Baja California camp rejuvenates mind, body, spirit
By Susan Felton, Special to the Town Crier
 Courtesy of Rancho la Puerta Hikers walk through flowering meadows at “the Ranch.” |
I arrived mid-afternoon sticky from travel and numb from work. I stumbled into the gazebo hammock and surveyed the verdant grounds. My head grew heavy and soon I was fast asleep. I was on my annual trip to Rancho la Puerta in Baja California and “the Ranch” was already working its magic on me.
Each August for my birthday, I visit the Ranch to rejuvenate, read, eat well and engage in myriad activities for an entire week. The combination of sumptuous surroundings, delicious food and intense physical activity recharges me. It is the summer camp I never had as a child and its restorative qualities never fail to send me home feeling lean, rested and peaceful.
The Ranch was founded in 1940 by two fruitarians named Edmond and Deborah Szekely. It is considered the first fitness resort and spa; we “regulars” consider it a Mecca. It sprawls across 3,000 acres of landscaped gardens and mossy meadows. Gracing its grounds are bronze sculptures by Zuniga and Castaneda. Above it stands Mount Kuchumaa, a 3,885-foot peak considered so sacred that the Department of the Interior named it a national historic site.
I keep returning to the Ranch for the activities. A bona fide movement-junkie, I fill each day of my week with tennis, weight lifting, hiking, water aerobics, yoga, pilates, volleyball and dance. I’m active for seven hours straight and end each day with a stretching/meditation class. There are over 300 fitness classes and clinics from which to choose every week and I always leave knowing I was unable to try everything on my list. The instructors come in all ethnicities, ages and sizes but share the qualities of remarkable professionalism and contagious enthusiasm.
The food draws me back every year. Hopelessly inept in the kitchen, chronically hungry and picky about every morsel I eat, I am a tough customer who finds pleasure at every Ranch meal. The Ranch serves vegetarian cuisine made from fresh produce and natural foods. The Ranch’s 5-acre farm, Rancho Tres Estrellas, grows organic vegetables, herbs and fruits that are used by the chefs. The menus vary from week to week and include numerous irresistible choices - homemade granola, chili pepper cheese pie, spinach lasagna and carrot cake.
Then there are the Ranch’s spa treatments. The hot stone massage, herbal wrap and aromatherapy facial are my favorite indulgences. Massage is a crucial part of the weekly schedule when the numerous fitness classes tighten my muscles. The manicure/pedicure at week’s end is done simply for the pampering. Nearly 50 therapists and aestheticians staff the two health centers to provide these personal services.
Accommodations consist of approximately 90 rooms built as singles, doubles, triplexes and quads. All are on ground level and include a sitting room, desk, refrigerator and safe. The cozy rooms open onto patios and gardens and are unique by virtue of their location and décor.
The Ranch experience is designed around a one-week stay. Most guests (150 per week) arrive on Saturday and leave the following Friday. This strategy builds camaraderie and maximizes the available health benefits. Rates are by the week and include food, lodging and classes. All spa treatments are priced individually and reasonably. Savings are available if you visit the Ranch in the summer. I budget $3,000 annually for the trip and usually come home with change.
While on my last trip to the Ranch, I compared the cost of groceries, home maintenance and workouts for one week in Los Altos to the cost of my week at the Ranch. Much to my surprise, it was cheaper to visit the Ranch than to stay home. I am thinking of moving there!
Susan Felton has lived in Los Altos Hills for three years. She has vacationed at the Ranch for 10 years. She is happily employed at the Town Crier.
