- DESCRIPTION
This is the last-minute option for watching the total solar eclipse of April 8, 2024, in Texas. I would like to bring you all the information about the proposed expedition with absolutely no hidden costs of anything. Initially, this is a trip for 3 people as far as the program described below is concerned. However, if you have any suggestions concerning the list of things desired to see during the eclipse journey I will be more than welcome to include them and possibly expand the list of participants.
The basic aim of this expedition is to watch the total solar eclipse in Texas, which will include also an experimental approach based on everyone’s equipment. I would like to take the most from this event and do what I can concerning the scientific range of knowledge about this incredible natural phenomenon and all the accompanying events. The primary subject of observation would be the lunar shadow movement over the surrounding hills watched i.e. from a drone perspective as well as the solar corona/shadow bands observation.
I can’t forget about the other astronomy goals of this whole journey, which are:
— visiting NASA Space Center Houston
— visiting the University of Texas McDonald Observatory
— stargazing in the Bortle 1 area where the primary reason for the observation would be: the rising of the center Milky Way, zodiacal light, and the beginning of the astronomical dawn.
— potentially the Elon Musk starbase, but so far not included in this version of the program
Generally speaking, the whole expedition is dedicated to anyone who loves photography and wants to capture a beautiful landscape that looks different from Europe. As a geographer and tourist guide, I would like to show you the most interesting places.
2. PRICE:
Price includes:
- Car hire for 9 days
- Fuel
- Toll charges
- Parking lot fees
- Houston NASA Space Center
- Entrance to national parks (Big Bend, Guadalupe Mountain)
- Mc Donald Observatory
- Accommodation (predominantly 2* hotels except Camp Wood, some of them include breakfast)
- Personal Insurance
- US Travel Insurance
The price DOES NOT include
- Flight
- Entrance to Tower of Americas
- Food
3. IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
/Visas/
-> ESTA registration is mandatory — it allows you to travel across the USA for 90 days. If you owe the B1 Visa then your travelling time might be extended to 180 days. It’s just a theoretical assumption because the final decision lies in the Customs and Border Protection jurisdictions. Application online, price $14
-> Valid passport at least until the end of 2024
/Driving license/
-> International driving license — in USA the driving licenses from European countries aren’t acceptable. However, the driving license issued in your country is still necessary and must be translated. The international driving license can be issued within 3 working days. The price is about £10 depending on your country (£7 in Poland). When the driver’s license from your country is honored in the USA, you don’t need an international driving license.
-> You can drive a car as long as your visa is valid. When your visa is expired you can use your driver’s license at most for ID purposes.
/Navigation/
-> Preferably we can use Maps.me, Google Maps
-> Life 360 app for tracking your location
/Tourist insurance/
-> Tourist insurance is mandatory! It should cover the treatment, medical transport, and hospitalization costs in the case of emergency
4. PRACTICAL INFORMATION
/Customs/
-> Customs declaration is required
-> You are allowed to bring max $10000 to the country, a larger amount must be reported to the customs officer.
-> You are not allowed to bring plants, seeds, and food.
-> Even the smallest amount of drugs is NOT allowed! More details here.
/Car hiring/
-> Credit card is mandatory! You need to check it even up to 2 months after the car hire, as the car rental company can charge you for cleaning ($125).
-> Always take a picture of your car when hiring it. Images should cover both the outside as well as the inside view of the vehicle. The most important parts of the car are upholstery, boots, and seats.
-> Clean your car before returning! Make sure, that there is no sand inside. You can use the cheapest toddler tissues bought i.e. in Walmart.
/Car insurance/
-> CDW (Collision Damage Vaiwer) — pricing $15-$30 per day.
-> LDW (Loss Damage Vaiwer) — pricing $9-$20 per day. Covers car damage ie on the Car Park, car theft, etc.
-> Road Assistance Insurance — $95 Plus — a flat tire, flat battery, missing keys, towing up to 100 miles.
-> More detail here.
/Traveling around the country/
-> No trespassing — it’s not allowed to stay and cross the private properties.
-> Car is the best transportation option across the country.
-> The cheapest transportation options are buses
-> Trains are available only a little.
-> Maximum speed on motorways 55-75mph
-> Don’t talk too much with a police officer during the control
-> Don’t drive drunk or at least with alcoholic beverages opened in the car!
/Car parking/
-> red curb — parking prohibited
-> white curb — loading zone (parking up to 10min).
-> 25c coins required for older machines
-> credit/debit cards for newer machines
-> Valet parking — your car is parked by a dedicated person. A tip for him is advisable.
