Rocking Horse Ranch All-Inclusive Resort-A Winter Family Vacation Review

Are you looking for a family vacation that has something for everyone?  Maybe a cruise sounds perfect.  How about an all-inclusive resort?  If you want the amenities of a cruise without the sea sickness, how about an all-inclusive ranch?  How about a Rocking Horse Ranch resort for a family vacation?  Rocking Horse Ranch is an all-inclusive resort in Highlands, NY that offers horseback riding, skiing, and waterparks with a rustic, cozy feel.

Our family took a multigenerational family vacation to Rocking Horse Ranch at Christmas time.  Being from the south, we really enjoyed the winter activities that we normally don’t get to experience.  Visiting Rocking Horse Ranch resort in winter was an extra special family vacation.

Read on to get all the details on how to have an awesome winter Rocking Horse Ranch family vacation.  And we can help you if you are interested in booking a family vacation at the ranch. 

Note: This post has affiliate links from trusted partners and websites such as Amazon, and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost to you).

Rocking Horse Ranch Resort Location

Rocking Horse Ranch is located in Highlands, New York.  It is 1 hour and 40 minutes from New York City, 1 hour and 15 minutes from Albany, and 2 hours from Hartford, Connecticut.  

Stewart International Airport is located in Newburgh, NY, and is 20 minutes from Rocking Horse Ranch.  You can also fly into Albany or New York airports and rent a car.

Rocking Horse Ranch offers a free shuttle service to Poughkeepsie train station if you want to use the train to visit. 

The History of Rocking Horse Ranch Resort

Rocking Horse Ranch was started in 1958 by the horse-loving Turk family.  Toolie and Gloria Turk bought the property that is now Rocking Horse Ranch resort, 90 miles away from New York City.  From humble beginnings, the Turks developed the first all-inclusive dude ranch in the area, and it was very successful after 10 years in business. 

In 1971, a fire broke out during winter at the ranch.  The entire facility was burned to the ground.  The Turks did not give up and immediately set to rebuilding to be even better than before.  

After 60+ years, the business is still in the family.  The ranch is run by Toolie and Gloria’s son, Steve.  Their love of horses and commitment to the family-friendly ranch experience has made Rocking Horse Ranch what it is today.

Rocking Horse Ranch is an All-inclusive Resort

Rocking Horse Ranch is an all-inclusive experience.  That means you don’t have to leave the property if you don’t want to.  Your stay includes:

• all meals
• lodging with daily housekeeping 
• activities on the property*
• daily and nightly entertainment
• snacks
• wifi

During our 5 night stay, we never left the ranch.  If you need anything, the staff at the front desk are available to help you.  *Most of the activities are included, but a few involve an extra charge.

Lodging at Rocking Horse Ranch Resort

There are only 113 guest rooms at Rocking Horse Ranch.  Each room has 2 queen beds and a bunk bed set, which can sleep 4-6 people.  With only 113 rooms, the ranch is not overcrowded.  The rooms also include a TV, small refrigerator, coffee maker, and small sitting table.  The rooms are not fancy, but they are spacious and there is plenty of space provided to hang winter coats and store luggage.  

The bathrooms have a separate tub/shower and toilet with a sink.  There is also an adjacent sink and closet area next to the bathroom.  Its like a standard hotel room size.  

Our family of five had plenty of room to stretch out and never felt cramped.  We also had an adjoining room with our other family.  It was great to be able to pass between the two rooms without having to go into the hallway.

Amenities at Rocking Horse Ranch in Winter

The amenities and activities that Rocking Horse Ranch offers are what set it apart.  There are plenty of things to do.  Everything is family-friendly.

Pools

Indoor pool/splash pad

The indoor pool has a small obstacle course and activity fountain.  There is also a covers twisty water slide open during the winter and a toddler splash pad.  All of these are monitored by lifeguards who are on duty.  There are lounge chairs all around the pool and plenty of towels available.

Heated pool

There is also a heated pool called Eldorado Springs.  You can enter the pool from the inside and then swim to the outside section.  This pool is heated to 98 degrees year-round.  There are jets and benches in the pool, which is great for grown-ups to lounge and relax.  

We jumped in the heated pool on one of the coldest days (the high was 10 degrees) and it felt delicious to be submerged in the warm water while wisps of our hair frosted and our noses turned pink in the cold.  

Ski slope

During the winter months, there is a bunny ski slope that is perfect for new skiers to learn the ropes.  Skis and helmets are available at the ski shop.  The employees at the shop will use your shoe size to adjust the skis to fit the ski boots.  Just a short walk to the ski slope and there are friendly instructors ready to help you learn how to coast down the slope and stop safely.  

