Days 1 and 2 | Amarillo, Palo Duro Canyon State Park, Canyon

Experience all the desert has to offer in Texas at the Amarillo Botanical Gardens and the Amarillo Zoo (there’s a herd of bison here), where native plants and animals give visitors some orientation to this rugged part of Texas. Shopping for souvenirs along the Amarillo stretch (Sixth Avenue) of the famed and much-loved Route 66 will be something to write home about.

Bring a (big!) appetite to the Big Texan Steak Ranch and tackle the 72-ounce steak–it’s free if you can eat it within an hour. Or grab a more reasonable portion for lunch before you head out to the Cadillac Ranch, just west of town on I-40, to spray-paint your message on one of the 10 half-buried Caddies. That night, catch a show at the new Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts.

Early the next day take the short drive to Palo Duro Canyon State Park, known as the “Grand Canyon of Texas.” Visit the interpretive center to get the lay of the land, and then take a hike to see it all yourself. Discover the area’s history at the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon, and then catch a musical (TEXAS! plays in the summers) at the park’s outdoor amphitheater.

Days 3 and 4 | Lubbock, Big Spring

A day in Lubbock just isn’t complete without a visit to the Buddy Holly Center. The music legend and Lubbock native comes alive with the museum’s interactive exhibits on Texas music. After lunch there, go out to the National Ranching Heritage Center, a collection of more than 36 historic buildings that celebrate ranch life back in the day. Sample Texas wines at Llano Estacado, one of the largest wineries in the state, then make your way back to town for a night in Lubbock’s Historic Depot District along (of course) Buddy Holly Avenue. Try a couple of microbrews at the Hub City Brewery and some Spanish tapas at La Diosa Cellars.

Have a leisurely breakfast the next day before moving on to Big Spring and Comanche Trail Park. Hike the park, explore the amphitheater, and enjoy a relaxing swim. On your way out of town, say good-bye from the scenic 200-foot bluff that overlooks Big Spring State Park.

Days 5 and 6 | Midland-Odessa, Monahans, Pecos

As the former home of George W. Bush, the Midland-Odessa area has plenty to offer when it comes to presidential history. The Presidential Museum is of interest for its campaign memorabilia and historical documents. Continue your tour of history at the Museum of the Southwest, with American Southwest art and archaeology collections, a planetarium, and a children’s museum. End the day with a relaxing dip at the Odessa Family Aquatic Centers, which offer a lap pool, a lazy river, and other water features. In July and August, the hilarious Summer Mummers provide fun in the form of an old-time popcorn-throwing melodrama at the historic Yucca Theatre in Midland.

In Monahans, Monahans Sandhills State Park boasts 4,000 acres of desert-like sand dunes, where you can “sand-surf” to your heart’s content. If you’re a little less adventurous, check out the Million Barrel Museum. Built in 1928, it’s the site of a large storage tank, which was originally designed to hold more than a million barrels of crude oil. Today the tank is the setting for barbecues, dances, cowboy poetry readings, and fajita cookoffs. Part of the tank wall was used to create the 400-seat Meadows Amphitheater, a unique stage for live performances.

The “home of the first rodeo,” Pecos boasts a downtown historic district that remains almost exactly as it appeared long ago. Visit the West of the Pecos Museum for its exhibits that celebrate the life of the cowboy. Pick up a few cantaloupes while you’re in Pecos; the area is known for them, and they’re delicious!

Days 7 and 8 | Balmorhea, Fort Davis

It’s easy to see why Balmorhea is called the “Oasis of West Texas” when you experience Balmorhea State Park, where a natural spring keeps the country’s largest man-made pools full year-round. Located in the middle of the Chihuahuan Desert, Balmorhea provides a dramatic contrast to the desert landscape.

In Fort Davis, about 200 miles away, pause to appreciate the stunning Davis Mountains (off Texas Highway 118). Other must-see attractions here include McDonald Observatory (try to get in on one of the evening “star parties”), Modesta Canyon (for hiking), the Indian Lodge at Davis Mountains State Park, and the avant-garde art at the Chinati Foundation in nearby Marfa.

Days 9, 10, and 11 | Alpine, Marathon, Big Bend National Park

You’ll need every minute of these three days to explore this rugged, incredibly scenic part of Texas. Forget flat landscapes and tumbleweeds–this mountainous region will remind you more of Colorado than of the rest of Texas. Start your trip at Alpine’s Apache Trading Post to collect some useful books and fun souvenirs, then visit the Museum of the Big Bend at Sul Ross State University to learn about the area’s fascinating geological history. Lunch or dinner at Reata–named after the fictional ranch in the classic movie Giant–will make this a very special day.

Marathon and its historic Gage Hotel (book well in advance; it’s extremely popular!) can be your home base for the next two days as you explore the vast area that is Big Bend. Consider renting a mountain bike to trek into Big Bend National Park; the area is famous for its rugged terrain, big mountain vistas, and hundreds of miles of jeep trails–making it ideal for cycling, with trails for everyone from beginners to experts. Visitors will discover every imaginable landscape in Big Bend, from mountains to deserts to canyons to rivers and even volcanic formations–all have helped to shape this unique setting. The park’s Panther Junction Visitor Center has a wealth of information on hiking/biking trails, native plants and animals, camping facilities, and much more.

As for things to do in the park, they’re endless: canoeing, horseback riding, guided park hikes and tours, and river float trips for starters. For birdwatchers, the Terlingua Ranch offers customized outings. And for something a little different (well, actually, a lot different) Texas Camel Corps (texascamelcorps.com) offers the chance to explore Big Bend from atop a camel.