Rancho Cortez Reviews

Son had a great time riding a horse. Lots of friendly people.

Very nice place, nice pool, riding was cool, nice welcoming. I'll be back!

I've spent time in the Hill Country before and it being the off-season, or rather winter, we looked for something different to do. It was also my friend's 40th birthday so four grown women were looking for something to try and pass the time.

We were a half day for Sunday booking in the winter, so, needless to say, it was a bit empty. At first we were a bit concerned that it was kind of weird, but that quickly disappeared. Trevor was a wonderful host and tried really hard to go out of his way to entertain us the whole time.

One of our party did not go for a horseback ride and had no problem finding stuff to entertain herself. There's a game room with a pool table, ping pong, air hockey...the one thing that was missing we looked for were playing cards. Then there's also the location itself, it's relatively flat, and things are close together which was a big plus in having been to some locations in the hill country.

We fed some cattle, played with the goats, and pet the horses (a lot). I think that the half day was just right for us so that we didn't get too bored or tired too fast. I think that if there is a concern about nothing to do, it maybe one of those things where you maybe surprised you kind of have to entertain yourself, but all the resources are there. I played horseshoes while others learned to lasso.

A really good time had by all, ended with a campfire with Trevor doing his best to keep us entertained, so hat tip to him.

Our family did the 1/2 day experience and it was absolutely wonderful. We started by getting there around 2 pm and we all did a hour horse back ride. Rusty and Trevor were our trail guides and they were very knowledgeable and helpful and made our experience wonderful. Both cowboys were funny and interacted with our kids and made our family feel very special. We came back and Larry - the owner taught our girls how rope and then went on a ride to feed the cows. Our supper was delicious and we finished the evening with a campfire and s mores and campfire story by Rusty which was awesome! A truly wonderful experience. The staff there was great and personable and we hope to come back and stay overnight next time. A truly Texas experience you won t forget

Me and my daughter had the best time she got to help feed animals. She got to rope and go for a horse back ride she had the best time . thanks to everyone that works there.

10 out of 10, WOULD recommend! Came here on my very first trip to Texas and was NOT disappointed by any stretch of the imagination. The horses were so sweet, the ride was great, the scenery from the trails was absolutely gorgeous!!!!! And the staff were incredibly polite. Next time I visit Texas I am visiting this ranch as well

A great family getaway. If your looking for a real everyday life on a ranch feel this place is it. These folks are so real and down to earth. If you have a sense of humor then your gonna have some laughs. Remember to just go with the flow, you will fit right in...everyone was friendly like family. Just remember to relax and enjoy the outdoors. My kids ranged from 8 boy, 12 pre teen girl, and 19 daughter. I promise all of them kept busy. They didn't want to leave. Will be back for sure.

Always the best. Quality horseback riding and working out in the gym and in the Texas Hill Country.

One of the greatest vacation locations in Texas. I found this ranch on a trip to Bandera. I have returned over and over to ride horses and train in the fitness camp. The detail and care are excellent.

15 pounds down in 2 weeks!!!
I went back in November for the 2 week fitness program and it was INTENSE!!!! Workout 6 days a week for 5+ hours a day, Whew!!! But it was all worth it! The workout consisted of hiking, workout classes at the gym, water aerobics (my favorite), yoga, and a ranch workout with Larry at the barn. The nice thing is that after all that hard work you can relax at the pool or hot tub or even go horseback riding. The food for the most part was good, very low carb, whole food meals with snacks. I loved that most of the produce was from the garden on the ranch. There was a registered nutritionist that came and educated us about different ways to incorporate a healthy balance diet in our busy lives and also cooked a delicious meal for us!!
Due to Covid we each had our own cabin instead of staying at the bunkhouse. The cabin I was in was very nice and comfortable. There is NO TV, Wifi, nor service signal in and near the cabins. I was fine with that. It actually felt great to withdraw from the world and all the distractions. You can get wifi (slow) near the office, dining hall, and fitness lounge. As far as cell service, you would have to hike the hill or drive a few miles away from the ranch.
I must say, it was one of the best things I did for myself in 2020. Mary, Larry, Cheryl, Bill and others Thank you and hope to see you all in June!!!!

Sidenote: You are not getting the full Rancho Cortez fitness program experience if you have not atleast once during that two week experience, cried or wanted to pack your bags and leave lol it was that intense!!!