-> Ticket validation — can reduce or remove the parking lot price because of the barcode or stamp given during the previous payment on another service (cinema, sports leisure, or restaurant). Always ask about this possibility.
/Penalties examples/
-> $60 illegal parking
-> $1000 throwing rubbish on the street (from the car)
-> incorrect parking — tow away
/Health/
-> COVID-19 vaccination isn’t required
-> Voivodship Sanitary-Epidemiological Station visit might be required concerning other mandatory vaccinations
-> Visit a family doctor is expensive and might reach even $100 per visit.
-> One day at the hospital costs from $500 to $5000 without research and surgery. That’s why tourist insurance is required!
-> Prescription medicine should be placed in the special bag with the prescription attached or at least the doctor’s annotation when the prescription isn’t provided.
-> It’s advisable to travel with medicine only for own use at the time of the journey
-> Contact the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the case of additional queries — +1 (301) 796-0356
/Bag/
-> Contact the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for more regarding the content of your bag, especially the drugs under customs control 72 hours before the departure at number: (855) 787-2227 between 8:00 and 23:00 ET (Mon-Fri) and 9:00 — 20:00 ET (Weekends + Public holidays)
/Others/
-> Credit cards are the most common sources of payment. The most popular cards are VISA, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover You should prepare the credit card before departure. When you lose your card you have to restrict it ASAP.
-> Power electricity in sockets is 120V. The adapter is required. You must buy them before departure because it’s a problem to get them in the USA.
-> The emergency number is 911
-> Restaurant prices are higher by about 18-23% due to VAT and tips are calculated separately.
5. DETAILED PLAN OF JOURNEY
Day 1
Wherever you are flying from, the first day is just a setup. The estimated time of arrival at George Bush Intercontinental Airport is 18:00.
- After the border control, we will pick up the car for our entire journey. The car rental is located a bit further from the major airport entrance, so we have to pick up the shuttle bus, which operates every 5 min from Terminals A, B, and C.
The only destination on this day is shopping, which can be done in the Walmart superstore located vis a vis our 2-star hotel Baymont By Wyndham Houston Hobby Airport. The check-in is advised straight away, as the shopping can be done later. Walmart is closed every day at 11 pm. - Wallmart shopping
- Baymont By Wyndham Houston Hobby Airport — 2-star hotel
Day 2
The second day of our journey will be aimed at sightseeing in Houston. Houston is the fourth most-populous city in the USA with a total population of approximately 3 million people. Our first port of call will be Eleanor Tinsley Park, which is a perfect place for taking pictures of Houston downtown illuminated by the rising Sun. We will be there at 7:30 am and stay for 2 hours. This period is also for a fascinating walk through the various skyscrapers, which leads to Sam Houston Park, a nice urban park. Next, we will see the Houston City Hall, the headquarters of Houston’s county headquarters. Another landmark on our way will be the Esperson Building, which is a perfect representation of the Italian Renaissance in Houston Downtown. Next worth visiting is the JP Morgan Chase Tower, which altitude of 305m.a.g.kl. makes it the highest skyscraper in Houston. Unfortunately, the observation deck hasn’t been accessible to the public since 2019, but as an alternative to skyline panorama, we would suggest the 23rd floor of Le Meridien Houston Downtown Hotel located nearby. For a short rest, the Discovery Green modern urban park will be the perfect place. Worth visiting is also adjacent George R. Brown Convention Center, where all conventions and large shows take place. By the return, we are going to see the classical architecture of the 1910 Harris County Courthouse and another courthouse located at 201 Fannin Street. The last stop before we jump into our cars will be the Tranquility Park opened in the summer of 1979, officially dedicated to the 10th anniversary of the historic lunar landing. The entire walk will end at the car park located near Eleanor Tinsley Park.
Our next destination is NASA Johnson Space Center (known also as Johnson Space Center — JSC) located on Houston’s outskirts in the southeastern direction.
This is the major headquarters of NASA missions, which plays a pivotal role in the US space program. Originating in 1961 led a lot of missions in the past, which were i.e. Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Space Shuttle, and ISS. The NASA Space Center carries out scientific research and takes part in the development of further space missions like the Artemis program. We will spend most of the day here. After that, we will go and visit some parts of 
Galveston Island in the evening. After leaving our car, the first point on our walk route will be the
Bishop’s Palace also known as Gresham’s Castle is a well-preserved Victorian-style house. Next, we can pass by the Sacred Hearth Catholic Church, which is a fantastic combination of Moorish, Byzantine, Gothic, and Romanesque styles. There are other notable houses and landmarks, which can be visited optionally on our walking route, like St Mary’s Cathedral Basilica. However, the most interesting one in return will definitely be the Ashbel Smith Building known also as the Old Red. It’s a marvelous representation of the Romanesque Revival style with buildings built from red brick and sandstone. The entire walk shouldn’t take longer than 2 hours. After that, we will back to the same hotel as previously.
