Archive for the ‘West Texas’ Category

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Take a Trip to Big Bend Country!

Friday, February 8th, 2013

While Big Bend is a somewhat remote area of our great state, it is truly a gorgeous and pristine section of Texas which deserves a visit. There are many lovely areas of the Big Bend National Park that make it a great destination for someone looking to get away from a congested urban lifestyle or cold and bleary winter weather.

Getting to Big Bend – the First Adventure

The closest commercial airport is El Paso or Midland/Odessa  – which are 300 and 160 miles away, respectively. If you fly into Midland/Odessa, you might want to spend a night at a B&B there before the day of driving that lies ahead. Or, if you fly into El Paso, stop along the way at a Fort Davis bed and breakfast to break the trip up. Part of what makes the park special is that you really have to want to be there – it is remote and that makes it uncrowded and serene. (more…)

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The Globe of the Great Southwest in Odessa, TX

Sunday, September 16th, 2012
Globe Theatre in London England

The Globe Theatre in London, England. The Globe of the Great Southwest in Odessa is an exact replica of the original Globe Theatre in London. Photo by Ester Inbar. (Click image for attribution.)

One of the favorite attractions in Odessa is The Globe of the Great Southwest, a replica of the Globe Theatre in London, England. The Globe Theatre in which the original Shakespeare productions were played burned down in 1613. However, that theatre was rebuilt, both in England in 1614 and… in the great state of Texas!

The theater on Odessa College’s campus was the brainchild of Mrs. Marjorie Morris, a high school teacher who was inspired by a student’s remark about how great it would be if the town had its own Globe Theatre. This idea captured her imagination and in 1958 Mrs. Morris began her fundraising efforts. By 1968, the theatre was finished and its first season began.

Just like the original Globe, Odessa’s Globe of the Great Southwest has an octagonal shape and is made of the same wood and plaster which gives the space excellent acoustics. Its 1,800 square foot thrust stage gives audiences a much closer view of the actors and the action. Those seated in its balconies also have excellent unobstructed views.

All these qualities make it an excellent performance space. In addition to classical and modern plays, the not-for-profit theater also hosts community theater works and events as well as The Brand New Opree, a monthly country western show.

The Globe in Odessa is complete with a replica of Shakespeare’s wife’s cottage. The Anne Hathaway Library is right next to the theater and features displays about Shakespeare’s life and works.

To see the current shows and to purchase tickets online, please visit GlobeSW.org.

Click here to find the best of West Texas lodging when you visit Odessa, TX and the lovely Globe of the Great Southwest!

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Horseback Riding in West Texas

Monday, May 14th, 2012
West Texas horseback riding

This could be you. A sunset trail ride in West Texas.

If you’re visiting West Texas, there’s a good chance you’ll feel the urge to ride a horse. It’s something about the wide open spaces, the dry, rugged land, and the lack of roads. It brings out the cowboy in the best of us.

Luckily, you can go horseback riding in West Texas.

Fort Davis Stables offers Trail Rides to suit even the most inexperienced riders. You’ll ride a gentle giant, and enter a wild and peaceful land that will soothe your soul. Trail rides can last an hour or they can last all day. You can take a Sunset Ride into the mountains, or stay out in the Davis Mountains for one, two, or three nights. If the spirit moves you, you can even participate in a Cattle Drive. Extraordinary experiences, every one.

You’ll want to be treated gently when you get out of the saddle, and Fort Davis Bed and Breakfasts won’t let you down.

The Veranda Inn, as its name suggests, has a large veranda; it’s a perfect place to enjoy a drink at the end of a day in the saddle. It also has two, secluded, walled courtyards and a great deal of outdoor seating. If you can sit at all, you’ll want to sit here.

The Old Schoolhouse Bed and Breakfast sits at the foot of Sleeping Lion Mountain. Rest in the shade of a pecan grove, breathe in the clean mountain air, and admire the views. It’s the perfect place to transition back to society after time on the trail.

Discover the Bed and Breakfasts of Fort Davis, Texas. Then discover West Texas.

For additional information about horseback riding, please see Fort Davis Stables.

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Scenic West Texas Drive

Wednesday, March 14th, 2012
McDonald Observatory, West Texas

The McDonald Observatory on Mount Locke.

