West Texas Getaway Part 1: Marfa
Right before Thanksgiving my husband and I went on a fabulous 4 day getaway to West Texas. Believe it or not, this trip was actually on my bucket list. I know - it's so random! But, I've been seeing family and friends (celebs too by the way, see: Beyoncé) taking vacations out there lately, so I started doing some research and became extremely intrigued by the idea. Pretty soon, I became a little obsessed with the idea (hence, bucket list), ran it by the husband, and he said he was in. So, I booked it! In this post I'm just going to share a bit about our experience (and our pictures - this post is definitely picture heavy). What we loved, where we stayed, and a few things we'd do differently. So, if you're planning your own trip out to West Texas, I hope this helps!
For the first leg of our trip, we stayed in Marfa. The image most people associate with Marfa is the one above. Prada Marfa. And I couldn't wait to see it. Not an actual Prada store, as I've had to explain to several people, but rather an art installation intended to be a criticism of consumerism. And no, the irony of a fashion blogger visiting such an art installation is not lost on me. ;)
It's not technically located in Marfa as the name suggests. It's about a half hour away in Valentine, Texas. So basically, it's in the middle of nowhere off US Highway 90. Directly across the highway are these railroad tracks above, and that's about it.
It's situated smack dab in the middle of the desert (picture above and below), which is absolutely gorgeous terrain (especially to someone like me who isn't familiar with this type of topography).
To me, seeing Prada Marfa in person was absolutely worth the stop. It's a bit out of the way (but everything is in West Texas), it's really small, and there's not much to do there except take pictures, but I really enjoyed it despite all that. One thing I would do differently, especially since you're driving an hour out of the way for the visit, is to make sure you're arriving around sunset. The sunset in this area is stunning, and that time of day always makes for better pictures.
Here's one last picture of the building above. The intent is for the structure to fall into disrepair into the landscape, so that's why it's a bit run down.
After that stop, we headed into Marfa itself to explore for a bit. It didn't take very long to finish our exploring. After all, it's only a town with a population less than 2,000 people.
For our night in Marfa, we stayed at El Cosmico - a glamping/camping destination, or a "nomadic hotel" as they refer to themselves. You can either bring your own camping gear and camp out, or you can glamp it in one of their teepees, yurts, safari tents, or trailers. They've got an outdoor kitchen area and a communal bathhouse for folks who aren't staying in one of the trailers.
Below are some pictures of the grounds.
The hotel also rents out these wood fire heated hot tubs, which of course we had to try. It was definitely a neat experience, so I recommend it if you have the chance. We used ours in the evening after dinner and the stargazing was pretty good from in there!
Once evening rolled around, we headed over to the Marfa Lights Viewing Area to catch a glimpse at the unexplained phenomenon known as the "Marfa Lights". No one knows for sure what exactly causes the lights to appear, but they do. Scientists have tried to crack the mystery with no conclusive luck. Some say they're caused by methane gases leaking from the ground, others claim they're paranormal. Seems the only thing really agreed on is that they're there.
Once the sun was all the way down, sure enough you could see them. Tiny lights dancing in the desert along the horizon. They were white while we were there, but I've read they can be blue or red as well. After a bit of time spent watching the show (when both my husband and I each told our theories about what was really causing the lights to appear, of course), our stomachs started to growl. Time to eat!
For dinner our first night in West Texas, we ate at Cochineal. I'm not quite sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't what I found. I've been to my share of small Texas towns, and in none of the others was there food and cocktails like we devoured at Cochineal. It was like walking into any hip restaurant in Austin, except better. The menu was simple and the cocktails creative. If you're in Marfa, this is your place for a great dinner. Be sure to make a reservation as they fill up!
And here is our teepee! And that sunset... no words.
I first heard about El Cosmico on a random Cooking Channel show a couple years ago and ever since then I have been wanting to stay in one of the hotel's teepees (a girlhood dream come true, y'all).
Above is a shot of the inside. We only stayed one night because I was a little concerned about the weather being too chilly, and it was definitely cold, but it was bearable and even a little cozy. As you can see it does have electricity, and for warmth we kept the propane fire pit going all night (see - so cozy!).
After we woke up and packed up our vehicle, we grabbed a bite at Pizza Foundation. Once again, the food was excellent. Highly recommend this place.
After we were fueled up, we headed south of town to drive Pinto Canyon Road. And what a hidden little gem this part of the trip turned out to be. The only reason I knew about it was because my step-sister (who lives in the area) recommended it as "the most beautiful drive in the state". That's high praise, so we decided to check it out. Boy were we glad we did.
It wasn't until we got back that we learned the area where the road cuts through is considered by many to be one of the most beautiful (and remote) places in the state. You can read more about the area in this Texas Monthly article.
If you're going to drive it (do it!), make sure you have a high clearance vehicle. Also be prepared for several hours of winding, bumpy roads with no cell service. But trust me, it's worth it! Below are some pictures from the drive along the gravel road.
To sum up this post - here's a little insight I gained during this trip - you don't have to travel very far from home to get away from it all or to experience something new and fun. Often when I think about vacationing, my mind immediately drifts to beaches or cafés in Paris. This trip changed that for me. So, I encourage you to think outside of the box when it comes to planning a future adventure. Sticking close to home is a great way to save money, get that classic "road trip" experience, and explore a nearby area that you may never visit otherwise.
I'll be sharing Part 2 of our West Texas Getaway next week, so stay tuned!
Hope you enjoyed reading!
