Small Town Charm: Terlingua & Marathon, TX
Last week I was lucky enough to visit Big Bend National Park. You can read about my first day there and hiked the Santa Elena Gorge, but I wanted to share a little more about the trip today. There are two small towns located about 45 minutes away from the park worth mentioning. The first town is Terlingua and it's extrememly small. Less than 100 people live there and it's mostly known for tourism. We actually camped in Terlingua and it was a perfect location for us to access Big Bend and then kayak down the Rio Grande. There are only a couple of restuarants and shops there, but it's really a good location if you are looking to visit Big Bend.
The town was originally founded as a mining town by Howard Perry and was nicknamed "Terlingua Ghost Town." The city was booming in the mid 1880s due to the discovery of cinnabar in the area. At one point it had a few thousand residents but was abandoned during the 1940s. Now the town houses river tours, hiking, camping and many more outdoor activities during the high season. Since we were camping most of the trip, I didn't have much of a chance to try out multiple restaurants however one evening we all went out to grab Mexican food at the High Sierra Bar and Grill which has a nice patio and live music. The restaurant also hosts the annual Chili Cook-off.
On the way out of Big Bend on the final day we decided to see a different part of the park on the way home. As we drove towards I-10, we stopped in the quaint town of Marathon, TX. Marathon was a refreshing stop after being in a desolate Terlingua over the past few days. The town has adorable restaurants and boutique shops. Marathon is known for it's star gazing and the town doesn't allow exterior lights at night. If you are passing through here I would recommend grabbing a pizza at the Big Bend Pizza. They make your pizza on the spot with handmade dough and then cook in a wood fired oven. It was delicious!
I really wanted to check out the White Buffalo Bar but they weren't serving dinner until later that evening and my stomach couldn't wait a few hours. The terrace at the White Buffalo Bar is stunning and the interiors were just as exquisite. We also made a point to stop by The French Company Grocer & Deli to grab some snacks for the road. The clerk recommended eating at Gilda's J&G Grill down the street but unfortunately they were closing when we arrived. I was told their hamburgers are amazing!
Before leaving the town we popped into San Resendo Crossing which is a lovely rustic store filled with goodies for your home. Some of the best craftsmanship I've seen in a while and very unique pieces. I really loved some of the tapestries I saw in there and the staff was extremely helpful. If you are staying in town you may want to visit the Gage Hotel built in 1927. It has a spa, gardens to explore and is a historic hotel.
