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.

Possibly the real benefit of taking a dude ranch vacation is the chance to spend time with family and friends in a setting that is as different from the one you are used to as possible. If you don’t want to get involved in ‘ranching’ activities you can always choose to ramble through nature or sit in the sun or just spend time round the campfire with your kids.

A word to the wise about your dude ranch vacation! All dude ranches are not created equal. Daily scheduled activities vary from really hard work on a cattle ranch to lazier pursuits that are about as far removed from the real thing as chalk is from cheese – these are real vacations not ranch experiences.

If you really just like the ‘idea’ of hanging out at a dude ranch but don’t really want to be a cattle rancher make sure to choose a ranch where you won’t be expected to learn how to rope a steer or bale hay. A dude ranch vacation can quickly turn into a country and western nightmare if you weren’t prepared for your ranch experience!

If comfort is an important consideration for you make sure to find out what kind of accommodation will be provided on your dude ranch vacation. Many dude ranches are located higher up in the mountains where air temperatures can plummet at night.

Make sure your rooms aren’t more ‘rustic’ than you bargained for and find out what the average nighttime air temperature is likely to be, especially if you are traveling with young children or grandparents. While a dude ranch vacation is generally more rustic than most, there is no reason you need to freeze to death!

Before you book your dude ranch vacation make sure you know what facilities are provided for your kids and if there are any specially planned activities. Also make sure to get decent directions to the ranch. Many ranches have scheduled mealtimes with nothing offered to eat in between.

If you are traveling with kids who may need to make plenty of rest stops along the way make sure to choose a ranch that offers meals that are flexible. The last thing you need is to starve till morning because you got held up along the way! A dude ranch vacation can offer plenty of fun for the whole family but do make sure you know what you are signing up for before you go. Yehaa!