39 visits
The Ranch always gives me exactly what I need. Sometimes it’s fitness. Other times it’s kinship. There have been visits I’ve sought serenity. It’s almost magical how the place meets me where I am. I always return home the best me I can be.
After 39 visits to The Ranch, I am officially hooked. I knew I found my personal playground on the very first stay. I was immediately taken by the dazzling array of classes and breathtaking trails up Mt. Kuchumaa. The friendliness of this fabled spa helped me overcome the hurdle of traveling alone. I never knew I’d fall in love with the people.
Something about The Ranch opens you. Everyone talks to everyone. Guests share personal stories with virtual strangers. Two women took me under their wing my second day and we’ve reunited at The Ranch for 17 years. Then there are my April ladies from the next casita. We always return the same week. You want to hear about the new grandchild or job. How could I change my week now?
I’ve probably tried every class there is at Rancho La Puerta— Bosu ball, ballet barre, a bird walk. I scan the schedule for new offerings, and always find them. There was a time I wouldn’t have veered out of my lane. The Ranch helps me push my limits, like when I took the leap to travel by myself in the first place. I’ve built confidence and courage that I carry with me in my day-to-day life.
My days at The Ranch started very scheduled. These days, I follow my whims. I may track the scent of honeysuckle and happen across bright lights. That’s how I landed in storytelling one Christmas. It was one of the best experiences. I felt like a kid being read a bedtime story. Or one New Year’s Day, I thought I’d do cardio drumming but the path veered off to sound healing. A happy accident! Music from the crystal bowls wafts through your whole body until you’re a pool of peace on the floor.
Discover more classes
I never miss certain classes at The Ranch: anything Pilates! There are lots of choices with mat class, arc barrel, Cadillac and reformer. I didn’t know anything about this full body workout when I first came to The Ranch. As a runner, I wasn’t very flexible. Now I practice twice a week back home. Pilates stretched my muscles and reshaped my body. As numbers climb on the birthday cake, we have to stay limber!
The Ranch has a soul that is tangible. People live from their heart. There’s a genuine sense of family that’s been nurtured by founder Deborah Szekely for decades. On my last visit, one of the work trucks stopped, the door flew open, and a staff member named Jesus jumped out to give me a hug. I am so connected to these people, I can hardly wait to see them each spring and fall. Anything you request appears almost instantly with a smile.