The Texas you’ve probably never heard about: Road tripping through mountains and beaches
On the latest leg of their epic road trip across the US, Simon Veness and Susan Veness venture up high in the Lone Star State and explore wildly eclectic Santa Fe – and discover that it’s not all cowboys and BBQ
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The clue was in the name: Alpine, Texas. We should have been ready for mountains. But in Texas? It seemed as unlikely as floods in the desert, yet we had already seen Death Valley in California underwater in the aftermath of a hurricane.
Now, trundling south along Highway 90, distinct peaks were looming ever larger through the expansive windscreen of our RV. We were on course for Big Bend National Park in west Texas, and had chosen Alpine as the base from which to explore this lesser-known part of the state.
To our surprise, we found ourselves 4,500ft above sea level in a super-cute town packed with dazzling murals and scenic splendours, from the Davis Mountains, topping 8,000ft to the north, to the Chisos range to the south. They weren’t quite the Alps, but this was distinctly loftier than we expected in the Lone Star State.
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The Lost Alaskan RV Park proved a perfect hideaway after the 266-mile jaunt south from New Mexico, which we had been forced to abandon at the first sight of snow (knowing full well that driving a 36ft, 11-ton vehicle in icy conditions was a likely recipe for disaster).
We had enjoyed 17 days of enchantment in Texas’ north-west neighbour, spent mainly in the city of Las Cruces, a compelling mix of Mexican heritage, cowboy overtones and wonderful food – notably from La Posta, where they have been serving south of the border fare since 1939. They didn’t have a Mariachi band, but that was about the only thing missing as we soaked up their hearty posole soup, tasty tacos and spicy tostadas.
This was also ideal for forays to Silver City (a historic mining boom town of the 1870s), White Sands National Park, and Alamogordo, site of the first atomic bomb test in 1945. We also stumbled upon the adorable skiing resort of Cloudcroft, where the first snow of winter had fallen and we were glad we were in our trusty tow car. Lincoln Historic Site took us back into cowboy country – where Billy the Kid made his name in the Lincoln County War of 1878 – and the timewarp Murphy-Dolan Store, the former courthouse where Billy shot his way free after being convicted of murder, with markers at the site of the two men he killed.
Read more: Why New Mexico should be your next US trip
Back on the desert floor, White Sands was another “wow.” A 275-square-mile field of pure white gypsum ground to a fine powder, this unique geological anomaly was formed 10,000 years ago with dunes that have drifted back and forth in the Tularosa Basin ever since. At times, the wind whipped its sands into a veritable snowstorm, while snowboarders, sorry, sandboarders, made good use of its 60-foot peaks.
Heading further north brought us to wildly eclectic Santa Fe, which revels in its nickname of ‘The City Different’. Founded by the Spanish in 1610, it’s the oldest state capital in the US and has become an artsy hangout of epic proportions, with more than 250 galleries and museums, 100 alone on the half-mile tree-lined drive of Canyon Street. The historic railyard was the epi-centre of a rich mélange of art, live events, food and drink, and we totally fell in love with the state’s prolific adobe architecture, which reached its zenith in Unesco World Heritage site Taos Pueblo, telling the 1,000-year-old story of the Red Willow people.
The tastes of Santa Fe were equally powerful, notably the heady green chilli stew at La Choza, tangy pupusas at Tune-Up Café, and hearty sopa Azteca – a traditional tortilla soup – at The Burrito Co.
But, with temperatures approaching freezing, we needed somewhere warmer, hence our path south-east. Big Bend National Park more than lived up to its reputation for splendid isolation with its remote setting, volcanic mountains, steepling river canyons and breathtaking night skies, while Alpine served up tasty treats at the Bread Garden Bakery and historic Holland Hotel, where they set up our own table in the lobby so we could bring our ageing labrador. Nearing 16, Ruthie was showing real signs of old age, becoming increasingly hard to leave for any length of time, so we were grateful – and amazed– for the kindness afforded by the hotel.
