Peter T Yea

Felt unwelcome

My wife and son in law visited 8/30/20. We rode our motorcycles there. I have been there a few times previously. This time, the few people there seemed not so friendly. Not many places open. Seems like it would be a nostalgic place. I always thought of it as back in time. This time was different. Odd feeling. We may not visit in the future, but perhaps others may have a different experience. Upon leaving, did notice a gentleman coming our way with a rifle. Since no shooting is allowed in the town, it seemed kind of odd. Maybe ensuring our departure..
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Pros:
  • Laid back
  • Quiet
Cons:
  • Uncertain atmosphere

Preferred solution: Ensure others feel welcome.

Anonymous
map-marker New Hope, North Carolina

Most negative reviews are true.

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I live just over the mountain in TN, and have been going to LV 2-3x a year for 10years. Unfortunately, it gets worse every year. Most of the shops are closed, especially now with the sewer and water issues. The buildings all look, and probably are about to fall down. If you want something besides beer or iffy food, you have to drive to Statesville...even for cold sodas. If you do leave, make sure someone watches your campsite/trailer/horses...or they might not be there. The only good campground is Carusos, but it was bought out and I don't know the new name or if it's still good. The fights, idiots, and horse abuse do happen regularly...I've seen more than one horse die there. Due to the drunks and the *** it is Not family friendly...it never was. The trails get worse every year, with zero maintenance. The shacks that the "locals" live in and rent out are pretty much trash piles, which wouldn't matter if they weren't in full view of everything. I can't speak about the "racism" mainly because very few black people go there, so I never saw any problems. But, it is rural NC, not Chicago. To put it simply, I've been waiting for the state to step in and close it down for some time. It doesn't matter if the people are friendly, nor about the "novelty" of the place...Love Valley is now simply a dump. Last Halloween was my last trip to LV ever.
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Anonymous
map-marker Lumberton, North Carolina

Best place ever nice folks love the horses love the whole pl

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Best place ever cant wait to go back great camping love the whole place made new freinds thank u all so much loved the rodeo best hot dog ever got to pet horses so sweet
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Anonymous
map-marker Love Valley, North Carolina

***

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Creepiest darned place I ever set foot in. It’s a ghost town, no where to eat, barely anything was open and it didn’t feel very friendly. Not worth the visit unless you have a horse, since the trails are beautiful.
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Anonymous
map-marker Greensboro, North Carolina

Love Valley - Review in Travel category from Greensboro, North Carolina

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Loved it!!!! Still do and still keep going back! College graduate, born in a 3000 sq ft. brick home from very wealthy parents. Cowboys used outdoor plumbing, so check the hotel rating, like the Ritz Carlton, next time you go for the outdoor experience!
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1 comment
Guest

Who cares about your privileged background. Most of us don't.

3000 sf, what a small house. Just cause you think you think you came from money dont mean the place still dont stink.

They want 50 words on here and ZI dont want to keep adding anything negative. So now I am up to 48

Inali W
map-marker Greer, South Carolina

Big Let Down...

