Why I'll Never Turn Down a Visit to Rancho La Puerta
Updated: Oct 15
A week at the Ranch: Tecate, Baja California, Mexico.
Rancho La Puerta is one of the most amazing places I have ever been. I've gone back more than once, and I will never, ever turn down an opportunity to go again. Here's why.
A world of its own
The Ranch is a farm-to-table, organic, top-tier resort, and it is completely self-contained. You never have to leave the property. It sits at the foot of Mount Kuchumaa outside Tecate, about an hour from San Diego, and it has been welcoming guests since 1940, long before "wellness travel" was a phrase anyone used.
The farm-to-table part is real. You can tour the farm with the farmers themselves, people who have been tending this soil for more than twenty years, and then sit down to a meal made from what you just walked past.
When you arrive, you get a folder with everything you need for the week: the spa menu, the full list of classes offered every day, and a map of the property.
Hikes for every level, led by people who know every trail
There are numerous hikes right on the property, built for different skill levels, and they are led by guides. Some are wilderness certified. Others are the Ranch's outreach specialists: guests who have visited more than ten times and gone through training to learn the entire history of the place.
Walking with someone who knows every story behind the trail you're on is a very different experience from following a map.
I started every single morning with a hike, and I never missed one. Go early, especially in the summer months when it gets very hot.
The food, and the table
The food is incredible, and wildly healthy. It's mostly vegetarian, but there are protein options for people who want them, and every meal is included. The kitchen staff are super attuned to food allergies, and there is medical staff on site in case anyone ever has an emergency, which is a real comfort when you're traveling with allergies. Also, If you are just too activity driven to make dinner, they will send a dinner tray to your room.
You can sit with only your own party, or you can sit with strangers, family style. Do the second, at least some of the time. You get to meet and talk with people from incredibly different backgrounds, and honestly, that was one of the most interesting parts of the trip. It's what keeps me coming back. I have met some of the most remarkable people of my life at those tables.
And you can take some of it home. I brought home a hand painted mug and The Ranch's cookbook, a way to capture a little Rancho La Puerta goodness in your own kitchen. My favorite is the green juice recipe, and every cup of tea in the hand painted mug brings the peace rushing back.
Something for every hour of the day
The facilities are incredible. Everything you could want to do is here:
In the water: water aerobics and water therapy
On the move: guided hikes, walks and runs, tennis, pickleball and the gym
Mind and body: Pilates, yoga, Gyrokinesis, sound healing, chakra aligning and a labyrinth to walk
Food: cooking classes, nutrition services and farm tours with the Ranch's longtime farmers
My favorite? Water aerobics. Men and women in the pool, breathless and bouncing around like children, laughing at our own silliness, and getting a genuinely good cardio and strength workout at the same time. In my opinion, it's absolutely one of the best ways to spend an hour.
Then there are the guest speakers, on everything from motivation and menopause to food as medicine and music as healing. In the evenings, the Ranch brings in musicians and singers, so the days end with music instead of a screen.
And here's the best part: the whole menu is yours for the taking. There's no pressure to participate, and no judgment if you don't. You can fill every hour, or do almost nothing at all. Both are the right way to do the Ranch.
Unplugged, mostly
The Ranch gently encourages you to disconnect. There are no TVs in the rooms, and they even give you a little drawstring bag for your phone, a reminder to turn it off, keep it closed and stay silent as much as possible. The whole point is to immerse yourself in nature.
That said, some rooms and villas do have Wi-Fi. I had to work during one of my stays, and being able to plan my day around the full schedule, joining the classes and hikes I wanted and working during a few of the hours in between, was a game changer. You don't have to choose between a week at the Ranch and keeping up with real life.
The best spa I've been to, anywhere
The spa is absolutely first class. In terms of service quality, it is literally the best spa I have been to worldwide. The therapists are tuned into what you say you want, and they ask for feedback and make adjustments throughout the treatment, not just at the end.
Gabby, in particular, is an incredible massage therapist, and she is always learning and refining her skills. The last time I was there, she told me she was heading to Thailand to train in Thai massage. That kind of dedication is exactly what you feel on the table.
A staff that feels like family
You feel it everywhere: the staff are like family to one another. Many of them literally are. There are several generations working at the Ranch, mothers and fathers alongside their sons and daughters. That kind of continuity is rare anywhere, and it's a big part of why the place feels so warm and so cared for.
How it feels at the end of the week
By the time my week was done, I had lost weight and I had never felt so relaxed. The knots that had lived in my shoulders for years had completely dissolved. I don't know another place that does that in seven days.
Good to know
Plan for a full week. Most guests stay Saturday to Saturday, and the week is when the real change happens.
Read your welcome folder the first night. The class list, spa menu and map make it easy to plan your week, and to catch the guest speakers you don't want to miss.
Do as much or as little as you like. Nobody keeps score.
Try the water aerobics, even if you think it isn't for you. It will be the most fun hour of your day.
Need to work? Ask for a room or villa with Wi-Fi when you book. Otherwise, embrace the drawstring bag.
Pack light. There's self-service laundry on the property, so a few sets of workout clothes go a long way.
Share any food allergies when you book and again when you arrive. The kitchen takes them seriously, and there's medical staff on site.
Getting there. I took a private car from Los Angeles to the border crossing at Tecate. A Rancho La Puerta representative met me there, walked me through the crossing and took me to the Ranch's shuttle, which goes straight to the resort in about 15 minutes. Flying into San Diego is a good alternative.
Bring your passport and do Mexico's tourist permit (FMM) online before you go, so the land crossing is simple.
Sit with strangers. The communal tables are half the magic.
Take the farm tour. Hearing the farmers talk about the land changes how every meal tastes.
Bring a cookbook home. Start with the green juice.
Book your spa time ahead of your visit, and tell your therapist exactly what you want. They will listen.
Hike first thing. Mornings are the best time on the trails, and in summer they're the only comfortable time. Pack real hiking shoes.
Ready for a week that resets everything? Touchpoint Travel can plan your stay at Rancho La Puerta, from the right week and room to getting you there and back. Start planning your trip.
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