Just got back from spending the end of Spring Break on the Ranch (our first time there). We (46 male, 39 female, 15 female) all loved it. To sum up the stay/experience: 1) the horse rides go out about every hour, but sometimes lag for unknown reasons (weather?). The rides are fantastic (at least, for first-time riders like us). The horses move at an easy pace and the trails are beautiful. I went out 3 times and each time we rode along a different trail (all Cortez land, not the state park). 2) Larry (Cortez) is a joy. He's got a great demeanor, friendly with the kids, always in charge, and has great stories and jokes/jabs to share. He is constantly at work, too, making sure there is always an activity for everyone if they want to join in. 3) The rooms are clean and quaint with basic necessities (this is a ranch, not a Hyatt). Although they are listed as cabins, there is no fridge in the rooms. 4) The nightly campfire is toasty and bright and there are plenty of songs, stories, and smores to go around. 5) The covered hot tub is nice and hot. 6) The walking trail around the back of the camp is short but beautiful, with some obstacle course structures about half-way. 7) The included meals are your basic comfort food, nothing fancy. You get what they serve; it's not like a buffet. They offer tea and coffee throughout the day, and orange juice in the morning. You can buy a can of soda for $1 from the office fridge. 8) There is a small amount of livestock (plenty of horses, a couple of dogs, a few goats, and we saw one longhorn in a field, from a fair distance. No milk cows, or chickens around for the kids to play with. 9) There is a game room (in a converted barn), but you have to get things from the office to use most of the equipment (pool table, ping-pong). The TV didn't seem to pick up much of anything, and most of the rest of it (games, musical instruments) had been destroyed by former guests (there were a few destructive tykes running amok while we were there, too). 10) Bandera is only about 10-15 minutes away and has a few good places to eat (fantastic malts in the general store), and lots of places to shop. A beautiful state park is right next door to the ranch (for about $6 per person). 11) There is an indoor and outdoor pool. The office mentioned that the indoor pool was kept at about 78 degrees, but we tried it out and it was more like 62, at best. It was too cold for us. The outdoor pool is tiny, maybe room for 4 kids to play around in. We didn't use the fitness room, but there is one. 12) And finally, keep in mind that the office generates a billing slip with a "TIP" line on it, so be prepared for that extra cost and think about it before you show up to check out, otherwise you may feel like you're on the spot when they hand you the slip for your signature. (Oh, and forget about free wi-fi. We couldn't get a signal on any of our phones, cell or wi-fi.)

Great place! Took my daughter horseback riding for the first time on Christmas Eve and she loved it! I can't wait to take her again.

My family visited for the day and it was so incredibly fun. The owner is super involved, even coming over to the fire and having a beer with us.
They were incredibly sweet with my nervous 6 year old, teaching her to ride a horse.
It was amazing!!

This place was awesome! We did a half day.. got to ride horses, do a hay ride, got a yummy dinner.. they really made you feel at home.

Amazing family time! Everyone so welcoming and made us feel at home. Such an amazing way to disconnect and enjoy the country. Kids were sad to leave and never once had time to miss electronics!

The whole experience was amazing the entire staff were very helpful. The weight lost program is the best around. I miss the Rancho Cortez family.

This place is just incredible!!! We had the best experience here! Thank you so much to the whole team! Beautiful place featuring great attractions - bourse back riding, lasso lessons, cattle feeding. Great place for families abs getaways.
Special thank you to the chef - food was absolutely delicious.
This place is worth every penny!!!

My daughter and I just got back from our stay at Rancho Cortez. Both of us were heartbroken that we had to leave. We were treated like family with amazing hospitality, kindness, and great food! My daughter is passionate about horses and our days were filled with small lessons (learning to saddle a horse with a western saddle), beautiful rides, and barrel racing lessons in the arena. Each day we were there I saw families come for full-day or half-day excursions. All of the newcomers were welcomed with open arms and treated to a really fun day with horses, roping, feeding cattle, and a bonfire at the end of each day. I had great conversations, met new people, and made great friends. By the end of our week-long stay, we were such family we joined K.D. and her friend at a barrel race in San Antonio. If you are looking for a great time, look no further than Rancho Cortez. Cheryl is the heart of the operation, Mark is the amazing wrangler, Larry is the larger-than-life owner, K.D. is the champion barrel racer and welcoming excursion lead, and Mary is the friendly co-owner with Larry. Ask for any of them and you're in for a treat.

