We stayed at The Local Chapter in Terlingua during most of our trip to West Texas, which is near the Mexican border and literally down the street from the entrance to Big Bend National Park! I’ll be sharing more about our stay at The Local Chapter soon (stay tuned!), but wanted to bring it up here for reference in regard to driving distance. While we knew we would be going to Marfa on Friday to stay the night, we weren’t sure how much time we were going to have to visit things like Prada Marfa or other towns around it like Marathon. So Liza and I decided to dedicate a day to Marathon and Marfa halfway through the week! We knew we would be hiking Tuesday and horseback riding Thursday, so Wednesday made a good break from the outdoors.
Marathon is just under two hours away from Terlingua, so we set out around 9:30! I actually started the day in the outfit you see above. We hadn’t photographed many outfits yet, so I wanted to take advantage of the different backdrops! I’m wearing this Sea New York top, these jeans and my new Isabel Marant boots. Naturally I didn’t like how this outfit turned out in those photos, so this pic is all you’re getting. I do have a bit of a funny TMI story for you about the drive, but it’s a cautionary tale: There is not a single gas station/restroom from Terlingua to Marathon if you drive the Big Bend route! I made the mistake of drinking too much water and coffee before we left, and had to literally squat at a rest stop behind the car because I was so desperate. All that to say… go right before you leave and limit liquid intake!!!
The main event in Marathon is the Gage Hotel! The hotel opened in 1927 and is steeped in rich Texas history. The hotel is located on the main street in town and there’s not much else around but a Barbecue joint (Brick Vault) and some gift shops. If you happen to be in the area, the Gage Hotel is definitely worth checking out! We loved the decor and Western vibes around the property, and had a great lunch at the V6 coffee bar owned by the hotel. They also have a nicer restaurant (12 Gage) which is currently only open for dinner, and a bar that is only open at night as well!
After lunch we ventured west towards Alpine, where we stopped to check out the Target store. It’s not *really* a store, but an art installation like Prada Marfa. Unfortunately graffiti artists got to it before we did, but it was still fun to see and take photos!
After that quick stop, we continued our journey to Marfa. We spent the rest of the afternoon popping in shops and wandering around town! One store I loved in particular was Communitie, which is known for their great selection of hats, clothing and other accessories. I picked up the two hats below + a cute llama matchbox! The owner was really lovely and gave us food recommendations for the area as well. She has a super cute pup named Arrow too! I live for a shop dog. My Western horse-printed mask is something I found at GBG in Carmel of all places!
The other stores I liked were Raba Marfa, a vintage clothing store that also featured some chic home accessories, bags and other items, and 6Whiskey, which sold cool boots, blankets, scarves and other Western items. I picked up candles at both stores! I didn’t take pictures at those stores… sorry!
These last two pics were actually taken later in the week when we were in Marfa again Friday! On the left is my spicy fried chicken sandwich + jalapeno mac and cheese from The Water Stop… I’m drooling just looking at it again! Liza and I loved this restaurant!! It’s not in the center of town, but it’s worth the short drive to the edge of Marfa for a meal here. Trust me! After lunch we made the 30 minute drive north west towards Valentine to see the Prada Marfa installation. Other than the shops we visited, not much else was open in Marfa while we were there! I would blame COVID-19, but I’ve also been told that part of Texas just runs on their own schedule. Depending on what day/week/month you go the hours are always different, which is definitely good to know in advance. It’s a trip where you sort of have to just go with the flow and relax!
PS: for our Friday night in Marfa we stayed at Hotel Saint George and loved it! The rooms were very comfortable (the layout/use of space in the room was great!) and the food + drinks downstairs were delish. They also have a sizable pool located across the street, but drink service wasn’t available while we were there! It’s also a very dog-friendly hotel!
