Cowboys, Canyons and Constellations

Package Price Per Person:

Double: $2055

Single: $2905

Triple: $1770

Quad: $1630

Tour Dates: October 22-29, 2026

 

Saddle up for a journey that beats to the rhythm of Deep in the Heart of Texas— where cattle trails, canyon walls, desert skies, and Hill Country charm come together in one unforgettable adventure. This immersive 7 night/8 day tour celebrates the bold spirit and larger-than-life character of the Lone Star State, beginning in the legendary Fort Worth Stockyards, where the Old West still walks the streets, and the John Wayne Experience honors one of Texas’ most iconic screen cowboys. From there, the story stretches westward into the rugged Trans-Pecos, where you’ll stand beneath the crystal-clear skies of McDonald Observatory for a guided tour and star party, experiencing the kind of wide-open heavens only Texas can deliver. You’ll explore the raw, untamed beauty of Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park with expert guides, tracing scenic drives, towering canyons, and Rio Grande vistas, and watch the sun melt behind the Chisos Mountains in Terlingua Ghost Town. Memorable stays at historic Indian Lodge in the Davis Mountains and the desert oasis of Lajitas Resort, plus the welcoming towns of Fredericksburg, Waco, and Grapevine, round out a trip rich in frontier heritage, natural wonder, and true Texas hospitality — the kind you feel deep in your heart.

Your journey begins as you roll into the legendary Fort Worth Stockyards, where the spirit of the cattle drive still echoes down brick streets lined with saloons, shops, and historic corrals. Here, Western heritage isn’t staged — it lives and breathes. A highlight visit to the John Wayne Experience brings the Duke’s legacy to life through immersive exhibits and personal artifacts that celebrate one of America’s most enduring icons. After soaking in the Stockyards’ authentic atmosphere, you’ll enjoy a festive dinner at the beloved Joe T. Garcia’s, known for its famous Tex-Mex cuisine and vibrant courtyard setting, before settling in for the evening in nearby Weatherford.

As the cityscape fades into wide-open country, the story of Texas unfolds at the outstanding Frontier Texas Museum, where interactive exhibits and lifelike presentations capture the drama, danger, and determination of early settlers. From here, the landscape grows more rugged and cinematic as you travel to Indian Lodge in Fort Davis, one of Texas’ most distinctive and atmospheric hotels. Built of native stone and tucked into the Davis Mountains, this historic lodge feels like a hidden desert retreat — quiet, starry, and wonderfully remote. After sunset, you’ll witness one of the region’s most intriguing phenomena: Marfa’s Mysterious Lights, unexplained glowing orbs that have puzzled visitors and scientists for generations.

The Davis Mountains reveal their scientific side with a guided experience at the world-renowned McDonald Observatory, where massive telescopes and high-altitude clarity make this one of North America’s premier sky-watching locations. You’ll also explore Fort Davis National Historic Site, one of the best preserved frontier military posts in the Southwest, where stories of soldiers, settlers, and survival come into sharp focus. Dinner in Alpine at the acclaimed Reata Restaurant delivers elevated cowboy cuisine in a warm, welcoming setting. Later, you’ll return to the observatory for a professional Star Gazing Party, where experts guide you through constellations, planets, and deep-space wonders under some of the darkest skies in the country — an experience both humbling and exhilarating.

The journey continues deeper into Far West Texas at the Museum of the Big Bend, where geology, culture, and borderlands history set the stage for the landscapes ahead. A knowledgeable step-on guide joins you as you enter Big Bend Ranch State Park, where volcanic formations, river canyons, and desert colors stretch to the horizon. A stop at historic Fort Leaton, a preserved adobe trading post, offers a vivid look at frontier commerce along the Rio Grande. Your home for the night is the striking Lajitas Golf Resort, an oasis of comfort surrounded by dramatic desert scenery, where an included dinner lets you relax and savor the setting.

With your expert guide leading the way, you’ll experience the full grandeur of Big Bend National Park, one of America’s most spectacular and least crowded national treasures. Scenic drives and overlooks reveal vast desert basins and jagged mountain peaks, including the famed Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive�and panoramic Sotol Vista. You’ll stand at the edge of the towering walls of Santa Elena Canyon and explore the Boquillas Canyon Trailhead, where the Rio Grande carves its path between nations and stone. The day closes in unforgettable fashion in Terlingua Ghost Town at the storied Starlight Theater Restaurant, where you’ll dine as the sun drops behind the Chisos Mountains and paints the desert in gold and crimson.

Trading desert drama for Hill Country charm, you travel to Fredericksburg, where German heritage and Texas hospitality blend beautifully. A stop at Wildseed Farms invites you to stroll blooming gardens and enjoy a relaxed wine tasting before an evening free to explore Fredericksburg’s lively downtown — filled with boutiques, tasting rooms, galleries, and restaurants that make it one of Texas’ most beloved small towns.

Your final touring day brings a taste of modern Texas culture in Waco, with time at Magnolia Market and the Silos, a shopping and dining destination that has become a national phenomenon. Nearby, the Dr Pepper Museum adds a fizzy splash of Americana, celebrating one of the country’s most iconic soft drinks in the very city where it was born. The tour concludes in Grapevine, whose charming Main Street offers the perfect farewell setting with local shops, dining, and Texas flair before your comfortable return home

From dusty cattle trails to towering canyon walls, from mountaintop observatories to lantern-lit ghost towns, this Texas adventure is as big as it gets. It’s boot-stomping, sunset-chasing, star-splashed travel at its finest, where frontier forts, desert skies, and storybook towns deliver one jaw-dropping scene after another. Every mile brings bigger views, richer history, and true Lone Star character — the kind of journey that turns travelers into storytellers long after the trail home.

 

 

Highlights include:

-Roundtrip Motorcoach Transportation

-7 nights/ 8 days hotel lodging

-10 meals (3 breakfast, 2 lunches, 5 dinners)

-Fort Worth Stockyards

-John Wayne Experience

-Frontier Texas Museum

-Mcdonald Observatory Guided Tour

-Fort Davis Historical Site

-Star Gazing Party at Mcdonald Observatory

-Marfa’s Mysterious Lights

-Museum of the Big Bend

-Step on guided tour of Big Bend State Park and Big Bend National Park

-Fort Leaton

-Terlingua Ghost Town

-Wildseed Gardens and Wine Tasting

-Downtown Fredericksburg

-Dr. Pepper Museum and Magnolia Market

-Main Street Grapevine

-Little Rock Tours Tour Director

-All taxes and fees