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Get Back to Nature at Ranch, Farm or Lodge Bed and Breakfast

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Written by Jane Leisteiner

Sunday, 25 May 2008

by JaneLeisteiner

For those seeking wide-open spaces, treat yourself to a vacation at a bed and breakfast experience at a ranch, working farm or rustic lodge. Ride horses, help out with farm work or just relax and enjoy the country views. We have wrangled up some of the top choices for that rural getaway.

Savor Big Sky Country at Montana Lodge

Big Sky, Montana is true to its name: This is the land of wide-open skies. One magical place to watch them from is River Rock Lodge. This is the kind of stone-and-wood lodge/B&B that you've always dreamed of; right down to the cathedral-high main lobby. This inn gives you easy access to blue-ribbon trout fishing and incomparable Yellowstone National Park. The Montana fall foliage is in full view as the lodge is surrounded by aspens as well as mountain vistas. For Frank Lloyd Wright fans, the architecture blends into the landscape, courtesy of renowned Montana architect Jerry Locati, whose admiration of Frank Lloyd Wright is reflected in the lodge's classic frontier features.

300-Year-Old-Hacienda in Arizona

For a true Western experience, ride on out to the Rancho De La Osa in Arizona. Located 65 miles from Tucson, this 300-year-old property is one of the last great haciendas in America. The adobe walls of the hacienda are more than two-feet thick, providing natural cooling protection from the summer heat and warmth from the late night winter chill. Meanwhile, the cantina - known as the "Old Adobe" - is reputed to be the oldest building in the state of Arizona and has been occupied since the early 1700s. The cantina has a huge fireplace which was once open on both sides - one side for a blacksmith shop, the other as a gathering place for guests. Today the cantina is used for guest socializing, for cowpokes like you!

Spend Your Vacation Living the Farm Life

The Cedar Mountain Farm B&B in Athol is set on 440 acres of working farmland in northern Idaho. For families wanting to bring their children closer to nature, this B&B offers the chance to get personal with miniature horses, cows, dairy goats, sheep, chickens, dogs, and cats. Two log cabins feature rooms with real log walls. In addition to fall colors, winter is extremely popular for getaways here, according to Al and Daryl Kyle. "Snow sledding, snow shoeing and cross country skiing) are part of our winter activities. Guests also like to come huddle down for a great Christmas in the country."

22 Acres of Apple Trees in Illinois

What a refreshing change: Okaw Valley Orchard Inn is actually located in an orchard! Located in Sullivan, Illinois, this B&B resides in a barn-style house among 22 acres of apple trees. You can roam the orchard, bird-watch from the enclosed back porch - there are thousands of hummingbirds in the fall - or soak in the outdoor hot tub. There's an old fashioned apple festival on the orchard grounds Oct 6 & 7, 2007; plus local fishing and hunting activities. Need a place to escape to? Head to the orchard!

Relax Your Spirit at This Northern California Retreat

Restful, relaxed, refuge: Three words that nicely describe the Shambhala Ranch retreat center and B&B in Ukiah, Northern California. Located near the coastal town of Mendocino, Shambhala Ranch offers serene rolling hills, a natural swimming pond, and a river with beach to play on. Add a hot tub, large rustic rooms with great views, and clean, fresh air close to the Pacific Ocean, and the Shambhala Ranch is an ideal place to withdraw from the world for awhile.

Discover the Texas Spirit at Cattle Ranch

For a Texas-size getaway try Canyon Lake Ranch, a Hill Country longhorn ranch on 64 acres. The Starview Lodge faces the pool and hot tub and the Longhorn Lodge is shaded by oak trees and boasts a plant-filled porch. The B&B allows you to hand feed the ranches' Longhorns, with their beautiful coats and long, curly horns. You can also float down the Guadalupe River, rent a pontoon boat on Canyon Lake, visit the hill towns or relax at the ranch.

About the Author:

Jane Leisteiner has traveled to many B&B inns and written extensively on the topic. To find further information on Arizona bed and breakfast inns or Illinois bed and breakfasts, check out the American Historic Inns website.

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