These ski instructors are awesome.  The sign at the slope says “Learn to Ski Guaranteed” and they live up to the promise.  The instructors are patient and encouraging.  They were willing to take on teaching everyone in our group, from my six-year-old daughter to her 69-year-old grandma.  The instructors were cheerful and chatty, making you feel confident and comfortable at the same time.  

Other than the bunny slope, there are no other skiing hills.  Rocking Horse Ranch in winter is not a ski resort.  So if you’re looking for Black Diamond hills, you need to keep looking.  But if you want to dip your toes in the water, so to speak, this is a great place to go.

Tubing slides

Ice Skating

Across the horse trail from the tubing and ski hill is the ice skating rink.  There is a shop with ice skates in every size.  The rink is tiny and in the open air, but it was fun to get out on the ice and skate around (and by skate around I mean I hung on to the sides until the last few minutes of the second day).  They have little walkers available for the kids.  These were great for my nephew who liked using one to scoot out to the middle of the rink.  

Since the rink is outdoors, it is subject to the elements.  It rained the day before we went on the rink and then refroze.  They don’t have a Zamboni machine out smoothing the ice, so be prepared for a little bit of a bumpy ride.  It was all fun and not very overcrowded (at times my daughter and I were the only ones on the ice).  

Rocking Horse Ranch Horses & Stable

The horses are a major part of the draw to Rocking Horse Ranch, winter, or any other time of the year.  The ranch has over 115 horses of all different kinds.  Each morning they are led in from their pastures for a “hard” day’s work of trail rides.  

(I say “hard” sarcastically because the Rocking Horse Ranch horses are treated extremely well.  They are fed and groomed.  You can tell that the employees that work with the horses really love them and know all their personalities) 

Horse Adventures require reservations that can be made during check-in.  This lets the workers know which type of horses to bring out during each riding session.  There is also a standby lane at the stables if you wanted to ride at a different time.  While we were there, nobody had a problem getting to ride.    

To go on the Horse Adventures (trail rides) children have to be 7 years or older and children under 18 must wear a helmet.  If your child is under 7, there are pony rides available each morning and afternoon.

There are 3 levels of trail rides available during Horse Adventures:

Beginner

This is a 40-45 minute walking trail ride.  This is for guests with little to no experience riding.  The workers take the line of horses through different trails each time we rode.  Guests are assigned horses and they adjust stirrups and double-check saddles before each ride.  The beginner trail ride is a leisurely stroll through the woods.  Even though it was cold, it was very beautiful to see the snow on the ground and see the icicles that had formed along the streams.

Intermediate

This is a 40-45 minute trail ride that includes walking and trotting.  This is for guests who have some riding experience and feel comfortable moving at a little faster pace.  My middle son wanted to go on the Intermediate ride, so I went with him (I rode horses as a kid).  There are fewer people on this ride and it was fun to mix it up, but you are trotting, so it’s a lot of bouncing up and down.  He was tickled to do it, though.

Advanced

This is a 40-45 minute ride that includes cantering.  This is for more experienced riders who have cantered before.  You have to “try out” to do the Advanced riding trail.  I only ever saw 2 people go with the Advanced riders.  Although I have experience cantering with horses, it has been years (a lot of years) and it was more fun to be with the kids and grandparents as they rode the horses.

Garden

Behind the stables, there is a small greenhouse on the property.  The winter garden was set up and open for visitors.  I was expecting something a little different than what it was.  I was thinking that food like fruits and veg would be growing in the greenhouse. 

Actually, they had topical plants displayed with a model train.  The train was running on a loop track and everything was decorated nicely.  It was a quick stop to look in and enjoy the Birds of Paradise and other leafy green plants.  It was reminiscent of the Conservatory at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.

Shooting Range

The shooting range is a building located between the stables and the main building.  There is an employee located inside ready to help you hone your skills at shooting straight with a bow and arrow or pellet gun.

Archery

The archery was one hay target.  The worker showed us how to fit the arrow into the string of the bow and aim at our target.  We each got to take turns and wouldn’t you know, Papaw got a perfect bulls-eye!  This was the only activity that I wish they had more of.

Pellet Guns

At the shooting range, there are three stalls.  The pellet guns are attached to the counter.  The worker also showed us how to cock the gun and take aim.  I did not hit a thing, But the kids had fun!

