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sports courts. Rustic casitas, most with fireplaces, are furnished with Mexican furniture and comfortable beds, and are accented with colorful folk art. Rancho La Puerta offers 86 casitas ranging from studios for one to three guests to expansive, two-bedroom indoor-outdoor villas with private patios, dipping pools, outdoor showers, and day beds. "Our junior villa was rustic and cozy, with the sounds of chirping birds and gorgeous views of the natural landscape from every window," recalls my friend Sandra Maas. "e perfect way to get your Zen on." ere are no televisions or Wi-Fi in the rooms. e Ranch encourages guests to "unplug" during their stay, even providing small cloth bags to tuck away cell phones. Once settled, we attended orientation sessions to get our bearings and plan our stay, choosing from dozens of classes, lectures, and experiences including art and nature walks. At the beginning of the stay, the Ranch suggests reflecting on one's life, and affirming intensions and goals for the week. e next few days were packed with activities. We chose some classes together; at other times, we "divided and conquered." Our favorites were the morning hikes, which ranged from 1.2 miles to longer, more challenging routes. "I especially enjoyed the 5.5-mile Coyote hike starting at dawn and watching the sunrise as we traversed the trails up Mt. Kuchumaa," notes Maas. Adds our friend Suzy Westphal: "e mountain hikes are definitely worth the very early wake-up call just to experience the local mountains, flora, views, and sunrise." Lisa Fisher agrees, adding, "e 'oneness with nature' and a good exercise 'bump' lifts my day and starts me off with a feeling of accomplishment." Other classes which got high marks: yoga with Aman Keays, a veteran guest instructor who spent time emphasizing proper TOP LEFT Guests plucked — and tasted — produce from Rancho La Puerta's bountiful garden prior to the interactive cooking class with Guest Chef Janina Garay (third from right) and Executive Chef Reyna Venegas (far right) TOP RIGHT Walking paths wind through acres of lush gardens and groves BOTTOM LEFT A popular class is aerial yoga, in which guests, wrapped in silky "cocoons" suspended from the ceiling, are guided through gentle yoga poses BOTTOM CENTER Suzy Westphal and Sandra Maas at The Spiral reflexology pathway designed to release tension and improve balance BOTTOM RIGHT The boxing class was not only a challenging exercise but a great way to deal with stress ALL OTHER PHOTOGRAPHY BY ANDREA NAVERSEN >> @ranchandcoast RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE MAY 2024 63