My first time in love valley was when I was 15 and we rented this old run into the ground horses that were sweet none the less. The man who owned them was a sweet guy too, but the horses were still short (boarding on pony) skinny, hardy little things and though I loved em I was worried about them carrying me. The ride on the trails was a BLAST I loved being able to just wonder around, explore and have a good time. There were some flat gorgeous field to do a nice canter in and that was great. The part I really disliked was the town itself and having no map. The people in the little "rustic" town were just flat unwelcoming. I know this is suppose to be a "authentic" experience but honestly all I got was a rude don't want to come back here vib and I will tell you that I Won't! Be going back to the saloon or any other the other places. Other riders were rude, had no understanding of common sense and most didn't pay a wit of attention to the common curtosies your suppose to show other riders. One group of riders was coming into town and had a young girl that was just starting to learn to ride with them. She had just had her first canter the week before and some A hold came flying between the group causing 2 horses in there group to scatter and for her horse to bolt. She was dropped into the dirt and nearly stepped on! Another time some *** let his horse back into another persons and started up a kicking frenzy. Others were dragging at there horses mouths while some were digging in with spurs worse the horses were bleeding. I was pretty horrified by this considering supposedly "a cowboys best friend is his horse". Later that night went to go walk in town and like I have seen other people post it was just too rowdy, we were thinking of bringing close to 60 4-H kids and parents up for the weekend from SC but that was shot down when we saw how the "nightlife" here was. I live in a pretty busy city here in SC but at least the clubs have bouncers and the small towns around us have sheriffs that give a heck! My second time at Love valley was when I turned 21 went back up for a weekend with my best friend and she found it as disturbing as I did. Took our own horses this time. My 23yr old TB nearly has his leg broke because some hot shot on a Stallion figured out too late that stallions are HEAD STRONG. My friend had a mare and we were between the stud and the mare! It was *** and scary. The welcome was no different, the night life was the same and I was just Let Down that something that should be FUN ended up being horrible and a waste of time and GAS! I am thinking of going back just one more time, I have read some reviews on google and another website that said the town has been "shaped up" but I will reserve my own judgement. If this last trip is as bad as the previous I am posting to every review site I can and writing to the county of Iredell, to the BBB and the State of NC's consumer group to let them know that love valley is a tragedy waiting to happen.
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5 comments
Guest

I go to love valley one to two times a year. I have never been disappointed I have always felt welcome.

When some people drink they act ***. It's not the bar owners fault that people can't handle themselves. Miss Linda at Jack's place has always been great to us. Police???

Really do you want a bunch of cops watching your every move? Its not a place I'll take my children but the place I'll continue to go back to for a fun filled get away. Go the chicken coop have a beer and relax. Listen to the guys play guitar.

Leave town and head back to camp by 9 o'clock then you probably miss all the fights. Put a smile on your face and maybe somebody will smile back

Guest

Unfortunately rental horses seem to have a lost spirit about them.

Guest

But that is the thing visitors or tourism is the name of the game and if tourist are in danger and the outside horses are it is a accident waiting to happen. And maybe the locals are friendly because you are one of them, but for us they weren't they were down right rude and unwelcoming.

But and this is a big but I tried a second time to see if maybe that was an off day and guess what after not going for a few years the welcome or lack there of was the same and so was the bad manners and dangerous night life.

Worse it kept us from bringing the 4-h and there is a difference between "spats" and just flat out fist fights and *** While love valley is a beautiful place I never want nor will go back and recommend others do not go as well. Both trips have left a bad taste in my mouth.

Guest

I live in the valley holidays such a party holidays yes we are very busy an yes there are gna be some dumb *** but our ppl are very family an friendliy ppl we have rodeos an every thing wen u come to the valley you are to expect it as it waould have been n western days yes there gona be a couple of spats but we know were we come from an so dose our horses, if u lived here ur horses know there way home but this is our home

Libni Pyj

I went two weekends this year and the first was a 3 day holiday weekend and the town and campgrounds were packed with horses and buggies. It was a disaster waiting to happen but I rented one of those super safe little rental horses and had a good time.

The second time was a 2 day weekend and there were about one tenth of the people.

It was very relaxing. Try a non holiday weekend.

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Anonymous
map-marker Hamptonville, North Carolina

People complain about Love Valley

I'd like to complain about people that complain about Love Valley, NC. Love Valley is an Old Western Town, it isn't suppose to be plush! It was Andy Barker's dream, and he built it over a half a century ago. There are good people that Love Love Valley. And I am one of them. There are those that have patronized The Valley for Decades!! Instead of trying to push your views on someone else, let them decide for themselves! Maybe it isn't for everyone, but if you don't like it, Take Your *** Somewhere else and ride!! You probably own some other riding facility, and are trying to steal their business!
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9 comments
Guest

We are headed up there tomorrow. We have never been to a place like this and can not wait to come look and ride. Any advise?

Guest

If y'all dont want to experience a taste of the old west then dont choose a place that is there to give you that experience.

