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:

• Roz Beaton (who toured with the Cirque du Soleil “Cavalia” show) and Sally Bishop in the SureShot Acts Amazing Trick Riding.

• 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Midnight Mountain, originally uploaded by Ranger 1.

While sleep is precious, there are a few things in this world worth getting up for – one of which is to see Sawtooth Mountain illuminated by a full moon.

Sawtooth Mountain is located outside Fort Davis in the Davis Mountains, a wildly beautiful spot in West Texas. The mountains stand tall and solitary, surrounded by the Chihuahuan Desert. The Davis Mountains are considered an ecological island, since so many miles separate them from places with similar ecological conditions.

The Davis Mountains receive about 6 more inches of rain each year than the surrounding land. Given their elevation, the climate is considerably cooler than surrounding areas, as well. Because of these factors, the plants and animals of the Davis Mountains are not found in the lowlands around them. Bird lovers will find many interesting species to watch here, such as 10 species of delicate hummingbirds, the Montezuma Quail, and the Golden Eagle.

Stay in Fort Davis Texas bed and breakfasts and allow yourself ample time to explore the Davis Mountains. Treat yourself to a decadent breakfast each morning before heading out for a day of hiking, mountain biking or horseback riding. Sit on a shaded porch drinking lemonade (or something stronger) after a long day of bird watching. Bed and Breakfasts Fort Davis TX will treat you right.

Salute, originally uploaded by Satxvike.

Odessa, in West Texas, has a good number of museums worth visiting, if you happen to be heading to an Odessa Texas bed and breakfast. One of these is the Commemorative Air Force Airpower Museum, pictured above.

Their mission is to “help history soar,” and they do it by acquiring, restoring and preserving “a complete collection of combat aircraft which were flown by all military services of the United States, and selected aircraft of other nations, for the education and enjoyment of present and future generations of Americans.”

The planes are ready to fly if and when the chance arises. Indeed, the chance does arise from time to time. The CAF holds AIRSHO each October. At that time, over 100 historic planes are available for viewing, and many pilots and crew members are present to field questions and share their passion for these planes.

The Commemorative Air Force Museum is truly remarkable. It began as a hobby, but grew into an organization that has restored and preserved hundreds of historic planes. Check it out the next time you stay at an Odessa bed and breakfast. You may find yourself compelled to return during AIRSHO 2010.

For more detailed information about the museum or AIRSHO, please visit the Commemorative Air Force website.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park, originally uploaded by NationalParkLover.

If you are planning a trip to West Texas, be sure to put the Guadalupe Mountains National Park on your itinerary. In addition to being stunningly beautiful, it boasts one of the finest examples of fossilized reef in the world. It is fascinating to behold.

There is solitude here, and silence. Hikers will revel in over 80 miles of trails traversing woodland canyons and riparian springs. Some may want to head straight into the wilderness on switch-back trails that aren’t for the faint of heart (literally). Once in the back country, you’ll find isolated valleys and, if you stay the night, you’ll see more stars than one would think possible. Be sure you are well prepared before you set off on even a short hike. There is no water in the back country, and the weather can change suddenly.

The Guadalupe Mountains National Park is worth a visit even if you aren’t a hiker. It is a great spot for birding and fossil hunting. History buffs will enjoy learning about the geology of the area and the first peoples. You can’t go wrong.

So the next time you feel like a road trip, head to West Texas. The Guadalupe Mountains National Park is four to five hours from both Odessa and Fort Davis. Enjoy the comfort and hospitality of West Texas Bed and Breakfasts on your way to and from the park.

One More Cast – Sunset On Lake Amistad Jan 06, originally uploaded by Charles & Clint.

Lake Amistad is a beautiful lake just north of Del Rio, in the southeastern corner of West Texas; it straddles the border with Mexico. The 540 miles of Texas coastline include the Amistad National Recreation Area. There is so much to do and see here that it makes sense to get comfortable in a West Texas Bed and Breakfast for a while, and take your time exploring the region.

Fishing, boating, swimming, and hiking are all popular activities here. Indeed, with warm water a good nine months of the year, Lake Amistad has some of the best bass fishing in the country. And the clear, turquoise water begs you to dive in and swim.

Plenty of other opportunities abound. Birdwatching is a popular activity here, thanks to the more than 300 species that call the lake home for all or part of the year. Don’t leave home without your binoculars.

History buffs will be interested in the petroglyphs that are sprinkled throughout the area. The ancient rock art is found in a variety of locations, including Panther Cave and Parida Cave, accessible only by boat.

Winter is a good time to head south and stay at a Texas bed and breakfast. This winter, make sure you visit Lake Amistad and Del Rio. You’ll be happy you did.