A Mom’s Guide to The Christmas Ranch

1
The post is part of a sponsored relationship between The Christmas Ranch and Cincinnati Moms Blog. We are thrilled to be able to help spread the word about one of our team's favorite holiday events.

ranch2Have you been to The Christmas Ranch? 

The Christmas Ranch is one of those local treasures that helps make Cincinnati such an amazing place to live. Founded by a local couple, who combined their love for Christmas with a love for community, The Christmas Ranch fulfilled a life long dream of creating a place where children and their families could come to share the spirit of Christmas and enjoy the magic of the lights that was closer than the North Pole.
 
If you and your family have not experienced the magic of The Christmas Ranch, add it to your 2016 holiday bucket… we promise you won’t regret it.
 
(Insider tip:: Plan your visit for a weekday. Going Monday-Thursday will minimize your wait to get in as well as give you a smaller crowd to navigate through as you take in all they have to offer.)

What makes The Christmas Ranch special?

  • It’s family owned and family run. This family absolutely loves Christmas, Cincinnati and Christmas in Cincinnati. And we love them for it.
ranch7
Say hi to Debbie and Mike!
  • This is a one-of-a-kind experience. It’s not JUST lights (although the lights are amazing.) You can take in the lights, visit with Santa, socialize around the (seriously gigantic) bonfire, send the kids on a train ride, reflect on the Nativity Scene and even do a little Christmas shopping. There are 6 shops on site with everything from holiday decorations to toys to baked goods to candles and more! They really weren’t kidding when they said the goal was to bring the North Pole to Cincinnati as it truly does feel that way when you are there.
ranch3

Tips to make your experience the most magical it can be!

(From One Mom to Another)

  • GO ON A WEEK DAY! We can’t say this enough. Weekends are epically more crowded everywhere you go and The Christmas Ranch is no exception. Plan your trip for a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday and have a much more kid-friendly, meltdown-avoiding time. (It’s also $5 cheaper to go on a weekday.)
  • Wear boots. This is a WALKING lights tour and it’s not paved. You will be walking on gravel, grass and even dirt. Prepare for this.
  • Make everyone go potty before you leave the house. They do have port-o-potties, but most moms we know would do just about anything to avoid cramming into one of those with one or more children who are doing the potty dance. 
  • ranch6Bring money for the Reindeer Express. There is an additional $4 fee to ride the train (children 3 and under are free) as well as a $4 fee to ride the Snow Wagon. We promise your kids will beg you to ride that train and the wagon ride is solid family fun, so you will want to have some cash on hand for these.
  • Set aside some time to get those annual pictures with Santa. Because. (Santa pictures are an additional cost, so do keep that in mind.)
  • It can get dark. This seems ridiculous given that it’s a holiday lights show, but it’s surprisingly true. There are portions of the ranch where the lights are not as abundant and because they obviously don’t have additional lighting on to take away from the displays, it can be dark enough that it can get challenging to keep tabs on those unruly little ones among the festive crowds. Make sure you keep the parent-child ratio in mind when you head out so everyone stays together and safe!

ranchHave we convinced you to go yet? Excellent!

Here is what else you need to know.

  • They open for the season, the day after Thanksgiving.
  • Simple food options and hot chocolate are available on site for purchase.
  • Cost for Admission is by car. Monday-Thursday $15 per car (Go on a weekday and save enough to pay for a train ride!); Friday-Sunday $20 per car
  • Hours of Operation: Sunday-Thursday 5p-9p; Friday & Saturday 5p-10p

We hope to see you this holiday season, taking in the magic of The Christmas Ranch. If you go, tag Cincinnati Moms Blog on Instagram and use the hashtag #thechristmasranch so we can see your pictures! And don’t forget you can always follow The Christmas Ranch Facebook page as well. Happy Holidays!

ranch4

1 COMMENT

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here