Each week at the Ranch offers a unique experience.

Our Specialty Weeks are week-long health and fitness programs held in addition to regular classes. Visiting instructors (the finest in their fields) are dedicated to enriching your mind/body/spirit experience.

Special Presentations include evening events, guest lecturers, arts and crafts classes, workshops, concerts and more. Some of the individuals who have graced our podium and/or led workshops include Dean Ornish, Larry Dossey, Jean Achterberg, Molly Ivins, Gail Sheehy, Graham Spanier, Amory Lovins, Erica Jong, Naomi Wolf, Madeleine Albright, Steve Thomas, Jane Fonda, Pepper Schwartz, Beverly Whipple, Ruth Westheimer, Mona Golabek, Roger Ebert, Arianna Huffington, Linda Wertheimer, Sandra Day O’Connor, Ken Dychtwald, Robert Butler, Bill Moyers, Larry Grobel, Dan Wakefield, Marion Nestle, Marion Burros, Alice Waters, Max Frankl, Swami Veda, Henry Louis Gates, Jr., and Clodagh. Each week brings someone new and exciting, a tradition dating well back to the early days of the Ranch—a time best-known for the lectures of the late Professor Edmond Szekely, and the frequent visits of author/philosopher Aldous Huxley. Our special programs are free of charge (but some classes, such as "Paint an Alebrije," have a small materials charge), and we encourage you to enjoy as many as possible during your stay.

Click on the dates below to see detailed information regarding each week's theme and special presenters. Please note that the information and schedules are subject to change (although this is rare) without notice. Although many of our guest presenters spend an entire week with us, those with busy schedules may come only briefly. In order not to miss a presentation that is important to you, check the weekly events calendar as soon as you arrive. In addition to our guest presenters, Ranch co-founder Deborah Szekely gives an inspiring evening talk each week (schedule permitting) followed by a question and answer period. These warm and informal talks take place almost every week, and are a mix of philosophy, history, and inspiring observations on how to live the “longer healthier life.”