travelers can do just that at the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, which has made its submarine, the USS Cobia, available forovernight stays.Called the Sub Bnb, the unusual floating lodging is available for bookingon Airbnb. The sub can accommodate more than 16 guests at a time, thanks to the 65 sailors bunk beds scattered throughout the vessel. The only room thats off-limits to sleeping? The captains quartersbut visitors can still take a look around, per Business Insiders Talia Lakritz. During World War II, the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company built 28 freshwater submarines for the U.S. Navy. Wisconsin Maritime MuseumYour stay will be as unique as the submarine, according to the listing. No two visits are exactly alike. With more than 50 different places to sleep, you get to choose your own adventure on USS Cobia.Guests can explore the submarine on their own, but a behind-the-scenes tour is also included with each stay. Because the vessel is only accessible through the museum, guests also have after-hours access to the facilityincluding all the exhibits and the theater, where theyre invited to screen maritime and submarine movies from the museums collection. Guests can choose from 65 bunk beds during their stay aboard the USS Cobia. Wisconsin Maritime MuseumVisitors can book the submarine for multiple nights in a row, but theyll have to pack up their belongings each morning because the USS Cobia is open to all museum visitors during the day.Named after a large fish found in warm seas around the world, theUSS Cobia was commissioned on March 29, 1944, with Lieutenant CommanderAlbert Lilly Becker in command.Over the course of two years, the 312-foot submarine completed six war patrols and sank 13 Japanese vesselsincluding an enemy convoy headed to Japanese-controlled Iwo Jima.U.S. Marines considered this sinking critical to their success incapturing Iwo [Jima] six months later, according to themuseum.In 1970, a group of local veterans brought the USS Cobia to Manitowoc, Wisconsin, to serve as a memorial to submariners. That memorial later became the Wisconsin Maritime Museum, a 60,000-square-foot venue with exhibits, model ships, an operating steam engine and other artifacts. Overnight visitors also get after-hours access to the museum. Wisconsin Maritime MuseumManitowoc was an important site during World War II. An estimated 7,000 men and women worked around the clock at the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company, which constructed 28 freshwater submarines for the U.S. Navy. The USS Cobia was not built in Manitowoc, but it serves as a symbol of the citys shipbuilding heritage nonetheless; its also a tribute to all the men and women who have served on submarines on behalf of their country.In addition, the USS Cobia is identical to some of the freshwater submarines built by the Manitowoc Shipbuilding Company, as Karen Duvalle, the museums submarine curator, writes in theHerald Times Reporter. Thats because the company initially used blueprints from the Electric Boat Company, where the USS Cobia was constructed.Starting in 1996, the USS Cobia was restored to its 1945 configurationa massive undertaking that included installing World War II-era flooring, bunk beds, crew lockers and more. In more recent years, staff and volunteers have also restored several of the submarines systems and components, including two of the main engines.USS Cobia Dry Dock FundWatch on The museum is currentlyraising money for a comprehensive inspection and preventative maintenance work, which is slated to take place in September 2025 at a shipyard in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. Staffers estimate that it costs $150,000 a year to protect and preserve the USS Cobia as it floats atop the Manitowoc River. Theyre trying to raise an additional $1.5 million for the upcomingdry dock project.Cobia is one of the best-preserved submarines or museum ships in the country, Duvalle toldFOX 11 News Eric Peterson last year, adding: Its always been in good hands here, which is why we want to continue that tradition and dry dock. Scout troops and youth groups can also spend the night aboard the fully restored submarine. Wisconsin Maritime MuseumIn the past, the Wisconsin Maritime Museum has invited scout troops and other youth groups to stay on the USS Cobia. When groups were no longer permitted to gather during the Covid-19 pandemic, the museum began making the submarine available to individuals and families. The idea was a hit.Its one thing to walk through a World War II submarine on a guided tour and imagine what life was like on board, writes Business Insider. Its another to fully immerse yourself in the experience by eating where they ate and sleeping where they slept.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: American History, Family Travel, History, Japan, Museums, Oceans, Pacific Ocean, Ships, Travel, Warfare, Water Transportation, World War II