Spring Break in West Texas
Last week was a crazy week for a number of reasons, so I had to take a short break from blogging (but not twitter). Fear not though, I have returned and I should have more time for blogging.
Megan and I are continuing to work on our plans for Spring Break, we are planning on road tripping from Austin, TX through West Texas to the Big Bend National Park area.
Here is the rough/possible itinerary that we’ve discussed:
Day 1
- Long drive from Austin, TX to Marathon or Alpine, TX (scenic route adds 2-3 hours)
Day 2
- Big Bend National Park - Hiking and exploring
- Afternoon/Evening - Terlingua Ghost Town
Day 3
- Morning: Big Bend National Park - View sunrise, horseback ride
- Afternoon: Start driving back east, stopping anywhere for the night
Day 4
- Take it easy, drive the rest of the way home
- Possible stops include Fredericksburg, Lost Maples
Here are some interesting destinations and websites that I’ve come across while doing my research:
- The Texas You Dream Of (Budget Travel)
The author did a trip from Midland through Marathon, Terlingua, and Marfa. She has some good suggestions for places to check out:Two Marathon hotels are attractions in their own right. Opened in 1927 by a prosperous banker, the luxurious Gage Hotel quickly became the region’s social epicenter. It eventually fell into disrepair, but a lush 1992 restoration returned the brick-and-adobe structure to its former glory. On any given night, all of Marathon’s visitors and quite a few locals gather in the elegant bar and courtyard.
- Gage Hotel
Seems kind of expensive, but looks like a neat place to check out - Marathon Chamber of Commerce
Great site with a lot of good information and links for area attractions - Scenic drive near Sheffield, TX
Might be a possibility for the drive homeState Highway 290 is a loop that lets you know you’re not in East Texas (not that there’s anything wrong with being in East Texas). The road seems very nondescript until you suddenly come to an overlook. Here is where the elevation drops dramatically into the valley that once was the home for Fort Lancaster.
- Terlingua Starlight Theatre
Neat looking theatre/restaurant in the historic ghost town of Terlingua - Cinematic Road Trip: West Texas (Intelligent Travel)
Blog post talking about movies shot in the area that we are going to be in, including No Country for Old Men (still want to see it!) and There Will Be Blood
Here is a map with most of the waypoints that we’ve picked out
Now comes your part, have you been out here before? Where is the best chili in the region? Is there some view or shop that we can’t miss? Let me know in the comments for this post.
February 26th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Sounds like a great trip. I might suggest that you visit the McDonald Observatory if you have the time. It’s about 20-30 minutes from Ft. Davis and is really a spectacular place, as the skies there are some of the darkest you can find in North America. You can drive up to the top of the mountain and check out the sites. Also, if it’s a clear night you may also get to experience a star party.
I spent a couple months out there once upon a time, and it’s definitely on of the coolest things you will ever see.
http://mcdonaldobservatory.org/
February 26th, 2008 at 9:31 am
Also, while you’re in Big Bend. “The Window” trail is a nice short hike with a happy ending. It up in the Chisos mountains in the park.
March 2nd, 2008 at 7:01 pm
[...] Post: Getting Ahead Edition Mar.02, 2008 in link posts Megan and I are getting ready to go travel out to Big Bend week after next, so I am going to try to spend some time today building a lead into my posting for [...]
March 9th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
[...] Systems Go for Big Bend 2008 Mar.09, 2008 in blog We are ready to hit the road for our Big Bend/West Texas roadtrip, the car is ready, the iPod is loaded, and we’re all packed (more or less). I expect to be [...]