Big Stories in Big Spring: A Weekend of History, Culture & West Texas Character
Set against the wide-open landscape of West Texas, Big Spring is a community with plenty of stories to tell. From the natural spring that drew people to the area long before a town took shape to the arrival of the railroad, an oil boom, military aviation, and generations of those who have called the community home, Big Spring's history can be found around every corner.
Spend two days exploring and you'll find history alongside art, architecture, local food, outdoor spaces, and a revitalized downtown. Best of all, many of these experiences are close together, making Big Spring an easy destination for a weekend filled with heritage and West Texas culture.
Day One: Downtown History, Culture & Local Flavor
Breakfast bites at Starlee's Kitchen
Begin your Big Spring adventure with breakfast at Starlee's Kitchen, a locally loved spot conveniently located across the street from your first heritage stop. Grab a hearty breakfast with choices like biscuits and gravy, fluffy pancakes or an omelet and a cup of coffee before setting out to discover the stories that shaped this West Texas community.
Discover Big Spring's Story at the Heritage Museum
After breakfast, simply cross the street to visit the Heritage Museum of Big Spring. Inside, exhibits explore the people, industries, and events that helped shape Big Spring and Howard County, including ranching, the railroad, oil, pioneer life, and more.
The museum also offers rotating exhibits that add art and culture to the area's historic story. Visitors traveling this fall can catch the special “Drive Ins, Cafes & Diners” exhibit, on display through October 31, 2026—a nostalgic look at the places that brought generations of West Texans together.
Explore Historic Downtown
Continue your morning with a walk through the Big Spring Downtown Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2024. Downtown's architecture reflects decades of growth and change brought by the railroad, the oil boom, highway travel, and commerce.
Make a stop at the Howard County Courthouse, a distinctive example of mid-century Modern architecture completed in 1953. As you explore the area, don't miss another cultural treasure tucked into downtown: Peter Hurd's 1938 mural, Our Visions Sweep through Eternity, located inside Big Spring's historic former U.S. Post Office.
Together, the buildings, public art, and streetscape make downtown a great place to see how Big Spring's past continues to be part of its present.
Eat Like the Name Suggests at Locals
For lunch, eat like the name suggests and head to Local's. This casual Big Spring favorite serves sandwiches, soups, salads, and sweet treats and is a great place to recharge before continuing your afternoon downtown.
After lunch, take a little time to browse, explore, or simply enjoy downtown shopping before checking into one of Big Spring's most recognizable landmarks.
Spend the Night in a Piece of Big Spring History
Rising high above downtown, Hotel Settles has been part of Big Spring's skyline since 1930. Built during the area's oil-boom years, the 15-story hotel once stood as one of the tallest buildings in West Texas. After sitting vacant for decades, Hotel Settles underwent an extensive restoration and today once again welcomes travelers.
Check in, explore the beautifully restored spaces, take a dip in the pool or hot tub and enjoy the opportunity to spend the night inside one of the community's most impressive preservation success stories.
For dinner, take advantage of downtown's walkability and make the short stroll to Devour, a local favorite just blocks from the hotel. With a menu ranging from rich, creamy Alfredo and savory steak and shrimp to fresh, flavorful pizzas, there's something to satisfy just about any craving.
After dinner, stroll back to Hotel Settles and end the evening with a nightcap at the hotel's bar. Pharmacy Bar & Parlor was named in homage of the hotel’s original pharmacy, which served as a community water cooler, and was a place where Big Spring locals met to talk about weather, crops, politics or the topic of the day. It’s still like that today. It's a fitting way to close a day spent exploring Big Spring's history; surrounded by the character of a landmark that has been seen over downtown for nearly a century.
Day Two: Service, Aviation & the West Texas Landscape
Breakfast at Hotel Settles
Start your second morning with breakfast at Hotel Settles before setting out to discover another important chapter of Big Spring's story: its connection to military aviation.
Take Flight at Hangar 25 Air Museum
At Hangar 25 Air Museum, visitors can explore Big Spring's extensive aviation heritage inside a restored World War II-era hangar.
During World War II, thousands came through Big Spring as part of the bombardier training program at Big Spring Army Air Field. The community's military aviation story later continued through Webb Air Force Base, where pilots trained for more than two decades.
Aircraft, artifacts, photographs, and personal stories help bring this history to life and offer a glimpse into the lasting relationship between Big Spring and the men and women who served here.
Honor Those Who Served
Continue that story with a visit to the Big Spring Vietnam Veterans Memorial. After learning about the aircraft, training, and military history at Hangar 25, the memorial provides an opportunity to shift the focus to the individuals behind that history and reflect on the service and sacrifice of veterans.
Enjoy Authentic Tex-Mex at Alberto’s Crystal Cafe
For lunch, head to Alberto’s Crystal Café for authentic Mexican food and another taste of the local culture for over 50 years. From enchiladas and tacos to other favorites like their hamburgers, it's a delicious stop before spending the rest of the afternoon outdoors. Best to arrive early, it can get busy!
Find the Spring Behind the Name
Next, head to Comanche Trail Park, where visitors can discover the historic spring that gave Big Spring its name.
Long before the railroad, oil derricks, or airplanes arrived, the spring made this area an important stopping place on the West Texas landscape. Indigenous peoples, explorers, travelers, and settlers all relied on water sources like this one as they crossed the plains.
Today, the surrounding park provides plenty of room to slow down and enjoy the outdoors while connecting with the earliest chapters of the area's story.
End Your Day Above It All at Big Spring State Park
Finish your weekend with a drive (or walk if you are feeling up for a hike) to Scenic Mountain at Big Spring State Park.
Perched high above the surrounding plains, the park combines West Texas scenery with another layer of history. Look for stonework and other features constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps while taking in expansive views that stretch across the landscape. You will also notice your previous accommodations, Hotel Settles, rising above the downtown landscape.
After a weekend spent discovering Big Spring's stories from the ground up, there's no better place to finish than above it all. From this vantage point, the railroad town, oil-boom community, military training ground, and modern West Texas destination come together below.
Big Spring may be known for the natural landmark that gave the community its name but spend a weekend here and you'll discover something much bigger: a place where history, culture, preservation, food, and the West Texas landscape continue to tell a story all their own.