Big Bend National Park is tucked away in a remote corner of West Texas. The reward for a long journey is stunning scenery as far as the eye can see. Departing from Houston with destination Big Bend, we covered close to 1500 miles in five days. Reason enough to turn the trip into a memorable Texas road trip, with stops in Austin, Marfa, San Antonio and several ghost towns along the way.

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Day 1: Houston – Austin

We started the trip in Houston with a three-hour drive to the Texas Capital. Austin is known for laid-back vibes, live music and ample green spaces. Checking into the Austin Motel, our Texas road trip had officially started. From the neon motel sign to the vintage radio playing country music, everything in this hotel is designed to give you a 60’s road trip feel.

For a taste of the “Live Music Capital of the World”, we headed to the Elephant Room. This intimate basement bar offers live jazz music every night of the week, paired with a great selection of Belgian beers.

Day 2: Austin – Sonora

On Thanksgiving Thursday, a tasty Thanksgiving brunch was first on the menu. The historic Moonshine Grill is an institution in Austin, serving Southern comfort food with a twist year-round and an iconic brunch buffet on Thanksgiving Day. Its reputation resulted in a three-hour wait, which we were happy to kill with mimosas and bloody mary’s on the sunny porch.

Austin’s urban oasis Zilker Park is the perfect place to walk off brunch calories. A ten-mile hike-and-bike trail runs around Zilker’s Lady Bird Lake, offering views of Austin’s skyline along the way.

We hit the road again to take advantage of the last daylight hours. After three hours of driving, we found a motel in Sonora. The motel was a less polished version of the Austin Motel to say the least, but a basic roadside motel is part of the road trip experience.

Day 3: Big Bend National Park

By Friday morning, there was only a four-hour drive between us and Big Bend National Park. We left early and split up the drive with breakfast in Fort Stockton halfway, where we enjoyed a Texas breakfast staple: kolaches are small savory pies wrapped around a sausage.

We entered the park through the Persimmon Gap Entrance and made it to the Chisos Basin around lunchtime. This area is home to a campground, many scenic mountain hikes and a visitor center.

After more than ten driving hours, we waisted no time in putting our hiking shoes on. The Lost Mine Trail is located in the Chisos Basin and takes around three hours out-and-back. The views keep getting better when climbing up the trail, with a stunning 360º view at the trail-end.

With still two hours left before sunset, we packed up two beers and snacks in search of a great sunset view. The Window Trail – not to be confused with the very short Window View Trail – winds through the mountains for three miles, until it stops abruptly at the Window Viewpoint.

This viewpoint was not exactly what we had in mind, so we backtracked on the Window Trail to the junction with the Oak Springs Trail. A short climb leads to a spectacular viewpoint over the desert below and a prime spot to watch the sunset.

The night falls quickly after a winter sunset, especially in a Dark Sky Park like Big Bend. The Window Trail is enclosed and doesn’t have any drop-offs, but there was one hazard we didn’t think about: nocturnal animals. From the moment I shone my cellphone light in the eyes of a coyote, we couldn’t get back to the car fast enough. Our stay for the night was a rented RV in Terlingua, an hour west of the Chisos Basin.

Day 4: Big Bend National Park – Marfa

The next morning revealed our peaceful surroundings. The rented RV was parked in the middle of the desert surrounding Terlingua, a once thriving mining town that turned into a ghost town. The town came back alive thanks to its chili cook-offs and famous Texas ghost town-status.

On our second day in Big Bend, we entered through the Maverick Entrance to explore the west side of the park. The Old Maverick Road that leads to Santa Elena Canyon is unpaved, but we managed fine in a sedan. The short Santa Elena Canyon Trail enters the canyon, climbing to a beautiful viewpoint.

For our last hike in Big Bend we picked a desert trail. The Mule Ears Spring Trail runs through an impressive desert landscape from start to finish, but even in November the heat was merciless.

We exited the park via the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, taking in the scenery one last time. Big Bend is truly an extraordinary place, so I returned for a camping trip two years later. You can find my complete guide to Big Bend National Park here.

Our next destination was Marfa, two hours north of Big Bend. This one-road remote town stands out from any other place in West Texas. What started with an art studio in the seventies, transformed the town into a famous off-the-grid destination. From The Capri to Planet Marfa and the Thunderbird Motel, Marfa is an eclectic mix of everything you wouldn’t expect in the middle of nowhere. Marfa’s Mystery lights only add to the oddball vibes.

Day 5: Marfa – San Antonio – Houston

On the last day of our trip, a nine-hour drive back to Houston awaited. We left at the break of dawn to leave time for stops along the way. Breakfast in Ozona’s Cafe Next Door was served with cowboy hats and country music, a true taste of Texas. Unfortunately the place has closed since, but the town has other (Tex-Mex) breakfast alternatives.

Another three hours of driving landed us in San Antonio. San Antonio is well known for the Riverwalk, a riverside promenade flanked by restaurants and bars. It is also home to the Alamo Mission, which played an important role in Texas’ independence from Mexico.

It wouldn’t be a Texas road trip without stopping at Buc-ee’s, a roadside institution. The beef jerky counter provides fuel for the sometimes never-ending Texas drives. But if you are up for the long distances, the Texas roads can lead to amazing far-off places.

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