The undersung benefit of living in this corner of Texas, though, is that we're within reasonable driving distance to so many great escapes that don't require the stress (and cost) of hopping on a plane.
Located a little over 450 miles from Dallas, Carlsbad, New Mexico, is about a seven-hour drive from Big D, which makes it more suited to a three- or four-day long weekend trip.
The city is in the Chihuahuan Desert on the Pecos River and is adorned with tree-lined streets, public parks and recreational spots for hiking, golfing and water activities.
At an elevation of 3,295 feet, Carlsbad features a municipal beach and greenway with scenic views of Lake Carlsbad, as well as riverfront walkways and trails, and boating and fishing opportunities. Carlsbad Caverns National Park is less than 20 miles southwest of the city, while Guadalupe Mountains National Park is just across the Texas border, about 40 miles southwest of the state line.
Just so you know, reservations are highly recommended if you plan to visit Carlsbad Caverns, with its more than 119 caves. The last ticket sold is at 2:15 p.m., Mountain time.
If you're the hiking type (and of course you are, you're interested in Carlsbad), Sitting Bull Falls offers a stunning desert destination within Lincoln National Forest. And you might be asking yourself, who would trade unforgiving North Texas heat for the literal desert? The answer is simple: gorgeous, refreshing waterfalls.
It's not all about the outdoors in Carlsbad, though. The free Carlsbad Museum offers exhibitions in various media, from music to landscape paintings.
A variety of name-brand hotel and motel accommodations are available in Carlsbad, ranging from $70 a night at the low end to $254 for a suite hotel from the Hilton brand. The average TripAdvisor score for the Hilton was 4.4 out of 5, with one guest stating there was no pool, while another said there was a lot of truck traffic. Another guest quipped that the mini-fridge was practically standard size.
Meanwhile, the quaint Fiddler’s Inn bed & breakfast got no love from a visitor who complained about the gnats, mosquitoes and beetles in the room, questioned the wiring of the television in one bedroom and the non-working switches in the bathroom. Conversely, another Fiddler’s Inn guest described her stay as nice, comfortable and cozy, and appreciated the inn’s homey feel. The hideaway currently has a rating of 4.8 out of 5 on TripAdvisor, regardless.
A long holiday weekend is around the corner — just saying.
