The West Texas desert is magical, mystical, and one of my favorite places on it. My dear friend Carroll introduced me to this dusty, quirky, and very remote part of the Lone Star State in 2017. I fell in love with and have been back multiple times. On each visit, there are several spots that I must visit. Here are my favorites in Terlingua Ghost Town near Big Bend National Park.

@jenniferbroometravel

If you’re heading to #terlingua here are some of my favs in #ghosttown near #bigbend #bigbendnationalpark #terlinguaghosttown #terlinguatx #texas #westtexas #exploretexas #adventuretravel #usatravel #seeamerica #traveltips

♬ Western – Joystock

Breakfast

La Posada Milagro is a must for breakfast. My favorite is the Burrito Mexicano with two eggs, onion, tomato, jalapeño, and avocado. You order at the counter in the tiny kitchen then take a seat on the expansive patio. The burritos are wonderful while they’re hot or save for later and eat on the way into Big Bend National Park.

Wander Around the Historic Cemetery

The Terlingua Cemetery dates back to the early 1900s when Terlingua was a mercury mining town and it’s still used today. It might seem weird to walk around a dusty desert cemetery, but it’s interesting and you’ll see plenty of other people wandering through it. When I walk through I wonder about the people buried there, especially the ones for the early mining days. They had to be very hearty folks to brave the remoteness and extremes of the desert. The historic cemetery is on the self-guided walking tour of the ghost town.

The Shopping Spot

You can get a brochure for the walking tour at Terlingua Trading Company. It’s a fun shop wander around and peruse all sorts of wares. It’s housed in the old company store of the Chisos Mining Company. The trading post originally served trappers, settlers, miners, and cowboys and still draws an eclectic crowd. It’s on the self-guided walking too, which I did during a Girls Weekend in Big Bend in 2019.

Evening Fun

Next door to Terlingua Trading Company is the iconic Starlight Theatre Restaurant and Saloon. Be a porch sitter in one of the bottom chairs or bench and strike up a conversation. Sometimes there’s impromptu music on the porch and usually a couple of desert dogs around. There’s usually a wait at the Starlight, but they have an open-air cantina on the side where you can order drinks and a few select starters and bites. I typically order the shrimp tacos but the fried Brussels sprouts, with or without bacon, are delicious. For some reason, margaritas just taste better in the desert and the ones at Starlight are tasty. My favorite is the Mariscal with patron silver and Cointreau for the classic margarita.

Hope you love these places as much as I do on your visit to Terlingua Ghost Town.

Author Jennifer Broome is a repeat visitor to Terlingua and Big Bend National Park. For more check out post Girls Weekend in Big Bend. If looking to book a cabin, read post on Terlingua Nights Cabins and if adding Marfa to your trip, check out posts on The Lincoln and One Night in Marfa.