Per Person
Ages 16+
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Per Person
Ages 16+
“They pushed me and showed me that I can do anything I set my mind to.” -Bex C., Spain
Per Person
Ages 16+
“They pushed me and showed me that I can do anything I set my mind to.” -Bex C., Spain
Per Person
Ages 16+
“They pushed me and showed me that I can do anything I set my mind to.” -Bex C., Spain
With technology becoming increasingly integrated into daily life, it is often hard for most people to imagine a day without using their smartphone or computer. It has been noted that the average American spends roughly seven hours a day in front of a screen, which actually can result in various physical problems, such as eye strain, sleep deprivation, and weight gain. Furthermore, extensive social media has also been behind worsening mental health, and aggravating conditions such as depression and anxiety.
While many parents try to limit screen time for their children, they may forget that adults also need to cut back on their digital consumption, in order to maintain a healthy balanced life.
Many jobs also are at a digital screen doing purchasing, tech support, cyber security, scientific data analysis, logistics, accounting, billing, consulting, graphic design, the list could go on and on. Sitting jobs! Then the lack of variety in available outdoor activities in many urban areas, compounded by heavy traffic and pollution, produces a mindset for people to just stay home and play video games or stream movies even after working on a screen all day. This is a huge contrast to the “pre tech” lifestyle, where people took time to enjoy the outdoors and there was no shortage of activities.
A growing number of people are looking for ways to achieve a “digital detox”, where they can “take a break” from technology in order to refresh their mind, and where they can engage in physical activity to strengthen both their mind and body.
To get a taste of another life and enjoy the culture of the frontier days, where people physically worked long days and lived off the land; the “cowboy days”, many people nowadays will visit a “dude ranch”. A type of ranch that concentrates on accommodating and entertaining guests in the western tradition. The term “dude” implies someone who comes from an urban background visiting a rural location. Another term for this may be 'city slicker'.
Going for a trip to outdoor recreational areas, such as dude ranches, or even parks with campsites, can help people break their habits with regard to technology, allowing them to reset and detoxify their system. Because technology use has been so ingrained into daily life, the change in scenery can be extremely helpful.
In so much as it can be hard to enter a state of this “digital detox” by remaining in a normal environment, Rancho Cortez in Bandera, TX, provides a place where technology is NOT always easily accessible as part of the daily routine.
Many people come to Rancho Cortez to experience nature and disconnect from technology, such as their phone, the internet, and social media. Internet access on the ranch is somewhat limited, and there are no televisions in the rooms. At first, some of the younger guests are upset, but once they start moving around and engaging in the activities offered, they quickly forget about their fixation on tech.
All meals at Rancho Cortez are served in a communal dining hall, which allows guests to interact with each other, with people often making new friends. There are nightly campfires, where guests can experience traditional Western entertainment, such as cowboy singing, storytelling, and trick roping. During the day, the activities such as horseback riding, hiking, cattle feeding, lasso throwing, and swimming, keep guests occupied and enjoying outdoors.
Aside from offering the Texas “dude ranch” cowboy experience, Rancho Cortez also acts as a weight loss camp that offers some fitness activities, where guests can participate in stays for as long as they can get away from their personal life. They can become more physically fit through various indoor and outdoor workouts, both "cowboy style" getting involved around the Ranch, and more modern gym activities.
Because nutrition is also an important part of one’s health, Rancho Cortez provides nutritious meals, with made from scratch ingredients, and some ingredients locally sourced from an onsite garden. Menus and recipes are overseen by a registered dietitian.
If you are interested in breaking from your normal routine and becoming more fit, we encourage you to book a stay at our fitness retreat today! We welcome guests all throughout San Antonio, Bandera, TX, and the surrounding areas.
Typical Dude Ranch guests visit for 2 nights to 1 to 2 week long stays to experience the Ranch for its “cowboy” activities with the horses, relaxation by the pools and hot tub, and the beautiful scenery for hiking. Sometimes friends and families visit the Ranch for the rustic atmosphere, so they can enjoy each other’s company, while their meals, clean up, and activities, are all attended to by the Ranch staff.
For guests who would like to have the full “ranch life” experience to pursue a healthier lifestyle, Rancho Cortez also offers the 30, and 60-day ranch work program, where guests help out on various tasks on the ranch, such as feeding and grooming the animals, cleaning up after animals, prepping and serving meals, taking care of the grounds, working in the on-site garden, helping move rocks, or gather wood for the nightly campfires, in exchange for a substantial rate discount. During their stay, “work program” participants have access to all exercise activities offered, horseback riding (if within weight limit), and use of indoor/outdoor ranch facilities, allowing them to live like a cowboy for roughly one to two months.
For those guests looking for that healthy “re-set”, the Rancho Cortez setting itself offers a chance to disconnect from the hustle of a tech-dominated everyday life. Guests are also able to achieve better physical and mental health overall with a myriad of ways to achieve physical movement on the Ranch, and keeping active during their stay.
Many guests use their time at the Ranch, to improve their mental health, work on changing bad habits, or unhealthy eating/snacking, losing weight, or to just relax and de-stress in general. All the activities encourage natural social distancing, with outside offerings for even meal times. The ranch owners and some of the employees live on the ranch. The remote setting in the Texas Hill Country makes it ideal for simply getting “off the grid” so to speak.
Several of Rancho Cortez guests have been coming back yearly as a way to enjoy the outdoors, get away from the “city life”, and live life at a little slower pace, if even for a little while. Guests come not only from American cities, but also from other countries, and they all want to experience that Western life that they've previously only seen in movies
Days, weeks, months, …. the Ranch offers many opportunities for visiting!
Give us a call for further details!
Half-Day - Full-Day
All Ages
From
$125
Most Popular
1 - 3 Hours
Ages 6+
From
$65