Our Dude Ranch Adventure at The Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort
“The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page.” ~ Saint Augustine.
We definitely love to travel and visiting a genuine dude ranch has always been high on my list. We discovered The Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort, located a few hours north of Los Angeles in Solvang California and it truly exceeded all our expectations.
Here is how to get there, what to do once you get there and some of my “don’t miss” experiences!
FLY
If you are travelling from outside of California you can fly into either LAX or Santa Barbara Airports to drive the short distance to Solvang.
DRIVE
The Alisal is just a short drive from Los Angeles and surrounding areas. It took us 2.5 hours and is a stunning drive.
MY TOP MUST DO’S AT THE ALISAL:
BREAKFAST HAYWAGON RIDE TO THE OLD ADOBE
This is a must at Alisal. You have to reserve this as it can book up fast. We boarded the haywagon near the lobby and had a fun 20 min ride up the old adobe. We got to see so much of the stunning property along the way. We came across several horses, herds of cows and the lush acres of land. Once we arrived at the adobe, we were greeted with the smell of fresh pancakes and coffee and live music. Some guests rode horses up and met us there and we all ate together. Breakfast was pancakes, eggs, potatoes and coffee and tea. They also had cereal and other fun baked goods for the kiddos. This was such a special and unique experience I would encourage everyone to try!
All I can say is, my 6 year old caught 6 fish! Seriously, Alisal Lake is so much fun. There is shuttle from the main property that departs every hour for a short ride up to the lake. Once at the lake, there are so many activities to partake in. There are kayaks, speadboats and paddle boats. You can pack a picnic and simply relax, or like us, fish! We actually came back twice in one day! We caught a lot of fish (catch and release of course) and thanks to the very kind and attentive staff, this beginner crew didn’t skip a beat. They helped us bait, catch, release and everything in between!
Twice a day there are group rides you can sign up for and there is also an option for private rides you can book. The horses are beautiful and so sweet and the trails are a great way to see more of the property.
My little guys LOVED this! A few times a day you can put your little riders on a horse and they get led around the paddock. The perfect horseback experience for kiddos.
The Alisal is home to so many adorable animals and at the Barnyard, we got to hang with them all. We met pigs, goats, miniature horses, chickens, cows and more. The staff was so sweet with our kiddos, telling us all the animals quirks, names and teaching my boys how to approach each animal.
Hello kids club! This is such a great part of the resort because it gives us a break to do things like play tennis and workout at the gym. Our kiddos loved Lil Wranglers so much. They did arts and crafts, had snacks and played with other kiddos.
POOL
Right now because of Covid, you have to reserve pooltime, but there are 2 hour slots throughout the day you can book to enjoy some pool and hottub time. You can read more about the pool in the Alisal guidebook here.
I was so impressed with the tennis facilities at The Alisal. I play tennis everywhere I travel and this tennis was top notch. There are tons of courts and booking was simple.
There are stunning trails that take you through the beautiful property. It’s a wonderful way to unplug and take in the stunning nature everywhere. There are so many activities like this that you and your family will love.
We LOVED dining at the Ranch! Night one we ate at the Creekside dining area and enjoyed delicious food, wine and they had a kids menu as well.
Night two was a cookout with a renowned chef on the big lawn with live music, dancing and truly felt like we were transported somewhere else. I was very impressed with the food for each meal and breakfast and dinners are all included in your stay!
I hope you get to visit The Alisal Guest Ranch and Resort soon! It truly was so special for our whole family to be so close with nature, animals and just unplug together!
Thanks for stopping by SamSoMuch.
Xo, Sam