I even missed my horse, Okey Dokey. For those grown-ups with a nostalgic hankering for the Wild West and for children like mine who love horses, a guest ranch offers just about the best kind of vacation imaginable. Because ranches can create vivid memories and can foster a strong sense of belonging, many guests return to the same ranch again and again. They get to know the owners, other guests, the wranglers and the horses. In one of the photo albums in the ranch lounge, he found a picture of his family at a cookout more than 40 years earlier.
Many ranches maintain such scrapbooks to help guests reminisce.
The simple pleasures of ranch life in the 1990s appeal to parents seeking relief from everyday stress and provide for togetherness, away from the usual distractions. After a ranch stay, kids come away with a new appreciation for the environment, animals and the solitude obvious in the great outdoors. Most ranches welcome children, and some specifically court the family market with ambitious youth programs staffed by counselors. Although horseback-riding comes most quickly to mind when most of us think of dude ranches, there is seldom pressure for anyone to hop into the saddle if they're reluctant. In addition to riding, ranches also offer such activities as nature walks, fishing, panning for gold, square dancing, trap shooting, archery, swimming, whitewater rafting, mountain biking and excursions to national parks and historical points of interest.