RIVER RANCH, FL--(Marketwired - Apr 28, 2014) - Westgate River Ranch is offering a weekend getaway specifically designed for runners and their families to celebrate the resort's first-ever Run the Ranch 5K. Run the Ranch weekend, May 16 to 18, offers runners a chance to break out of their typical fitness routine, while providing cowboy-themed activities for the whole family. Weekend packages include a 5K through Old Florida's cowboy country, a post-race party and access to a multitude of activities and amenities.
In the inaugural Run the Ranch 5K, Saturday, May 17, runners will pass the Kissimmee River, horse stables, fields of grazing buffalo and long-horn cattle through a portion of the ranch's 1,700 acres; the same land where Florida's first cowboys roamed. After the race, activities like the mechanical bull and the petting farm's barnyard animals will take center stage during a party at Adventure Park for runners and their families.
Run the Ranch weekend packages start at $249 per night and feature pre-registration for one adult to Run the Ranch 5K, a stay in cowboy-themed accommodations, two tickets to the Saturday night championship rodeo and an airboat or swamp buggy ride for two. Throughout the weekend, families can enjoy a multitude of recreational activities at Westgate River Ranch, including horseback riding, golf, nature hikes, trap and skeet shooting, hayrides, cookouts and a full-service marina complete with boating and fishing.
Runner check-in begins at the River Ranch Saloon on May 17 at 7:30 a.m. The race begins at 9 a.m. The first 250 runners to register will receive a commemorative Run the Ranch 5K shirt.
Awards will be given to the top three race finishers. The overall first-place winner will receive a three-day, two-night weekend stay at any Westgate resort across the United States. The overall second-place winner will receive a three-day, two-night stay at Westgate River Ranch, including two tickets to the award-winning Rodeo. The overall third-place winner will receive their choice of either a $50 gift certificate to the Smokehouse Grill at Westgate River Ranch or to Westgate's Serenity Spa in Orlando.
For more information about a Run the Ranch weekend getaway, or to register for Run the Ranch 5K, visit www.runtheranch5k.com, or call (863) 692-1321.
Westgate River Ranch is located approximately 90 miles southeast of Tampa and 80 miles south of Orlando.
About Westgate River Ranch
Rooted in the history of the nation's first cowboys, Westgate River Ranch lies on 1,700 lush acres in the heart of Florida's cattle lands and is surrounded by approximately 400,000 acres of state and federally protected wetlands. The ranch offers Florida cowboy-themed accommodations, ranging from campgrounds to glamping (glamour+camping); tents to two-bedroom cabins. Westgate River Ranch boasts a multitude of recreational activities, including horseback riding, swimming, golf, a petting farm, nature hikes, trap and skeet shooting, hayrides, cookouts and a full-service marina complete with boating, and fishing, and airboat and swamp buggy rides. Westgate River Ranch also features a 5,000-foot paved and lighted runway, award-winning Smokehouse Grill, River Ranch Saloon and the longest-running Saturday night championship rodeo in the United States, featuring trick riding, bull riding, calf roping and barrel racing at a 1,200-seat rodeo arena. A herd of grazing buffalo and Watusi cattle (known for their long, distinctive horns) makes its home at Westgate River Ranch. For more information, please visit www.wgriverranch.com or call (863) 692-1321.
About Westgate Resorts
Founded in 1982 by David A. Siegel, Westgate Resorts is one of the largest resort developers in the United States. Westgate features 27 themed destination resorts with over 10,500 luxury villas in premier locations throughout the United States such as Orlando, Florida; Park City, Utah; Las Vegas, Nevada; Gatlinburg, Tennessee; Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Williamsburg, Virginia; Miami, Florida; Branson, Missouri; Mesa, Arizona; and Tunica, Mississippi. Most Westgate Resorts locations feature a variety of unique restaurant, retail and spa concepts, including Drafts Sports Bar & Grill, Westgate Smokehouse Grill, Edge Steakhouse, Westgate Marketplace & Deli, and Serenity Spa by Westgate. For more information about Westgate Resorts, visit www.westgateresorts.com.