Endless landscapes, breathtaking nature and one of a kind cultural experiences: Welcome to Texas – the second largest state in the USA (after Alaska). Texas is larger than any Western European country, which makes it difficult to complete a trip with all the highlights. The border with Mexico alone measures almost 2,020 kilometres (1,215 miles).

We opted for an epic road trip through West Texas, with routes off the beaten track. And one thing is for sure: that trip was absolutely breathtaking and unforgettable. Texas didn’t just surprise me, it literally overwhelmed me. I was impressed by the beautiful landscapes that characterise a large part of the Texan West, but also by the deeply rooted culture and the incredible friendliness of the locals.

In this post, I have put together a West Texas road trip for you – the ideal 14-day route with all the highlights. As always, you’ll also find a map on which I’ve marked all the spots for you.

🗓️ The best time to visit West Texas:

Spring (March-May) and autumn (Oct-Nov) are best.

 → You can expect the perfect weather for hiking & photography.

You should avoid summer: It’s very hot, especially in Big Bend National Park and Marfa.

A West Texas road trip is also possible in winter, but the nights are freezing cold and many facilities are closed.

⏱️ How many days should you plan for West Texas?

Ideally 12-14 days. → During this period, you can explore all the highlights in a relaxed manner and enjoy enough time to slow down.

You should plan at least 7-8 days if your focus is on Big Bend National Park and the West Texas culture.

📍 Where should you start your Texas road trip?

San Antonio is a logical start and end point for the route of your West Texas road trip.

 → You can expect good flight connections and an ideal introduction to the road trip feeling.

 → San Antonio also has a lot to offer culturally and is therefore a worthwhile conclusion. 

You can find more information about this at the end of my Texas itinerary.

🚗 Which car is the best for your Texas road trip?

It is recommended to hire an SUV or an off-road vehicle.

 → Some roads are unpaved, e.g. in Big Bend National Park.

Petrol stations are often far apart → You should therefore always keep an eye on your fuel gauge and fill up early!

Important: Take care of offline maps & navigation in advance, e.g. via Maps.me or Google Offline. Especially in Big Bend National Park, you will often end up in areas without reception.

🗺️ My map for your West Texas Road Trip:

West Texas Road Trip – the ideal 14-day route with all the highlights

🛬 Day 1 Texas Road Trip – San Antonio

San Antonio is a city that can look back on a formative history – from a traditional colonial heritage to Mexican and German influences. San Antonio also has a beautiful green city centre that you should definitely explore. You shouldn’t miss out on the varied culinary highlights either.

After your arrival, the first thing you need to do is pick up your hire car directly at the airport. You should preferably book your hotel close to the airport so that you can arrive in peace and relax before you start your road trip the next morning.

Optional: If you land in the morning and are fit again, take a short walk on the unique Riverwalk to get you started. The San Antonio River meanders one level lower than the traffic zone under numerous bridges and forms two parallel pavements lined with greenery and pretty restaurants.

We stayed at this San Antonio Airport Hotel:

→ DoubleTree by Hilton San Antonio Airport – Linked here

⛰️ Day 2-3  – Guadalupe Mountains National Park

The first longer stretch of your West Texas Road Trip takes you from San Antonio towards the north-west, with a journey time of around 7 hours. You can observe the noticeable change in the landscape as the green plains give way to desert and stone.

Shortly before arriving at the national park, I recommend a short stop at El Capitan View Point for a wonderful view of the striking rock.

Entrance fee to the national park: $10.00 per person

Ideas for hikes in Guadalupe Mountains National Park:

Guadalupe Peak – highest point in Texas, top views, but challenging. The hike up Guadalupe Peak is strenuous, but you will be rewarded with gigantic views. The route covers around 6.5 kilometres, for which you should plan around 7-8 hours due to the ascent.

Devil’s Hall – moderate to challenging hike with great rock formations. This trail takes you to a striking canyon-like rock formation known as Devil’s Hall. The route is around 3 kilometres long and took us 2 hours to complete, including short photo stops. The path is initially well developed, but the second half leads through an old river bed with large round stones. You therefore have to climb a little in some places.

