If you’re looking for an off-the-beaten path getaway, look no further than Marfa, Texas. This teeny town has become quite Instagram-famous, due to its unique mixture of artsy Burning Man-type vibes and its barren desert landscape. So if you’re planning to visit this unique place, here’s 17 incredible things to do in Marfa, Texas.
This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, we may receive a small commission, for which we are extremely grateful, at no extra cost to you.
How to Get to Marfa, Texas
Marfa is located here, in far West Texas.
To be honest, it’s kind of located in the middle of nowhere—the closest major airports are:
- El Paso, Texas: 2 hours and 50 minutes away
- Austin, Texas: 6 hours and 20 minutes away
- Albuquerque, New Mexico: 6 hours and 25 minutes away
- Dallas, Texas: 7 hours and 25 minutes away
You’ll need to rent a car to get here—there’s no public transit that will take you to Marfa.

However, I’d recommend using this as an excuse to do a road trip around this super underrated part of the country!
During the first time that my husband, Justin, and I visited Marfa, we flew into El Paso, drove to White Sands National Park to explore its unique scenery, like along the Alkali Flats Trail, and then headed to Marfa for a chill couple of days. During our second stay, we were visiting as part of an enormous road trip with our RV through the United States, stopping in Big Bend National Park beforehand and the Organ Mountains in New Mexico afterwards. There’s seriously tons of things to do and see in this gorgeous area!
Things to do in Marfa, Texas
Now, on to the fun stuff! Here’s how to actually spend your time in Marfa.
1. Ballroom Marfa
This free contemporary art museum is definitely on the small side, with two galleries and an outdoor space. However, during both times that we’ve visited, the artwork has been well-curated and provocative, with a helpful explanatory brochure regarding the artists and the art itself.

2. Chinati Foundation
So the reason Marfa is an artsy mecca to begin with is the man behind the Chinati Foundation, Donald Judd. He was originally a renowned New York City artist, who moved to Marfa in 1971, so he could use the barren desert landscape as his canvas for his minimalistic large scale art installations. Over the years, other artists have followed suit, leading to Marfa becoming the artsy mecca that it is today.
Judd founded the Chinati Foundation in 1986 to highlight his and other artists’ large scale art installations. The Foundation now features hundreds of pieces created by artists from around the world.

Until fairly recently, you could explore the sculptures located outside of the Chinati Foundation for free, but now, the only way that you can visit any portion of its property is on a guided tour, by reservation.
Given Judd’s importance here, this is one of the most unmissable things to do in Marfa, in my book!
3. Ayn Foundation
This is another small (and free!) contemporary art museum, which offers a few galleries that feature some impressive artists—notably, Andy Warhol and Maria Zerres.
Just be aware that the Foundation has pretty limited hours and is only open from 12-5 PM on Fridays and Saturdays. Plan accordingly!
4. Marfa Mystery Lights Viewing Area
People have reported seeing mysterious orbs of light at nighttime over Marfa’s sprawling desert landscape since the late 1800s. It’s unclear what causes these orbs of light—some believe that it’s caused by rapid changes in air temperatures, by headlights from passing automobiles, or from more *paranormal* origins. No matter the lights’ origin, it adds yet another quirky layer to this remote town.

If you want to see the lights for yourself, there’s actually a Mystery Lights Viewing Area where you’re free to bust out your favorite camp chair and scan the expansive desert for some of these mysterious orbs. And bonus—if you’re an RVer like us, you’re welcome to dry camp for the night here for free!
During our last trip to Marfa, we stayed the night here in our RV and, while we sadly didn’t see any mystery lights, it DEFINITELY was a unique experience. There were lots of people—many who were on the eccentric side—sitting around the viewing area and enthusiastically waiting to spot some orbs. It’s by far one of the most unique places we’ve slept in our RV, for sure!
5. Marfa Spirit Co.
During our recent trip to Marfa, we discovered this fun new addition to town. This micro-distillery produces some standard spirits, like vodka, gin, and rum, and some more specialized liquor, like sotol, a Mexican alcohol made from a unique plant from the Chihuahuan Desert, or pechuga, a unique type of mezcal.

There’s a tasting room where you can try out yummy cocktails with their spirits, which frequently hosts live music or other fun events. And if you’re really into spirits, you can even book a private tour and tasting at the distillery.
6. Go shopping
There’s all kinds of unique shops in Marfa, selling everything from locally made home goods and crystals to vintage cowboy boots and artwork.

