One important task is to determine how to spend vacations. Will you go to Disney, Legoland, or one of those giant water parks? Will you go camping or head to a great city? There is no wrong answer. Diverse experiences are what make up a life.

Yet if you’re looking to start a family tradition, you may want to choose a destination that instills certain values. Appreciation for nature, for one, and respect for it. A place that fosters both Independence and togetherness. The kind of place you’ll want to visit again and again, year after year.

Generations of families have spent their summer vacations at 4UR Colorado Family Guest Ranch. Generations of children have experienced the joy of learning to ride a horse or catch a fish with a fly. They’ve spent summer days discovering that they can do things they never dreamed they could do. They’ve explored the Southern Rockies and learned about themselves.

Watching the next generation.

We have guests at 4UR Family Dude Ranch who came here as children and now come here with their own children. Now that’s a family tradition worth creating.

Wray manning the grill during the Thursday night steak feed.

Since this is an all-inclusive luxury ranch, the meals you find at the end of the trail are veritable feasts. We know that any time in the saddle sparks an appetite, and we aim to feed. Has coffee ever tasted so good? Or that beer? We hope not!

On Thursday night, dismount and feast on grilled steak, potatoes, and fresh corn on the cob. Savor the fresh, mountain air with every bite. Listen to Damon pluck out a few tunes on his guitar. The setting is as beautiful as the food is tasty.

Ride a horse to a glorious setting, where grilled steak awaits.

Join us at our all-inclusive Colorado Family Guest Ranch this summer; it’s a feast for all senses.

Foreman Kyle pouring wine before dinner.

For wine aficionados, great wine is an essential part of any vacation. A glass of wine can turn a good moment into an unforgettable moment. And unforgettable moments are what we like to create during Colorado Family Vacations at 4UR.

With an eye toward that, we have crafted a list of memorable wines. Read on to learn more about a few of them.

Oregon Pinot Noirs have garnered world-wide acclaim, and with good reason. They’re outstanding. We’ve selected two, one from Erath Vineyards and one from Domaine Drouhin, that do Oregon proud.

Our Chardonnays all come from California, where some of the best Chardonnays in the world are born. A glass of Chardonnay satisfies on so many different levels. Great Chardonnays are complex, layered, rich yet not decadent. They can be buttery. They can be a bit sweet. They are perfect for a warm afternoon, after hours spent on horseback.

Our Cabernet Sauvingons also all come from California. A favorite is Stags Leap Wine Cellars Artemis, which is big and rich. We drink it on its own and we pair it with our House Smoked Tenderloin of Beef. On chilly days, there is nothing better.

We felt it was important to have at least one Colorado wine on our wine list. Colorado isn’t known for its wines; however, we think Infinite Monkey Theorem, from Denver, produces some good stuff. Here at 4UR Colorado Family Guest Ranch, we feature Sauvignon Blanc, Reisling, and Petite Syrah from Infinite Monkey Theorem. Maybe one day we’ll offer cans of their Black Muscat, just so we can say we do.

Here’s to the 2012 season!

Give them a gift they'll always remember and appreciate.

As parents, we want our children to be happy. We want to watch them open presents and smile and laugh. Their unbounded enthusiasm adds a wonderful spark to the holiday season.

At the same time, many of us don’t want to simply give our children every little thing they want. We understand that many of those toys won’t have staying power–they’ll be played with once or twice, and then end up disappearing under the bed or in the back of the closet.

We want to give them something they’ll really appreciate. Something that will impact their lives. We want them to have a gift they’ll remember for years to come.

Consider giving them a week at our Colorado Family Dude Ranch.

We’re offering a Two For One Kids Special again this year. One child stays for free with one paid child (for children 9 and under). That’s the kind of bargain some folks fight for at the Walmart. You won’t have to shield yourself from Bear Spray or Mace–you just need to give us a call.

A week at our Colorado Family Guest Ranch will involve horseback riding and hiking in the Rockies, swimming, and fly fishing on Goose Creek. It will be one adventure after another, with plenty of good food and many new friends. Your children will never forget it. Now that’s a present worth giving.

