The Best Hotels and Vacation Rentals to Book Near Big Bend National Park, Texas

Despite what your camping-mad dad might tell you, a little luxury never ruined a good outdoor vacation. And Lajitas Golf Resort and Spa will do nothing except elevate your experience of this stunning part of the world. Sure, you can get out and about – taking in everything from golf and horseback riding to clay shooting and mountain biking. But, if it’s a little pampering you’re after, the Agave Spa, with treatments using native stones and ingredients, will send you home glowing.

Drive your rig over to the Paisano Village RV Park & Inn for a laid-back and quiet stay in-between visits to the Big Bend National and State Parks. Pull into a fully hooked-up RV site, or rent a Southwest-themed room for a hot shower, refreshing air conditioning and a spot of lazy evening cable TV. Paisano Village is a three-minute drive to Big Bend National Park, letting you sleep in as long as you please and still make good time getting on the hiking trails.

As your Lone Star State road trip continues onward to Big Bend National Park, Hotel El Capitan is a good waypoint and watering hole to spend the evening in. Located in Van Horn, roughly four hours from the park, this is an ideal stop for those heading in or out of El Paso International Airport. The private balconies overlooking the fountain in the Courtyard Suites are fantastic for watching the sun drop into the Rio Grande. You’ll slip just as soundly into the dark with a nightcap at the Gopher Hole Bar.

You’ve never had as many options to sleep under the stars as you do at El Cosmico. This funky shelter in Marfa – a good three-hour drive from Big Bend – invites you to choose between a yurt, tepee, safari tent, Airstream or Cosmic Kasita bunkhouse. Spoiler alert: all are fantastic and include amenities like bathhouses, bike rentals, a communal outdoor kitchen, a hammock grove and wood-fired hot tubs. Stop into the Provisions Co before you go to take a little West Texas ware home with you.

Imagine hiking, star gazing and 360-degree mountain views – and all that before you even enter Big Bend! Terlingua Nights Cabins will set you up with a scenic stay in the heart of the Lower Big Bend. The 12 acres (5ha) of land host a handful of cabins, though you’re welcome to pitch a tent and rough it. “Roughing it” might be the wrong word, as hammocks, outdoor furniture and communal cooking supplies are yours to use during your stay. You’ll definitely see shooting stars, but you won’t wish you were anywhere else.

Cibolo Creek Ranch and Resort asks why stay in a guest room when you can sleep in a fort? These historic forts have a history all of their own, offering a unique overnight like no other in West Texas. Traditional Mexican dishes infused with international ingredients are paired alongside bottles from a curated wine collection at the ranch restaurant. When you’re not enjoying yourself on the ranch, explore the rest of the resort with guided mountain tours, ATV rides and photo hunts for roadrunners and javelinas.