We are Meg & Chris from @havetoothbrushwilltravel and htwtravel.com. Welcome to our mini guide on the most Instagrammable spots in Marfa.
Meg grew up in New Jersey and Chris grew up in New Mexico. We met while working at the same company in Massachusetts. Since then, we have both been able to secure 9-5 remote jobs and are using these roles to road trip around the US and stop in a new location every 2-3 months.
Slow travel in the US has helped us follow our passions, work successfully while being remote and helps our travel kitty (Rocky) with adjusting to a more adventurous lifestyle. Recently, we drove through Texas on our way from Florida to Utah – two of our main destinations we stayed in this year.
While driving through we spent the majority of our time in Alpine. We worked remotely here for a week and were able to explore Big Bend National Park and the cute town of Marfa during our stay. Meg first heard about Marfa’s mystery lights on Instagram and we knew we had to visit!
Marfa – the Perfect Road Trip Stop
We would describe Marfa as the perfect road trip stop for those cruising through Texas. Marfa is a small town infused with a history of mysterious lights, art, food and coffee – what more could you want?! There are plenty of unique accommodations here which may interest travelers on the road.
Our favorite photography spot in Marfa was the Central Fire Station and County Courthouse. Both of these buildings are pink and make for a really unique and fun photo! It’s not everyday you get to see a pink fire station.
We didn’t meet many people on our stop in Marfa as we visited during a holiday weekend (in the middle of the pandemic) and so many places were closed. It’s a very small town with less than 2,000 local residents. We know we will have to go back to try some of the coffee shops and restaurants.
Most Instagrammable Spots in Marfa
There are many Insta-worthy spots in Marfa. The town has street art, unique coffee shops, a grocery store with the cutest name, artsy hotels – you name it, they have it! The best thing about taking photos here is that there is hardly anyone around, so you won’t feel awkward. Below are our top spots.
- Central Fire Station: a wonderful pink fire station
- Presidio County Courthouse: for cool architecture
- ‘You’ll Be Fine’ Street Art: found down E Texas Street
- Ballroom Marfa: non-collecting contemporary art museum
- The Get Go: a small gourmet grocery serving the locals of Marfa
- ‘See Mystery Lights’ Sign – Thunderbird Hotel: an awesome mural painted outside the Thunderbird Hotel office
- Prada Marfa Art Installation: this piece of art is designed to look like a Prada store in the middle of nowhere. It’s located about 20 minutes outside of Marfa (closer to Valentine, Texas). This is a popular spot, but we drove there early in the morning and enjoyed taking many photos!
Need to Know Before you Go
We opted to stay in Alpine, Texas based on accommodations available and we needed more room to work during the week. Alpine has its own great downtown area, restaurants and fun hikes, and is only 30-minutes from Marfa! If Marfa is all booked up then Alpine is a fantastic second choice.
When visiting, plan to spend more than a quick stop here. Spending a few nights in Alpine or Marfa will give you the opportunity to experience everything this area has to offer – culture, food, nature. But you have to stay at least one night in Marfa itself to witness the famous mystery lights!