Laser Tag

The laser tag course is tucked behind the ice skating rink, and is a large domed building.  Laser tag guns are issued as guests enter the building.  The max number of players in one game is 8.  Then competitors run through the obstacle course (which is not strenuous) which is dimly lit and has colorful florescent “black light” paint designs.  My kids had the most fun when it was kids vs grown-ups.  In the end, Nana, Papaw, and Mom ruled the day!  This was a fun evening activity that we played after dinner to get the wiggles out without having to be outside in the cold.

Game Room

Below the lobby of the main building is the game room.  This room definitely has a ‘man cave’ vibe and has the following games:

• Ping pong- 2 tables are available for guests to use
• Pool*-the pool table requires coins to be able to use
• Air Hockey*-This also requires coins to activate the game
• Foosball-there is one foosball table in the game room

Arcade*

The arcade has multiple video games and pinball games but they require payment.  There is a set of mini bowling lanes that are free for anyone to use.

Arts and Crafts*

Every other day, the arts and crafts room opens up for visitors to create their masterpieces.  There are pieces of pottery or wooden cutouts available for guests to choose.  You do have to pay for the craft supply.  There are paint smocks to help kids keep their clothes clean.  The workers set out all the paints for you to create your artwork.  When you are done, there is a shelf to let the piece dry.  You can come back whenever to pick it up

Fitness Center

There is a small fitness center near the game room and locker rooms in the main building.  This has weights and cardio equipment available for use.

Here is a promotional video that Rocking Horse Ranch put out to show some of its winter activities.

Amenities for Summer at Rocking Horse Ranch

During the months between Memorial Day and Labor Day, things really get hopping at the ranch.  There are tons of outdoor activities for families to enjoy.  Since we visited during Christmas, many of these amenities were closed, but they look like it would be a blast.

• Gem Mining*
• Rock Climbing
• Mini Golf
• Bungee Jumpers 
• Hiking
• Basketball court
• Volleyball and softball 
• Shuffleboard and Bocce ball courts
• Outdoor waterpark

Lake

The private lake is also a popular attraction during the summertime.  During our winter visit, the lake was iced over and very pretty to look at from a distance during our daily horseback rides.

The lake offers several summertime activities such as:

• Banana Boat rides
• Paddle Boats
• Kayaking 
• Fishing

In addition, here is a video for the summer season at Rocking Horse Ranch resort.

Daily Schedule

Each day the ranch puts out a daily schedule of events.  This would be similar to what you get on a cruise.  With the daily schedule, you can organize your day of fun to include all the activity options they have available.  Here is a picture of what the daily schedule for Christmas Eve looked like.

Menu

All your meals are included at Rocking Horse Ranch.  Breakfast and lunch are served buffet style, while dinner is served to you at your table.  The dining room is comfortable and easygoing.  We did not feel like we needed to get dressed up.  It was fun to see kids in their PJs during breakfast times.

Breakfast

Each morning some of our breakfast choices included:

• pastries
• eggs, bacon, sausage, fried potatoes, and French toast sticks
• bagels or toast
• Oatmeal or Cream of Wheat
• fresh fruit with yogurt and granola
• omelets are available on request

Lunch

Lunch has some delicious offerings to fill you up:

• salad bar
• sandwich fixings
• warm food such as hamburgers and hot dogs, bbq, and pasta
• soup
• fresh fruit

Dinner

Dinner features starters and appetizers as well as the main course.  There are plenty of choices including a vegetarian option each night and a kids’ menu available as well.  Vegetable sides come with the meal and bread is brought to the table.  Some of our favorite meals included:

• Ratatouille 
• Steak
• Ribs
• Fish
• Rocking Horse Ranch Cheeseburger
• Spaghetti and Meatballs

Dessert

No meal is complete without a little something sweet.  I mean, at least that’s my motto.  RHR provides delicious treats to satisfy your sweet tooth after lunch and dinner.  They have a soft-serve ice cream machine at the dessert station, which the kids love topping with sprinkles, chocolate sauce, and whipped cream.  They also have:

• brownies and cookies
• pies and cakes (the chocolate cake is intense and delicious)

Chef’s Tasting

The Chef’s Tasting is held in the Silverado Saloon and has munchies of all kinds to get you through the afternoon until dinner.  They offer a free cocktail sample for the grown-ups and Shirley Temple on tap for the kids.  We enjoyed the tasting the first day we arrived and noshed on (the other days I was too full from lunch to enjoy the tasting before dinner, but I did try the cocktails each day and they were nice):

• pretzel bites
• chips and guac
• jalapeno poppers
• bbq flatbread 
• and other munchies

Snacks

If you are worried about getting hungry between meals at the ranch, don’t.  In the main lobby, there is a snack center.  There is coffee and tea and lemonade available.  There is also a cupboard of treats like sweet bread, cookies, and brownies to give you a boost when you need it.

