Located just 60 miles northwest of Phoenix, the small town of Wickenburg is the perfect vacation getaway destination for anyone seeking tranquil Southwestern landscapes, unspoiled natural beauty and down home hospitality. This high desert escape is one of Arizona’s best kept secrets.
Once at the Phoenix airport, it was only a short shuttle ride to the resort, Rancho de Los Caballeros. This family-run ranch is set on 20,000 acres and has been in operation since 1948 following the Spanish tradition of gentlemen on horseback, who explored this part of the Southwest.
Along the route, we saw what makes the Sonoran Desert so special—all manner of cacti including saguaro, ocotillo, cholla, and prickly pear. These are protected flora and are an important part of the ecosystem here. The saguaro can grow in a huge treelike fashion and just one of its side arms can take up to 75 years to develop.
Arriving at the ranch, my wife and I were warmly greeted and shown to our room, complete in every detail with comfy beds and modern amenities such as a flat screen TV, WiFi, a fireplace, a large bathroom with jetted tub, and a patio. There are 79 casitas at the resort and the rooms can accommodate a couple looking for a quick romantic weekend or a family holiday.
The cost of a stay at the ranch is surprisingly affordable when you consider what is included. In fact, in many ways, it reminds me of a cruise vacation where you only unpack once but your room and meals are included. For about $200 pp/day, your stay includes spacious accommodations, a huge buffet breakfast and lunch and a sit-down gourmet dinner. This can include starters such as lobster salad, and entrees ranging from prime rib to Scottish salmon and a variety of desserts like crème brûlée or lemon mousse. The dining experience here is deliciously exquisite and well worth the price.
The ranch also offers an a la carte list of activities each day, many of which are free such as swimming, nature tours, bird watching, and weekly cowboy cookouts at nearby Vulture Peak. Other options include an award winning 18-hole golf course with wide-open fairways, horseback riding, a full service spa, and the extensive Caballeros Kids program free for children ages 5-12.
For birders and nature lovers, the ranch offers complimentary escorted tours with a naturalist to the nearby Hassayampa River Preserve. Along the river habitat, you can catch a glimpse of some of the area’s wildlife including over 280 species of birds. During our visit, we attempted to spot a rare female green kingfisher. It eluded us this day but the scenery and tranquility of this area is spectacular.
Wickenburg is also a town that loves the arts and goes all out to support them. The Desert Caballeros Western Museum has been rated the best Western museum in the country with many permanent and traveling exhibitions. Not to be outdone, the Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts has a state-of-the-art 600 seat theater dedicated to bringing cultural treasures to the residents of Wickenburg.
During our visit, we saw 3 Redneck Tenors in the Broadway Bound show. Even though the name of this group sounds wrong on so many levels, this show was comparable to anything I have ever seen on Broadway. From their humble beginnings in a trailer park in Paris, Texas to their debut on Broadway, these singing dynamos perform skits in clever (and sometimes skimpy) costumes and belt out some amazing harmonizing tunes. I found myself tearing up at some songs and actually perspiring at others. Consequently, this show will make you both cry and sweat, but you will never forget the 3 Redneck Tenors.
I don’t know whether it was the high desert air or the relaxed surroundings of the area and the ranch but I ended up taking two-hour naps each day--all I needed to de-stress and stop and smell the cactus flowers. As one guest simply put it: This was one of the best family holidays ever!