My husband and I (from Italy) spent a weekend at Rancho Cortez last year in October. We've been so lucky to have the whole Ranch for us! We had a lot of fun, many activities and literally personalized food because we do hot eat meat.
We felt at home and we also had the chance to meet manager's children.
We highly reccomand Rancho Cortez!

The place is beautiful, the horses are so big and well kept. The gentleman and the young ladies that took us out on the trail ride were very friendly and polite. The cook was the best he was so patient and took us around the property to see everything. We got to meet sunny and Cher, their new baby goats who were only born a week before. I love this place. The people make you feel so welcomed. Definitely comming back.

WE RECENTLY VISITED THE CORTEZ RANCH FOR THE FIRST TIME MOSTLY FOR THE KIDS TO EXPERIENCE HORSE BACK RIDING. WE BOOKED A FULL DAY SINCE WE SAW ON THE WEBSITE ALL THESE ACTIVITIES THAT THE KIDS COULD EXPERIENCE SUCH AS "ROPING" -LASSO, FEEDING THE LONG HORNS/COWS, CAMP FIRE, INTERACTING WITH THE HORSES AND SOME HOME COOKED BAR B QUE. THE OVERALL EXPERIENCE OF RIDING THE HORSES WITH THE KIDS WAS GREAT UNFORTUNATELY THAT WAS IT. WHEN WE GOT THERE WAS NO ACTIVITIES SCHEDULED OTHER THAN YOUR SCHEDULED TIME TO RIDE SO YOU ARE BASICALLY WAITING AROUND YOUR TURN TO RIDE WITH THE GROUP. THERE WAS NO ENTERTAINMENT FROM THE STAFF , BASICALLY WE WERE TOLD THAT THE ROPES WERE THERE AND GO AHEAD AND TRYING ROPING ON YOUR OWN. WE ALSO THOUGHT THAT MAYBE THE KIDS WOULD BE ABLE TO FEED SOME ANIMALS OR THE STAFF WOULD DEMONSTRATE HOW TO MOUNT A SADDLE, OR MAYBE BRUSH A HORSE. ..SOMETHING. EVERYTHING IS SO OUTDATED! THE GAME ROOM FURNITURE WAS OLD AND DUSTY, OUTSIDE AROUND THE RANCH THERE WAS LIMITED SEATING AREAS AND THOSE THAT WERE THERE WERE OLD AND DIRTY AS WELL. YOU HAVE PEOPLE COMING ALL OVER THE WORLD WANTING TO EXPERIENCE THE COUNTRY LIFE OF TEXANS AND FELT THEY COULD HAVE INVESTED MORE IN THEIR BUSINESS AND PROPERTY AND TAKE MORE PRIDE WHAT THEY ARE PRESENTING TO THEIR GUEST. WE DID NOT GET ANY COWBOY BAR B QUE FOOD, LUNCH WAS COLD FROZEN BURGER PATTIES, DINNER WAS PORK LOIN WHAT APPEARED TO BE COOKED INDOOR. WE ARE FROM TEXAS, WE HAVE RANCHES AND WE KNOW WHAT IS LIKE TO HAVE A GOOD BAR B QUE WITH ALL THE FIXINGS! WE PAID 700 DOLLARS FOR THE DAY AND THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN FINE IF I FELT WE WERE GOING TO EXPERIENCE THE WHOLE PACKAGE. I HOPE CORTEZ RANCH READS THIS REVIEW AND TAKES INTO ACCOUNT ALL THE AREAS THAT THEY NEED TO IMPROVE ON. THIS COULD BE A GREAT PLACE IF THEY WOULD HIRE A MANAGER THAT CAN UPDATE THE RANCH TO MAKE IT LOOK PRESENTABLE, HAVE AN ACTUAL SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES FOR FAMILIES, AND HIRE SOMEONE THAT CAN USE A BAR B QUE PIT!

My husband booked a day trip to Rancho Cortez for my birthday. We had an absolute blast! The trail rides had beautiful scenery and the horses were all very sweet and super responsive to riders. Everyone who worked at the ranch was also very welcoming!

This was amazing! My boyfriend and I purchased the half day option for horseback riding, roping, cattle feeding, dinner, and campfire.

When we arrived, Trevor, a ranch-hand, directed us to park next to the main office. We met Larry Cortez, the owner of the ranch. Nice guy! Signed all the paperwork about the rules, safety, etc etc.

