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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Lajitas
Skip unless you're staying at the resort or golfing: one night is enough. Otherwise, base in Terlingua or Study Butte for Big Bend.
Lajitas is a tiny resort town on the Rio Grande, 14 miles west of Study Butte-Terlingua. Its main draw is the Lajitas Golf Resort & Spa, a 25,000-acre property with a golf course, airstrip and spa. Outside the resort there is little to see or do; the famous beer-drinking goat mayor is no longer alive. Most travellers use it as a quiet base for Big Bend National Park or Big Bend Ranch State Park, but Terlingua offers more character and cheaper beds.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Oct–Apr
- Avoid
- Jun–Aug (extreme heat)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $100–150 excl. bed · Mid $200–350 excl. bed · High $400+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $3–5 |
| Burger at resort restaurant | $15–25 |
| Beer at resort bar | $6–9 |
| Gas (per gallon) | $3–4 (check) |
| Taxi from Alpine to Lajitas | $100–150 (check) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- MAF · Midland International Air & Space Port
- About 4 hours drive
- ELP · El Paso International Airport
- About 5 hours drive
Typical fares
- Midland Airport → Lajitas by car
- about 4 h, 245 miles (check)
- El Paso Airport → Lajitas by car
- about 5 h, 300 miles (check)
- Alpine → Lajitas by car
- about 1.5 h, 90 miles (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
You need a car. The resort is walkable but everything else requires driving. FM 170 is the main road.
See and do
Known for
- Lajitas Golf Resort & Spa
- Proximity to Big Bend National Park
- Beer-drinking goat mayor (historical)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Big Bend National Park | Car via FM 170 east, then park entrance | About 30 min to the entrance |
| Big Bend Ranch State Park | Car via FM 170 west | About 15 min to the entrance |
| Terlingua | Car via FM 170 east | About 20 min |
| Marfa | Car via US-90 and SH-118, about 80 miles | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Lajitas Golf Resort
- The only accommodation in town; 103 rooms, golf, spa. Pricey.
- Terlingua / Study Butte
- 15–20 min east; more budget options, hostels and campgrounds.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hellohello |
| Thank you | Thank youthank you |
| How much? | How much?how much |
| Where is the bathroom? | Where is the bathroom?where is the bathroom |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- No gas station in Lajitas; fill up in Study Butte or Alpine.
- Summer heat can exceed 40°C; carry water.
- The resort's private airport charges a landing fee for non-guests (check).
Very safe; the main risks are heat, dehydration, and wildlife on the road at dusk. No cell service in many parts of the park.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Lajitas yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Lajitas Golf Resort & Spa
- Proximity to Big Bend National Park
- Beer-drinking goat mayor (historical)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Lajitas Golf Resort: www.lajitasgolfresort.com/
- Wikivoyage: Lajitas, revision 5267169 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5267169
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Lajitas
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
English is the primary language; Spanish is also common.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/lajitas). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.