SMART RANCH TRAVELER

We just heard from Mary Miller of Elkhorn Ranch, who reminds us that the big spring break holiday is just around the corner and we’d better have a plan. Fact is, Miller has just the ticket if you’re ready for some rest and relaxation, or just a little sunshine.  Simply head for  Elkhorn Ranch in sunny Arizona.

The ranch’s Sonoran Desert setting is at its most lush and beautiful in springtime.  Families, singles and couples are all special at Elkhorn, where you’ll enjoy your own horse for a week or more, a cozy cabin, beautiful country, and the joy of new friendships.

Adventure on sure-footed horses into the Baboquivari Mountains and the open country of the Altar Valley, on enjoy small rides tailored to your interests and experience.  Dive into a heated swimming pool, go birding, or play tennis, games, ping pong, or horse-shoes. Nature lovers can go hiking. And everyone can enjoy hearty meals with fresh baked goods daily.

Elkhorn Ranch is a special place for families and multi-generational gatherings, where each person may enjoy their own brand of riding and fun– where children enjoy outdoor freedom and independence, and parents can revisit their youth.

Details: Elkhorn Ranch is a traditional guest ranch located about 50 miles southwest of Tucson, Arizona. It has been owned and operated by the Miller family since 1946.  One or more cabins are available each week between February 26 – April 29, 2012 — call soon (520-822-1040) or go to Ranchweb.com to reserve a spot!

SMART RANCH TRAVELER

Never mind that our winter season hasn’t been as snowy and miserable as it was last year. That doesn’t mean you still couldn’t use some fun in the sun and time to stop and smell the desert wildflowers.

It’s easy to  get away for a last-minute vacation at a warm, sunny Arizona dude ranch resort vacation. Can’t you just picture yourself saddled up at your guest ranch resort and riding through a spectacular show of blooms–or just hanging out by the pool and working some color back into your skin?

When to go?  Timing the wildflower season in the Southern Arizona and Tucson dude ranch region is tricky–those darn flowers are as unpredictable as the rainfall. Anytime from February through May, is peak season for everything from purple swaths of sand verbena to red, yellow, and white cactus flowers. And when you do get a great wildflower display in the desert, it can be awe-inspiring.

But which ranch to choose? Arizona ranches have much to offer. One shining jewel is Rancho de los Caballeros, noted for its Old West lodge, and championship golf in Wickenburg (79 elegant casitas).  Don Weintraub of Rancho de los Caballeros adds: “We are proud that our property is a unique combination of traditional resort and western ranch, with horseback, award-winning golf, trap & skeet shooting, tennis, full-serice spa, and gourmet cuisine.”

The resort was recently chosen as one of Arizona’s best by Golf Weekly. Weintraub notes, “If a golf escape is what you’re looking for, our ‘Golf Getaway’ has everything you need. Play the award-winning Los Caballeros Golf Club and stay at The Ranch for a visit full of long drives, low scores, and resort-scale amenities.” Call 800/684-5030 or e-mail reservations@sunc.com for more info or to make reservations.

And Elkhorn Ranch is loaded with family-friendly fun, wide-open spaces, and bountiful meals served family style. At an altitude of 3,700 feet, the ranch is surrounded by the high peaks of the picturesque Baboquivari Mountains and the open desert of the Altar Valley.Elkhorn provides plenty of country for relaxed walks or vigorous hikes and other activities for those who choose not to ride. The tennis court and fifty foot heated pool supply fun and relaxation for kids of all ages, along with shuffleboard, ping pong and horseshoes. Bring your camera and binoculars – the wintering birds of Southern Arizona are numerous and colorful, views are magnificent and spring flowers can be glorious. And Family-friendly Bar 10 Ranch is near the Grand Canyon, with hearty ranch meals and genuine western hospitality (and high altitude, so summer is high season here).  Their Three-Day Outdoor Odyssey showcases the grandeur and history of the Grand Canyon and Arizona Strip. “Descend back in time as you traverse the heart of the Grand Canyon, learning the colorful history of Indians, ranchers, homesteaders, and outlaws who inhabited and hid out in this primitive land.” This package is all-inclusive including meals, lodging, and cowboy guided activities such as ATV tours, extended horseback rides, hiking, ranch demonstrations, living history, and free time activities. Add an additional day and night to your odyssey and book our four-day outdoor odyssey. Three-Day Outdoor Odyssey from $567.00/person

If you’re seeking a luxe hideaway, Hidden Meadow Ranch near Greer boasts an elegant log main house and 12 luxury log cabins. Their Valentine’s Day package is a pip, with a 2-night stay in a 900-square-foot private, luxuriously furnished log cabin. “Our getaway includes all your gourmet meals in front of a crackling fire in our beautiful Ranch House plus, on one night, a champagne toast before dinner followed by our “Two Hearts Eat as One” special dessert selections, a complimentary rose petal and chocolate heart truffle turndown, and a CD of romantic music to play and keep. You can also decorate a handmade Valentine’s sugar cookie for your sweet sugar!” Sweet. Book soon; since Valentine’s Day is on Tuesday, February 14th, this package is available from Friday, February 10th, through Tuesday, February 14th.

