# West Texas — Family Travel Destinations

A vast landscape of rugged mountains, high desert, and some of the darkest, clearest skies in the lower 48 states.

## 1 Destinations in West Texas

- **[McDonald Observatory](https://outline.travel/destinations/west-texas/mcdonald-observatory/)** (activity): A premier astronomical research facility part of UT Austin, located in the Davis Mountains of West Texas. It offers world-famous public Star Parties and deep-space viewing through large research-grade telescopes.

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Source: Outline Travel. Last verified: 2026-04-07.
Permanent URL: https://outline.travel/destinations/west-texas/