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Step 1
Decide where your family wants to go. Sit down as a group and do a quick survey of where the members want to go and what they really want to do and see. It may be best to go to one town like Bozeman, Montana or Jackson, Wyoming and take trips from there. However, by staying in town, you'll miss the ranch and part of the Western experience. If your family is adventurous, stay at a ranch and visit the nearby town on days you don't go riding or rafting or hiking. Usually there are variety of activities at most ranches, so you can hang out at the ranch if you don't want to go riding or fishing or with the rest of the family one day.
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Step 2
Determine what kind of ranch experience appeals to your family. A dude ranch is usually set up for family activities and caters more towards people who've never been to a ranch before. A working ranch is primarily a cattle or horse ranch that opens up for the summer or fall season and has guests join in their activities. They may have to move cattle or horses to different pastures, brand animals, round up herds and bring them into the main ranch area. Usually guests are welcome to watch or participate whenever they want.
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Step 3
Do you want to try fly fishing, horseback riding or trail hiking? Generally there are plenty of activities to accommodate each member of the family. Main lodges usually have fireplaces and plenty of books to cuddle up with on rainy days. Many ranches have rides and activities just for kids and teenagers led by experienced wranglers who'll watch out for the kids for a while. If you want to go fly fishing there are usually guides in town or at the ranch available by the day or half day to show you the good streams.
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Step 4
Read up on Western history. Watch a movie or read a book as a family to get a historical background on the area you're visiting. One member could research the geological background, another ranching history and general history of the Western state or location your family decides to visit. Make it fun. Knowing the background of a state or area you're going to visit makes the trip more interesting, makes your family less "touristy" and adds more context to the trip. Visit an art museum that features local art done by a Western artist.
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Step 5
Take risks. Try something different. Go horseback riding for a day just to check out a mountain lake and have a picnic. Take a day with your daughter and teach her to fish. Hike up to the Continental Divide just to see what's over the other side or to see the mountain goats and sheep that live there. Maybe you'll get to hear a moose bugle or a hawk scream, or see a black bear and her three cubs in a tree.