Both White Stallion Ranch and Tanque Verde Ranch outside Tucson have stellar reputations as resorts with lots of variety in family friendly amusements: nature walks, swimming, gourmet cuisine, along with the kind of classic southwestern design and décor that many clients come for.

At White Stallion Ranch, act fast and you can join the Dawson Bridge Vacation (February 6 thru February 10, 2012) and brush up on your card-playing skills (cost: $1,050 per person double occupancy, $1,321 single; includes tax and service charge; Does Not include riding). Call 888-977-2624.

And at Tanque Verde, you can swing a racket or swing into the luxe little spa. Check out Tanque Verde’s ‘Last Minute Vacancies’ for special rates for accommodations that are ready and waiting. Or try the ‘Back in the Saddle’ package (available| January 10 – February 29); Book 3 nights, get the 4th night free (Valid for stays taking place through March 4, 2012 ); 25% savings with rates starting at $225 per person/night. You get deluxe lodging, 3 daily meals, daily activities. Ahhh! Take me away.

Details: Need more help with your selection? Don’t forget how easy it is to simply turn to Ranchweb for help. To begin, click on Selecting A Ranch and you’ll see groupings of ranches by lists of all the options that various ranches have to offer, from riding, fishing, and cattle drives to spas and luxury options. If you’re looking for deals, click on Travel Bargains on the Ranchweb.com home page. It’s another handy sorting tool.  For a wildflower update, go to
www.desertusa.com/wildflo/wildupdates.html

SMART RANCH TRAVELER

At the recent Dude Ranchers’ Association Annual Convention in Cody, Wyoming, one of the keynote speakers was Nancy Schretter (at left), Managing Editor of The Family Travel Network. That’s the award-winning family travel site featured on the The Today Show, CNN, America Online, Parents Magazine and in USA Today.

Ranchweb’s own Gene Kilgore attended the conference and was impressed with Schretter’s talk. “It was upbeat and positive,” says Kilgore, “ explaining how much guest ranches have to offer to families and how guest ranch owners can position a ranch vacation as a multisport family travel outlet.” So we set out to learn more about Schretter and her online Family Travel Network (FTN).

Launched in 1995, FTN serves readers as an’ unbiased source of family travel advice, reviews, bargains, and articles by travel industry experts’. According to the website, FTN is the nation’s ‘oldest and most comprehensive free online site devoted exclusively to family travel and planning great vacations with kids’. Based in McLean, VA, FTN is produced by Beacon Interactive, a division of The Beacon Group, Inc.

FTN’s Managing Editor, Nancy Schretter,  is an award-winning travel journalist and editor, mom, and a busy gal. But in between deadlines, we pinned Schretter down for a brief chat with her to talk about how she got into the world of family travel,  how dude ranches can work best in a families’ vacation plans, and how ranchers can work smarter to appeal to families.
Here is Ranchweb’s  Q&A session with Schretter:
Ranchweb: How did you get started with FTN?

Schretter: The Beacon Group (parent company of the Family Travel Network) was publishing  newsletters in 1995 and we saw the need for more information on family and multi-generational travel. America Online (AOL) came to us to talk about partnering to take some of our other newsletters online. I told AOL about the family travel newsletter and they suggested that we do it online with them. It turned out to be a winning combination—we launched and grew with AOL, reaching hundreds of thousands of families. Eventually, we moved out onto the Internet where our content can be seen by everyone.

Ranchweb: How is FTN’s coverage different from other travel sites?

Schretter: The Family Travel Network is an independent, award-winning online travel magazine providing unbiased coverage of family travel destinations and lodging options. The site provides extensive firsthand destination information and city guides; detailed reviews of resorts, cruises and lodging options; lots of family trip planning advice; a wide variety of vacation ideas; “been there-done that” family travel tips; money-saving hot deals; and more. We do not sell travel of any kind, so we can cover whatever we think is best with no hidden agendas. Our articles are written by seasoned family travel journalists and travel industry experts who are also moms and dads who travel extensively with their own families. Our coverage is widespread, so we have information on great family places that are around the corner or across the globe.

Ranchweb: We heard you’ve taken a ranch vacation in New York. What did you love most about your dude ranch trip?

Schretter: Our family loved the horses, the outdoors, and all of the cool things there were to do. My kids and I were very into horses and animals, so that was a huge attraction. There were lots of activities that we could do as a family, which made for great memories and bonding experiences. In addition to all of the horseback and pony rides, there were sports activities, water fun, kids programs and lots of evening activities, too. The kids liked the sing-alongs. We packed a ton of fun into our short time there. The fact that it was all-inclusive was also a big plus.
Ranchweb: How can the dude ranching industry (and ranches specifically) work harder to get its message out to the world of family travel – especially to moms?

