Dude! Ready for Something Different? Try a Dude Ranch

Does shopping in New York or L.A. leave you with a "been there, done that" feeling? Do theme park thrill rides leave you yawning rather than screaming? Have you seen so much of nature's wonders that you wonder what could possibly be left to do or see on your next vacation? Dude, don't despair! Instead, saddle up and head out to a dude ranch.

It's safe to say modern dude ranches aren't what - or where - you might expect. A dude ranch vacation is just as likely to have you out on the links, as on horseback. And you don't have to head west to find one. Dude ranches like Westgate River Ranch - located in Central Florida just an hour outside Orlando - can be found in virtually every region of the country.

Though easy to get to by car, River Ranch can be reached by land, sea or air.  

The full-service, River Ranch Marina offers boating enthusiasts with convenient canal access to both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean. And a private airport with a 5,000-foot lighted runway lets you fly in or out any time of the day or night. Of course, if you do arrive by car, you can always rent a boat, sail away on a sunset cruise or seek excitement on a unique Florida airboat ride. For those who prefer the blue sky adventures, River Ranch offers discovery flights, helicopter rides, and even flying lessons.

Surrounded by 100,000 acres of protected wildlife preserve, River Ranch is a 1,700-acre Ponderosa of winding trails and pristine waters - a perfect escape from the daily routine. In addition to the boats and planes, River Ranch visitors can golf, hike, fish, shoot trap & skeet, play basketball, visit the arcade or swim.

And of course, there are the classic activities that draw one to a dude ranch, from horseback riding to hayrides, barbecues to singing cowboys, farm animals to country line dancing.

Of course, to add an even greater flavor of the wild, Wild West, a sanctioned championship rodeo takes place every Saturday night in the 1,200-seat River Ranch rodeo stadium. Sit back and watch the real cowboys participate in bull riding, barrel racing, a calf scramble and, there's even a greasy pig chase for the kids.

River Ranch is just one of many dude ranches that offer city slickers a chance to kick up their spurs and enjoy a true western-style vacation. And whether you prefer to spend the week on horseback, golfing or viewing Florida's unique wildlife from an airboat, chances are you won't regret taking a chance on rounding up the family for a dude ranch vacation!

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