Romantic ranch vacations are exactly what every girl wants for Valentine's. Guys, just forget that box of chocolates (come on, a little imagination here), that necklace you saw (jewelry is VERY personal taste - trust us, we won't like it), that oversized teddy bear all men seem to think girls love (we threw away our childhood collection of soft toys for a reason). No, give her something she'll remember forever. A once-in-a-lifetime experience you can remind her of every time you argue - yup, bring up that romantic dude ranch vacation you took her on and you'll have the last word every time. The bonus? You get to unleash that inner John Wayne that's always lurked beneath the surface...
So, where do I start? Top50 Ranches - obviously. Instead of blindly tapping 'romantic dude ranch vacations' into Google and trawling through thousands of results, simply type 'romance' into the search box on the Top50 homepage and the very best romantic ranch retreats will appear.
So I've narrowed it down - where next? Now it's time to get to the specifics - and this is where a bit of research comes in handy. Find out (discretely, now) what kind of level a horseback rider she is. Although most ranches cater for all levels, if she's particularly keen or advanced and wouldn't mind getting stuck into real cowgirl stuff, you'll earn serious brownie points by taking her to a working ranch. Somewhere like Burnt Well Guest Ranch in New Mexico, or Zapata Ranch in Colorado where she'll get the opportunity to ride with bison. Trust us, it's neat.
I think she'd prefer pampering... That's fine! In which case, go for the ranches with 'luxury dude ranch' listed under their headings, as these are likely to have super-luxurious spa facilities. If she's a slave to the hot tub and won't step out the door without perfectly manicured nails, we'll bet she'll love the treatments and facilities offered by the likes of Canada guest ranch Echo Valley Ranch and Spa, and Montana dude ranches The Ranch at Rock Creek and The Resort at Paws Up.
Relax in the hot tub at Clayoquot Wilderness Resort
She's a die-hard romantic... Then you should definitely consider Triple Creek Ranch in Montana, which has been rated #1 for romance. Wine and dine her at the chef's table, enjoy candlelit dinners and moonlight strolls, and movies under the stars. You can even have your own private cabin, where you'll be welcomed with a bottle of wine and basket of goodies. You'll be in her good books with this one.
I'm actually thinking of proposing. Good work! In that case we recommend a suitably dramatic location in which to pop the question. There's nothing like a breathtaking view of the wilderness as a backdrop - trust us, she'll be bowled over and won't be able to say no. We recommend Rancho Los Banos in Mexico, Estancia Ranquilco in Argentina, and Canada dude ranches Siwash Lake Ranch and Clayoquot Wilderness Resort. And if you're really in a hurry to get that ring on her finger, Three Bars Ranch in Canada caters for weddings.
Well, we hope that's cleared up at least some of the confusion over Valentine's Day presents. And she deserves the best, right? Then sleep well knowing that all Top50 ranches have been personally and thoroughly vetted to ensure quality. That's our promise, now act out yours and book that romantic ranch vacation today!
View all of Top50's romantic ranch vacations