We walked over to the horses. Trevor paired us up with the appropriate horses based on riding experience. He checked all the equipment first and gave us instructions for guiding the horse. The horses knew the drill, they followed the horse in front and really didn't need much leading. The ride was a bit rocky and uneven, but this made it more interesting and really kept me alert. The ride was pretty relaxing!

Afterwards, we were going to just hike and walk around the ranch. The owner was actually hanging out giving roping lessons. He gave us a one to one lesson (for free!). Roping is not easy at all!!!! Trevor gave us a group lesson later on that afternoon. We took some time to walk around the ranch and said hi to all the animals. I fell in love with the goats. They were so pleasant and friendly. The horses were great but the pig was a little grumpy.

There was a swimming pool and hot tub but we didn't use it since it was a bit nippy. The owner was hanging out with the employees and invited us to sit down to chat. Man, did we learn a lot! It was such a nice afternoon.

When it was time to feed the cattle, Trevor invited us to help him put the horses back in their pens. THIS WAS SO COOL! After, we hopped on a tractor and went to feed the cattle. What a breathtaking experience! The scenery, the cattle, and the somewhat friendly donkeys/cattle security guards. Wear long pants, tuck in ur socks because fire ants are everywhere!

Dinner was great! We stayed for the campfire and hung out with the other visitors. Left around 8pm.

Incredibly authentic experience in this family run ranch. Larry the owner is a true rural Texan through and through, everyone was so welcoming and lovely. You just have to go, exceeded all my expectations.

Awesome awesome place to stay. Cannot say enough about Larry and the crew here. Cabins were clean and well kept, food was fantastic (some meals were just incredible - french toast bake!!), scenery is breathtaking, and the folks go out of their way to make sure you're having a good time. Trevor is the horseback riding lead guide and very knowledgeable, great with kids, and so friendly and patient. Larry is the owner and is very talkative and if he finds down time during the day will literally walk around looking for ppl not doing anything and find something they're interested in (got our 2 and 4 yr old on slow rides around the roping area, got us all in the side by side and just went driving another day, and then gave our 6 yr old a personal ride another day). Hard to say enough about this place, they're just really good folks with a really pretty ranch set in a beautiful location that want to share it with new friends and that was exactly what it felt like, no hint of a seller / consumer atmosphere here. Thank you so much to the Rancho Cortez team for making my families stay and our parents 50th anniversary such a fond memory we will all treasure forever.

This ranch is one of the beat I have been too!!! The folks were very nice. They treat their guests like family. The food is what you expect from a ranch. Comfort foods with a twist of fancy. The cook has most needs and wants covered. The
Wrangler TREVOR was a sweetheart. Very knowledgeable and funny. He has a great since of horse and people. He has traveled around and picked up lots of tricks along the way! We would ride anywhere with him as our wrangler. He has a sense for his animals. Larry the main man has a way with people. Very nice and kind to all of us. He was teaching a group of young ladies from England how to rope. It was comical but he never gave up. We had a blast here and will return again!!!!!! This place is worth the visit. We were for Christmas Eve and Day. I forgot to mention the rooms!!! Let me put it this way, we went to the room with intent to come back to the barn for a horse ride. We laid sown and fell fast asleep. Room was too cozy. Lol

Great one day experience in Cowboy country!
Change of scenery guaranteed, atmosphere thanks to a guitarist. In short, great memory!

Great crew and lots to do. Really good food and appreciate that they accommodate vegetarians. Hot tub was great too.

I made a road trip with my Grandson and decided a few nights on a Dude Ranch would be special. I made the right decision! My Grandson had an amazing time riding horses and dreaming about what it must have been like to be a Cowboy. As a Grandmother..... something sparked in me, where I felt young, healthy and wanted to soak up every moment, even though I really am not young and totally healthy any more.

If I was a young woman looking for a pre-wedding girls trip, or my sorority sisters were willing to round up for along weekend, I know where I would head.

"City Slickers"....... Rancho Cortez gets my vote.

It was fun. We got to do stuff I would normally not be able to do. We got to round up a horse, ride a horse and many more. I even got to see them put a horse shoe on.

