My family and I had the wonderful opportunity to stay at Rocking Horse Ranch in Highland,
New York. When we checked-in, we were greeted by friendly staff who explained the layout
of the resort as well as the schedule of activities for the day.
Our room was located on the first floor in the main building; it was close to the indoor pool
and dining room. It was nicely appointed, with the furniture and decorations matching the
theme of a ranch. The children really felt like they were staying on a ranch. They especially
loved the bunk beds!
After settling in, we went to the dining room for supper. It was more like a dining hall,
with many families enjoying their meal. There was assigned seating so there was no wait
time at all. Since it was dinner, it was sit-down style, where the servers brought out
dinner to the table. The menu had enough choices to satisfy both parents and children.
But our kids could not take their eyes off the chocolate fountain. They finished their dinner
quickly so they could enjoy chocolate covered marshmallows, strawberries, bananas, and
rice crispy treats. There were also a wide variety of pie, soft serve ice cream and fresh fruit.
We really had a great time at dinner.
The two highlights after dinner were the indoor pool and the Michael Karas juggling show.
There were many things to do at the indoor pool. The water slide had exciting twists and
turns and was fun for our oldest and my husband! The toddler splash area had water slides
as well as a shallow area for the little ones to play in. The pool had fun water features:
buckets filled with water and tilted to pour water over the swimmers. There was a fun
floating path in the pool where kids could try to walk across without falling into the water.
All in all, it was a blast and the lifeguards were extremely alert and attentive. It was clear
that safety was of the utmost importance.
The Michael Karas juggling show was out of this world. Without giving too much away,
his comedy and feats of juggling had us clapping and saying “Wow!” the whole time.
Again, parents and children had a wonderful time and afterwards our children slept
soundly in their beds.
Since we arrived to Rocking Horse Ranch when it was dark, we really did not see much.
But the following day was a different story. The property is beautiful and well kept.
There are plenty of activities throughout the day. After a delicious buffet-style breakfast,
we walked towards the pony ride. We passed by the outdoor pool that was closed for the
season, but it looked cool. We also passed by the lake which offered paddle boating.
With Fall being in full swing, the trees with their changing foliage gave an artistic
background to this place. We were surprised how close everything was and we did not
have to walk far to get to the bungee jumping / rock climbing wall, tennis courts,
playground or mini-golf area. This is important with 3 kids ranging in age from 2 to 8.
For our first activity, the kids really enjoyed the pony ride. The ponies were actually
retired horses so they were gentle for the kids. The handlers were very friendly and
answered all our questions. The kids also liked the Fun Barn, which is an indoor building
that had a bouncy castle, ping pong tables, and a huge indoor area where kids can load
up foam balls into cannons and shoot them. To tell the truth, the adults had a fun time
at the Fun Barn too!
After another swim time in the morning, we had a buffet lunch and then explored more
of Rocking Horse Ranch. We went up to the stable and saw the horses getting ready for
an afternoon ride, we watched the blacksmith replace horseshoes and we visited some
of the unique animals on the property.
Our oldest son learned how to shoot a bow and arrow and the adults learned how to shoot
a BB gun. We never would have thought about that before but since the guide was so
helpful and interesting we thought we’d give it a try. It was a new and exciting experience.
We also tried paddle boating on the lake, it was a peaceful moment to catch our breath
and enjoy all that surrounded us. All in all, there are so many things to do at Rocking
Horse Ranch that will keep the entire family entertained. Even though we were only an
hour away from home, it truly felt like a vacation away from the busy-ness of home.
We highly recommend Rocking Horse Ranch for your next vacation with the family. This would be a great vacation with the family even with the grandparents or close family friends. It is a warm friendly atmosphere where you feel cared for while free to try new things and experience the beauty of nature. They also have great offerings for the winter months. Skiing, tubing and horseback riding are available throughout the winter. They even have a conveyer lift so people don’t have to walk back up to the top of the hill. They are well prepared and equipped for great fun in the snow!
Call them today to book your next vacation! They are all inclusive so one rate per person provides you with accommodations, meals, horseback riding, activities and entertainment. They have great specials throughout the year including Kids Stay Free time periods. Check out the website www.rockinghorseranch.com and give them a call at (800) 647-2624 to reserve a room for your family!
