The Family That Rides Together…

Michele Montoya and her daughter 10-year-old Megan, riding at Alisal Guest Ranch

Quality time at One of California’s Top Dude Ranches, Alisal Guest Ranch in Santa Ynez Valley

As the world opens up and normalcy creeps back one cautious step at a time, the annual summer getaway takes on a special significance this year. It must be good, a vacation so memorable that it will restore your child’s smile and wipe away bad thoughts left from the past 15 months of pandemic anxiety, civil unrest and politics-fueled kerfuffles.

A stay at a dude ranch is meant to be that kind of memory-maker and mood enhancer. I tried it, and it’s not even possible to be grumpy while on horseback. Fortunately, one of the top dude ranches in the country, Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort, is only a two-and-a-half-hour drive from OC. Hidden in the Santa Ynez Valley, situated on 10,500 acres, it was a Spanish Ranchero until the bunkhouse was converted into a guest lodge in 1946 by Charles Pete Jackson Jr. That hotel birthdate makes the property 75 years old this year, and adding to the milestone, it was recently named as one of the Historic Hotels of America, part of the National Trust Historic Preservation, which includes such California properties as Hotel Del Coronado in Coronado, Hotel La Rose in Santa Rosa and the Fairmont Hotel in San Francisco, just to name a few of the more than 300 hotels nationwide on the list.

It remains a working cattle ranch with 1200-1500 head of steers set on a prime Santa Barbara County coastal valley and surrounded by over 60 local wineries. Alisal has made a name for itself as one of the top luxury-level dude ranches in the U.S., with two golf courses, a spa, six full-size tennis courts, 100 horses, 50 miles of trails and world-class dining with an epicurean culinary program that features top chefs. In fact, Brooke Williamson, the winner from Bravo’s “Top Chef” season 14 is among many of the notable guest chefs featured as part of the California Ranch Cookouts, wherein Alisal’s Director of Culinary Operations Anthony Endy collaborates with guest chefs to prepare a Western-style dinner, served alfresco on the resort’s rodeo arena (the next Cookout event is Aug. 24). “The Alisal has a unique history here in the Santa Ynez Valley,” says General Manager Kathleen Cochran. “Everything including our décor, culinary programming and activities all take inspiration from the rich history of the property and the region of California.”

A visit to Alisal is a journey back to another era of cookouts, trail rides, stargazing and Western traditions. There is no TV or phone in the basic and comfortable Western-themed accommodations, and cell service is minimal. Deer roam the surrounding hills and bald eagles soar above. The ranchland itself is full of surprises; whether you are on horseback, walking or riding in a hay wagon, there is always something rewarding over the next hill, like the 100-acre, spring-fed lake that has an endless supply of largemouth bass and bluegill (it’s catch-and-release and no license required). For a fee, a friendly marina staff member will get you in a boat or kayak or canoe and provide the gear, tackle and bait. When my son and I visited Alisal last November, it was our day on the lake — pulling up bass and exploring the shoreline, talking and laughing and generally reconnecting after not seeing each other for months — that created my favorite memory from our visit. On that day, there were very few families out on boats, so we were able to find quiet and solitude (between bass hookups).

Bonding with family is the main reason Huntington Beach mother of two Michele Montoya returns to Alisal each summer. When her father passed five years ago, leaving her mom widowed, Montoya sought out a family vacation to stay connected, a getaway that her young children, her 70-something mom and she herself could all look forward to each year. They tried Disney’s Aulani on Oahu, but “too many kids. …Then I found Alisal, and so four years ago we went for the first time.”

Her first family stay at Alisal four years ago “was a life-changing experience,” she says. “It brought back traditional family values.” Montoya found that those families that were also there the first year, came back, as they did, the same week the following year, and stayed in the same rooms. “It’s like a high-end kids’ camp … my children made friends with others from all over the country that they still keep in touch with them, and we all go back at the same time, and all their friends are there.”

Montoya, who grew up riding a horse her dad bought her when she was 6, is an advanced rider and even took first place in the cattle-sorting event at the Alisal Rodeo, earning superhero status with her kids. While at the ranch, she likes to sing with her family at karaoke night, watch movies under the stars with s’mores, do the high-ropes course, shoot air rifles, and “just spend quality time with my children without, like, the rush.” That also includes a private two-hour family trail ride, including her 77-year-old mom. Nearly every day, she says, son Colt, 13, goes out on the lake and plays golf, while daughter Megan, 10, and her mom ride horses together. Then they all meet up for dinner.

As she talks about her plans for this year’s summer stay at Alisal, Montoya is already thinking about 2022 and far beyond that. “So, I’ll book next year when we leave this year. What’s funny is, my kids have told me that like they can’t wait until they have kids and we can all go, like it’s something that’s not an option.”

Pricing for a stay includes a bountiful breakfast and gourmet dinner. While many activities are free, horseback riding, lake activities, the ropes course, golf, fitness classes and other activities have a separate fee. www.alisal.com