This review recaps my family's experience at Blue Ridge Ranch over Father's Day weekend 2025.
TLDR:
I can take a joke as good as the next person, but in a public setting, among strangers, there is a certain level of social behavior that is right and wrong. Our experience was damped by the behavior of the owner during our visit. Gorgeous atmosphere, inappropriate leader.
Full story:
I've spent this week deliberating how much detail to go into and for the sake of attention span, I'll keep it brief. During small talk, the owner made a few statements that revealed his true nature. There were multiple witnesses to the comments I'm going to share. I have no reason to fabricate or do harm to his business, however the nature of the comments is something that I would want to know as a mother considering where to send my kids for camp.
The following statements were part of his conversation with our group during our stay:
- "Daddy done good, brother." (Referring to my sister and I)
- (after mentioning celebrating my father) "Forget mariachi, I'm talking poles!", "I've got you strippers coming"
- My mother mentioned her cancer battle, he says "You know what heals that?" And leans into golf cart for a hug. He looks at my father and says, "You better be careful, I'm going to steal her from you."
- Following ranch "tour", the children were in the camp store buying fun things to remember the ranch. The owner says to my 13 year old niece, "Do you trust me? Would you do anything I ask you to do?" He was referring to an assignment in exchange for a discounted stay at the ranch. However this line of questioning to a child, was 100% inappropriate and left my niece in tears from the discomfort she felt after the exchange.
- After a power outage, the owner comes by on a golf cart. My parents require power for health reasons and solutions were being explored. At one point, the owner looks at my father and says, "Well, she can come sleep with me."
After this final statement, my sister made it perfectly clear that given his inappropriate interactions with our father and others in our family, we would leave in the morning and not return.
Again, I get that horseplay and humor have their place, however it's my opinion that an owner reflects the organization. His reflection on this ranch was telling. The claim is that this is a Christian camp and even hosts the non profit, Hope for His Children. As someone who works in the world of grant funding to non profits, I have a pretty good sniffer for authenticity. My grandaddy would likely say, "This don't pass the smell test." read more
