The Funky City In Western Texas With Iconic Artwork And Mouth-Watering Food

If you mention Texas to someone who has never been there — whether they're from Boise or Bangkok — West Texas is likely what comes to mind. There are still miles and miles of wide open spaces, vast desert, arid mountains, and quirky cowboys. It's an area so remote that plenty of native Texans from more populated regions have still never made it out that way. After all, for the 21 million people who live in the Texas Triangle (the area between Austin, Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas), just getting there is a six-to-eight hour road trip one way.

Nevertheless, tens of thousands of people make the trek to the tiny desert town of Marfa each year. It's probably not a place you'll get to by accident; it's three hours from the nearest big city airports (El Paso and Midland) and 100 miles from one of the best national parks in Texas (Big Bend National Park). Yet once artists began taking up residence in Marfa in the 70s, this unique spot on the road with its mysterious nighttime lights started attracting a more creative crowd. Now Marfa has become a hub of imaginative art installations and delectable Southwestern cuisine.

Although Marfa has been around since it became a water stop for steam locomotives in the 1880s, it wasn't well known until it became a backdrop for the sweeping Hollywood epic film "Giant." But the town didn't really become what it is today until a minimalist artist named Donald Judd decided to leave New York City and settle in Marfa and start permanently installing his and other artists' large-scale works of art. Today, both the Chinati Foundation and Judd Foundation and Museum are must-see destinations for art lovers. Ballroom Marfa also showcases the work of contemporary artists with constantly rotating exhibits. Perhaps one of the most famous art installations is Prada Marfa (which is technically in the town of Valentine about 30 minutes down Highway 90). It's not an actual store but a permanent installation by Elmgreen & Dragset featuring shoes and bags from the 2005 Prada Collection. Closer to Marfa on the outskirts of town is "Giant" by John Cerney: a massive mural of plywood cut-outs featuring the stars of the movie at the site of the filming location.

Another major draw to the area is the Marfa Lights. In fact, the town has a whole festival about it each year. No one knows for sure what causes the dancing lights on the horizon near the Chinati Mountains, but they have mesmerized onlookers for over one hundred years. If you want to try to catch a glimpse of the phenomenon, there's an official Marfa Lights Viewing Area about 9 miles outside of town.

The local accommodations are often just as offbeat as the culture. Nowhere embodies that quite as well as El Cosmico. With its chic hippie commune vibes (think bathhouses and communal kitchens), visitors get to choose from a variety of experiences. From tepees to trailers to yurts to a "kasita" (a tiny home), there's something for everyone at El Cosmico. If that's a little too out there for you, Hotel Paisano might be just your thing. Built in 1930, this 40-room hotel once housed the A-list Hollywood cast of the 1956 film "Giant." Now guests can opt for an original historic room or a themed room, like the James Dean Room where he stayed. Visitors who want a true luxury hotel can opt for Hotel Saint George with its modern decor and upscale amenities.

But one of the things that surprises visitors the most here seems to be the food. If you want a fine dining experience, look no further than Cochineal. James Beard Award semi-finalist executive chef Alexandra Gates opened Cochineal with her husband in 2017, and it remains a culinary destination with unique rugged dishes like wild-hunted nilgai tartare and Texas wild boar. If you prefer local hole-in-the-wall establishments, word on the street is that Marfa Burrito is the best for cheap, delicious food with generous portions — and celebs like Matthew McConaughey love it, too!