Guest Ranch

Startup Costs: $10,000 - $50,000
Home Based: Can be operated from home.
Franchises Available? No
Online Operation? No

Guest or dude ranches have become an extremely popular vacation destination for thousands of North Americans every year. While starting a guest ranch is a labor and capital intensive business undertaking, there are also numerous benefits, such as a rewarding lifestyle, great income potential, and strong consumer demand. The most popular guest ranches include services and activities such as horseback riding, outdoor barbecues, and sporting activities, such as swimming, mountain bike trail riding, and tennis. Advertising, promoting, and marketing this sort of travel business is best accomplished by utilizing all of the traditional advertising and marketing mediums. Once the business has been established, many guests will become repeat clients as well as generate word-of-mouth referrals for the ranch. The profit potential will greatly vary as to the operating format of the ranch, and the services provided. However, current guest ranch accommodation rates start at $700 per week per person, and can go as high as $2,000 per week per person depending on the vacation package.

Guest Ranch Ideas

Skateboard Park

With skateboarding and in-line skating being two of America's favorite pastimes, a skatepark can roll up some good profits.

Cigar Sales

This hot business is so specialized, it'll have you smokin' out profits in no time.

Bicycle Courier Service

Peddle up profits with a bicycle courier service.

More from Business Ideas

Growing a Business

At 24, She Was Fired From Her Advertising Job. Then an 'Incredibly Important' Mindset Helped Her Build a Multimillion-Dollar Business.

Melissa Ben-Ishay's brother Brian Bushell encouraged her to follow her passion — and it led to major success.

Business Culture

Love Doesn't Have to be Tough — 3 Things to Do to Keep Harmony in Your Family-Owned Business

Family matters. So does being intentional in the workplace.

Starting a Business

He Had $75 When He Immigrated to the U.S. as a Refugee. Then He Started a Business — and Grew It to $1.2 Billion.

Payam Zamani, founder, chairman and CEO of private equity firm One Planet Group, faced numerous challenges as an immigrant entrepreneur, but none of them deterred him from his vision.