Your children will have to wait until summer, of course. But patience is a virtue and worth cultivating, right? Our Two For One Kids Special Weeks are June 9-16 and August 11-18, 2012. August is nearly full, but there is still plenty of room in June.

Please contact our Colorado Dude Ranch for more information about the Two For One Kids Special.

• For the angler in your life, give some time at our Fly Fishing Vacation Ranch.

• For the equestrian in your life, give some time at our Family Dude Ranch.

• For the children in your life, give an unforgettable experience replete with horseback riding, fishing, swimming, and unparalleled outdoor fun.

• For the grandparents in your life, give a Colorado Family Ranch Vacation – it’s the perfect family reunion.
  

  For someone in your life, this is a dream come true.

Don’t battle it out at the mall this year. Do your holiday shopping with us.

1. Chef Wray Warner and his staff will cook for you in glorious outdoor settings.

Food tastes best when consumed in a beautiful setting.

2. Your children will be deliriously happy.

Deliriously happy children? Check.

3. You can fly fish on your own stretch of water.

Fly fishing on Goose Creek.

4. You can ride horses in the Colorado Rockies.

Simply spectacular.

5. You’ll have a memorable family vacation.

An unforgettable family vacation.

We’ve already started looking ahead to next season, and some folks have already made their reservations for 2012.

This is a good time to start thinking about celebrating a special occasion at 4UR. There’s ample time yet to contact friends and family and to coordinate schedules. Are you (or your folks or your grandparents) celebrating an important anniversary this year? Silver? Gold? Is your son or daughter graduating from a high school or  college? Are you retiring? Significant events merit something out of the ordinary.

Sometimes, the best way to celebrate is simply to go someplace beautiful with the people you care about most in the world. Spend time together. Go horseback riding. Go fishing. Hike. Relax in the hot springs. Linger over meals. You don’t have to make a big fuss over the occasion – the fact that you are all together speaks for itself.

We hope you’ll consider bringing friends and family together here at our Colorado Family Guest Ranch, to mark a significant event in your life.

Pictured above are some of the families and friends who came together at 4UR this summer.

Bring your children to 4UR, and watch them thrive.

Children ride horses at 4UR, in the ring and on the trail. They go fishing. They climb and hike and swim. They build muscles and they build confidence and they breathe in the fresh air of the Southern Colorado Rockies. We swear we’ve seen kids grow while they’re here, so fertile is the soil (metaphorically speaking, of course).

Kylee, Aaron and Robin Christensen’s daughter, ended her rodeo season this year as the Reserve All-Around World Champion Little Wrangler at the National Finals Little Britches Rodeo. At the start of the competition she was in 9th place, and she finished in 2nd place. She won 12 buckles while she was there, and she had a blast doing it. We’re all so proud of her.

Kylee has grown up at our Colorado Family Dude Ranch, reaping the rewards of her environment. Children who visit 4UR get a taste of what Kylee and her siblings experience every day. They have thrilling experiences, they gain confidence, they make friends and they have fun. As parents, what more can we want?

Some of our guests have visited our Family Dude Ranch yearly for more than 30 (even 40) years. Some came here as children with their parents and grandparents, and they return as adults, eager to share 4UR with their own children. We’ve been known to have three generations at the ranch at one time. It seems a rare and beautiful thing these days.

Reunions may have many faces. Sometimes families meet here, parents and grown children arriving from the four corners of the country. Sometimes siblings come, bringing their children so the cousins will share incredible experiences here. Sometimes old friends come together for a few days of fishing, horseback riding, and good meals.

Then there are reunions of guests who met at our Colorado Guest Ranch, people who end up staying here the same time each year. They become friends thanks to their many shared experiences here: horseback rides to cookouts of steak and wine, good days fishing Goose Creek, cheering on their children during the Kids Rodeo. These people didn’t know each other before fate brought them to 4UR, and they end up great friends. It’s wonderful to witness.

We are honored to have so many guests return year after year. They become part of our extended family. We invite you to be a part of our family, too.

Kids arrive with their families, excited to be here and curious about what the time at our Colorado Family Guest Ranch will be like. By the end of the first day most have tried a new activity and made new friends. They have overcome obstacles and gained confidence.

See for yourselves.