- Baymont By Wyndham Houston Hobby Airport — 2 star hotel
- Walmart shopping (optionally)
Day 3
This day we can sleep a bit longer. Next after hotel breakfast, we will check out and go to Austin. After about 3,5 hour journey we should arrive in Austin downtown, which is also very interesting. Before we start visiting some remarkable places we will need to eat some lunch.
Next, we will go on a walk, which will lead towards the Texas Capitol building as the first. It’s the place where the government of the American State of Texas works. Straight after we are going to visit the University of Texas with its large campus. There are several university buildings, but in our point of view, the most important might be the UT Tower, which has 27 floors and is the most recognizable building in the university and the whole city. Unfortunately, tower tours are unavailable for now. Next, our walk leads to the heart of the downtown, where the iconic landmark of Texas hospitality — the Driskill is located. The heart of Austin downtown can be seen from Republic Square, which is the last point on our walk. Once we back to our car, we will drive to the western outskirts, where Mount Bonnel is located. Mount Bonnell is Austin’s highest point with a nice overlook at the Colorado River and the downtown at a distance. The last point will be driving back to the city center and the photography session at Dough Sahm Hill Summit located in Bouldin Creek Park. It’s the mound located near the Colorado River vis-a-vis Austin downtown, which should be perfectly illuminated by the setting Sun.
Our hotel is located on the other side of the town, so we will drive north at the very end of the day.
- Country Inn & Suites by Raddison, Austin North — 2 star hotel
Day 4
This day will commence with shopping and fuel because we are leaving urban areas and heading on to nature landscapes with small population
density. To say goodbye to Austin we will stop for a while on the Penny Backer Bridge Overlook, which gives us a chance of viewing Austin downtown at a distance. Our contact with nature will begin with entering one of the most scenic drives in central Texas, which is Willow City Loop. This is the tranquil road over the waving landscape, which is beautiful, especially during the spring. We predict some stops there for lovely images and to admire the local nature. This trail should lead us to the Enchanted Rock State Natural Area, where we will have some spare time and about 3 hours for hiking to the summit of majestic Enchanted Rock. This is the remnant of granite batholith, nowadays the exfoliation dome with advanced stages of weathering. Moreover, the summit offers a great view of the surrounding areas. It might be a potential venue for total solar eclipse observation. There is no lunch predicted for this day, so you must eat what you have. Our day will be rounded off with admiring the Stonehenge II landmark, which has 90% high and 60% wide of the original Stonehenge.
Our accommodation is placed roughly inside of the eclipse path with an obscuration of 4 m 26 s at Camp Wood village.
- Nueces Nook — Cabin #6, Camp Wood — no wifi
Day 5 — the total solar eclipse day
We are NOT planning to watch the totality from our place of stay! Therefore we have to wake up very early and drive about 40 minutes to the place, which will offer a wide panoramic view. The best place for it seems to be Garner State Park with Mount Baldy. Because of the enormous crowd expected during the
eclipse, we need to be there about 7 am. Next over 1h walk is required to reach the mountain. After the eclipse, we will have the time for sightseeing the whole park until the evening. You need to take your food for this expedition.
Everything will be in place, assuming that the weather is alright. If NOT we are seeking clear skies, because the primary goal is to take the most from the total solar eclipse observation!
The planned total solar eclipse observation will cover:
-> Shadow movement over the mountains visible from the summit of Mount Baldy,
-> Light level measurement (preferably towards shadow-in direction)
-> Sky brightness measurement (preferable towards shadow-in direction)
-> Shadow movement from a perspective (about 120m above the local ground)
Each member of the expedition will have an assigned exercise to do during the eclipse. It’s our mutual goal to collect as much scientific data as we can! It’s vital to come out with own initiative of the eclipse observation, which potentially could result in some scientific publication later.
The observation equipent:
-> Drone DJ Mavic Air 2.