Picture yourself on a long stretch of quiet road that meanders its way through West Texas and the Davis Mountains. That’s what you’ll find on the Scenic Loop Drive that begins and ends in Fort Davis. It’s a great way for guests of Fort Davis Bed and Breakfasts to experience the vast, mountainous landscape of West Texas.

Head through Limpia Canyon, which is guarded by Mount Locke and Mount Fowlkes. 6,791-ft Mount Locke is is home to the McDonald Observatory, which is well worth a visit if you’ve never been. The view of the surrounding landscape is spectacular.

The drive then leads into Madera Canyon, where there are shaded picnic areas and one good hike, the Madera Canyon Trail. It is a 2.4 mile loop. Hikers can head to a spot overlooking the canyon or descend to the bottom of the canyon, where there is a large pond.

Back on the road, travel past Mt. Livermore and Sawtooth Mountain. Enjoy expansive views of the Sierra Viejo Mountains, which hug the Rio Grande. Also visible are the Puertacita Mountains and Miter Peak.

This is one of the most beautiful loops in Texas, and one of the least well-known. The Scenic Loop Drive is 75 miles long and can be driven in about 1.5 hours.

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Odessa Hosts SandHills Indoor Rodeo

Wednesday, January 4th, 2012
Determination - Barrel Racing - Parada del Sol Rodeo

If you have never been to a rodeo, check out SandHills in Odessa.

The SandHills Stock Show and Rodeo starts tomorrow, January 5, 2012, at the Ector County Coliseum in Odessa, Texas. We hope you’re already settling in to an Odessa, Texas Bed and Breakfast.

The big event begins with Steer and Heifer weigh ins and concludes January 14 with an evening Rodeo in the Coliseum. In between, there are lamb shows, horse shows, and goat shows. There are Kids Rodeos and Steer Roping Slacks. See the amazing Dusty Tuckness, bullfighter extraordinaire, and Cory Wall, the 2009 Bullfighter of the year.

There is also plenty of entertainment at SandHills Rodeo. Among others, see:

  • The Cooper Brothers
  • Trevor Brazile
  • The Peek Brothers
  • JW Harris

If you’re not already in Odessa, we hope you’re on your way there. Once you arrive, you’ll be comfortable in an Odessa, Texas Bed and Breakfast.

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Visit Big Bend National Park

Tuesday, September 20th, 2011

Deserts. Mountains. River. These three words accurately describe the landscape of Big Bend National Park, but they fall terribly short of revealing its vastness, its starkness, and its incredible beauty. To truly experience Big Bend, you have to stand in it.

Big Bend National Park, Texas

Experience the beauty of Big Bend National Park.

Whether you stay in Big Bend National Park for a few hours, a few days, or a few weeks, there’s a good chance you’ll leave wishing you had more time. The park is enormous and it’s still growing, encompassing land around it as it comes up for sale. It’s so big, it can be tempting for many visitors to simply drive through the park, in order to see “more” of it in a short time.

In truth, those who leave the roads enjoy the best of Big Bend. Even short hikes – those that leave the road behind by only a few yards – can have a tremendous impact on visitors. Away from the car, one immediately feels more capable and more vulnerable. Big Bend has that effect on people.

Great ways to explore Big Bend:

  • Walk the Window View Trail, a paved, wheelchair accessible trail in the Chisos Basin, only .3 mile (round trip) long. It affords wonderful views of the Chisos Basin and the Window.
  • Hike the Window Trail. This 5.6 miles (round trip) trail starts at high elevation and leads down to the Window. Views are magnificent.
  • Bike the Old Maverick Road to Santa Elena Canyon.
  • Bike the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive from Panther Junction to Castolon.
  • Dine at the restaurant in Chisos Basin.
  • Drive the 14-mile Dagger Flat Auto Trail, in the northern portion of the park.
  • Dip your feet in the Rio Grande. But don’t dip yourself. The river hides sudden drop-offs and dangerous currents.

 

Something about exploring the rugged environment of Big Bend National Park makes one want to sleep comfortably. The park is only about 123 miles from Fort Davis, Texas, a friendly town with a fascinating history. That’s a short distance in Texas. Fort Davis Texas Bed and Breakfasts offer the simple luxury of tranquility.

Please visit our Fort Davis Texas Bed and Breakfasts page to find an inn.