We are a couple who had the pleasure of spending half of a day with Larry today! It started with the most picturesque trail ride I ve ever been on, followed by some actually educational lasso lessons, some amazing cool off time in the quaint outdoor pool area, an up-close and personal hand feeding experience with cattle, and finally a home cooked meal prepared by Trevor (one of the most polite and respectful young men we have met). Fortunately, we had the ranch almost completely to ourselves today, so we really got to see and experience everything from a first class point of view. Larry was kind, funny, and accommodating. Exactly what I was hoping for today to keep our experience moving along. Every animal looked well-kept and was incredibly well-behaved. We were able to take our time enjoying the ranch without being rushed or without feeling abandoned. The day was perfect.

Wonderful place to get the cowboy experience, great team, Larry the owner is a pure character. This is a must during a visit in Texas.
The horse riding and the view was amazing.

WORST TRIP EVER! Will review in detail upon return from vacation....including videos and photos because, without them, you may not even believe it!!

Had a great time at Rancho Cortez. Beautiful scenery for the trail ride, everyone was super friendly, my daughter loved all the animals and the pool. It was nice to unplug and enjoy some fresh air. Would definitely recommend for a family get away!!!

We did the half day visit with our 3 kids, ages 4, 8, and 10 and had an amazing experience! Our 8 year-old, who has anxiety and OCD did wonderfully throughout the day, especially with the horses who all seemed to calm her down. The trail ride is stunning, the horses are majestic, and the wranglers and other staff are fun, knowledgeable, and kind. Dinner was delicious, and the cooks worked around my myriad of allergies. If you are going with kids, just keep in mind that nothing on a ranch is fast paced. Be prepared for down time (the pool is a great way to fill time). Also, bring some snacks and drinks, as dinner is not served until 6 and little tummies will get hungry before then!

I had a great time as camper at the sleep away camp I learned a lot and got second place in the rodeo. It was my second time.

We did 1 day and loved it! Horseback riding is awesome! We'll be going back to spend an entire week on the Ranch.

I spent a full day at Ranch Cortez with my family of 4 and some friends on March 18th, 2018. We went on two horseback rides through their beautiful ranch. We also enjoyed swimming in their pools, learning to lasso, hiking trails, hay ride, feeding longhorn cattle, s mores over an open fire and more. The meals were great and were cooked and served by a very sweet women. We enjoyed the company as well as fun horse facts, lasso lessons and interesting stories offered by Larry the ranch owner. Larry as well as the entire staff went above and beyond to make sure our children had a great time while learning about the ranch all day. Rancho Cortez is a MUST DO for any family. Thanks again Larry for the opportunity to enjoy your ranch.

Highly recommend checking this place out ! Really friendly staff!!

Howdy, Y'all! Oh my gosh! This was a great stay at the ranch. We came with our Polish friends to briefly taste a life of cowboys and cowgirls and the stay was a blast! We rode the horses (thank you cowboy Trevor!), practiced roping, fed the longhorns, ate Texan cuisine, talk with the super-friendly rancho staff, spent quality time with Larry, the rancho owner, and finished our day with Friday's rodeo in Bandera. Super, super fun! Thank you for all this and we will be back, for sure! For the readers: just ignore all negative reviews, if you can disconnect from your corporate, prescheduled life, you won't be disappointed!

My fiance and I had such a fun experience at the ranch, we look forward to going back with friends. Can not say enough wonderful things about our day and I highly encourage anyone looking for a outdoor excursion to go to Rancho cortez. We loved the staff, animals and being outdoors!

Rancho Cortez is a beautiful Ranch! There s nothing like the Texas Hill Country!

Can t say enough about this amazing place and the family who owns/runs it!!!! My 4-year old, Hudson truly believes he is an all-star horse trainer. We will be back as often as possible!!
<3 The Donham family

Went for my honeymoon and it was my wife's favorite day of the entire week.

From my 8-year-old grandson about our day trip: "My favorite part was riding on Ace, my horse. It was my first time to ride on horseback. I liked the food, too. It was also really fun to climb the trees, swim in the pool, feed the cattle and hold two baby goats. Trevor, our trail leader, was really nice, too. I would like to come back again!" :)

Staff was great, and really made the day fly by. Highly recommend it!

Did the half day package and had a great time. We started with learning how to lasso and then had an hour horse ride. I felt very safe on the horses. Afterwards we sat around and had a few beers and just got to know each other. We then took a tractor to feed the cows which for me was the highlight. We then spent time touring the property and ended the day with dinner (meatloaf, mashed potatoes, cauliflower (from their garden)/broccoli and rolls)). They also had a salad bar. We left after dinner to get to our next destination but they had a bonfire started and were going to do smores. I will say that the owner Larry is a bit rough around the edges but as you spend the day, he softens and was delightful. I would definitely recommend coming for a half or full day trip!

