Rancho de los Caballeros

Part rustic ranch, part posh resort, this gracious getaway exudes authenticity, honoring cowboy culture in countless ways, including the artwork and Western-themed décor in every casita-style guest room and the striking horse sculpture on the Quarter Horse Terrace, a good place to linger over cocktails come sunset.

Visitors needn’t be equine-inclined to have fun, however, given the multitude of activities available, including trap and skeet shooting, golf (on an 18-hole championship course), tennis, pickleball, e-bike rides, archery, yoga and even rock painting. It’s summer camp for adults, right down to s’mores-roasting at the fire pit. 

For actual kids (ages 5 to 12), Kids’ Club offers arts and crafts, ring rides and a host of other amusements throughout the day, freeing up parents to do their own thing — which might mean doing nothing at all. While away the afternoon under a cabana at the stunning new pool complex, which features a dedicated lap pool, a hydrotherapy pool and a zero-entry swimming pool designed for beach-like wading. 

Massages, facials and pedicures are administered at a serene on-property spa, but the ultimate chill pill is a guided meditation session at the outdoor labyrinth, best enjoyed near day’s end, when light breezes waft across the desert. 

Variously sized and priced traditional casitas (all tastefully updated) are available, but for an all-out splurge, consider one of the newly constructed Wickenburg Suites — four stand-alone casitas which can be configured as two-, three- or four-bedroom units, outfitted with fireplace-furnished living rooms and kitchenettes. Overlooking the golf course and a thrilling horse run (when the herd lopes to and from pasture), these flexible accommodations offer elegance, comfort and stunning views.

Guests can choose among a half-dozen stay packages, some of which include meal and activity options. Buffet breakfasts and lunches are excellent, as is an à la carte dinner at high-end Restaurant 19. Sure, vacationing here is spendy, but the experience is so remarkable that the question is never whether it’s worth it, but rather, “Do we really have to leave?”