Guest

I live in Charlotte and the only thing anyone knows about Love Valley is that if your black, you don't go to love valley (Im white btw). It takes some deep seeded racism for a town to get that kind of reputation in North Carolina ha ha. I am sure there are some good people there but the general consensus is that its a hateful town still stuck in the dark ages

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-722330

Then stay the *** out ignorant uneducated *** them weren't the dark ages were living in the dark ages now love valley is one of the last real towns of nc that's left.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-722330

I am new to Love Valley since the first of the year. I've yet to see racism.

What I have seen all people welcomed with open arms no matter what color or race they are.

So, I don't know where you get your information. It is a lie.

Guest

In response to the racist remark, I would liken the watermelon eating character to the same as the little grizzly old man moonshiner with the jug and corn cob pipe statues that are so popular in the souvenir shops in the mountains ....I get so sick of every dang thing being made racist.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-610406

So am I,, I think it is because ppl are scared of each other,, so instead of saying something logical the holler racisism,,,

Guest

Just so you people will know...lnaliwillow your comment was posted on 5/31/2010....you said you had a feeling Andy was rolling over in his grave. Andy didn't die until August 11, 2011!!

Andy Barker, founder of Love Valley, dies | Statesville Record ...

www2.statesville.com/.../andy-barker-founder-love-valley-dies-ar-12...

Guest

Andy Barker has done rolled out of his grave. All of you naysayers. He is alive

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Libni Pyj
map-marker Anderson, South Carolina

Miss Kitty's is so dirty that you should look for somewhere else to stay.

We stayed at Miss Kitty's in Love Valley and the place was filthy. It took me 45 minutes to scrub the tub/shower before I would use it. The floors were filthy and spider webs were behind every door. You pay top dollar for uncomfortable beds in dirty, dark, dingy rooms. There were bare wires exposed and plugs with no cover. In my opinion the place is a fire trap of old wood with a poor electrical system. I will never stay there again. The flies were horrible and they throw the manure from the stalls over a hill behind a dumpster a few feet from the residences. There are other places in town that I have and would stay at again but not Miss Kitty's.
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Loss:
$225
3 comments
Guest

You are full of ***, I've stay there and that's not so, so you need to stop saying bad things about this place !!! This place is just as clean as any other place, if you feel that way about this place, do not never come back here ever again

Guest

My fiancé and I just got back from staying here. It was the most amazing and gorgeous place we've seen and would recommend it to everyone.

Red the owner and care taker was one *** of a guy and took great care of us. It was clean and just felt like home. We will never stay anywhere else but here.

Red great job keep up the great work. Andrew and haylie RM #1

Guest

What happen was you lovey lady's came in early, so I had to stop what I was doing witch was cleaning the tub from the people that stayed there the night before, it did rain the whole time they ( 7 people ) were there and it was dirty. But as you remember I had to stop and go an arrange the corral panels to suet you and your million dollars horse's and I forgot to go back and finish. So if you could find it in your harts, Please forgive me

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pissedoffcowboy s
map-marker Moberly, Missouri

Love Valley - Trail Riding Review from Moberly, Missouri

Theres a few good people in love valley,But alot *** people there to.Just like the rest of the world.Myself,I have a better time when i dont have to dodge idiots all day long,and listen to a bunch of {{redacted}} all bugeyed with more mouth than *** to back it up.the only difference in the old west and lovevalley is if it was still the old west I would have shot about 3 or 4 sumbitches by now.and back then people new how to take care of the horse that was carry their rear around.
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3 comments
Guest

I like Anonymous comment

Guest

I live in Love Valley this place is what you make it to be. but when we get people here to vist we want them to have a good time and be safe But you all way have some that want to start trouble.

If you fowler the rules and help keep out town and trails clean you will have a good time. IF YOU PACK IT IN PACK IT OUT

Inali W

I agree with you there "a cowboys best friend is his horse" too bad the little hot heads around that area can't learn that one!

