Rent one of Dixie Dude Ranch’s rooms or cabins, and you’ll enjoy the beautiful scenery of the Texas Hill Country and all the activities it has to offer. Whether you just want to sit on the porch with a cool drink, ride a horse, play games,, hike, dance, go along for an old-fashioned hay ride, or fish (It’s all catch-and-release at Dixie Dude Ranch, but don’t worry, they’ll feed you so there’s no need to catch your own supper.) Dixie Dude Ranch is your destination for a good cowboy time. At Dixie Dude Ranch, you can even get massages ranging from $8 to $85. Remember, though, you have to book 24 hours in advance directly with the massage therapist. Plus, several times each year, they have Native American Purification Ceremonies. Visit dixieduderanch.com for details.
The accommodations at Dixie Dude Ranch include full maid service, and considering Dixie Dude Ranch is in Texas, where it stays 100 degrees all summer, the rooms are all air-conditioned and have their own bathrooms, too. Some rooms even have fireplaces if you’re planning a winter stay. If you stay at Dixie Dude Ranch, you have to do so for at least two nights. (There’s a three-night minimum stay during some holidays.)
As I mentioned earlier, Dixie Dude Ranch provides your meals during your stay, but they won’t feed you Sunday supper. (The cooks have to have a little time off to kick up their heels, don’t they?) But that’s OK for you, too, because it gives you a chance to wander into Bandera proper to sample the local cuisine (and if you come without the kids, a watering hole).
A Bandera original is the Old Spanish Trail café, located right on Main Street. The menu includes everything from hamburgers to Mexican food to good old Texas chicken fried steak with gravy. There’s also a salad bar for those watching their waistlines. Be sure to check out all the John Wayne memorabilia on the wall to the left as you enter “OST,” as the locals call it.
Another eatery is the restaurant inside the Cabaret “dance hall.” You can eat a steak and then do some country-and-western two-step dancing to burn off the calories if there is a show the night you go there.
If you’ve got a powerful thirst, don’t miss one of Bandera’s landmarks, the Silver Dollar Saloon owned by the local legend Arkey Blue. The Silver Dollar is also right on Main Street. Watch your step at the entrance, though, because you have to go down a flight of stairs to get into the bar, which is built on a hill. With all the sawdust on the floor, you’ll find it easy to do some boot scootin’, whether it is to the traditional country tunes coming out of the jukebox, or even better, if Arkey Blue and his band play some live music for you. Now, I warn you, there’s a reason Arkey has to own the bar he sings in. He’s not the best vocalist you’ve ever heard, but many of his songs’ lyrics are downright funny, and he gets respect just for being, well, Arkey. Be sure to request “Bandera Queen.” It’s, as they say, a real hoot.
The Dixie Dude Ranch in Bandera is a fun place to stay while you explore Bandera and the Texas Hill Country. Make your reservations today by calling (830) 796-7771 or (800) 375-YALL.