Updated: Jul 17, 2020
Marfa is the Austin of West Texas, with art on every corner and a large assortment of wonderful food. However, the main difference is Marfa has a population of 1,770 people. Do not let that discourage you. There is so much to see and do in this desert city. There is a reason Texas celebrities flock to this small city.
Marfa Culture:
Just like Austin, this city leans to the left and is extremely open to the LGBT community. This is where the hippies of Texas flock to, to have some fun and relaxation.
Airport
El Paso International Airport-
3-hour drive to Marfa. Texas
Transportation
I recommend renting a truck because the roads can be muddy and bumpy. My “go to” rental car company is Dollar Rental Car. We rented this truck for $24 a day. Score! It’s hard to beat their prices.
Prada Marfa
On your drive to Marfa, you will come across this Prada building on the side of the road. If you are in the mood for shopping, then you will be disappointed because it’s not really a store. Although, it is considered a “museum”, the door does not open. This place is a permanent sculptural art piece, located 1.4 miles northwest of Valentine, Texas, just off U.S. Highway 90, and about 26 miles northwest of the city of Marfa.
People travel all over the world to take pictures in front of this wonderful art attraction. You may even find your inner Beyonce doing a photoshoot outside the building. I tried to jump like Beyonce in my picture and I failed miserably. I still have no clue how she was able to get that high. The girl has skills. It’s way harder than it looks.
In the back there is a love lock wall.
Insider Scoop:
You will be driving along, in the middle of nowhere, with not a car in site, then all of sudden you will see cars lined up on the side of the road. That’s when you will see Prada Marfa on the right hand side of the road. It can get crowded on the weekend. I suggest you go during the week.
Where to stay:
El Cosmico
802 S Highland Ave, Marfa, TX 79843
This resort is a desert bohemian paradise with vintage trailers, tepees, and tents.
Insider Scoop: Beyonce stayed at this resort back when she was with Destiny Child. In November 2019 , Matthew McConaughey rented the entire lodge for his 50th birthday party.
When booking your trip make reservations for the wood burning Dutch hot tubs! They go fast because there is only 3 on site. They are available from 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm. We were able to sit back and relax under the massive sky for hours. Once it was night time the view of the stars was so intense, it felt surreal. We spent over 3 hours in this tub and it was 100% worth the money.
It was a little on the chilly side, so we borrowed these adorable robes that were left in our room. They were perfect for walking to the Dutch tubs.
You can even reserve a bucket of their local beer called “The Taste of West Texas.”
Check-In:
I do not want to make assumptions, but I’m going to go ahead and make assumptions in this case. I think this place is set up for couples wanting to escape the city life; looking to smoke weed and have sex all weekend. This is the type of place where people stay when they are looking to not be found.
What is making me think this?
Well the fridge and trailer is fully stocked with snacks for when you have the munchies. (wink wink)
Interesting items we found in our trailer that you can purchase.
The El Cosmico lodging guide.
However, I do love the organic bath items they supply you. They had some of our favorite products.
Bike Rental
El Cosmico has these adorable vintage bikes you can rent for $10 for 4 hours. We were able to explore the entire city on bike.
We even biked to dinner.
I’m not saying I rented the bike because Beyonce did it, but…
What to Do
Marfa Lights known as Marfa Ghost Lights
US-90, Marfa, TX 79843
My mother-in-law is a huge Ancient Aliens fan, on The History Channel, therefore she was beyond excited when she found out we were traveling to Marfa. If you love UFO’s then you know all about this city. This is where strange ghostly lights dance around in the sky. Sadly, we drove to this spot and never saw any activity. However, we did not spend much time viewing the lights, because it was 30 degrees outside. Burr
Insider Scoop:
I asked around and the local populous is torn between believing in the lights having other worldly origins and them just being natural phenomena….judge for yourselves.
Chinati Foundation
1 Cavalry Row, Marfa, TX 79843
Is a “contemporary” art museum in Marfa. You will find pictures of this museum all over Pinterest. Sadly, this place is confusing and weird. Maybe I’m just not an artsy person. I had no clue as to what the hell I was looking at.
Insider Scoop: On Pinterest you will find people taking pictures inside the art pieces. You are not allowed to touch or go inside the concrete art. Also, you are not allowed to take pictures inside the museum.
At the top of the hill we found this incredible art piece made out of rocks. Thank you Jolina for this masterpiece you created while waiting for the next exhibit to open. 😉 Even the rocks know the truth.
Where to Eat
Marfa Burrito- Breakfast
This place is right down the street from EL Cosimco, therefore it makes for the perfect breakfast spot for all the celebrities who escape to Marfa to wake up to.
Insider Scoop: Bring a Sharpie for the wall outside. This is your chance to leave your mark on Marfa.
The food is OK. I suggest adding sausage and egg to the Primo Burrito. You can thank me later. This seemed to be the burrito of choice by all the locals.
Stellina-Dinner
103 Highland St, Marfa, TX 79843
This restaurant has delightful food. I noticed a majority of their customers ordered several smaller plates and shared them among their group.The locals love this place and it gets crowded fast. I suggest you arrive right when it opens.
We ordered the queso fundido, grilled wild boar sausage, and Spanish tortilla. I’m a horrible blogger. We scarfed down all the food before I could take pictures!
Food Shark- Lunch & Dinner
909 W San Antonio St, Marfa, TX 79843
The food is mouth watering good and the vibe is the coolest.
You even get to eat on a school bus. How cool is that?
Insider Scoop:
You can bring your own drinks. BYOB. In our case, it was bring your own soda.
Pizza Foundation
305 N Spring St, Marfa, TX 79843
This place is so busy, they suggest you order a pizza 1 hour before you arrive. Is it worth it? 100%, Yes! Sadly, they do not deliver.
If you hate tourist trap food (like me), then do not worry, this city is not that place. Everything we tried was really some of the best food we have ever tasted.
Marfa’s laid back hippie vibe, along with it being in the deep country of West Texas, make this place the perfect getaway for people who are tired and wanting to get away from the big city. This place is perfect for relaxing and having some good old fashioned fun. 😉
If you have some extra time to kill afterwards visiting this great city head over to Big Bend. See my “One day in Big Bend” blog post for more tips and tricks.
**Research McDonald’s Observatory***- Link provided
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