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jeffasmi
map-marker Saint Louis, Missouri

Love N.C. don't blame us for the Valley

I'm really sorry you folks had a bad time in Love valley. not all N.C. towns are like that, but as as a state we have a big share of rednecks. i haven't been to love valley but had been wanting to check it out. Now I may just pass on it after reading the reviews. Go to Boone, Asheville, even Greensboro for some fine trail riding but it sounds like LoveValley is just someone's idea to make some money off the idealist. Even better,, leave the horses home and go to the Mountains or beaches and enjoy yourselves. If you see any idiots, be sure that the police are not far behind.
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1 comment
Guest

I am considering a weekend in Love Valley for my husband and I. I don't expect anything to be perfect, and I wouldn't think the accommodations would be terribly clean or plush, considering it's an old West town.

However, if people do not feel welcomed there... or are having problems with inconsiderate riders allowing their horses to kick or cause panic with others, then I think it's not going to be relaxing. There is a "code of conduct" in today's society... just because you're visiting an old West town, you shouldn't condone the old West behavior of bar fights, etc.

Next thing you know, folks will be writing about wild west shoot-outs in the street!

I may visit, anyway, and figure it out for myself. But, definitely not on a holiday or event weekend for my first experience.

katesstar K
map-marker Greenville, South Carolina

StayFar Far Away from Love Valley, NC

I and the folks from the riding stable I board my horses at recently took our first out of state camping trip and decided to go to Love Valley, NC which is the self proclaimed "cowboy capital" of the country and a "horseman's paradise" and why we decided to go because looking at the website it looked really neat. When we pulled into the area, I looked around and prayed that what I was seeing wasn't Love Valley but it was. The place is an absolute trash hole. There are hundreds of permenant, cheap, redneck campers with permenant roofs attached to them. They're an eye sore and there are so many of them. They're campers meant to live in for a weekend or so, but the people in the town live in them permenately. There are large piles of construction material and trash everywhere, not like in a small discreet area, but on the sides of roads and infront of houses and infront of stores, it's like they were just too lazy to put the stuff up. There was a pile of discarded toilets in one lot and in another a giant pile of wood, bedsprings, and metal that was burnt to a crisp. One of the "bathhouses" was literally a shack with a water hose and 2 black barrels on the roof which served as the "hot water heater". The bathrooms and bath houses were a nightmare. Our bathouse was a little shack that hadn't been cleaned in god knows when. There were used razors and soap in the shower from the last campers. The floor had 3 inches of dirt on it and the toilet seat was covered in dead moths. The pipes were rusty and made the water smell horrible, so you literally smelled worse coming out then in. To really drive the nail home, there was no hot water. We called and complained and the "employees" said they would fix it, but they blatently lied to us about it, they had no intention of fixing it and gave us a lie about needing a electrician, but we knew that was a lie because one of the riders with us was an experianced electrician. I don't think the bath house has ever had hot water. They let us use another bath house, I was the first to use it and when I pulled back the shower curtain, there was a nest of spiders in the bottom and ceiling and along the sides. I killed about 6 spiders and had one of the most paranoid showers of my life. The toilet was full of dead beatles. The place hadn't been washed in god knows when and they were too lazy to put down bug spray and the place was infested with spiders and bugs. The town was billed as an "old western" town but in fact was a ghost town. It had a total of 5 stores, 2 of which were for sale. There were no restraunts, no decent stores. The closest restraunt was 14 miles away and was literally a Citgo gas station with a fryer. There were no fast food chains, not even a McDonald's. We had to drive 30 miles for a sit down restraunt. The nearest grocery store is 25 miles away. There were 2 bars in the town which were called "saloons" but were really run down bars that blared music across the campsite at night. Our camp site was next to a busy road, there were a lot of diesel trucks and a lot of drunk horse riders. I was too often woken at 3 am by drunken cowboys riding by and yelling. There aren't any cops and rules aren't followed there and theres a lot of public drunkeness. The trails are all on the road and there are no "forest trails". Oh and the town is racist. Coming into the camp site there was a permenant resident trailor with a "porch monkey" on the porch, which was a little black man dressed in a pet monkey suit, eating watermelon with exaggerated "black" features. It was disgusting. Also one of our riders was black and they were very rude and unfriendly to him. It's billed as a "christian cowboy" retreat, more like they're all a bunch of backward racists. The place was just a HUGE disappointment and dirty and racist and run down and poorly managed and just *** Go somehwere else to ride your horses, we would of had much more fun if we had stayed local or went to a national/state park. This place isn't worth the money to get there. I think 40 years ago it was a "cool" place, but now it's a dump. Stay away.
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Loss:
$1100
23 comments
Guest

i think all these posts are old, I live here in love valley up the mt. Couldn't ask for a more beautiful view.

