We had to cancel trips to Key West and Chautauqua because of the pandemic and we were going stir crazy. So we decided that a road trip was in order and could be done safely. We hadnt seen my son who lives in Denver in a while so that became our destination from Houston. There were many sites along the way that Ive been wanting to go to so became my plan for an itinerary.
I thought driving no more than five hours in a day would give us time to do a little sight seeing before settling into a hotel each day. We departed on August 24th and returned home on September 1st.
First stop, Fredericksburg, Texas. We love Fredericksburg and we had also canceled a trip to go to their annual Hill Country Film Festival because of Covid so that would be a great place to visit. I had also always wanted to stay at the Inn on Barons Creek right in the center of town and Im glad we did. As we would find at almost every stop along the way, the pandemic had deterred travel and so hotels, restaurants, shops, and attractions were largely empty.
Fredericksburg, including the hotel, was relatively empty and we liked it that way. Normally, parking on Main Street is difficult. Not this time. Some of the shops were closed but we still were able to enjoy the Fredericksburg experience.
From their website: Fort Davis is one of the best surviving examples of an Indian Wars frontier military post in the Southwest. From 1854 to 1891, Fort Davis was strategically located to protect emigrants, mail coaches, and freight wagons on the portion of the San Paso Road and on the Chihuahua Trail.
Just south of the National Historic Site is the small town of Fort Davis which has a few cute shops, restaurants, and hotels. We stayed at the Hotel Limpia which is a quaint little place that normally offers breakfast, but, these are not normal times. Lunch the next day was at Fort Davis Drug Store which also offers souvenir items. The food was great and we can highly it. The Davis Mountains Scenic Loop is nearby and worth the couple of
hours it takes to drive. Like many small towns in Texas the county seats have impressive county courthouses and Fort Davis is no exception being the county seat of Jeff Davis County.
Our next stop was the town of Marfa which has gained a reputation, over the last several years, of being a hotspot for an eclectic array of galleries, shops, and museums. Sadly, we were disappointed. Many establishments were closed. We assume that it was because of the pandemic. The only point of interest that was open was El Paisano Hotel. A beautifully decorated hotel with a few little shops and a nice little courtyard.
We were only there a few hours and then hit the road again with Guadalupe Mountains National Park as our next destination. Along the way we had hoped to stop at McDonald Observatory, but, sadly, it was closed due to the pandemic. The drive was pleasant, the scenery as well. As you approach the Park you start to get into higher elevations and the mountains. Sadly, the visitor center was closed but we enjoyed driving through the mountains. We didnt have the time or desire to go hiking. So it was on
The town of Carlsbad is small and unexceptional with a couple of exceptions. We got into town too late to go to the Caverns so we just went to the hotel, Fiddlers Inn. We highly them. It is a bed and breakfast and the rooms are exceptionally decorated That night we had dinner at Yellow Brix. It was crowded but we ate outside so we felt a little better about being The food is outstanding there. We also spent a little time just enjoying the Pecos River at Lake Carlsbad Beach Park. That was a pleasant surprise and we enjoyed walking along the path beside the river. Breakfast was actually at a restaurant just a block from the hotel and it was delicious. Then it was on to the Caverns. The drive into the Carlsbad Caverns National Park is along a winding mountain road so be aware if you have a fear of such roads.
