You may not have considered this option for the family summer vacation but maybe you should. We all know how the economy has been affecting most every person out there, and naturally, vacations are one of the first to be crossed out of the list. If you do have some money to spend on your vacation this year, you might want to take the family to the nearest dude ranch.
Why? Simply because they are also feeling the effects of the economic times. According to a story recently published by the Associate Press, many dude ranches all over the West are experiencing a lack of clients. The main reason, they say, is that the fees for dude ranches can be quite high – up to almost $2000 for a week’s stay.
With the numbers of visitors reaching a record low, people operating dude ranches are starting to adjust quickly. They have slashed their rates significantly. They have added other perks to their packages (read: free massages). They have offered larger group discounts and much lower children’s fees. Another adjustment is in the length of stay. Normally, the minimum stay is a week. Now, shorter stays (for cheaper of course) are possible.
Dude ranch operators are not keen on short stays, however, and it is not because of the money involved. They want their guests to have a meaningful experience of what it is like to be in the West and a couple of days stay may not provide that – and they just might be right.
So, stuck on your vacation plans for the family? Maybe you should head on out to the wild west!