Bush Mountain – less well known, but you will be rewarded with a view of Guadalupe Peak. The trail is around 4.5 kilometres long and is classed as challenging, but the scenery is simply indescribable.

Important: Due to the heat, you should bring plenty of water, sun protection, sunglasses and hats.

In the evening, be sure to enjoy the sunset over the mountains – it’s simply stunning! The El Capitan View Point is a great place for this!

Afterwards, it’s about a 2-hour drive to Fort Davis.

Tip: Of course, you can also extend the day and arrive and stay overnight near the Guadalupe Mountains National Park the day before. This will give you more time than travelling directly from San Antonio.

🏞️ Day 3-4 Texas Road Trip – Fort Davis

Built in 1845, the historic Fort Davis National Historic Site is surrounded by beautiful rock and canyon scenery and was once one of the most important military posts in the south-west of the United States. It is one of the best-preserved reminders of this period. Its main task was to protect stagecoaches, traders and travellers from attacks.

Entrance Fee: 10$ per person

Tip: A trail leads to the cliffs above the fort, from where you have a breathtaking view.

Stargazing at the McDonald Observatory: → The McDonald Observatory is located in the secluded Davis Mountains. It promises a great view of the stars, as the night sky is darker here than at any other place on the US mainland. Tip: We recommend booking the telescope night show!

Accommodation Tip: Fort Davis doesn’t have a lot of hotels and accommodations so make sure to book your stay ahead of time!

🎨 Day 4 Texas Road Trip – Marfa

An absolute must on the route of your West Texas road trip is Marfa – an artists’ colony with a surreal vibe. In 1971, New York artist Donald Judd was looking for a suitable place to permanently exhibit his increasingly large-scale sculptures. He found one on the site of a former military base in the small Texan town of Marfa and founded the Chinati Foundation in 1987 – today one of the most renowned exhibition spaces for contemporary installations in the USA.

In Marfa, galleries and artist studios alternate with exhibition and performance spaces, retro buildings, upscale restaurants and food trucks – a truly impressive flair.

Art highlights in Marfa:

Prada Marfa – iconic & ironic. The installation created almost 37 miles west of the town, in the middle of the Texan desert, looks exactly like the façade of a Prada boutique. Behind the glass panes are real Prada shoes and handbags for you to admire. However, the art object actually criticises our consumer society and gentrification.

The Chinati Foundation – modern installations. As already mentioned, the Chinati Foundation is home to an enormous collection of contemporary installations by artists from all over the world. You should plan enough time for a visit. A reservation is also necessary.

Marfa Lights Viewpoint – mysterious lights. The so-called Marfa lights can be observed at night, especially shortly after dark. They shine very brightly in different colours. The best place to go is the Marfa Lights Viewpoint – a large rest area with tables, seating and toilets. 

A few more tips from me:

• You can take cool photos at empty petrol stations and neon signs.
• There are always ghost towns to discover along the way, which also make great photo opportunities.

🤠 Day 4-5 Texas Road Trip – Marathon

Another highlight in West Texas is Marathon – a charming desert town with a Wild West atmosphere. It is considered the gateway to Big Bend National Park and has a lot to offer. Here you will find idyllic places and opportunities to learn about the local history. 

Important: Marathon is the last stop with infrastructure before Big Bend National Park on your West Texas road trip. You should therefore stock up on everything you need for your trip here at the latest.

Two insider tips in Marathon:

Gage Gardens – This 10-hectare oasis with fountains and flowers looks like something straight out of a European villa. Amidst the tranquil and green gardens you will find a pond, an orchard and a vineyard.

Klepper Gallery – Here you can admire the impressive art and photography of nature photographer and author E. Dan Klepper. His work has been exhibited in the USA and Europe and published in numerous books and magazines.

Breakfast recommendations: V6 Coffee Bar, The French Company Grocer

Hotel tip: Gage Hotel – a stylish Western classic built in 1927, it has been recognised as one of the best hotels in Texas. → Linked here!

🏜️ Day 5-8 – Big Bend National Park

Big Bend National Park – one of the most beautiful and wildest park areas in America – is located in the south of West Texas, on the border with Mexico. The Rio Grande forms the natural border between the two countries, enchantingly tranquil, almost surreal in appearance. Here you can immerse yourself in a true paradise for hikers. Deserted, colourful canyons, spectacular rock formations and a rich variety of wildlife make for breathtaking hiking experiences like no other. And on a canoe tour on the Rio Grande, with its reed-covered banks, you’ll feel like you’re in an adventure film.

