We recently took a trip to West Texas with two of our best friends and their lovable Labradoodle and although literally NOTHING went as planned, we had an absolute blast! I'm sharing some tips, tricks and recommendations for how to "do" West Texas starting with Marfa. Big Bend & Terlingua guide to follow!
MARFA
Where to stay: El Cosmico. Hands down the coolest place I've ever stayed (and I went to Atlantis in the Bahamas for my 16th birthday!). You need to make reservations for their accommodations really far in advance. We planned this trip that took place in May at the end of February, and they only had one tent left! The grounds are spectacular- colorful trailers, teepees, tents and yurts galore mixed in with bright hammocks for relaxing. And the rustic outdoor, open roof showers for awesome for washing off that west Texas dirt at the end of the day (yes, it gets EVERYWHERE!). We brought our own tents and camped on their campsite, which never runs out of availability according to the staff, for $15 a person, a night. If you have the foresight to plan in advance, you can book a tiny, adorable trailer (some even have their own bathrooms!) or, my personal favorite, a yurt. All decorated in a stunning modern-bohemian vibe. One of our favorite things about El Cosmico was the lounge/gift shop area at the front. They have a fireplace lounge inside, complementary coffee in the morning and a seating area outside. You can also buy beer! The gift shop is out of this world. I wanted everything (my poor husband) but somehow managed to walk away with only this crazy awesome dog collar, this poster and a sweatshirt. If camping is not your vibe the Thunderbird hotel looked amazing!
What to do: Take pictures at Prada Marfa. This art installation is actually a short, scenic 30 minute drive outside of Marfa in Valentine, TX. It's obviously an Instagram worthy stop, but we were surprised by the gorgeous mountains and farms that surrounded it. Trust me folks, they put it there for a reason! The Marfa lights. We were unlucky enough to have a thunderstorm roll in the night we were there, but legend tells us they are a must see! Downtown Marfa is full of quaint boutiques, art galleries and unexpected architecture. The town is tiny, so a quick stroll is totally doable. Some of my favorite places were Mirth, Freda, the Marfa Thrift Shop, and the gift shops in the Hotel Paisano
Photo by my husband (Andy)
Where to Eat: Cochineal. If you do nothing else in Marfa, EAT AT COCHINEAL. All 4 of us got something different and individually agreed that it was in the top 5 best meals we had ever had (sorry Mom). The space is stunning and the staff bent over backwards to try and accommodate us, our puppy and the thunderstorm. Make reservations in advance! The prices are totally reasonable (even for medical students!). Salsa Puedes had fantastic tacos. Frama at Tumbleweed Laundry made us amazingly refreshing chai lattes and we had an incredible breakfast at Squeeze Marfa- the lox on rye was TO DIE FOR, y'all! Jett's, Planet Marfa and the Foodshark were also recommended, but we didn't have the time to try 'em out.
We have a laundry list of things to do and places to see when we come back to Marfa. I'm really hoping to explore more of the art galleries and find that special piece to take home! A special thanks to the insanely talented Alyssa Nikole Garza and her right hand man, who drove all the way out to Marfa to meet us for a photoshoot! Her work speaks for itself, but she is the nicest and most fun person to work with, I cannot sing her praises enough!
Where are YOUR favorite places to explore? I'd love to know! I'll try to get to any questions in the comment section within 24 hours. Thanks for following along!