Marfa is pretty small, so I’d just encourage you to wander around and pop into stores that catch your eye, but here are a few of my favorites:
- Moonlight Gemstones: Offers all kinds of cool gemstones, crystals, and fossils (plus the staff here is the sweetest!)
- Marfa Mood Mercantile: Gift shop with locally made items, like jams, soaps, and jewelry
- Texas Rose: Curated secondhand store with vintage clothes, accessories, and home goods
- Marfa Book Company: Funky bookstore with an eclectic selection of art books, esoteric fiction, and a few best sellers
7. Planet Marfa
One of my favorite places to pop into in town is Planet Marfa.

This is a pretty low key outdoor bar, with no frills drink offerings, a teeny food menu, and all-you-can-eat free peanuts. The real draw here, however, is its ambiance. There’s a giant teepee, school bus, and treehouse-type structure to hang out in, plus it frequently hosts fun events, like live music or karaoke night.
8. Giant Mural
There’s art everywhere in Marfa, from small murals to random sculptures, but one of the most famous pieces is a large-scale mural about the 1956 Western classic “Giant.”

The mural features enormous cut-outs from iconic moments in the movie, including Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean himself. The artist was actually inspired to donate the mural to Marfa, because the majority of the film was shot here!
9. Get caffeinated
If you’re a coffee lover like me, you’re in luck! There’s a few great (and vibe-y!) coffee shops in town, like:
- Bitter Sugar Coffee and Dessert Bar: Definitely our favorite coffee shop in Marfa, with homemade pastries I still dream of, a cozy atmosphere, and friendly owners
- The Sentinel: This cafe really does it all—it’s a coffee shop, cocktail bar, and home to Marfa’s local newspaper. Be sure to get here early on weekends—we visited on a Sunday morning and the line was absolutely bananas!

10. Marfa and Presidio County Museum
If you’re looking to experience a different side to Marfa, other than its funky artsy vibes, stop in this donations-based museum.
There’s exhibits about the local history of Marfa, ranging from its geology to its Indigenous people. Plus, there’s always a friendly and knowledgeable docent at the museum to answer all your burning questions about the Big Bend area!

11. Sleeping Figure
One of the newest art installations in Marfa is Sleeping Figure, a massive sculpture of 12 used shipping containers that resembles a human laying down.
The sculpture is located on this property, owned by Marfa Invitational, who has plans to convert the space into a full blown sculpture park.
12. Prada Marfa
The town originally swelled to social media fame due to the Prada Marfa installation—in fact, even Beyonce stopped for photos here! However, this structure isn’t actually even in Marfa and, instead, is located in the itty bitty Valentine, Texas, about half an hour northwest of Marfa.

This sculpture is built to aesthetic codes for actual Prada stores and has authentic shoes and purses from Prada’s 2005 collection on display. You can’t go into the store (and actually, the front door is completely non-functional), making the structure a time capsule of sorts.
Prada Marfa is believed to be a statement on consumerism or gentrification. I’m certainly not an art expert, but regardless of its meaning, stopping here is inarguable one of the best things to do in Marfa.
13. Explore Alpine, Texas
While you’re in the middle-of-nowhere West Texas, you might as well explore some of the charming small towns nearby!

Alpine is a small college town, with old Western-y vibes and a surprising amount of things to keep you busy. For example, you can visit the Museum of the Big Bend to learn about the history and culture of this unique area or go on a self-guided walking history tour to learn more about Alpine’s buildings, some of which date all the way back to the 1880s. Alternatively, you can catch a minor league baseball game at Kokernot Field, which has been described as the “best little ballpark in Texas” by Sports Illustrated magazine.
14. The Desk
If you’re looking to stretch your legs a bit, the Hancock Hill trail, located right outside of Alpine, climbs uphill through the desert.
From its summit, you’ll get sweeping views of the surrounding desert, but the main attraction is actually “The Desk”, a sturdy metal desk that had been lugged to the top of this hillside by college students in the 1970s. Inside one of its drawers, you’ll find a notebook where you can leave a little note—I loved flipping through the notebook and seeing sweet messages from all over the world!

There’s also other little quirky aspects of the hike. For example, someone hung several bicycles in a tree near The Desk to signify you’re close to the summit.
On that note, the trail here is not well-marked and really hard to follow—I wound up getting lost several times! Accordingly, I’d strongly recommend downloading the trail map on AllTrails ahead of time, so that you can track your progress with GPS.
15. Attend a Star Party
One of the best things to do in Marfa is to visit the nearby McDonald Observatory for a Star Party, which generally happens every Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday (you can check the calendar here).