People here are friendly, for the most. I love going into town and dancing on sat nite, good country bands and big crowds. Summer is the best time to come. Lots of out of town folks and rodeo's.

The police are always around when it's a big crowd.

Sometime there are fights but it is broken up as soon as it starts. I love it here, a great place to live.

Guest

I was born and raised in this town and I take a great offense to those of you trash talking my home town. This place was never intended to be a ritzy five star location, with huge neon signs, it was never meant to have five star hotels so you can potty like a princess!!

This place was built on a cowboy foundation, a place where you could go ride your horses without ridicule of the typical city slicker as yourself, and the town has never shut down so that a group of black people could come ride, that group you speak of comes every year and they enjoy it and they mingle in the crowd with everyone else! So you can take your opinion of love valley and diesel trucks, our trails, and our town and shove it up your Yankee ***!

Guest

if this is true, this is totally disgusting. I am from Long Island and even here we don't except things like that. Have you talked to your local officials about this?

Guest

Why do people want to get on here and lie. Love Valley is a great place to go.

I started going many years ago and met Andy Barker (man who built the town) many many times when we would visit. Fun camping, great rodeos, saloons for great music having a good time and riding the mechanical bull and Silver Spurs Saloon. We used to have a piece of property for camping down the hill behind the Silver Spur Saloon. Fun horseback riding.

Lots of wagon trains. Off the road trails. Even go across the mountain on wagon trains or just on horseback. Take a long horseback ride across the mountain from town took great big swimming hole all in a day's ride on horseback.

Can't ask for a better weekend or a whole week. Been there many many times over the years.

Guest

there are more forest trails than road trails. this just shows your lack of knowledge concerning lv.

some of our most regular riders are black, so you must have gotten around some bad drunks, don't judge all of us on this one encounter. andy barker named it love valley after he came back from ww11 and wanted a place where EVERYONE was welcomed and loved I have been going for over 40 yrs and there are not a more loving group of people in nc than here.

don,t judge what you don't know. that's not very Christian like either.

Guest

I bet nobody wanted to show your stuck up butt where the trails started. I'm guessing you never rode on a wagon train and slept outside. Stay away, you're a wuss.

Guest

love valley is a beautiful town and full of woods and dirt roads to ride horses. and buggy's.

I 've lived here 8 years and love it. it's a redneck horse town. not a hotel resort. if you don't like roughing it then love valley not for you.

lots of fun things goes on up here.

if people need help we jump in and help out anyway we can. don't judge our cowboy town thru eyes of others visit and judge for yourself thru your own eyes.

april Tdo

I will be heading back to love valley for my third time here in a few days and I am sure I will be just as pleased this time as I was last time. Found all the folks to be extraordinary , they did call us yanks being were from PA and all but it was all in good fun and we enjoyed everything about the place.

Miss kittys was a fantastic place to stay.

Cant wait to see it all again . Every year we talk about moving down there.

Krista Bvd

MISS KITTY'S is NOW under NEW managment... please contact Randy or Tammy for more information... (704) 592-****

Guest

Sounds like the little City slicker from New York cant handle the country. Go back to your fancyfied cars and your big fancied up houses and eating your raw japanese fish, city boy.Thats what we call bait.