If you have enough time, I recommend the longer journey via the Scenic Border Route along the Rio Grande – the natural border between Texas and Mexico. On this stage of your West Texas road trip, you will be able to enjoy great views. There is also hardly any traffic, which makes the journey very relaxing.

Big Bend National Park entrance fee: $30 per car (this includes the entrance fee for the driver and all passengers)

Accommodation Tips:

→ The Summit

With bubble tents & rock suites. We stayed in one of the newest and largest bubble tents, called the Stargazer Deluxe Suite. We were very surprised by the unique interior design. And of course we also enjoyed the spectacular scenery – like being on another planet.

Other amazing stays:

→ Camp Elena – Luxury Tents

→ Lajitas Resort

My Big Bend National Park tips:

Santa Elena Canyon – iconic and easy to hike. You can reach the majestic canyon via a short trail. You have to cross the Terlingua Creed, which can be difficult after heavy rainfall.

Lost Mine Trail – great views of the Chisos Mountains. The trail stretches over 7.5 kilometres, with a moderate ascent, to one of the two highest peaks in Big Bend National Park. The route is peppered with breathtaking views and you should allow around 3 – 4 hours.

Important: There are hardly any opportunities to hike in the shade on many of the trails. → Be sure to bring a sun hat, sun cream and plenty of water! You can fill up your drinking water for free at the visitor centre.

Rio Grande Canoe Tour – my favorite activity during our West Texas Road Trip! A guided Canoe Tour along the border between Mexico & the US – the Rio Grande River – is a must do when you’re visiting the Big Bend National Park.

Rio Grande Hot Springs – partly accessible by canoe. (it was where we made a lunch stop during our canoe tour!) Here, at the mouth of Tornillo Creek in the Rio Grande, there are hot springs where you can bathe.

Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive – a beautiful panoramic road. Near Terlingua, the winding drive winds for 30 miles along some of the most beautiful landscapes and formations in Big Bend National Park. A the Sotol Vista Overlook you get a breathtaking view over the huge park and it is one of the best spots to watch the sunset!

👻 Day 8-9 Texas Road Trip  – Terlingua

Terlingua is an abandoned mining town in the south-western tip of Texas. The name Terlingua is derived from Spanish and means ‘three languages’ – Indian language, Spanish and English.

Today, Terlingua is a ghost town with a real western flavour that should definitely not be missed on your West Texas road trip. It feels like another universe. It’s best not to make any plans, just immerse yourself in the enchanting flair and let yourself drift.

My Highlights in Terlingua:

Terlingua Cemetery – morbid photo backdrop. Terlingua Cemetery is one of the most photographed cemeteries in Texas. It may appear deserted due to its ungreened appearance, but it has a magical effect and is still in use today.

Starlight Theatre Restaurant – Live music, margaritas and real cowboys. The restaurant is located in a former theatre (formerly without a roof) where famous singers once performed. Today it offers its guests a roof, but the rustic interior walls and the stage for live musicians have been preserved. An absolute must! The restaurant opens at 5 p.m. and you will have to wait a few minutes at this time, but it’s worth it!

🍷 Day 9-11 – Fredericksburg (Hill Country)

Today you leave the desert on your West Texas Road Trip in the direction of lush Texas wine country, the Hill Country. You will enjoy the approximately 5.5-hour drive, as the variety in the landscape is impressive.

In Fredericksburg – named after Prince Frederick of Prussia – German settler history is visible and still alive today. Some of the houses are built in the German half-timbered style, and you will also find German street names, restaurants and beer gardens. There is even a German bakery, the Old German Bakery.

Fredericksburg is also famous for its vineyards in the surrounding area.

Tip for your accommodation: Trueheart Hotel – pastel-colored tiny houses. The hotel is a beautiful property in a perfect location, close to Main Street. → Linked here!

