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Big Bend Travel Guide

TRAVELS

September 25, 2020

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Welcome to the journal!
This is where we share our
 recent weddings, engagement sessions, valuable wedding resources for our brides, BTS, our lives, and so much more! We adore working with couples madly in love, and can't wait to tell your story through fine art photography!

Hi, I'm Reagan!

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Big Bend is a stunning, remote National Park on the border of Texas & Mexico. Perfect for adventure seekers, and those who crave a bit of freedom from the world of social media, news, and online noise! Aka, no cellphone service anywhere 😉 Hopefully this blog post will help a few people decide on where to stay, where to eat, and what to do while traveling here. Enjoy a peek into Kenneth & I’s recent trip! Everything is linked for your convenience. Feel free to email me anytime if you have any questions! Happy Traveling friends! <3

XO, RWP

Kenneth & I at Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park!

Where To Stay: Lajitas Golf Resort https://www.lajitasgolfresort.com

Okay, so lets get right to it! Lajitas Golf Resort is the BEST place to stay if you plan on traveling to Big Bend. Think of it as an Oasis in the middle of nowhere. A 4 star resort situated amongst beautiful rolling hills, plateaus, and dessert. Only a short walk from the Rio grande / Mexico border. Lajitas reminds me of a modern, yet old, Western town- spread out over a few acres. The decor, the setting, the scenery… you’ll quite literally feel as if you’ve traveled into another time.

Not a bad view to get work done every day!!! :’)

What To Do: Ride horses!!! Head to the front desk of the resort & sign up for a trail ride. I recommend the 2.5 mile, 1 hour trail ride in the morning. Check out the Lajitas Equestrian Center here. Lots of other fun options to book like zip lining too! – https://www.lajitasgolfresort.com/default.aspx?pg=activities

That’s Mexico behind us, across the river! We woke up early & rode horses through the beautiful countryside along the Rio Grande by Lajitas. I will never forget it!!!
Texas is beautiful through the lens of a camera, but viewing it from horseback was oh so sweet!
Peep Kenneth. He makes a cute cowboy if I do say so myself!
Incredible views bathed in the morning light…
No speeding here!!! Comanche War Party might getcha!

What To Do: Head into Big Bend & see Santa Elena Canyon

Check out this Elopement Editorial I photographed while in Big Bend here: https://reaganwrightphotography.com/2020/09/25/big-bend-elopement/

Okay so this part of the trip really blew my mind!!! We were in Big Bend to photograph this editorial at Santa Elena Canyon. Once you get to the front gate of Big Bend National Park, the canyon is about an hour drive in, winding through hills & plateaus. The drive is pretty moderate, there is only one high accent that made me a little nervous- but it was no biggy for Kenneth!;) This place is EPIC. Almost like something out of the movie Avatar (you know, the movie with the blue people!) If you were looking for the perfect photo opt in Big Bend, this is it! But… don’t forget to put your phone down and just take in this glorious place for a few minutes. Listen to the sound of the river, take in the smell of the water & dust, and view through your own eyes the incredible sight only yards in front of you.

Golden Hour in the canyon. Just WOW!!!!
Is this really Texas?!? (Ignore the ladies voices in the background LOL!)

What To Do: Rent a Golf Cart & Explore the huge Lajitas Golf Course!!!

Trust me on this one! The golf course is usually relatively empty, and there are endless pathways to explore! A few will take you to the tops of plateaus with some pretty awesome views of the resort & Mexican countryside across the river!

We stopped to take it all in for a bit!

What to do: Play some golf or go to the driving range! While I got some computer work done, Kenneth went and had a blast on the golf course!😎

Wait until the end…LOL! <3

What To Eat: Candelilla Cafe (for breakfast, lunch, & dinner!!!) https://www.lajitasgolfresort.com/default.aspx?pg=dining

If you are a foodie- this resort & restaurant are for you! Top notch quality food, an ambiance of rustic, Mexican charm, and amazing staff! Check out Trip Advisor below for more photos & reviews. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g1950037-d2426501-Reviews-Candelilla_Cafe-Lajitas_Big_Bend_National_Park_Texas.html

Pro tip: ORDER THE KEY LIME PIE! All of their desserts are homemade & absolutely yum.

Chilly mornings paired with warm sunlight, delicious food, and exquisite views. Highly recommend the cinnamon rolls!
For lunch try the chicken fajita salad! So fresh! Also- peep that view AHHH!
Our last dinner at Lajitas! <3

In Summary….

Where to stay: Lajitas Golf Resort!:)

What to do: Horseback riding, zip lining, see & hike Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park, rent a golf cart & explore Lajitas Golf Course!

Where to eat: Candelilla Cafe (for breakfast, lunch, & dinner!!!)

Notes: There is no cell service! Plan to only have access to wifi when you are at the restaurant. The early morning around 7am is the perfect time to get any work done- as the restaurant is fairly empty & you can sit out on the porch with coffee, your laptop, an incredible view, fresh air, & a great wifi signal!:)

Pack more than you think you’ll need! Extra shoes (you’ll probably encounter mud on your hikes like we did!), extra shorts (you’ll be sweating!), etc.

Bring a cooler stocked with water & snacks! Big Bend is extremely rural, and there are only 1-2 “stores” in the entire area. Bring your own case of water to last you through the trip. 🙂 The air is very dry and you’ll be surprised how thirsty you get!

Be kind to the staff and they will treat you like family at the resort! We were shocked at how nice the entire Lajitas staff was! So many friendly faces, we felt like we were locals by the time we left!

If you’re looking for the perfect 3-4 day road trip in Texas, this is it! Big Bend is incredible, and you won’t want to leave. I hope this post was helpful in planning your stay!

Happy adventuring!!! And let me know how your very own Big Bend trip goes!:)

XO RWP

Adventures on Film, photos below by Sarah Stip!:)

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Welcome to the journal! This is where we share our recent weddings & engagement sessions, valuable wedding resources for our brides, BTS, our lives, and so much more! We adore working with couples madly in love, and can't wait to tell your story through fine art photography!

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