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This Eccentric Texas Town Has Ghost Lights, Loads of Art, and a Prada Store in the Middle of Nowhere


The Small Desert Town with a Huge Personality

Deep in the Texas desert sits a tiny town that transformed from a dusty railroad stop into a weird, wonderful cultural oasis: Marfa.
Here’s why you need to stop here if you’re ever in the high desert of the Trans-Pecos in far West Texas.

The Mysterious Marfa Lights

The Marfa Lights, first spotted in 1883, appear as glowing orbs that dance across the desert sky near Highway 90.

Colors range from white and yellow to blue and red. Even today, no one’s sure why these lights appear. Some say they’re reflections from car headlights or fires, while others think they’re desert mirages.

You can try to spot these lights yourself at the designated Marfa Lights Viewing Area, 9 miles east of the town along the U.S. Highway 90 toward Alpine.

It’s Home to a Vibrant Art Community

While the Marfa Lights may have put this small Texas town on the map, it was minimalist artist Donald Judd that turned the town into an unlikely art mecca.

After discovering the area in 1971, Judd started building an art presence by purchasing former military buildings and creating “The Block” complex.

It eventually led to the 1986 founding of the Chinati Foundation, a 340-acre museum showcasing permanent large-scale installations.

That Infamous Prada Store in the Middle of Nowhere Texas

A Prada store is the last thing you’d expect to see on a lonely Texas highway, but that’s exactly what you’ll find 37 miles from Marfa near the town of Valentine.

It looks exactly like a regular store, complete with genuine Prada merchandise from the fall 2005 collection personally selected by Miuccia Prada herself.

But, it’s actually a permanent art installation built in 2005 by artists Elmgreen & Dragset. They wanted to make people think about how we shop and spend money in today’s world. And no, you can’t go inside because it’s locked forever.

Marfa is a Popular Shooting Location for Movies

Since 1910, over 86 productions have been filmed in Marfa, including the 1956 film “Giant.”

The historic Hotel Paisano, which served as headquarters for Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, and James Dean during “Giant’s” production, has themed rooms and memorabilia from the movie.

Later on, Marfa’s striking desert landscape attracted productions like “No Country for Old Men” and “There Will Be Blood.”

Marfa is Part of an Official Dark Sky Reserve

Three exceptional features make Marfa a stargazer’s paradise: its location within the Greater Big Bend International Dark Sky Reserve, proximity to the McDonald Observatory, and the famous Marfa Lights Viewing Area.

The region holds the distinction of being part of the world’s largest Dark Sky Reserve, spanning over 9 million acres across the U.S. and Mexico.

While in Marfa, you can attend Star Parties at McDonald Observatory, or stay overnight at El Cosmico campground and Davis Mountains State Park for stargazing.

It’s Quite Remote

Getting to Marfa requires careful planning due to its remote location in the West Texas desert. While the town has a municipal airport for private aircraft, most visitors fly into either Midland or El Paso commercial airports, both 200 miles away.

From there, you can rent a car for the scenic drive. Alternatively, Amtrak stops in nearby Alpine, and Greyhound offers bus service directly to Marfa.

Where to Eat in Marfa, Texas

Another thing that makes this strange town so special is its food scene. You’ll find everything from James Beard-nominated fine dining to hidden hole-in-the-wall gems that have attracted celebrity diners.

Be sure to grab a massive breakfast burrito at Marfa Burrito, a beloved local institution.

The post This Eccentric Texas Town Has Ghost Lights, Loads of Art, and a Prada Store in the Middle of Nowhere appeared first on When In Your State.



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