Ideas for a mini break

[Carrots]

For the next few days I am without company, appointments or any sort of responsibility and so I am thinking about taking a trip. The only fixed criteria I have is that I am on a budget. 16 months of unemployment kinda does that to you, and whilst I have some cash for gas, food and lodgings I need some pretty cheap kicks. I've lived in Houston for all of these "quiet" months and I have been to most of its closest neighbours. I have also been to the Dallas/Ft Worth area and seen a good chunk north of there and well into OK. I've also been to the Amarillo/Canyon area and passed through a lot of East Texas on trips out of state into AR/MS/LA. Austin and San An would seem to be the next obvious choices for a fairly close and convenient small break, but I am also thinking of going a little mad and heading further out to Marfa/Alpine/Valentine and then down into the Big Bend area. As a boot fiend El Paso would be great, but it is just too darn far for this time around and it will have me spending money on footwear that I can ill afford.

I spent two weeks in Austin a few years back, and whilst I would not consider myself having seen or done it all I did do a fair bit of exploring. I've also driven through parts of Hill country a couple of times, and stopped at various smalls towns in the vicinity of the city itself (SmithVille springs to mind).

San An is a complete unknown quantity to me, but I can't help thinking that once you've seen one big Texas city the rest are probably much the same.

It is for this reasons that I am thinking of heading further west and into the small towns around Ft. Stockton. But I can’t help but wonder what I would actually do once I got there. It would seem to be the wrong time of the year to attempt any sort of serious walking in BB, and from what I know whilst the surrounding towns are probably "cool" to visit for about half an hour each it wouldn't be long before I found myself out of entertainment and a long way from home. I'd rather not be behind the wheel all weekend, and a 1200 mile round trip before I do any sort of on site local touring makes me wonder whether that trip would turn rather tiresome rather quickly.

So what else is there? Somewhere and something between big boozy city lights land & there ain't no one for a hundred miles in each direction land. Do Waco, San Angelo, Victoria or Abilene have much to offer a casual visitor? I have never been to any of these places, and have no one to see there but according to the map they are within the distance that I am looking at. I am not a big fan of the Gulf coast, although I would like to go NO sometime but I can't see that being either fun or safe by yourself especially with a budget consisting of three and a half beans. So what have you got for me? Somewhere within 600 miles of Houston that would keep me amused, fed, watered and content for a few days, a taste of this "Real" Texas that I keep hearing about.

Thanks to all

[A-R]

I did Big Bend in the summer one year. It is HOT HOT HOT, but it can be done. Just be careful and take more water than you think you could ever possible drink in a week for a 2-day visit (I took 8 gallons on ice in a giant cooler and was glad I did). Marfa, Marathon, Fort Davis etc., you've got about right - cool to visit for an hour or two, but quickly become boring.

But that is an awfully long drive - a few stops along the way if you go old Highway 90 instead of I-10 (Langtry - Judge Roy Bean Saloon - is kinda cool tourist trap). Probably not worth the drive for only two or three days. I did the trip in three days, but that was from San Antonio (so three hours shorter each way).

You might look into a Texas History sort of road trip starting in Houston at San Jacinto memorial, traveling to Gonzales and Goliad, Washington on the Brazos, and other stops in a meandering trip, and ending around San Antonio (take in the Spanish Missions Trail, including of course the Alamo). IMHO, I'd avoid the Riverwalk - truly just not that impressive (and I lived there for 8 years) ... there are better restaurants away from the Riverwalk.

Normally I'd say grab an inner tube and some cans of beer and float down the Guadalupe and Comal in New Braunfels, or the Frio in Concan ... but with the drought we've had, I doubt there's much water left in any of them this summer.

Or you could do something I've always wanted to do and tour the best barbecue joints in the state ... Blacks, Smittys, and Kruezs in Lockhart; and Coopers in Llano should definitely be on the list.

[lrb111]

Fredricksburg has the National Museum of the Pacific war, complete with a couple of submarines.
The Caverns at Sonora are a short walk, but incredibly unique.
The Petroleum Museum in Midland also has Jim Hall's Chapparal race cars now. Then the Commemorative Air Force Museum at the air terminal.
The Sand Dunes at Monahans actually run from about 100 miles south of Monahans into Colorado. Lots of beach, no ocean.
Plenty of golf out here. IDPA is the second Saturday of the month at http://www.midlandshooters.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; guests are welcome.

[PBratton]

Run down the coast and visit Rock Port or go another 50 miles or so to Corpus Christi.

I've got to make that trip myself soon, been too long since I visited the Lady Lex.

[joe817]

All 3 of the previous posters offered fantastic ideas. I like all 3. I cannot offer anything different. As somewhat of a history buff I like the history part myself. Texas is rich in history....after all WE are the only independent country to ever become a State. Love the barbecue tour as well. San Antonio has always been a fav of mine. The Mission Tour offers an afternoon of enjoyment....if you are into history. The brewery tours are pretty cool too. :)

As being born in Ft.Worth, and an affinity for history AND water, I have to say Galveston is and has always been my favorite place to go. Being land locked up here and loving the 'ocean', we always consider that first, albeit it's more of a drive. I could spend an entire 2 weeks touring the Gulf Coast of Texas, and not get tired of it. From Galveston to South Padre. We loved Corpus area, and Mustang Island offers really inexpensive 'beach bum motels' on a budget. That's my type.

Far West Texas/Big Bend has a beauty unto itself. But to go there just to say I've been there, is not high on my list of travel want to's.

So it's up to you. Whether you want glitz, glamour and action...or tranquil peace and quiet, laid back.
(gads, I sound like a Texas travel commercial).

You might want to check out Texas Country Report website, as they list events all over Texas:
http://www.texascountryreporter.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[gemini]

Waco: Visit the Tx Ranger Museum, Baylor Univ. campus, Tx Sports Hall of Fame, etc.
Gruene: Visit the famous dance hall, walk down the hill and go tubing, shops etc.
New Braunfels: Slitterbaun BUT tubing is better...
Fredricksburg: visit the sites listed in previous posts or visit a few vinyards
Lots of Tx history through the hill country.
Rent a Harley for a few days and cruise the back roads

[TLE2]

Go to Big Bend.. actually hike across Big Bend, it's a life altering experience. But do it in November. In August-September, it would be a life ending experience.

[android]

Not Texas, but my wife and I just got back from a long weekend in Ruidoso, NM. Beautiful mountain scenery and very pleasant weather. I think you could find pretty cheap lodging or camping. We did some hiking and biking which are free and also some horseback riding which was expensive, so you would probably want to skip that.

We drove back through some of the west TX towns you mentioned. As you surmised, if you've seen one TX plains town and the surrounding cotton fields and oil wells, you've seen them all.

Although OC is legal in NM, I didn't see anybody with one strapped on although I was looking. CHL has reciprocity, so you are good to go as far as that is concerned.

[A-R]

The brewery tours are pretty cool too. :)

That reminded me that you can actually do a "wine tour" in Texas, if you're into that sort of thing. Obviously not of the scale or prestige of California, but there are some well-respected wineries around Fredericksburg, New Braunfels, and the upper Highland Lakes (Buchanan, Inks, LBJ, Marble Falls) ... good one in Tow, at northern end of Lake Buchanon (and you can "cleanse your pallette" at Cooper's BBQ in Llano )

Gruene Hall near New Braunfels was another good suggestion. If you like Texas country music, also try John T. Floore's Country Store near Helotes (NW San Antonio), plus there are dozens of places in and around Austin.

[Carrots]

Wow, thank you very much everyone. I'll let you know where I end up!