About Our Trip

"So how did you pick Rancho La Puerta ?"
This was asked by everyone. Cheryl, as many of you know, is a fan of spas and after her trip to Wild Horses Spa in Arizona she started doing more research. Some of her clients suggested this one and after extensive investigation we decided Rancho La Puerta had all the ingredients that matched our lifestyle.

Location
The Ranch is located at 1700 feet above sea level in the town of Tecate, Baja California, Mexico, about an hours drive East of San Diego. The town is the home of Tecate Beer. The Ranch is a major employer and influence in the area, as it is helping to educate the Mexican people about conservation through a foundation that receives about 15% of operating profits. The Ranch sits on the windward side of 4000 foot Mt. Kuchumaa (one of 12 official sacred mountains in the world) so during the day there is a strong breeze. The area is considered high desert and does not receive much rain. It can get down to 40 degrees at night and up to 70 to 80 degrees during the day. Most every day is filled with sun and blue sky so if you do not get enough of that in New England or where ever you call home this is the place.

Accommodations
We stayed in Rancho La Puerta eras small duplexes and the least expensive. They also have Villas which are large multi bedroom houses. The Villas, and some Ranceras, have fireplaces and if we go again we will make sure to get a room with a fireplace. It can get cold at night, even in June when we went. Both are absolutely beautiful, with Mexican inspired art work and design. We loved the outside stone patio and shade trees.

Grounds
The Ranch covers 300 acres of amazing landscaped grounds. There are works of art everywhere. Rancho La Puerta means "Ranch of the Golden Door" and you will find every door to every building is a work of art. You walk along many paths to the facilities through acres of gardens. Each facility design is unique but they posses a Mexican inspired style that melts into the landscape. This is a beautifully designed and very well maintained resort. You do a lot of walking and as you do you burn calories.

Food
This is another much discussed subject among Ranch goers. We went during culinary week. Guest chefs from across the country came to Rancho La Puerta to prepare signature dishes. We had lunch with Chef Paulette Mitchell. She really understands the effects of proper nutrition. She was once a fitness instructor but now is a famous vegetarian Chef, author and world traveler who gives demos and lectures. We think Rancho La Puerta food fits our lifestyle of health and well being. The breakfast hike takes you to Rancho Tres Estrellas the organic farm where all the vegetables served at Rancho La Puerta are grown. It is the best breakfast anywhere featuring whole grains, and mexican specialties. Back at Rancho La Puerta , lunch is a salad and soup with ingredients so fresh they where in the ground yesterday. For dinner more vegetables and at times fish brought in from the San Diego water front market. We enjoyed the food so much we have tried to duplicate the type of cuisine at home.

Spa
At the Villa Health Center are the spa facilities. They offer massages, hydrotherapy, facials, body wraps and other treatments. We enjoyed the hydrotherapy and the body wrap. The wrap covers your body in a sea weed mixture. You shower off and then a therapist gives you a massage. Everyone I spoke to about the wrap enjoyed it. The staff at the spa are mostly locals trained right at Rancho La Puerta . Their attention to detail and customer service is very high. The spa has received high marks from us due to the design of the building, attention to detail and high level of customer service.

A typical day
The nice thing about Rancho La Puerta is you can do whatever you want but most people come to Rancho La Puerta to increase their fitness and wellness. We always did a morning hike and there are quite a few options. Please be advised you are in a foreign country and when you leave Rancho La Puerta to head into the hills help for major injuries is long in coming. All hikes are guided and you must ware deep lugged hiking shoes for safety, but you have to know your own abilities and err on the side of caution. We recommend the Pilgrim hike, it is about 3 miles, moderate incline with switch backs and gives you beautiful views of the back country. We also did the 7 mile hike were you head into the back country and pack your lunch. The rolling hills hike is a simple flat hike. We enjoyed those as a rest day hike. The breakfast hike is not to be missed. You will be given a tour of the farm and the environmental center which is a really interesting facet of Rancho La Puerta , and something all Americans will be faced with in the coming years. After the hikes, which most end so you can have breakfast, your day is up to you to plan.

9:00 AM starts the classes and on every hour there is a new one in the many fitness buildings. During our stay Eddie Marks a world famous Iynger Yoga master was a guest instructor. We took his class every day. We also had private sessions with Erin the head Pilates instructor. Cheryl gave her high marks as an instructor. In the afternoon we scheduled our body treatments. Please schedule your treatments ahead of arriving as the time slots fill fast.

The evening hours where made up of the fantastic guest chef dinners and guest presenters. Do not miss the founders presentation usually on Monday. Deborah Szekely and her husband founded Rancho La Puerta in 1940. She is 80 some years old and is planning out her next decade. She is an inspiration to anyone contemplating "what am I doing with my life." Her biggest challenge is environmental activism and education, at 80, bless her soul, when most people at that age are sitting on the front porch. We also recommend bingo night. Yeah bingo, but Ranch style. It is lead by the fitness director Barry, who along with being a fantastic fitness instructor, is also a commedian. His humor and comedic look at Ranch life should not be missed. Make sure you get plenty of sleep and drink lots of water as your days will start to take toll on you.