Texas is a popular tourist destination, featuring great food, rich history and a vast wilderness. Texas dude ranchesprovide you with everything that the lone star state has to offer, all in one venue.
Dude ranches date back to the 19th century. They started as overnight stays for travellers passing through. Dude ranches were not really lucrative businesses, to start with. In fact, many guests would stay for free for the night.
Eventually, people began to pay for room and board, and many families began to fix up their ranches, provide better accommodations and activities for their visitors. Many of these places provided authentic experience to their guests by allowing them to try ranch chores like cattle driving, roping, rounding up cows and of course – horseback riding. By the late 19th and early 20th century, the popularity of dude ranches continued to increase owing to railroad expansion towards the West.
Most people assume that Texas dude ranches are all about horseback riding through the hot, open wilderness. However, that is not all there is to dude ranches. Texas is popularly associated with Southwestern deserts, but 90% of the area is actually made up of grasslands, prairies, forests and coastlines. Most Texas ranches are located near rolling plains, rugged hills and piney forests, allowing you to experience these settings.
The first thing that comes to mind about Texas dude ranches is horseback riding. Indeed, riding is the biggest outdoor attraction of the state. Still, there are certainly other fun things to expect as well.
The Running R Guest Ranch, for example, offers mountain biking, fossil hunting, photography trips birding and swimming. They also have sports facilities so you can play badminton and ping pong as well. You do not have to be a riding expert to enjoy – Running R Guest Ranch also offers horseback riding lessons.
Some common ranch activities include wildlife viewing or hunting (during season), open range trips, kayaking, canoeing, outdoor camping, cattle drives, rodeos, trail rides and other outdoor excursions.
There are numerous ranches located all over Texas, each with its own distinct style and specific amenities. Accommodations can range from simple and frugal rooms to lavish and well appointed cabins. There are Texas dude ranches that specialize on family fun, and there are others that offer adults-only accommodation.
The Sugar and Spice Ranch, for example, is a mother and daughter retreat. They focus on activities that bond mothers and daughters together. The ranch caters to women and girls and pay attention to little details such as fresh flowers, gourmet meals, nightly entertainment and even a massage therapist on Tuesday nights.
Indeed, there are many Texas dude ranches. However, choosing a place does not have to be difficult. All you have to do is can check out the ranches online and compare their services and amenities, allowing you to choose the best one that appeals to you.
When you are ready to find that perfect Texas dude ranch, use the Ranchseeker dude ranch search engine to plan your ultimate vacation