We attended one of these during our first visit to Marfa and had SO much fun. The knowledgeable staff points out constellations, tells the background and significance of the constellations, and sets up impressive telescopes for a closer look at the galaxies, planets, and stars above. Better yet, because of the remoteness of this area, the night sky is clear of light pollution, allowing you to see nothing but THOUSANDS of twinkling stars at once!
Just be sure to make your reservations early—Star Parties are one of the most popular events in the area and frequently sell out!

Even if you can’t swing visiting a Star Party during your time in Marfa, there’s other types of events at the McDonald Observatory that are absolutely worth checking out, like solar viewing and special tours of the observatory and its telescopes.
16. Balmorhea State Park
Balmorhea, located about an hour north of Marfa, is quite literally an oasis in the desert, with a natural spring that pumps 15 millions gallons of water through its neighboring pool every single day.
If you’re visiting during the warmer months, this is an awesome place to cool off, with the water ranging from a refreshing 72 to 76 degrees Fahrenheit year round. I’d also recommend bringing snorkeling gear—the water is usually crystal clear and there’s plenty of fish and turtles swimming around.
The park limits the amount of visitors it has at any given time and can often fill up during busier periods, like summers and weekends. So, if you’re visiting during any of those timeframes, I’d strongly suggest booking a day pass ahead of time.
17. Tiny Bucee’s
Okay, this one is just a quick stop and is probably only worth it for visitors who are REALLY into quirky roadside attractions. However, it’s definitely a hidden gem, so I thought I’d include it here.

Located about 20 minutes east of the nearby town of Marathon (or about an hour and 15 minutes east of Marfa) along Highway 90, you’ll find the world’s smallest Bucee’s! This little structure may not sell Beaver Nuggets or offer the pristine bathroom the gas station chain is known for, but it’s definitely a fun place to stop and snap a few photos.
How long do you need in Marfa, Texas?
I LOVE Marfa, but it’s an itty bitty town.
One day is probably enough for the town itself, but you could easily spend two to three days exploring Marfa and the surrounding area, like Alpine or Balmorhea State Park.

If you have even more time to play around with, I’d definitely suggest adding on Big Bend National Park, which is located about two and a half hours south of Marfa. There’s so many things to do in Big Bend National Park, from soaking in Langford Hot Springs to walking across the Rio Grande into Boquillas del Carmen, Mexico and visiting the ghost town of Terlingua. Between the Marfa area and Big Bend National Park, you could easily spend a week exploring this magical corner of the country.
Where to Stay in Marfa
Of course, there’s lots of cool vibe-y places to stay in Marfa, but here are a few of our favorites:
- El Cosmico: El Cosmico is the quintessential lodging in Marfa, with a variety of accommodations ranging from glamping tents to bungalows and old retro campers. Beyond its Instagrammable aesthetic, El Cosmico also offers a variety of ways to enjoy the surrounding epic desert scenery, from a wood-fired hot tub to firepits.
- Thunderbird Motel: The Thunderbird was originally a classic roadside motel from the 1950s, which was reimagined and Marfa-ified into the funky boutique hotel it is today. There’s some really nice perks to staying here, including a pool, fire pits, and coolers of beers and popsicles onsite.
- Hotel Paisano: This is the most upscale lodging in Marfa and has some seriously cool history—Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean once stayed here! Beyond soaking up its 1950s glamor, you can also enjoy its heated pool, onsite restaurant, and private balconies in most of its rooms.

When to Visit Marfa
One important thing to understand about Marfa is that many of its businesses have limited hours—both seasonally and during the week.
For example, many of Marfa’s businesses, like Planet Marfa, operate under limited winter hours from around November through February. Our first visit to Marfa was actually in February and we wound up having to miss some of the bars and restaurants on our Marfa bucket list, due to these seasonal closures.

Additionally, many businesses in Marfa are closed towards the beginning of the week (i.e., Monday through Wednesday). I’d try to plan most of my activities in the town itself on a Friday or Saturday, when most of the businesses here are open.
Otherwise, in terms of what time to year to visit Marfa, I’d suggest spring (March through May) or fall (September or October), when the businesses in town are open and the temperature is pleasantly warm.
Summer in Marfa can get pretty steamy, with temperatures regularly soaring above 100 degrees, making it not-so-fun to do most outdoor activities around town.
I hope you have as much fun exploring Marfa, Texas as we did! Do you have any questions about what to do in Marfa? Let us know in the comments below!