Please visit Big Bend National Park for more information about traveling in the park.

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Evening Events at the McDonald Observatory

Monday, May 9th, 2011

The McDonald Observatory is an incredible resource for anyone interested in learning more about the universe. Its remote location in the Davis Mountains allows for prime viewing of the night sky. Visitors to the Observatory should plan to stay several nights in a Fort Davis Texas Bed and Breakfast. Fort Davis is located at the foot of the mountains, less than 20 miles from the McDonald Observatory.

McDonald Observatory

Take advantage of special evening programs at the McDonald Observatory when you stay at a Fort Davis B&B.

The Visitors Center is open daily; while it is certainly worth a visit, the real magic occurs at night. Throughout the year, the McDonald Observatory offers a variety of star gazing parties and special events, and they are well worth the planning it takes to get there.

McDonald Observatory Special Events:

  • Evening Star Party: look through large telescopes to see constellations and view the moon, planets, stars, galaxies, etc.
  • Lunar Viewing: see the moon as you’ve never seen it, through a 16-inch telescope.
  • Dinner and a Viewing: enjoy dinner and then a special dessert – view the universe through the 107-inch Harian J. Smith Telescope.
  • Special Viewing Night on the 36″ Telescope: the 1956 telescope perched atop Mt. Locke provides incredible views of planets, planetary nebulae, etc.

 

Dates for all evening programs are entirely dependent on the universe. Please see the McDonald Observatory for dates and details.

Fort Davis Texas Bed and Breakfasts welcome star gazers any time of year.

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The Texas Pecos Trail

Monday, February 28th, 2011

The Texas Pecos Trail traverses much of West Texas. It covers 35,000 square miles and 22 counties. It encompasses seven state parks, thousand of miles of rivers, and many interesting historical, cultural, and environmental destinations. This is no Sunday afternoon drive; plan to explore the Texas Pecos Trail at your leisure, with many stops at West Texas Bed and Breakfasts.

Odessa is one of the largest cities on the Texas Pecos Trail. Consider spending a few days at an Odessa TX Bed and Breakfast while you explore the area. Spend an evening at the Midland-Odessa Symphony, and take in a show at Odessa’s Globe Theatre, where Macbeth is playing in mid April. If you’re traveling in September, check out the annual Shakespeare Festival. Another good stop is the Presidential Museum and Leadership Library, which focuses on the office of the presidency, not individual presidents.

Please see the Texas Pecos Trail for more information about various points of interest.

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The Chinati Collection

Friday, December 10th, 2010

In 1979, Donald Judd set about to preserve and display some of the art of his time and place. Thanks to his vision, the Chinati Foundation in Marfa, Texas, is today a contemporary art museum featuring many permanent large-scale art installations and a variety of temporary exhibits.

Consider an outing to see the Chinati Collection when next staying at a Fort Davis Texas Bed and Breakfast, just thirty minutes from Marfa. The Collection is located on the old Fort D.A. Russell, and art is housed in former army barracks and artillery sheds. There are fifteen large outdoor concrete exhibits by Donald Judd, and more than 100 of his aluminum works. In addition, there are twenty-five sculptures by John Chamberlain, a large installation by Dan Flavin, and artwork by Carl Andre, Ingólfer Arnarsson, Roni Horn, Ilya Kabakov, Richard Long, Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen, David Rabinowitch, and John Wesley. The temporary exhibits feature a variety of media and artists.

The Chinati Foundation is open Wednesdays through Sundays; tours of the facility start at 10 a.m., include a lunch break, and last for several hours. A trip to the Chinati Foundation is a pleasant part of a Fort Davis Texas Bed and Breakfast vacation.

Click to see a photo of the Chinati Foundation.

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Monahans Sandhills, in West Texas

Monday, September 27th, 2010

When you’re in West Texas, it’s worth going a bit out of your way to see interesting places. Monahans Sandhills State Park is one such place.

Located about an hour southwest from Odessa, Monahans Sandhills State Park doesn’t look like the kind of place once used as a watering hole by both Native Americans and the Texas and Pacific Railroad, but it was. Learn about the area’s interesting history as you experience this stark and beautiful landscape.

Monahans Sandhills State Park makes a great day trip from an Odessa Texas bed and breakfast.

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