About the Ranch

There is no better place to understand Reagan’s principles, and his practical, down-to-earth manner, than at Rancho del Cielo, the “Ranch in the Sky.” A much needed counterpoint to the constant buzz of Washington, D.C., Rancho del Cielo conveys the true spirit of Reagan. If you want to understand Ronald Reagan, says former First Lady Nancy Reagan, then go to the Ranch.

Just as Monticello and Mount Vernon convey the distinctive personalities of Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, Rancho del Cielo uniquely communicates much about Ronald Reagan that could not be readily gleaned from other sources. The very essence of his character is found here at the Ranch—his humility, his idealism, his diligence and hard work. Since Reagan built much of the Ranch himself, The Washington Post called it the “place to see the hand of the man” and “a true national treasure.”

“From the first day we saw it, Rancho del Cielo cast a spell over us. No place before or since has ever given Nancy and me the joy and serenity it does.”

The Reagans purchased the 688-acre ranch in 1974, shortly before Reagan completed his second term as governor of California. The Ranch, overlooking the Santa Ynez Valley and the Pacific Ocean, reflects the endless vistas of freedom and possibility that Reagan considered the fundamental elements of the American experience. At the same time, the Reagans viewed the Ranch as a private retreat—a haven from the frenzy of public life. There, in a setting both rugged and pastoral, they could spend time alone or with family and friends.

Visitors to the Ranch have been deeply moved by the property. After a private tour, Pat Perrot of Northridge, California, wrote, “All five of us in our party have traveled widely throughout the world but none of us remember visiting any place that had such an enormous impact on our hearts and spirits as President Reagan’s beloved ranch. . . From the time [we] spotted his home nestled in that magnificent valley, we were overwhelmed by the sense of presence of that great man.”

Young America’s Foundation stepped forward to save President Reagan’s Western White House, Rancho del Cielo, in the spring of 1998 to preserve, protect, and utilize the Ranch as unique and impactful tool to pass on Ronald Reagan’s ideas and lasting accomplishments to future generations. President Reagan committed himself to reaching young people with conservative ideas—a goal that is also central to the Foundation’s mission.