Read more: Texas city breaks – an urban adventure through Houston, San Antonio and Austin
By now, we had chalked up 27,950 miles three-quarters of the way through our year-long adventure (8,242 in the RV, another 19,708 in the car), and our Florida home was still another 2,000-plus miles and three months away. We figured that Texas offered the best chance of warmth, so we set our sights further south on the Gulf Coast, via a stop in San Antonio.
The home of the Alamo had been one of the top priorities on our route, and we found a lively, happening city that had much more to offer than just the history of the tragic battle where 250 Texans fought a gallant – but losing – battle against the Mexican Army in 1836. We discovered the spectacular Alsatian RV Resort just to the west in Castroville and took the car from there to soak up the multi-cultural big city vibe, enjoying trips to the astounding Natural Bridge Caverns, 18th-century Mission San Jose and colourful Historic Market Square.
Dining was another delight, especially at the city’s community hub-meets-market of The Pearl. This converted former brewery has become the poster child for inner-city rejuvenation, and it positively hums with life on a daily basis, but especially at weekends. The restaurant choice was astonishing and we made multiple visits to sample the cross-cultural cuisine of Southerleigh Fine Food & Brewery (the best brunch of the whole trip), the Mexican street food of Chilaquil and rich tastes of Mezquite.
Backyard on Broadway added a remarkable community spirit to its entertainment style, as well as some of the biggest sandwiches we’d ever seen, while we fully quenched our thirst at Breakaway Brewing – one of 30 craft breweries in the city – where pints were only $5 (£3.85), and their Lantern Rouge farmhouse ale was superb.
Hardberger Park provided a natural urban oasis, with its eye-catching land bridge and skywalk. Even better, it led directly to Two Bros BBQ Market. As if to prove we hadn’t tasted anything until we’d tried Texas barbecue, Two Bros offered the full-on deep-smoked flavours of the West. Great slabs of beef brisket, pulled pork and smoked sausage jostled with “the fixin’s”, side dishes that included creamy coleslaw, BBQ beans and the signature Cheesy Chop, a pint container filled with chopped beef and mac-and-cheese side-by-side. Our meal provided a fabulous lunch, plus breakfast and dinner the next day.
Suitably replete, we left San Antonio carrying distinctly more ballast than when we arrived, and in need of a rest from the non-stop nature of our 12-month adventure. We found it 300 miles due south on South Padre Island, where, we were told, the winter rarely reared its chilly head and we’d find idyllic beach territory.
Now, we’d heard this boast before but, being from Florida, we were sceptical of Texan claims of true beach bliss. We were wrong. As we pulled in sight of the imposing two-mile long Queen Isabella Memorial Bridge leading to the barrier island, we were immediately struck by the obvious comparison with Florida’s pristine coasts, impossibly blue waters and serene sands. This was what RV-ing was made for.
Read more: The best beaches in Florida for pure white sands, turquoise waters and rolling dunes
Trundling over the causeway, we could imagine being back in the Keys, St Pete Beach or Anna Maria Island, the Sunshine State’s seaside serenade. The island stretches fully 113 miles north, but South Padre’s share is a modest 12 miles, from Isla Blanca Park at the southern tip to Sea Shell Beach, where the road runs out and the area north is all protected wildlife refuge.
Twelve miles still represented plenty of chill-out territory, packed as they were with superb beaches and nature centres, notably the Dolphin Research Center and Birding Center. There were also the well-equipped KOA Holiday campground, where we dropped anchor, and a tempting collection of restaurants, boat tours and fishing charters. And Clayton’s, the self-proclaimed “biggest beach bar in Texas,” where the music was loud and the party crowd were definitely in evidence.
Could we hang out here for a while to cool our wheels? You bet.
Next: Texas to Louisiana...
How to do it
RVing 101:
- Cities and RVs don’t mix well. We tended to stay outside city limits and use our tow car to get around.
- For reliable internet while travelling, many RVers – like us – use the latest Starlink satellite system.
RV Factfile:
- Southern California, Texas and Florida are prime RV destinations in winter, but they book up early. The Thousand Trails membership scheme is ideal to help with key bookings year-round.
- For essential travel info, see newmexico.org and traveltexas.com.
‘111 Places in Orlando That You Must Not Miss’ by Simon Veness and Susan Veness is out now for £13.99.
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