Good welcome and the cabin was great. But none of the employees (neither the owner) wore a mask during this period of Covid-19, as most of the places in the Hill Country... I was very disappointed by the activities. The only activities were the horse ride, the lasso, seeing the owner feeding the cattle, and the campfire with some s mores. There were no music and no stories during the campfire... Not worth the price.

You won't get any bacon or sausage for breakfast here. Just microwaved ham! How's that for authentic cowboy grub?

Coming here was the highlight of my trip to Texas!! Made my first riding experience wonderful. The horses are so sweet and the people that work here are kind, fun and welcoming. Definitely will come back to Rancho Cortez again!!!

If you are looking for FUN whether it be with family, your bestie, or a group of friends, THIS is the place to go! Saddle up for a day of ropeing, riding, ranch handling, great stories by the campfire and a few lessons on good manners, authentic hospitality, and good eating! Larry, Cheryl, KD, Tristan, James, Anthony, and the whole crew will leave you with a healthy dose of Southern charm. 5 stars in my book!

My wife and I went to this ranch for our one year anniversary 5/25/20, and it was awesome!
Bob & Larry were great, the food was really good, everything and everyone was so nice.
The horses were healthy and well taken care of, can't wait to go back with friends this September. Highly recommended if you definitely want a good ranch experience.

Trevor was a great guide and led our entire group of 6 through the trails very comfortably. He kept us laughing at his jokes through our entire ride. Most of us were first timers but the entire team kept us very well informed the entire time. The kind lady in the office was also great and got us all set up really quick. Great for first timers. Can t wait to be back!

We were looking for a ranch to hang out at and Rancho Cortez was close to San Antonio. We booked a half day for my wife and I. When we arrived at 1:00, we signed release forms (even though there really was no explanation of the forms provided). Everyone was pleasant enough. No instructions were given and no communication was given as far as where the beverages are or where the bathrooms are or really what to expect. Trevor was awesome. He made the most out of having too many people signed up for horse riding at the same time. Trevor was frustrated and our 1:00 horse ride waited to 2:00 when some unexpected guests arrived and our ride was pushed to 3:00. We actually started our ride at about 3:30. From about 1:00 to 3:30 we basically lassoed a plastic bull a few times and the waited. Please do not think this is a huge ranch full of hundreds of cattle because it is not. I probably counted maybe 12 horses and 14 cows with 4 calf s, a few donkeys, and a dog. The horse back ride was excellent and Trevor is great. Feeding the cows was cool and very pretty scenery. Supper was awesome! We didn t stay for the bonfire. I found that the owner liked to chat about himself. From a customer service perspective, the story is about the customer not the owner. There were also some comments at supper that were a little off putting coming from the owner. I wouldn t do it again but it was a good experience.

Went on a full day trip with friends and totally enjoyed our day! Larry was the consummate host and devoted lots of quality time to us. Mark lead us on some beautiful trail rides, and Trevor presented tasty desserts at lunch and dinner. Riding, roping, racing, and swimming all made a great day, thank you! Well worth it!

A fun place with an excellent fitness plan. Quiet and beautiful and peaceful. Nice hiking trails. Animals and campfires and good food. If you want to get in shape you can't do much better than this. I particularly liked the water aerobics but all kinds of great fitness activities. Highly recommended!

Great place to visit with the kids. Butch the Cowboy was fun, easy going and full of jokes. The trail was fantastic. The horse look healthy and very well cared for. It's a long drive from San Antonio!

I can't say enough good things about this place, the staff and the owner. What a welcoming, fun, hospitable, beautiful atmosphere. We missed breakfast by accident and the chefs were kind enough to stay behind and make a special meal for us and our two year old. The food was home-made and amazing! James, the wrangler, was so patient and kind with our baby on the horse and made our trip extra-special with his friendly, cowboy demeanor. The owner sat with us at dinner and was a HOOT! The animals were well taken care of, and Lacy the ranch dog was a constant source of entertainment. This was my favorite family vacation so far and we just road-tripped right down the road :) Kudos to Rancho Cortez.

Stayed at Ranco Cortez for the weekend; two nights, all food and 4 1-hour rides. I had a great time. The folks are courteous and very helpful and you can set your own pace with available activities. All in all, a wonderful weekend.