-> Lux Meter Sonel or other (Resolution at least 0.01 Lx)
-> Sky Quality Meter
-> Nikon D5300 + Nikkor 55-300mm
Eclipse ephemeris for Mt. Baldy:
Ist contact — 12:13:01.9
IInd contact — 13:30:20.3
Greatest eclipse — 13:32:33.2
IIIrd contact — 13:34:46.3
IVth contact — 14:53:56.0
Duration of totality — 4m 26s
- Nueces Nook — Cabin #6, Camp Wood, no wifi
Day 6
We need to set off early morning because we have a very long journey. On the way, the shopping is planned. Next, we will stop and «stretch our bones» at Eagle’s Nest Viewpoint located in Langtry village. This is a great overlook at the Rio Grande River meanders with the Mexican landscape on the other side. After the short walk, we will continue our long journey to the McDonald Observatory, where we would love to be in the early afternoon. The observatory is open to the public almost every day. The largest is the Hobby-Eberly Telescope dedicated to observing most distant galaxies. This is one of the world’s largest optical telescopes on Earth. Another one is the Harlan J. Smith Telescope and Otto Struve Telescope. After about 3-4 hours of sightseeing, we will go to our place of stay located in Van Horn town.
- Walmart shopping
- Motel Van Horn, Van Horn
Day 7
Another intensive day, although the program is optional. If we decide to visit the Elon Musk starbase, we should make the program from the day after.
If not, we are going for a nice hike to the Guadalupe Mountains National Park, which is a part of the Sacramento Mountains. The park offers a lot of geotourist attractions, from which we can distinguish white-bright Salt Basin Dunes and fossilized reef mountains. We are going to visit the most beautiful hiking attraction in the park, which is Devil’s Hall trail. Our walk will also include a fantastic view over the Guadalupe Mountains (Guadalupe Peak Viewpoint). The evening we are planning to spend in the cozy Marfa town, which is dedicated to art lovers. During our spare time, we will do some walks around some interesting buildings like Presidio County. Our place of staying is in Alpine town, which is a gateway to Big Bend National Park.
- Value Lodge, Alpine — 2 star hotel
- Fuel
Day 8
This day we will again wake up early because the Big Bend National Park is waiting for us. Our first port
of call will be Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, where we will stop for a while. Next, we will drive toward Santa Elena Canyon but slowly with several stops at Sotol Vista Overlook, Mule Ears Viewpoint, and Tuff Canyon Overlook. Down we will see the scenery of the Chisos Mountains with their highest summit — Emory Peak. Santa Elena Canyon is a spectacular example of Rio Grande erosion with about 500m cliff walls, which offers about a 40-minute walk inside.
After a breathtaking view from inside the canyon, we will embark on another fantastic drive around the park to the Boquillas Canyon Overlook
with a nice view at the Boquillas village located on the Mexican’s side and next, the other — Sanderson. Finally, when time allows, we will take a well-deserved rest in Hot Springs.
Our way return will happen early to Mofeta village because we are planning to take the most of the stargazing. For this purpose we will move slightly away from the village to the other, much smaller one — Dryden for is located inside of the Bortle 1 area with SQM at a level of 22mag/arcsec2. The distance to Dryden is just 18km, so it won’t be a problem to return to our hotel anytime. However, we are aimed at carrying out the observation in the early morning to see the rising Milky Way and the very beginning of astronomical light. To be precise, the subject of this observation is an investigation of light scattering in the atmosphere caused by the Miky Way and its influence on long-distance observations. Another subject of observation is the behavior of the atmosphere before the astronomical twilight.
- Desert Air Motel, Mofeta — 2-star hotel
Day 9
In the late morning, once we wake up after nocturnal observations and eat our breakfast we will drive a long way to San Antonio, where our first
thing will be check-in at La Quinta Inn by Wyndham San Antonio 2-star hotel. Straight after that, we are going on a walk through the city center. The very heart of San Antonio offers an unforgettable river cruise as a great alternative to the riverwalk. Optionally we can use a hop-on hop-off bus city tour, although all the places are quite close to each other. The most important we want to see are the San Fernando Cathedral and the Alamo. Both are perfect examples of the remnants of the Spanish colony. San Antonio is the second largest city in Texas with a representative skyline, which can be admired from the top of the Tower of Americas where we can drink the evening coffee. On the return walk, we will scout the La Villita remaining the Spanish colonial village, which today thrives with various galleries and shops.
- La Quinta Inn by Wyndham San Antonio
Day 10
This is regrettably our last day. Morning time we will spend in San Antonio visiting the UNESCO-listed San Antonio Mission Natural Historical Park preserving four of the five Spanish frontier missions in San Antonio. These outposts were established by Catholic religious orders to spread Christianity among the local natives. Next we will see the Mission Conception stone church. After that, we will be in a rush to the Houston Intercontinental Airport, where we should arrive in the early afternoon. Next, after washing our car we will give the car back to the car rental and back to the terminal by airport bus shuttle.
See the full map of our Eclipse 2024 journey here:
See the detailed plan with the price breakdown here: