Marathon (Texas)

Highway 90 runs through the town center.

• Marathon Coffee. 

• Gage Hotel, 101 Highway 90 West, ☏ +1 432-386-4205, toll-free: +1-800-884-GAGE (4243), fax: +1 432-386-4510, welcome@gagehotel.com. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11AM. Built in the 1920s by cattle tycoon Alfred Gage so he would have a place to stay while overseeing his interests in the area. The hotel has since been carefully restored and now includes a cafe and a spa. Rooms in the original building (with or without private bath) are the biggest bargain; those in the Los Portales annex and in the 3 well-appointed houses nearby offer more modern trappings without sacrificing the West Texas mood. $90-$381. 

Traveling west on Highway 90, you'll find:

• Alpine, with a host of restaurants.
• Marfa, with its art galleries and mysterious lights.
• El Paso

Also in the area:

• Big Bend National Park has 801,000 acres of land to explore.
• Fort Davis is home to the McDonald Observatory, which hosts terrific Star Parties after dark.