Looking for a dude ranch experience? I loved my visit to Rancho Cortez. The staff are incredibly nice and accommodating, the setting is charming, and getting away from it all is a real treat. The accommodations range from rough (top bunk anyone?) to comfortable (the cabins have real beds), and the food wasn't my cup of tea, but it was fine. Ride horses, sit by a bonfire while being serenaded by a cowboy, use the hot tub, learn to rope, and get away from your everyday life.

My wife, 3 kids (11,10,10) and I did a half day at the ranch and had a wonderful time. We arrived at 1pm and were greeted by welcoming staff. We filled out some information and release forms and given a map and rundown of the ranch, activities, and amenities.

We explored the ranch, played with the goats and free roaming horse, got a quick roping lesson from Rusty, who was great, and took the time to learn all of our names and more about us. We then got ready for our trail ride.

The 1 hour trail ride had some amazing views of the ranch and hill country.

After the trail ride we did some more roping, played with a baby goat, enjoyed the activity center and enjoyed the afternoon.

They fed us dinner at 6pm. The meal was good and filling.

After dinner we took a wagon ride out to feed the longhorns. All the kids had a blast feeding the cattle and trying to catch the calf.

The evening ended with a campfire, smores, and Rusty telling a campfire story about Cowboy history and Bandera.

Highly recommend!

Had a great time. Staff is outstanding!!!! Will return in awhile!!

What a fantastic experience. Truly hospitable folks, gorgeous property, fun non stop activities and delicious food. We laughed all day with our group and Mr. Larry! The trick roper show add on was super fun. A must for your group activity!!! We stayed the night and had the best sleep of our lives. 10 hours. It's probably been at least 5 years since I have seen 10 hours of sleep! We will be back to Rancho Cortez, and with our kids in tow next time!

In my opinion absolutely the best ranch to go to for the real cowboy experience

My 22 year old daughter has loved horses since she was a toddler. She was home from the military before deploying for six months. Rancho Cortez seemed to be the perfect adventure to make memories with her. I cannot recommend them enough. We enjoyed two trail rides through the beautiful Texas hill country, hay ride to feed some of their cattle, including a long horn, relaxed in the hot tub, and the family style dining.
Larry Cortez is an attraction, himself. All day I watched him learn each guest by name and then build a personal connection with them. Many stories and laughs were exchanged. It is this kind of personal interaction that sets Rancho Cortez apart. Book a stay, for not just a getaway, but a full experience.

The scenery is beautiful and all of the staff is great. It is great place to relax and discover yourself again.

Great place! It is a bit pricey if you are staying two nights and want the full program, but it is worth. However, if you are taking two times a ride a day, you may want to talk to the cowboys to change the trail from time to time otherwise you are riding the same one again and again.

Me and my daughter booked a one night stay at rancho Cortez and it was amazing! Larry the owner was very interactive as well as all the other staff they always asked how we were doing and enjoying our stay. Among our guided horse rides we fed the Longhorns and cows, petted some goats had a little show with the horse and kids ate some great food ( there bread pudding is amazing!) and sat in the hot tub! Among that they have a great indoor and outdoor pool, fitness center, and a bonfire in the evening after dinner. I would highly recommend visiting rancho Cortez you will not be disappointed, we plan to go back again but with a group!!!!

My 2 night/2 day experience: 1. On the trail ride, cowboys told offensive racial and gender related jokes...totally ridiculous. 2. Safety was dismissed. Although on intake forms I had checked the box that my family chose to wear riding helmets, all helmets were hanging on a rail and they were pooled with rain water, leaves, and human hair. When I asked if they could be cleaned out for wearing, I was told by Butch the cowboy, that I didn't need to wear one. The owner, Larry Cortez, verbally goaded riders to stand straight up on the saddled back of a horse for the purpose of picture taking. When I protested this, he said, "...you're a little jumpy. What's wrong, is this your only child?" 3. Accommodation was dirty. Dirt and dead bugs in the window sills and under and behind beds. Top bunk had black human hair on the sheets. 4. Food is good. 5.Countryside and trails are beautiful

It was a great 1/2 day experience. Included horse ride , Lasso class, feeding the cattle and dinner.

Wonderful experience. The ranch was friendly, knowledgeable, professional and made you feel right at home. We had fun and learned alot while horseback riding. Feeding the long horns was a blast, learning how to lasso was great. The dinner was excellent and the pool was refreshing. Don't miss a fun day at this ranch.