Schretter: Picking the right ranch can be a confusing process, and Moms are always stressed for time when searching for the perfect family vacation. That’s why I love Ranchweb. It’s a great informational resource for families. Ranchweb cuts through all the Internet clutter and helps parents find the perfect match between their family’s need and interests and what individual ranches offer. That’s a real time saver!

When I started looking into ranches, I was blown away by the number and types of ranch experiences that are available for families. There are so many different options, and there’s definitely a ranch to suit almost every type of family. There’s no one “set” ranch experience, so it’s important to get rid of any preconceived notions. Parents need to understand that there are also so many different things that families can do on a ranch. It’s more like a multi-sport vacation: you can do horseback riding, hiking, fly fishing, rafting, swimming, mountain biking, and so much more. It’s impossible to get bored!

Moms need to hear how well a ranch vacation works for all ages – from younger children, ‘tweens and teens all the way up to grandparents. Ranches need to get their message out to everywhere moms are: online, via social media, print, and broadcast. It’s also important to hear the message from moms who have taken ranch vacations so they can get firsthand information and an accurate feel for all the activities and what makes ranches so great for families. I also think that people need to understand how great the owners and staff are. That’s definitely a big part of the ranch vacation appeal. It’s families catering to families, and that makes it very special.

Ranchweb: Thanks, Nancy! We hope moms who follow the Family Travel Network will try Ranchweb to help them in their search for the perfect ranch vacation. And we’ll make sure to ask our readers to take a gander at The Family Travel Network.

SMART RANCH TRAVELER

A perfect stocking stuffer for ranch vacation planning

Everybody’s doing more vacation plan-ahead work these days. It’s one way to save time, money, and hassle. And now is a good time to begin the planning process for your big summer getaway. Sure, you could surf the web (that’s what Ranchweb is for), but sometimes there’s nothing better than a real, honest-to-God book, with color photos to pour over, and tactile pages to flip through as you dream about the perfect ranch vacation with your loved ones.

There’s nothing better, more accurate, or up-to-date than Gene Kilgore’s Ranch Vacations 2011; ($22.95), now available on Ranchweb.com and on Amazon. On the cover: Wyoming’s newest, The Ranch at Rock Creek. Its a great way to find dude ranch deals, value vacations, backcountry getaways, and the best dude ranch food and wine. Inside, a total access guide to more than 100 great ranches across the West, the USA, and the world. It’s got details on pricing, dining, kids’ programs, plus loads of color pix, all in a handy glovebox size–a great stocking stuffer (just try stuffing a web page into that stocking).

WESTERN WEAR AND GEAR

Gifts right from the ranch

Sometimes, you want a memento from that long-ago ranch vacation. Where to find ranch-y things? Well, some ranches let you shop for their own branded, logo-ed duds and goodies online.

CALIFORNIA

Alisal Guest Ranch

Alisal Ranch’s online store offers hats and gear, gourmet products, jewelry, spa products, branded apparel and gift cards. Here’s how they put it: “From a variety of Alisal-branded apparel, to our signature spa products, to Chef Pascal’s renowned barbecue blends, you will surely find the perfect gift for a family member, a friend or yourself. If you have any questions about a product that is offered in our General Store, please contact Guest Services at 805/686-7700.” At the site, you can choose from four of Chef Pascal’s custom spice blends. Also available are the Ranch’s Old Adobe Pancake Mix and its very popular granola blend. New from their sterling silver jewelry collection is the ranch’s popular charm bracelet with an Alisal brand charm (natch!). Every year a new charm will be introduced. Spa Products feature their signature Woodland Sage scent.
MONTANA
The Resort at Paws Up

Seeks out treasures of the West, some molded by hand, others by the hand of nature, but always “crafted with a spirit of adventure,” says the resort. Don’t look for typical western wear here. The hand-selected items are split into categories: Clothing and Apparel, House and Home, Montana food and snacks, and accessories and jewelry, it’s all unique. Want to bring a little of the flavor of the Rockies into your home? The Montana huckleberry honey, huckleberry jam or syrup will remind you of those high mountain berries every time you pop it into your mouth (for $8 and up). For more expensive tastes, order up a Silver Paw Belt Buckle (a hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind belt buckle made by a local Montana silversmith) for some $1,200. And there’s a lot in between.

COLORADO
How about a really BIG present?

How about buying a piece of a real dude ranch? You can at Colorado’s C Lazy U Ranch. As they put it, “Our guests only get to spend a week here, but owners can experience it as often as they wish for generation after generation and in every season. Inquire about our Colorado land for sale or our mountain homes for sale. Become a member of our happy vacation real estate community…become one of the family.”