Beverages

Soft drinks are included with the meals.  There is a large drink station in the dining room with soft drinks, milk, and juices.  Guests can help themselves to whatever type of drink they prefer.  At dinner, what is brought to the table in pitchers and refilled whenever needed.

Alcohol

Alcohol is extra but available at dinner time.  There is a bar waiter who comes to the table at the beginning of dinner to ask if anyone would like a drink.  Our group enjoyed a bottle of wine one night.  For Christmas, the ranch offered everyone (of legal drinking age) complimentary red or white wine on Christmas day.  The Silverado Saloon also has a full bar that guests can enjoy.

Activities to Enjoy at Rocking Horse Ranch Resort

Daytime Entertainment

In addition to all the fun amenities that guests can enjoy, Rocking Horse Ranch also has plenty of activities for guests during the day.  Each morning and afternoon there are group games such as:

• BINGO
• Trivia
• Coloring Contests
• Scavenger Hunts

Horse Parade

One of my most favorite activities at Rocking Horse Ranch is the evening horse parade.  As I said before, every morning the horses are brought in from the pastures to the stables for their trail rides.  When the trail rides end, the horses are led back to the pastures for the night.  At this time the road is blocked off. 

Guests can line the fence and watch as groups of horses are let out of the stables (without leads or bridles) and as they make their way to the pastures.  The horses know that they can get extra attention and petting, so they sidle up to the fences and let guests pet them one last time for the night. 

There are horsemen out during this time answering questions and telling guests fun facts about the different horses (like who’s the leader of the pack or which ones are girlfriend and boyfriend, how old is the oldest horse, and which one is his/her favorite). 

Very rarely does the average person get to interact with many horses, but during the horse parade guests will get to see almost 100 horses up close and personal.

Nighttime Entertainment

Each night the ranch brings in an entertainer for guests.  This is not a fancy off-broadway show that you will see on a cruise ship, but this is a cozy recital from local entertainers that are fun for kids and parents alike.  I got to see four shows, each was unique and we all had a good time:

• Yoyo Guy
• German Juggler (this guy was a hoot and definitely my favorite)
• Magician
• Majority Rules Game Show (my family came in 2nd place!)

Is Rocking Horse Ranch Worth the Cost?

Rocking Horse Ranch is an all-inclusive resort, so the price includes lodging, food, entertainment, activities, and amenities.  Room rates are based on 4-person occupancy, and children 2 and under are free.  Prices vary due to the number of people in your group and the season of the year.  If you book during a low-season weekday you can pay less than $500 per night, but weekends during high-season will be double that amount.  If you want help booking your trip, let us know!

No Day Passes Allowed for Rocking Horse Ranch Resort

Rocking Horse Ranch does not offer Day-Passes for folks who just want to experience the activities at the ranch.  There is a 2-day minimum stay for booking at Rocking Horse Ranch (holidays may require 3 days reservations)  This is great for a few reasons:

• the ranch does not get overcrowded with one-time visitors
• safety-there is a gate guard who checks every vehicle in and only those with reservations are allowed on the property.  
• it maintains the intimacy and authenticity of the ranch experience for guests

Cancellation Policy

If you are planning a big trip, you will want to be sure of the Cancellation Policy.  Per the Rocking Horse Ranch website, cancellations must be made 2 weeks prior to the booking reservation.  There will be a processing fee for the cancellation.  There is no charge for rescheduling, but prices may change based on the new dates.

Covid Cancellations-If there is a positive Covid test for anyone in your party within 5 days of your booking, you can reschedule.  But you will need a doctor’s note for confirmation.

Extra fees

There are a few things that are not included in the all-inclusive booking price at Rocking Horse Ranch.  The extra fees you will have to pay for at the ranch include:

• alcohol
• art and crafts items
• arcade games
• gift shop purchases (the candles are worth it!)
• spa services
• gem mining

Tipping

Although it is not required, it is nice to think about the waiters who serve you at dinner.  We left a tip for our servers each night (our servers changed each night) and for our cleaning staff. 

*Also, if you notice that an employee is doing a great job, don’t hesitate to tell the front desk.  We had 2 amazing ski instructors and one particularly stellar waitress.  We made sure that we bragged on them so that the ranch knew they were doing a great job.*

What to pack at Rocking Horse Ranch Resort

Winter

Winter is a great time to visit Rocking Horse Ranch.  You will want to make sure you have the proper clothing and accessories to combat the cold and enjoy all the activities in the Winter Fun Park.  Here are some of the important pieces you’ll want to pack to be warm during your stay.