To Do’s in Fredericksburg, Texas:

• Stroll along Main Street – this is how you should start your stay in Fredericksburg. Stroll along Main Street with its inviting boutiques, beer gardens and wine bars.
• Enchanted Rock – Hike to the granite rock. This magical pink rock is located just 20 minutes from Fredericksburg. Native American tribes believe that it possesses spiritual powers. A short but relatively steep path leads up to the rock and you will be rewarded with fabulous views. The view from the top of Enchanted Rock over the Hill Country is simply beautiful. Early morning or sunset is best! Tip: To protect nature, access to the state park is limited daily. You should therefore book your day pass of $8 per person online to guarantee entry. → Book your reservation here!

• Wine tour – If you like wine, I recommend booking a tour of the most beautiful vineyards around Fredericksburg with Texas Wine Tours → Linked here! You don’t have to worry about anything because Texas Wine Tours organises everything for you. This means that no one in your group has to miss out on a wine tasting as a driver. We loved the ambience of the beautiful vineyards and the delicious wines we tasted. The most photogenic & my favorite winery was Signor Vineyards – make sure to include it to you tour! Our tour also included a visit to the German Style Altstadt brewery.
• Luckenbach – legendary mini-village for country fans with live music under old oak trees. Just 10 miles from Fredericksburg is the biker favourite town of Luckenbach – a mecca for country music lovers. The place looks like a western film set, you should definitely check it out.

🐎 Day 11-12 Texas Road Trip – Bandera

Off to Bandera, Cowboy Capital of the World. You’ll see for yourself that I’m not promising you too much: Bandera’s flair is authentic and has nothing to do with kitsch. That’s why you should definitely include the city in your West Texas road trip. To enjoy live music, it is advisable to plan your visit for the weekend.

Highlights in Bandera: 

Two of Bandera’s legendary and world-famous bars are located close to each other:

• 11th Street Cowboy Bar – For many the best bar in town, with cold beer and great music. The bar also has a large outdoor area for barbecues and dancing.  You can also let off steam playing pool here.
• Arkey Blue’s Silver Dollar – We liked the cowboy flair and the rustic ambience. Please note: Only cash payment possible, but you will find an ATM at the bar.

Restaurant tips: O.S.T. or TJ’s – Delicious, typical country cuisine in a cosy atmosphere.

Horse riding tour at a Ranch – early in the morning, with a cowboy breakfast. Horse riding was high up on my Texas bucket list. It was a great feeling to be carried through the Texan countryside on horseback. I highly recommend this experience.

Tip for your accommodation in Bandera:

→ The Vaquero Motel (Linked here)

quaint, central, stylish. Situated in the heart of the town, just a few steps away from the best cowboy bars and restaurants, this motel has rustic wooden cabins.

🌆 Day 12-14 Texas Road Trip – San Antonio

Your West Texas road trip takes you back to San Antonio. Let yourself be enchanted by the city for another two days. Visit historic sites, take a boat trip and relax in cosy restaurants – the perfect end to an unforgettable trip.

My Hotel Tips in San Antonio – Linked below:

→ The Gunter Hotel

→ Plaza San Antonio

Must-sees in San Antonio:

Riverwalk – boat tour & dinner by the water. As you can now spend a little more time on the San Antonio River than on your arrival day, I recommend taking a boat tour, leisurely along the green banks. Afterwards, stop off at one of the many restaurants lined up along the riverbank and round off the day with a delicious dinner.

The Alamo – Texan history up close. The Alamo, a mission station converted into a fort, symbolises Texas’ fight for independence against Mexico. It was here that a small group of defenders took up a legendary last stand in 1836 and defended Texas to the last man.

Missions – UNESCO World Heritage Site. The historic Spanish colonial sites were built in the 18th century to spread Christianity and Spanish culture among the Native American population. We visited the San Juan Mission which is one of the best preserved ones.

Epic road trip through West Texas & route off the beaten track – My résumé

You can read or hear a lot from others about faraway places, but there will always be something very special about embarking on a journey yourself. West Texas effortlessly captured my heart from the very first moment. I’m sure you’ll be enchanted by the breathtaking landscapes and return home with equally unforgettable experiences. Not to mention that a West Texas road trip is full of adventure. So, what are you waiting for?

I hope my post will inspire you to plan your own road trip with all West Texas highlights!

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