How to Take a Dude Ranch Vacation - Fresh Air, Horseback Riding and Good, Clean, Country Livin'!
Yehaa! Want to take a Dude Ranch vacation? Let's find out how! These days many families are opting for a radically different vacation experience. Instead of heading to an island paradise of sea and surf or heading out to the lake cabin they are seeking out a way of life that's as old as America - The Dude Ranch Vacation.
It's easy to understand the appeal of a holiday spent on the old corral. Not only is a dude ranch vacation a chance for a health-enhancing outdoor holiday it's also a chance to ride horses like the westerners of old. A dude ranch vacation can be enjoyed by moms, dads and kids and even grandma and gramps if they're game!
But what is a dude ranch exactly? Some dude ranches are actually working cattle ranches that take in a quota of guests. Some ranches offer only the very basic amenities and visitors live in much the same way as the people who live and work on the farm do. A dude ranch vacation could, therefore, involve some real, honest to goodness hard work.
As dude ranch vacations become more popular the facilities are slowly improving - some even offering quite luxurious features. So a dude ranch vacation could vary from the rough and tumble to a far more comfortable visit.
The real lure of a dude ranch vacation is its natural setting, wide open spaces, friendly hosts, and good old fashioned home cooking. If you're lucky or choose wisely you may get to stay in a rustic lodge complete with fireplace, cookout, dancing lessons, sporting activities, hay rides, or mountain biking and river rafting excursions. Fun activities are also planned for the winter months and some dude ranches have special programs for kids.
