For those of us who live in the big city, our lives are spent commuting from one place to another. Stuck in gridiron traffic, surrounded by exhaust fumes and beeping horns. Vacations are supposed to help get us away from all of the hustle and bustle, but sometimes they just add to it in the form of flight schedules, hotel accommodations and jam-packed itineraries. So how do we break away, and in doing so, get away from it all?

There is still a place left in this country of ours where the pace of life is a little slower, the air a little cleaner, and all you have to do for adventure is get up in the morning. This place is the Wild West, and although you may have to deal with a little traffic getting out of the city, once you hit the open road, the only thing stopping you is the ocean on the left coast. Here are a few ideas to help you leave your worries behind, and set out across the American landscape in true road trip fashion.

Guest ranches have become a growing destination for vacationers looking to get away from the hustle of the city and experience the slow-paced lifestyle of the country. Families are particularly attracted to ranches as they usually offer a variety of activities to see and do for the young and old alike, as well as providing learning opportunities. Guest ranches vary from place to place. Some offer guests the ability to participate in daily chores, some have activities arranged ahead of time such as hayrides, while others are strictly for leisure and allow you to just soak up the outdoors and go at your own pace.

The Double S Ranch in East Texas is molded after the latter. They welcome visitors to spend their vacation the way they want and to appreciate all of the amenities and natural wonders the ranch has to offer. The Double S Ranch sits on 800 acres of secluded land nestled within the Piney Woods of East Texas. The ranch is a working cutting horse ranch specializing in the breeding, training and cutting of both Paint and Quarter Horses. The ranch belongs to several professional associations including the National Cutting Horse Association, American Cutting Horse Association, American Paint Horse Association, and the American Quarter Horse Association. The ranch has produced several prize-winning horses. In addition to raising horses, livestock such as cows, mules and guinneas are also bred at the ranch.

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