River Ranch Named Nation's "Best Glamping Spot" in USA Today Readers Poll

Westgate River Ranch, just east of Lake Wales, was named the No. 1 Glamping Spot in the nation in the annual USA Today 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards.

The largest dude ranch East of the Mississippi River, Westgate River Ranch is rooted in the history of the nation's first cowboys and lies on 1,700 lush acres in the heart of Florida's cattle lands. The location offers cowboy-themed accommodations ranging from tent camping and a lodge to luxurious two-bedroom cabins, Glamping tents and Luxe Teepees. Luxe Conestoga Wagons and Signature Glamping tents were added in 2021.

Recreational activities include horseback riding, airboat and swamp buggy rides, zip-lining, swimming, golf, a petting farm, nature hikes, trap and skeet shooting, a mechanical bull, hayrides, cookouts, and a full-service marina complete with boating and fishing. The resort also features an award-winning Saturday night rodeo, showcasing trick riding, bull riding and barrel racing in a 1,200-seat rodeo arena – and the River Ranch Saloon that opens for dancing after the rodeo.

Glamping, or "glamorous camping," has received a lot of attention in recent years. This form of campground lodging combines the minimalistic nature of camping with modern amenities and creature comforts. The list includes the top 10 glamping spots and offers some of the best locations and amenities in the United States, topped by Westgate River Ranch.

USA Today's 10 Best Readers' Choice Awards highlight the best of the best in contests covering categories such as destinations, food and drink, hotels, and things to do. Nominees in all categories are submitted by a panel of experts. The final set of nominees is selected by 10 Best editors before being presented to the public. Readers can vote once per category, per day.

New contests are launched every Monday at noon. After four weeks of voting, each contest closes, with the winners announced the following Friday.