Why Choose a Dude Ranch Vacation for Your Family?

Visiting a dude ranch with kids just makes sense for an active, fun-loving family! These busy dude ranches, located throughout the country, offer amazing activities for kids and adults like horseback riding, roping, obstacle courses, and so much more. The staff= run and organize dude ranch activities, so parents get an actual break during the vacation.

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Wildcatter Ranch is one of our favorite family dude ranch vacations.

Our Top Picks for the Best Dude Ranch Vacations for Families

1. Wildcatter Ranch — Graham, TX: Perfect for Large Groups

Located in the heart of Texas Hill Country, Wildcatter Ranch provides a mix of rugged Texas charm and luxurious amenities like a pool and plush accommodations. Guests can saddle up and ride the 25 miles of horseback riding trails on site. If you are looking for a bit more action, try clay shooting, tomahawk throwing, ranch roping, and archery. Wildcatter offers everything from upscale cabin suites to charming hotel rooms. During the summer, Wildcatter offers its week-long Horse Camp for ages 6-15, featuring roping, cattle riding, and arena skills.

2. Mountain Top Resort — Chittenden, VT: Luxury Dude Ranch Family Vacation

Located on 700 picturesque acres, the Mountain Top is the only resort in Vermont that offers a full dude ranch equestrian program. Guests can also enjoy an exclusive private beach, kayaking, fishing, disc golf, 40 miles of hiking trails, tennis, volleyball, and clay bird shooting. Guests have their choice of five accommodation styles: classic lodge rooms, luxury lodge rooms, and luxury suites, cabins, and guest houses. Mountain Top can easily accommodate anything from a family vacation to a family reunion with this many choices.

3. Greenhorn Ranch — Quincy, CA: Perfect for Active Kids

Nestled into Northern California’s Lost Sierras, Greenhorn Ranch has been introducing families to Western hospitality since 1962. With horseback riding, golf, fly fishing, rodeo games, line dancing, and a steady stream of entertainment, it’s easy to see why families love this place. Kids can learn the art of leather working and gold panning, participate in horse activities, enjoy the pool and playground, and more. When it’s time to hit the hay, guests have their choice of country-casual lodge rooms, cozy creek-side cabins, pine cabins, or a unique Airstream.

4. Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo — River Ranch, FL: Awesome Rodeo

This ranch and resort one hour south of Orlando is set on 1,700 acres of protected wilderness. Westgate River Ranch delivers a taste of the Old West, where cowboy boots replace flip-flops. Enjoy horseback riding, archery, swamp buggy tours, swimming, the River Country Water Park, and much more. Every Saturday night, expert riders and athletes compete in trick riding, barrel racing, and bull riding at the amazing Westgate Rodeo. Accommodations range from cozy suites and luxe tepees to RV and tent camping—the Conestoga Wagon is beyond cool.

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C Lazy U has some great dude ranch family amenities.

5. C Lazy U Ranch — Granby, CO: Fun for Teens

C Lazy U Ranch hangs its hat on providing an unforgettable family vacation. A true four-season luxury resort, it provides the perfect balance of family time and adventure time all year long. Kids and teens are kept busy from sunup to sundown in supervised programming with dedicated ranch counselors. There are even opportunities for teens to spend the night camping under the stars or rafting down the whitewater rapids. C Lazy U offers 38 guest ranch accommodations ranging in size and decor style. Most feature stone fireplaces.

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Go off the grid at Alisal Ranch.

6. Alisal Ranch — Solvang, CA: Perfect for Living Off the Grid

Kick up your boots at Alisal Guest Ranch and enjoy the picturesque landscape of California's Santa Ynez Valley. There are 50 miles of riding trails, two 18-hole golf courses, pools, a spa, and a spring-fed lake, all situated on 10,000 acres. Kids can enjoy horseback riding, crafts, meeting animals around the farmyard, and so much more. A daily schedule of activities keeps the entire family busy from sunrise to sunset. A variety of Western-style accommodations are located close to the action, but you won’t find a TV or phone in any of them. This encourages guests to unplug from the daily grind and tune into the timeless ambiance of the Old West.

Read our review of Alisal Ranch. 

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Tanque Verde Ranch offers some truly unique activities for kids.

7. Tanque Verde Ranch — Tucson, AZ: A True Old-West Experience

Carved into Tucson's Rincon Mountains, Tanque Verde has been welcoming families to its 60,000 acres for over 150 years. Spend your days filled with Western adventures like horseback instruction and riding, mountain biking, a kids' day camp, hiking, crafts, swimming, and more. At the Cowboy Cookout on Wednesdays and Saturdays, enjoy down-home ranch cooking and authentic Western entertainment. The guest rooms' traditional Santa Fe style combines the spirit of the Old West with tons of modern conveniences like fireplaces and private patios, with scenic desert mountain views from nearly every room.

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Relax by the pool after a day of riding at Mountain Sky Guest Ranch.

8. Mountain Sky Guest Ranch — Emigrant, MT: Fun for All Ages

Wannabe cowboys have been visiting this perfect mix of rustic charm and modern-day elegance since 1929. Mountain Sky Guest Ranch sits on 17,000 acres of rugged wilderness in the heart of Yellowstone Country. It offers a steady stream of programming for kids of all ages, so those under 6 won’t feel like they're missing out while parents and older siblings are out on the trails. Choose from morning and afternoon sessions filled with lead-line horseback rides, pool games, and crafts. A teen program offers special dinners, talent shows, and clay shooting.

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Spend a day in the saddle at Marble Mountain Ranch.

9. Marble Mountain Ranch — Somes Bar, CA: Great Water Activities

"Saddle and paddle" your way to this hidden gem along the Salmon River in Northern California. Marble Mountain provides tons of thrill-seeking experiences by combining horseback trail riding with whitewater rafting, kayaking, or fly fishing. The ranch also offers shooting, wilderness pack trips, and tons of kid-friendly activities. This dude ranch's youth and buckaroo programs allow the youngest kids to participate in activities, regardless of age. All-inclusive packages are available that include lodging, meals, riding, rafting, fishing, and more.

10. Red Horse Mountain Ranch — Harrison, ID: All-Inclusive Fun

Enjoy an all-inclusive dude ranch experience at Red Horse Mountain Ranch. Families don't have to worry about schedules, meals, or logistics—this ranch offers tons of activities, including horseback riding, mountain biking, kayaking, and more. A Kids Program ideal for ages 3-10 is available during the summer, allowing kids to soar 50 feet in the air on a flying squirrel, use a climbing wall, shoot a bow and arrow, and more. There are eight log cabins in the main lodge area with one to four suites in each, as well as the Hilltop Home that sleeps up to 11.

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Rocking Horse Ranch's endless activities make it one of the best dude ranch vacations for families.

11. Rocking Horse Ranch — Highland, NY: Endless Activities

Located in the Hudson Valley, Rocking Horse Ranch has been entertaining generations of city slickers since 1958. This all-inclusive resort has everything any budding cowboy or cowgirl needs, and then some: horseback riding, mountain tubing, rock climbing, indoor and outdoor pools, water slides, wildlife exhibits, mini golf, and so much more. In addition to the daily activity schedule, Rocking Horse provides nightly live entertainment for the entire family.

Read our review of Rocking Horse Ranch,

Additional reporting by Melanie Preis

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