After the horrific winter we had in 2011, I can’t believe these words are about to leave my mouth, but here goes:  I think winter is my new favorite season.  This past January, we took our first winter vacation with our 2 ½ yr old little boy, Eddie.  When we were searching for our vacation, we knew we wanted a resort that was centered around activities that the entire family could do.  We found everything we were looking for, and more, at Rocking Horse Ranch.

My idea of a great winter vacation has always involved getting away from the cold weather and going somewhere warm and tropical.  It also usually included me being served cocktails poolside.  Now that I have a child, I am always on the search for getaways that we will both enjoy.

My husband and I stumbled upon Rocking Horse Ranch this summer and had an absolute blast.  The pool and hiking trails were amazing and the service and attention to detail that the resort provides to their guests are unparalleled.

We were invited to return to experience everything Rocking Horse Ranch’s “Winter Fun Park” had to offer.

CONVENIENCE

Rocking Horse ranch is located in Hyland, NY less than 90 minutes from New York City. The fact that it is so centrally located to the City makes the entire experience less stressful.  You can pack the car and in no time at all, you are at the Resort, enjoying all of its fabulous amenities.

One of the nicest things about Rocking Horse Ranch is that you can get there as early as you’d like and they allow you to start enjoying the facilities as soon as you arrive.  A locker room is available before you check in so your family can get into the pool even before your room is ready.

Everything is included and everything is at your fingertips.  All of the amenities, including snow tubing, skiing, ice skating, bounce houses – you name it, they have it and it is all within walking distance from your cozy room.  No more pulling the little ones in and out of the car!

WINTER FUN PARK

When we arrived we checked into our room and went straight to the winter fun park.

We decided to try the snow tubes first.  We made a great choice because they were fantastic!  My son Eddie and I got right into a double tube.  My husband raced us down in a single tube.  Eddie was thrilled and kept saying “Again! Again!”  My husband and I laughed like we were kids again – it was great.  And the best part for us “older” folks is that we didn’t even have to walk up the hill because there is a tow rope that pulls you to the top of the mountain.

For the adventurous types, nighttime tubing is available from 6:30 to 9:30pm. If snow tubing under the stars followed by roasting marshmallows over an open campfire is your idea of a good time, then Rocking Horse Ranch is the place for your family.

After our snow tubing adventure we decided to try skiing.  The last time I skied was 15 years ago.  This was the perfect place for me to get back up on skis, and to get Eddie up on skis for the first time.   I was pleasantly surprised when I discovered that the ski boots, skis, and even lessons were included.  Rocking Horse Ranch has amazing instructors who helped us every step of the way.

Sal and Steven were our instructors for the day, and they were a perfect match for my family. They were incredibly patient and kind and took their time with us.  They took my son to the top of the hill and we watched proudly as he skied down the hill with them. It was amazing how much they taught him in an afternoon.

Although I love to ski, I was hesitant to bring my son skiing because I wasn’t sure how we would be able to manage getting him from the hotel to the ski rental location, then to the ski lift, and then back again.  But at Rocking Horse, the mountain is just steps away from the room.  We were able to be fitted for our boots and skis in minutes, and the ease of everything really made our first time skiing with a toddler very manageable and we were able to thoroughly enjoy our time on the mountain.

INDOOR WATER PARK

After all of our fun snow adventures, we decided to go back inside and put our bathing suits on and head to the indoor water park.  Rocking Horse Ranch has an amazing indoor water park that is always 85 degrees and so much fun.  There are two levels to the water park: the lower level has a huge pool with dumping buckets and challenging floating tiles to try to walk across.  The upper level has three slides and geysers – my son was so enthralled with this level of the water park that we could have easily spent our entire vacation there.

The main attraction for the bigger kids and kids at heart (my husband and myself included) is an enclosed water slide that begins on the second level of the water park.  It’s an adrenaline rush ride, as it shoots the rider through a tube that runs outside and around the resort, and then shoots you back inside and deposits you into the 85 degree pool.  

For the younger kids there is a kiddy area and the water is only about 1 foot deep which gives toddlers the freedom to explore and feel independent.

The pool area has plenty of lounge chairs and tables so when you need a break there’s plenty of places to relax, sit back and enjoy.  There were also more than enough clean towels and life preservers to go around.

SAFETY

One of the most notable things for me about Rocking Horse Ranch is the feeling of safety and security that I have when I am there with my family.

As a child abuse prosecutor, I am always concerned about the safety of children, especially that of my own child.  And when choosing a vacation destination, that concern is often a determining factor in my decision as to where we will travel.

Steve Turk, the owner of Rocking Horse Ranch spares no expense when it comes to safety and holds his staff to the highest standard.   The lifeguards are trained using the “Ellis” system. This is the highest certification in water park and amusement park industries and is the one that Disney resorts require.

All of the lifeguards follow strict guidelines including continuously scanning water, constant supervision of children and staff.  It makes me feel comfortable to know that there is heavy staffing to ensure enough “eyes” are on the little ones at all times.