• Base Layer- thermal underwear
• Warm Clothes- sweaters, flannel
• Ski Clothes- ski pants and jacket
• Warm Boots/Closed-toed shoes (for horseback riding)
• Hat, Gloves, Scarves- ski gloves or waterproof gloves
• Thick socks- try wool or wool blends for comfort and warmth
• Hand warmers
• Swimsuit-for the indoor pool
• Pajamas- if you are visiting during Christmas, pack some cute matching Pjs to wear to breakfast on Christmas morning.

Summer

Summer has a lot less gear needed for a great time.

• Closed-toed Shoes (for horseback riding)
• Long pants-You will want to bring a pair of jeans to ride the horses too.
• Swimsuit- for the indoor and outdoor water parks
• Cover-up
• Light Comfortable Clothing- shorts, t-shirts, and other clothing that you don’t mind breaking a sweat in.
• Sunscreen and Bug Repellant
• Sun hat/baseball cap

Spring/Fall

As the weather changes, make sure to pack layers to adjust to the changing temperature or weather changes.

• raincoat
• light jacket
• light sweater or cardigan 
• a mix of shorts and pants

Christmas Bonuses from Rocking Horse Ranch Resort

Christmas at Rocking Horse Ranch is definitely a magical experience.  They work hard to make your Christmas Eve and Christmas Day very special and they treat their guests to extra treats and activities.  Here are some of the things you can look forward to if you choose to spend Christmas at the ranch:

Visit with Santa

On Christmas Eve Santa makes a special appearance to greet the children and their families in the lounge area of the main building.  Set between the cozy fireplace and twinkling Christmas tree, Santa poses for pictures.  Also, in the lounge area, there is a table set up for Christmas Eve snacks, including milk and cookies for the children to take back to their room to leave out for Santa that night.

Horse Stuffies

Children get to choose a special present from Santa’s elves: a Rocking Horse Ranch horse stuffy.  My kids loved picking out a different color each.  The elf on duty was eager to tell them the breed of each different horse they chose.

Horse in the Lobby

Santa can’t show up at the ranch without a reindeer.  Next to Santa, in the lounge, one of the ranch horses (it was Trisha in 2022), gets all dressed up and poses for pictures as a reindeer.  Children and grown-ups can feed the ‘reindeer’ hay and pet her nose.  Of course, the workers choose the most friendly and docile horse for this special mission.  It’s just an extra little treat that makes staying at the ranch a little extra special.

Guest Christmas Gift

On Christmas morning, the staff gives each room a special Christmas present.  We were very surprised by the generous gifts that the resort included for their guests.  Inside our gift bag were:

• Christmas ornaments
• Mugs
• Beanies
• Air Fresheners

Souvenirs

The gift shop has plenty of cute souvenirs to remember your trip and also some practical things in case you forgot (like extra gloves or swimsuits).

Rocking Horse Ranch Candle

One of their signature products is the Rocking Horse Ranch candles.  They had these soy candles burning all around the ranch with the signature scent: Split Firewood.  The scent has a rustic woodsy smell that is not overpowering.  I think it smells very cozy.  After all the gifts and goodies the resort gave us for Christmas, a candle was all I needed to bring home as a souvenir.

My Review of Rocking Horse Ranch Resort

I would note that families are best suited for this resort, particularly with children between the ages of 3-13.  Pretty much all of the activities require guests to be able to walk.  During the winter season, there were not any teen events available.  This might be different during the summer months.  My 14-year-old had lots of fun being with our extended family, but I think he would have liked to have met some kids his age if we had stayed longer.  I would definitely not let this be a deterrent for going, though.  There are so many fun activities for all ages to enjoy.

My family had a very positive experience at Rocking Horse Ranch. I would definitely recommend Rocking Horse Ranch Resort to families who love to be active and outdoors.  Some of the things we loved about our experience are:

• the friendly staff
• the cozy atmosphere
• the feeling that the resort was not overcrowded (we never had to wait in long lines for anything and we were able to do all the experiences)
• the variety of different activities and entertainment
• the laid-back dining experience
• the extra special Christmas events
• the personalized service (the owners were greeting guests on Christmas Eve personally)

Travel Helps

Recommended

What would be your favorite activity at Rock Horse Ranch Resort?

I thought skiing would be my favorite, but the Horse Parade ended up winning my vote! I also really liked the nightly entertainment and ice skating.

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