I had heard about the Marfa mystery lights ever since I was a little girl. I remember sitting in the third grade reading about these lights and thinking “why?”. Why here? In the middle of nowhere, in Texas, in the desert, why here? After visiting Marfa, the lights are not the only mysterious thing about this dusty town.

Marfa has had a wild history. From the set of spaghetti westerns, the home of historic hotels and operas, to a ghost town, to an alien hunter paradise, and then theres Marfa now. Marfa is now considered one of the art capitols of Texas, after being wrecked by intense gentrification from rich Houston lawyers and cool hipsters who will buy painted rocks for $1200 (Yes. I did see a rock with a $1200 dollar price tag). All I kept thinking was why here? Why Marfa? There are a million little towns in Texas just like Marfa, but here they are selling Air Bnb’s for $600 dollars a night and Beyonce is posting pictures on Instagram in front of the Marfa water tower. This long and twisted history has made Marfa the capitol of Quirky, and worthy of a day or weekend stop. Here is how I spent a day in Marfa.

A Morning In Marfa:

If you are balling on a budget (Like us) you will want to stay in Alpine and drive in to Marfa. Its only 15 miles away, but in Marfa city limits hotels and Air bnb’s are ridiculously expensive. We stayed at a comfy Air bnb in Alpine then went to the center of town to our first stop, Hotel Paisano. This hotel opened in 1930 and is best known for being the headquarters of the film Giant (1956). It feels like a step back in time! There are also many little shops to stroll through, as well as the beautiful courtyard and free art gallery.

After this we encountered the problem that many people encounter when visiting Marfa, most things do not have set hours! We tried to go to many shops or breakfast places and nothing was open (very frustrating). Don’t be shocked if you arrive and it feels like a ghost town, especially if you are here on a week day.

Finally we strolled into Aster, a perfect brunch spot for us weary travelers. Cozy european style comfort food, shelter from the cold, natural light and house plants tucked in every corner. The food was farm to table, fresh, and delicious.

My favorite thing I did at Marfa was seeing an incredible Andy Warhol piece, a spin off of The Last Supper in his classic pop art political commentary way. I was not allowed to take pictures inside, so you will have to go and see it for your self!

We then headed to The Ballroom. This is a free art gallery that includes up and coming artists from all over the world. Be warned, this may not be your cup of tea if you do not appreciate super modern art. It was an unforgettable experience for sure!

There are tons and tons of small art galleries all over Marfa, start walking and you are sure to run into one. These galleries feature super modern pieces being sold for incredible amounts of money, but they are fun to look at! A can’t miss item for me was an art exhibit made out of a vending machine that would dispense painted horseshoes and topo chico (you can’t make this stuff up).

An Afternoon in Marfa:

We stopped for an afternoon coffee at Do Your Thing Coffee. They make a mean latte and have a fun and warm atmosphere.

When I think of Marfa, my first thought is the Prada Store. An art exhibit, It is a stand alone building made to look like a Prada store in the middle of the Texas wilderness on the side of the road. But don’t be fooled! This is not actually in Marfa. It is technically in Valentine, thirty miles from Marfa! I would still make the trip if you made it all the way to Marfa, but be mentally prepared for the hour round trip drive.

On your way to the Prada Store, you will pass large wooden murals from Giant! They are beautiful and worth a stop and a look.

Finally, you have reached the Prada store. Get out, take your pictures, drive back. Thats about it haha.

Mystery Lights in Marfa:

A few miles outside of city limits is the light viewing areas. Be prepared for the cold, the temperature drops drastically at night so it can be very cold and windy. You will be sitting with people from all over the world, people with telescopes, peering off into the distance trying to decide “Is that a car or a ghost light” for hours. While we do not think we saw “the lights” it is always fun to believe and wonder “what is truly out there”.

While these are all good suggestions to get you started, my favorite part of Marfa was just the thrill of discovery. Finding quirky art galleries or seeing unique air bnb’s, reading murals about the history of buildings, or enjoying unique food.The greatest way to enjoy Marfa is to go with the flow, be ready for new experiences, and open your mind to the mysteries of Marfa.