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Anonymous
map-marker Concord, North Carolina

Love valley nc

I went to Love Valley for Easter weekend, don;t take the family fights with no law in for cement, The fight i saw came from a place called jacks bar the kid almost got bet to death with no bouncer to help him he was hit in the face over and over until he was knocked out ! no one from jacks even came out to see but they did throw them out in to the street to fight,wow what a place.I saw drunks riding the *** out of there horses at night running themup and down the roads cars flying up and down the street, My question is ware is the police ????
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29 comments
Guest

I have always lived right outside if not in the Valley my whole life. it has changed a lot in the last 10 years, there used to be a lot of fights, guns, and trouble.

but over time a lot of it has died down, we still have the outlaws come out but most are really friendly! I have been runnin' around this little town since I was in diapers and I have never had any trouble, we have local kids all over and the town locals all protect them if anything starts to rise. its really not that bad of a place, if you are looking to bring your kids bring them on a weekend like the fourth of July, we have all sorts of kid games and events, parades etc.. now I wouldn't recommend bringing them up on a huge holiday weekend...

lets face it where ever there is alcohol and a group of people there is always that chance of disagreements.

Any other time there is no issues... btw law enforcement are reallyyy cracking down here lately, even on small weekends, killing our business but oh well.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-692728

Is there a place to shoot guns near there?

Guest

Lived in Love Valley in the 1970s. Saw Joe Ponder fall from the cable on Main Street.

I doubt it has changed. There were five groups then: bikers, hippies, locals, cowboys, and ballooners. And there tough guys in all five. Well, maybe not the ballooners.

I would never take my kids there. I've seen guns pulled and fired, including a machine gun. Nobody hit, but still... Right out in front of the bar, which was called the Silver something or other back then.

Street was full of bikers, many from Atlanta.

There was no law enforcement then other than the sheriff's department, and you rarely saw them. All that said, as a single adult I had a blast in Love Valley.

Guest

My husband, 2 sisters and I visited Love Valley last weekend (9-22,23-12) and went horseback riding with Cupcake and Mike at the Caspians riding stable. It was wonderful - the horses were great and the company even better.

Thanks for such a fun trip around the mountains!The Vally has not changed in 50 years.

We stayed at Miss Kitty's and everyone was so nice! I would recommned this spot for everyone!

Guest

i went there to the bar back in the 80s was real nice then real dodgecity looking place horses tied out front thought it was beautiful then thinking of going back but if its all fights i will just stay in wv

Guest

I'm 18 yrs old and I've been going to Love Valley, since I was about 12. EVERYONE is so nice, there ain't a fight unless you start it, and it's all about southern hospitality.

There are bouncers at every single bar, and on holiday weekends there are law enforcement.

It is a wonderful place and I actually plan on moving there here soon! Beautiful scenery, horses, and I good time!

jim Fnn

I'm makin plans to visit the Valley ready for a good time.

Guest

I hav bn going to the Valley for several years now. I love riding with a group on all the trails that ultimately lead to town.

Yes, there is drinking by a lot of people there. Unfortunately where there is drinking, you do hav those who do it excessively and ruin the fun for everyone else. For those who want to drink excessively...I try and keep my distance from them. For the most part, everyone is friendly and considerate of others.

Yes.....if I still had small children, aI would not hesitate taking to this little town which is lost in time.

I would advise anyone...they need to visit there at least one time! I found Love Valley and will return there time and time again...it's my little piece of paradise that has been removed from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.....God's paradise!

Guest

I am a big cowboy fan and wanted to go to love valley, but from all the reviews I am reading I think I better not. I am not into fighting and shooting and really don't want to deal with rude people especially if I am spending my mone in your town.

Plus being a African American I don't want to go down that road either. I get along with everyone but I will not take kindly to anyone being racist.

Guest

I have been goin to the valley for two years... My husband grew up going there ...

There are fights n partying but I take both my kids there even up town at night so they see all the horses just not in the bars of course ... If u dont start anything n pretty much stay to yourself you dont have any problems n if so there are officers up town at night your not even allowed to drink in the "town" unless inside of one if the bars ... If u want to take your family then go on a Sunday when it's holiday weekend ppl are already leaving to go home and it's pretty quiet besides the locals that you meet ...

It's not called the cowboy capital for nthn what u think they did in those days ?? This town reflects it all

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