Our Weekend In Marfa
K: Brandon and I just got back from a weekend in Marfa, Texas. For those of you who may not know this small West Texas town, it’s out in the middle of no where and about an hour and a half from Big Bend National Park. We’ve done Big Bend before (prior to our move), but we’d only passed through Marfa (see it here in one of our earliest blog posts!). Even just passing, we knew that we’d like to eventually return and explore the artsy, unique town. It was the perfect little getaway and just three hours away from Midland. I’m sure we’ll be back in the future and I hope that we can become knowledgable about all of the fun things to do in West Texas for anyone else who may be visiting!
Where We Stayed
We stayed at the CUTEST Airbnb right in the middle of Marfa. The landscape and area in West Texas is so vast; we knew it would be important to be in the actual town, rather than the outskirts. Be careful if you’re booking an Airbnb. We suggest making sure that you are near the town square. You may think ten minutes is just a quick car ride, but it would prove to be disappointing to have to hop in the car just to get to the shops and restaurants. There’s absolutely nothing on the outskirts of Marfa. Everything is right in the middle of town and that’s definitely the best place to stay. We chose The Lincoln, a newly redone compound with several guest suites and casitas on site. I would highly recommend this spot to anyone looking for a place in Marfa! They had French press coffee in the rooms, amazing ambiance, great amenities, and best of all, they are pet friendly!
If you’re looking for a hotel, Hotel Saint George is definitely the coolest! They have a great restaurant, bar, and even a cool book shop connected to the building.
Best Spots Around Marfa
To be perfectly honest, there’s not a ton to do in Marfa. We knew that going in and only wanted to spend two nights as a maximum. For others who may not live in West Texas, it’s a really long drive! Brandon and I would suggest hitting more than just Marfa if you’re going all the way out to West Texas. Big Bend National Park is a must; likewise, Alpine, Marathon, and Fort Davis are also great little towns to explore. We’re hoping to put together a full West Texas guide in the next few months or so!
For actual spots around Marfa, it’s pretty easy to take an afternoon and just walk the entire town. The courthouse, fire station, and radio building are all cute and fun to see. The Judd Foundation art tour is also a great activity that allows you to see the town and the famous artwork that put Marfa on the map. We lucked out and happened to visit during the Marfa Lights Festival so they had live music all weekend, food booths, and specialty items for sale. Another fun weekend to visit is during Agave Festival (or so we’ve heard). There’s just a little more going on which provides more activities!
Prada Marfa
The Prada Marfa building is actually located in Valentine, Texas. Just a thirty minute drive from Marfa, the building sits on the side of highway 90 as an art exhibit. It houses the fall 2005 Prada collection but really serves as a piece of art itself. It is the strangest thing to drive upon: Wild West landscape is in every direction, then all of the sudden there’s this stark white Prada “store”, right next to tumbleweeds and sprawling country. We went mid-morning, and there were about six other cars or groups trying to get a good picture. It’s definitely a “wait your turn” mentality since the only thing to do is snap a photo. Nevertheless, it’s a very cool spot and we were happy to have finally seen the Instagram famous landmark.
Marfa Restaurants
A Weekend In Marfa: Food Scene
The food in Marfa was wonderful!! It’s such an artsy little town, so lots of places have opened up restaurants that cater to foodies with unique menus and fabulous wine. By far, the best meal we ate was at Al Campo, a quirky wine garden with an eclectic menu. Our charcuterie board was phenomenal, and the ambiance was nothing short of magical.
We also ate at La Venture, the restaurant associated with Hotel Saint George. Marfa Burrito is the hot spot for breakfast (we went twice!) and they’re even one of the places that Anthony Bourdain went for his Parts Unknown show. The $5 breakfast burritos are mouthwatering and 100% homemade.
Shops & Things To Do
If you’re doing a weekend in Marfa, there are a handful of shops that you simply can’t miss. Communite was my favorite, housing fantastic hats, textiles, and clothing. The store is beautifully set up and the displays are gorgeous. We also loved the shops located inside Hotel Paisano. They had a variety of stores, some touristy, some not. We heard great things about Cobra Rock Boots, although they were closed when we tried to go. For a detailed look at all of Marfa’s shops, click here.
Be aware that the stores and shops in Marfa can randomly be closed or have unique hours. People may decide just to not open one day, for no reason. It is such a tiny town that the hours of stores are not a guarantee. We still found some cool places though!
Next Time
With the drive to Marfa just a short three hours away, Brandon and I are already planning our next trip back. We’d love to try out Cochineal and Food Shark, two places that we heard great things about but unfortunately, did not get to try. We’re also really excited to spend some time in a few of the neighboring towns like Alpine and Fort Davis. Since Marfa is so small, it’s a great idea to spend a day in another little West Texas town too.
Have you been to Marfa? If so, leave us a comment below! What did we miss? Be sure to take a peek at our Marfa highlight on Instagram Stories too!
