Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
named by US football broadcaster John Madden. Because he won't fly, the well-traveled
Madden spends a lot of time crossing the US by bus, and he named this as one of his fa-
vorite restaurants.
If you're looking for a good place to stretch your legs, wander over to Fancy Junk, right
next to Chuy's on Broadway. It's a junkyard that has taken the shape of an art exhibit.
WORTH A TRIP
DETOUR: CARLSBAD CAVERNS
If you've made it all the way out to the Guadalupe Mountains, you're not too far from another excellent natural
attraction:
Carlsbad Caverns National Park
( 575-785-2232;
www.nps.gov/cave
; 3225 National Parks Hwy;
cave entry adult/child under 15yr $6/free; visitor center 8am-5pm, to 7pm summer). Although the park is over
the border in New Mexico, it's only 40 miles from the Guadalupe Mountains National Park, making it closer
than, well, almost everything else in the state of Texas.
Cave entrance fees are good for three days and get you access to the one-hour self-guided tour of the Big
Room, the seventh-largest cave chamber in the world. There are additional fees, and reservations are required, for
six different ranger-led tours, including the King's Palace and the Hall of the White Giant. Please note that each
of the guided tours has an age limit of anywhere from four to 12 years, depending on difficulty (of the route, not
the child), so plan accordingly if you're traveling with a little one.
TOP OF CHAPTER
Fort Stockton
POP 8311
Although short on charm, Fort Stockton snags a spot on many Texas travelers' itineraries
by virtue of its location. Despite having fewer than 10,000 people, it is by far the biggest
town on I-10 between El Paso, 238 miles west, and San Antonio, 310 miles east. It's also
a major gateway to Big Bend National Park, which is 100 miles south.
Sights
Historic Fort Stockton
( 432-336-2400;
www.historicfortstockton.com
; 300 E 3rd St; adult/child 6-12yr $3/2; 9am-5pm Mon-Sat, to
6pm summer)
You can view several original and reconstructed buildings of a 19th-century
fort on the Texas frontier at Historic Fort Stockton. The site includes Barracks No 1, a re-
constructed building housing the
Fort Museum
, where exhibits and a short video describe the
HISTORIC SITE
