For one of my dear friend’s birthday, she wanted to do a road trip in Texas to visit Marfa, White Sands National Monument, and Terlingua. The first stop was Marfa, a small desert town and art oasis, home to the famous Prada installation, the Chinati Foundation, Judd Foundation, and more. We easily fit everything we wanted to see and do in Marfa in one day. There’s a few interesting shops to browse and quaint cafes and restaurants to eat in when you need a break from art or when you’re done exploring!
My friend did all the planning for this trip, so I did nothing except trudge along and take photos. Thanks, Sojin, for planning! She is also an incredibly talented photographer and designer.
La Escapada / To Stay
This Airbnb very much invokes the eclectic feel of Marfa – the concrete walls, the chic and quirky mix of furniture, the large outdoor space for lounging. It’s also a very short walk to a couple of restaurants. We liked it here a lot, and I would recommend this place if you’re staying in Marfa.
https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/16192648
The Chinati Foundation / To See
The Chinati Foundation is a contemporary museum with many exhibitions spread throughout Marfa including an open air installation of “15 untitled works in concrete” by the artist Donald Judd. This was my favorite installation in Marfa. The blocks are large and sit on a wide open space, making for fun photography opportunities.
www.airbnb.com/rooms/16192648
The Sentinel / To Eat + Drink
The Sentinel is a coffee shop, restaurant, and bar, and home to a couple newspapers. We stopped by for refreshments and made it in time for tacos before the kitchen closed for the day. The space is large and beautiful, and they also carry homewares and goods like candles and locally made products for purchase.
thesentinelmarfa.com
Prada, Marfa / To See
This was probably the most popular installation in Marfa. It’s on the roadside, some 20 minutes away from the actual town of Marfa. A lot of people stopped their cars to get out and take pictures. But it’s still a really cool sculpture installation.
