If you are looking for a way to get away from it all, you just might want to set your sights on Mason, Texas. It’s a town only four hours northwest of Houston and well worth the trip.
You can kick up your feet and relax at the Red Sands Ranch. It’s a great place to be with your family or to host an event for your business. The hill country offers spectacular views and the private ranch resort is located on the Llano River.
John Gilbert owns the ranch and he retired in 2001 from his Austin-based software company. Before long, he went to Mason to purchase land.
“It started as dry land. Then we built cabins, a tennis court and it just went from there,” Gilbert told ABC News.
There are six cabins: The Fish Camp, Lorenz House, Riverside Cottage, Sunday House, Sunday Loft, and the Bunkhouse.
With room for 35 people to sleep, you can even host a family reunion! Both young and old alike will love the four-story waterslide that is enclosed. There is also a full-court basketball court, tennis court, hot tub, and game room.
If you are there for the nightlife, you might want to check out the party shed with a pool table, ping pong table and LED TV.
Take things to the next level with a walk down the path to the river, put down your lounge chairs or try tubing on the rapids.
There is plenty of wildlife in the area and you can expect to see deer, turkey, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, roadrunners and eagles.
On the weekends, you may run into Gilbert and his family in the spring and summer. They also like to spend holidays on the ranch but for the most part, guests booked the ranch for the rest of the year.
ABC13 asked if he had thought about selling Red Sands Ranch. Gilbert says it was built and he always expected it to stay in the family.
“It would have to be a crazy good offer,” Gilbert said.
The ranch is listed for $1650 per night with a minimum of 2-5 night stay on HomeAway.