Rocking Horse ranch really does cater to children.  In addition to the Winter Fun Park, Water Park and animals, there are two playgrounds: an outdoor playground and the indoor “Fun Barn”.  The fun barn has a giant bounce castle and a two story ball pit for the kids.  It also has rock climbing and ping pong for the bigger kids.  There is always something to do and the kids are never bored.  They also have a game room and a Wii room.

FURRY FRIENDS

Aside from the skiing, the snow tubing and the water park, Rocking Horse Ranch is a fully functioning ranch.  They have beautiful horses and you can do up to three horseback rides per day.  The horses are so calm and they take excellent care of their animals.  There are rides for beginner, intermediate and advanced riders.

For toddlers they have a retired horse names Casino that provides pony rides for the kids all day long.  My son loved Casino so much that we had to buy a toy horse which, of course, he promptly named Casino.

My son is an animal lover and this was therefore the perfect place for him.  Not only do they have over 100 horses but they have a Camel named Chip, two donkeys, two hairy cows and a Zebra named Zoe.  We spent so much time just visiting the animals.  One of the ranchers named Tabo, saw my son and remembered him from our summer trip.  He brought treats out for the animals and allowed my son to feed them to the animals.  Eddie was overjoyed and to this day still talks about the animals he bonded with there.

ACCOMODATIONS:

After the whole bedbug epidemic I became hesitant to travel, so when I go to a new hotel, the first thing I do is inspect for cleanliness.  Like every other aspect of Rocking Horse Ranch, the standards are set high by Steve Turk and those standards are surpassed by him and his staff.

The grounds and common areas are immaculate and it seems like someone is always cleaning up.  The rooms are spotless.  The décor is western and the bedspreads and blankets are washed and changed with every new guest.  My research has shown that not many hotels do that.   My family stayed in a “Double A” room which featured two queens size beds and a bunk bed.  The bathroom has a full tub and there is another vanity outside the bathroom, which makes it easier for multiple people to get ready at the same time.  The rooms also come equipped with cable and free WI-Fi.

FOOD

The only bad thing I can say about Rocking Horse Ranch is that I usually gain a few pounds when I go because the food is so good and I can’t resist the temptation!  All of the food is included and the meals are fabulous.

Hands down, breakfast is my favorite meal at Rocking Horse Ranch.  They offer a huge buffet with bacon, sausage, pancakes and the best french toast I have ever tasted.  The trimmings are impressive, from the sweet maple syrup down to the cinnamon butter that melts in your mouth.

If you can’t find anything that suits your fancy at the buffet, the chef will make eggs and omelets to order.  If you don’t want to gain a few pounds like I did, you can have the delicious oatmeal or the farm fresh fruit that they get from local farms in the area.

Lunch is Eddie’s favorite meal because it is a full on character lunch with a horse and a sheriff.  Eddie can hardly contain himself and he eats all of his lunch because he wants to show the Sheriff how well he eats.  Whatever works!  Lunch is also a buffet and they have the best salad bar on earth – everything is incredibly fresh.

In my opinion, dinner at Rocking Horse Ranch is better than any meal I’ve had in the tri-state area.  Dinner is a sit down meal with so many choices.  I had a delicious steak with garlic mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables.  Dessert was succulent and they even have a chocolate fountain and ice cream bar.  At dinner, you are seated at tables with other vacationing families and we have even made some new friends at Rocking Horse Ranch!

After dinner the Ranch offers nightly entertainment which is always very creative and is fun for the whole family.  Before the show they have a DJ and all of the kids and adults have a dance party. The people that don’t want to dance have just as much fun watching all of the kids get jiggy with it. 

For in between meals, they even have snacks.  On our second day there, my wonderful husband stayed in our room with our son while he was napping.  I planned on going down to the spa to sit in the sauna, but I was immediately side tracked when I saw the chef’s tastings, which included all types of cheeses, dips and even a pasta station.  I sat down with a glass of wine, which was on the house, and had a nice conversation by the fireplace with another mom.  It was so nice to sit in front of the fireplace and relax.

CHILD CARE

As a full time working mother, it is important to us as a family to spend quality time together and be able to relax and enjoy ourselves at the same time.  For parents who want a little alone time, Rocking Horse has Fort Tiny, which is the child care center.  They have a great play space which is loaded with entertaining toys and books.  The teachers are certified, and they are wonderful.  They even do arts and crafts with the children.

Fort Tiny is the perfect option for parents who want an hour or two alone to horseback ride or ski together (or nap!) but the child is not ready or able to.  At Fort Tiny, parents are able to drop their child and have the comfort of knowing they are in good hands.

Rocking Hose Ranch is a place that generations of families before mine have enjoyed and made a part of their family “story.”  I am looking forward to going back year after year as our family grows.

To make your own memories visit Rockinghorseranch.com.