Tanque Verde Ranch

My wife and I visited Tanque Verde Ranch between 1/30 and 2/1/26. Temperatures in Michigan were subzero at the time of our departure, so the 65 and above weather in Tucson was a welcoming gift in and of itself. We stayed in a Desert Garden villa nearby the main lodge, which I'd classify as having a desert modernism style - it was very comfortable and much bigger than I had expected - two big rooms and a bath - a wood burning fire place in each room. Having the fire lit in the cool evening (by kind staff) really made the room feel homey. There are daily activities including horseback riding, biking, plenty of hiking trails, fishing, axe throwing, and many others. They provide an activity calendar of the days events. Out reservation did not include all activities, as we tend to like to just go off on our own exploring. Know that each activity will have each own cost. Each are quite an additional cost, so it may make sense for you to include that with your stay. I'd highly recommend the morning cactus walk. Both my wife and I really enjoyed this. Our guide, Jeff, was VERY knowledgeable about all the different plant life and animals. We learned about the Javelina, edible barrel cactus fruit, tons about the saguaro, and the unique smell of the creosote bush. Being from the cold northeast, this was a nice, relaxing morning walk. We loved seeing the ranch from high above at Scott's Knob. The ranch is within a comfortable walking distance to Saguaro National Park - Douglas Spring Trail, though we did not go there, I saw many cars. I'd never visited the Southwest, so for me this was an amazing oasis just to be present in. The trip dates coincided with the staff of Nickelodeon's Hey Dude (late 80s early 90s show) being onsite - which added to the alure for us. My suggested eatery outside of Ranch: Guadalajara's Mexican Grill (Prince Rd, Tucson) There is dining onsite at Carrillo Restaurant. We do want to go back - but I think it would take some incentive strictly due to the cost and trip distance. You can pretty much expect any activity or dinner on the ranch to run you $50+ per person.

What a lovely place! A beautiful location next to Saguaro National Park, with a myriad of activities. Spacious rooms and the friendliest service you will ever experience.

Beautiful rooms and the most amazing outdoor setting. My friend and I were there for an art retreat and everything about Tanque Verde was on point! Caring staff, great food & you can't beat the views. I can't wait to return! ***** 5 star review :)

If you're looking for a Resort experience with some Ranch activities then this will likely be a nice experience for you. If you're looking for a Ranch experience with Resort amenities then there are likely better options. If you go here looking for a Ranch experience but have never been to another ranch then it will also likely be a nice experience. Like if you grow up in an area where the best pizza is Pizza Hut, you'll be happy with that and all is well. But if you are from Chicago, New York, or Detroit then you will have more elevated opinions on pizza and will rarely go to Pizza Hut. There are simply better Ranch experiences available (in Tucson too). But again, if Resort forward is what you prefer then you'll appreciate TVR. The landscaping was grand and beautiful with a wide variety of desert plants. We saw a roadrunner frolicking through the grounds. They also have an area with a hummingbird feeder that frequently had multiple hummingbirds flitting around. We stayed in two different rooms. They were very clean and spacious (including the bathrooms). One had a wood burning fireplace, which sounds nice but there was a constant smell of soot & ash with each breath, which isn't appealing to me especially when sleeping. The dining is a restaurant type experience (vs a more typical ranch experience that is more focused on being warm, communal, and still with good food) . They prefer guests to make reservations on OpenTable for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (vs a window of time for dining). The food was decent and dependable quality (except for the difficult to manage wilted lettuce in the salad bar). The saloon was nice. The bartender was very friendly. They have a couple TVs so you don't miss your hometown sports teams. The sunset from the saloon balcony was spectacular! We didn't do any of the spa activities but guests we talked to said they enjoyed the spa. The outdoor pool was very nice and has a small waterfall. They also have an indoor pool and a hot tub, which we didn't use. Two other "gotchas" or at least things to be prepared for are tipping and all-inclusive isn't actually all-inclusive. They have a tipping culture, like many resorts, so I felt like I was constantly handing out cash. The signs by the horse corral suggests tipping the wranglers. Often there were two wranglers on a ride so it was hard to know who to give it to and if they shared tips or not. Also, some of the activities, including some of the horse rides, cost extra even if you're on the all-inclusive plan. Regarding the horseback riding, at TVR the wranglers like horses and the horses seem well taken care of (but maybe a little older). They are also generally pleasant on the rides. In my experience, there is another level at other ranches where the wranglers love horses and thoroughly enjoy helping guests love horses too. At TVR the wranglers are far less into the western vibe with shirts and hats, and their tenure is much shorter than other ranches I've been to. It's more of a culture component that wouldn't be apparent for someone who hasn't been to other ranches so it might not be relevant to someone's enjoyment. Also, TVR is very particular about who they allow on their lope rides. Most are not allowed (based on how many test vs pass). A guest told me about a couple that loped all week at another ranch but then TVR wouldn't pass them on their lope check so they checked out a couple days early. Of course horseback riding has risks (which is why you sign a waiver) but it feels like TVR wants you to drive 35 in 55 MPH speed limit zone. If you only want to walk on the rides then this won't be a concern at all. The trails are beautiful (and we saw a bobcat and coyote). TVR seems consistently booked out so they are doing quite well with who they are as a Resort. We talked with many who say they go to TVR every year and love it because of the Resort aspects. But if you're looking for more of a Ranch forward experience then you likely want to look at others. We prefer the more authentic Ranch experience so we will not be going back.

We had an amazing family trip after Christmas here with our 19-22 year old sons and their girlfriends. I'm so glad we found this place and hope to come back again some time in the future. We made great memories.