Written by: Holly Frush
Sometimes you find places that just speak to you. You go once, something stirs in your chest, and before you know it you are planning your next visit. That is how we feel about three tiny dots on the West Texas map: Marathon, Marfa, and Alpine.
We are not national park check-off people. We are not trying to conquer maps or hit every trailhead. We travel because we love discovering places that feel good to our souls, places that slow us down, and towns that quietly wrap themselves around our hearts and make us genuinely want to return. These towns are tiny but powerful.
Sitting in the vast quiet just before Big Bend, these towns are often overlooked on the way to the “bigger jewel,” but for us they are the gems. They are quirky, soulful, wide-open, and quietly magical. There is something about those West Texas skies that you feel more than you see.
The Kind of Trip Our Pleasure-Way Was Made For
Trips like this are exactly why we love traveling in our Pleasure-Way. First, this remote area is not the easiest place to reach, the only real way to experience it is to drive. West Texas was meant to be driven. The long drive from Dallas becomes part of our emotional reset. These tiny West Texas towns sit tucked off the beaten path and having our Pleasure-Way van gives us freedom, flexibility, and comfort we need in such remote places. It is the perfect companion for this region.
Travelling with Friends
Our most recent trip took us back to Marathon, Marfa, and Alpine and this time with friends, which made it feel completely new again. We wanted to show them “our” West Texas and the places that had already wrapped themselves around our hearts. We split our time between two RV parks, moved slowly, and let them fall into the same easy rhythm that drew us in on our first visit. Creating memories with one of my best friends felt especially meaningful. We get so busy in our daily lives, and it was such a gift to break away for even a couple of days. Sharing time together in a place we love.
Alpine Texas: Small town, big sky energy
A tiny bit of history:
- Founded in the early 1880’s as a railroad stop
- Home to Sul Ross State University (established in 1917)
If your stomach is growling:
- Spicewood Restaurant – Patio dining, cool breeze, always a treat. The front sign says. No Reservations Unless the Cowboys Win a Superbowl.
- Reata Restaurant – The original, opened in 1995 inside a historic 1890 adobe home. Upscale dining with a patio.
If you want to shop:
- Big Bend Saddlery – Western heritage at its finest.
- Javelinas 5th and Holland – Boutique for a bit of retail therapy where my girlfriend and I purchased one-of-a-kind turquoise pieces from a notable southwestern jeweler.
If you need fresh air:
- · The Desk on Hancock Hill – A quick hike to a student-created landmark from the late 1970s.
If you are rolling in with your RV’
- · Lost Alaskan RV Park – Clean, friendly, and the perfect home base.
Why Alpine Hooked Us
Friendly people, colorful murals, and endless sky. Traveling here in our Pleasure-Way made the drive easy and the pull-ins effortless.
Marfa Texas: Where high-desert style meets art-town charm
A quick note before you go:
- This list reflects only what we did on this trip. Marfa has many gems, just know that many businesses operate Thursday through Sunday, and several are closed Monday through Wednesday.
If your stomach is growling:
- Hotel Saint George – Bar Saint George – Mimosas and a burger to start the day.
- Hotel Paisano Restaurant – Jett’s Grill classic and historic bar.
If you want to shop:
- Katie Kime (inside Hotel Paisano) – Wallpaper, totes, pajamas, and all things Texas-cute.
- Communitie Marfa – Stetsons and desert style. Besties purchased Stetsons together!
- The Wrong Store – Quirky, artsy, and fun.
- Marfa Brand Soap Company – Handmade desert-scented goods
- The Get Go Grocery – Snacks, drinks, and essentials. Do not forget to purchase a Get Go logo shopping bag.
If you love art and photo-ops
- Ballroom Marfa – Always something worth seeing.
- AYN Foundation – Minimalist, bold, and very Marfa.
- Photo moments – Pink fire station, water tower, murals all over town.
If you believe in a little desert magic:
It is not a trip to Marfa without trying to spot the mysterious Marfa Lights. Plan an evening to head out to the viewing area, settle into the pitch-dark desert, and wait. We pulled into the viewing area with our Pleasure-Way, and it was such a treat to be able to hang out in comfort while we waited to catch a glimpse of the unexplained.
Why Marfa stays with you:
Quirky vibes with deep roots, art everywhere, cowboy grit, and big desert light. In our Pleasure-Way, parking and exploring the town felt effortless, even when hopping between galleries, shops, and restaurants.
Valentine, TEXAS: A tiny town with big West Texas moments
Go the extra mile.
Just thirty miles from Marfa. Population about 63. Valentine has no stoplights, no stores, and barely any people, but it does have two of the most famous landmarks in the region.
If you love art, film history, or fun photos
- The “Giant” Mural – Towering cut-out scenes from the 1956 movie Giant, filmed nearby.
- Prada Marfa – The iconic 2005 art installation in the middle of the desert.
- Locks of Love Fence – Leave a padlock behind Prada Marfa to mark a moment in the desert.
If you want a true dive bar experience:
- Valentine Texas Bar – One of the coolest dive bars in Texas. It opens on its own schedule, but it is worth the stop.
Why Valentine is worth the drive:
- Quick and full of personality. The Pleasure-Way made pulling over for photos and spontaneous stops a breeze.
Marathon Texas: Big bend gateway with vintage charm
Population around 410
Quiet, timeless, and soulfully West Texas.
If you are rolling in with your RV:
- We stayed at the Marathon Motel and RV Park – no frills, but all sky. The most beautiful sunsets here!
If your stomach is growling:
- 12 Gage Restaurant – One of the best meals we have ever enjoyed.
- White Buffalo Bar – A Texas Monthly top hotel bar with unforgettable ambiance.
If you want art or local charter:
- V6 Fine Art Gallery
- James Evans Gallery
- Dan Klepper Studio
- The French Grocer – For snacks, water, coffee, or a little live music.
If you love the night sky:
- · Reserve a spot to a Star Party at the Marathon Motel Skypark. Marathon is a Scale 1 on the Bortle Light Pollution Scale. What does that mean? It is dark! In fact, as dark as it gets without going to space! Bill Ramey guided us all over the sky with his observatory-grade telescope. Sitting under the dark skies in our Pleasure-Way felt like magic.
Why Marathon stays with you:
It is peaceful, artistic, and wrapped in desert silence. At night, the sky puts on a show that is spectacular from the comfort of the van.
LUXURY ON THE HORIZON: THE FUTURE OF WEST TEXAS
Big things are rising in the desert, bringing fresh energy and design-forward luxury to the region.
El Cosmico – Marfa, Texas
Opening target: 2027
Marfa has never been ordinary, but what is coming next is truly groundbreaking. The new El Cosmico—set on sixty acres just outside town will be the world’s first large-scale 3D-printed hotel. As an interior designer, I am devouring every detail of this ICON x Bjarke Ingels Group collaboration. The reimagined property will feature a 3D-printed hotel, a spa, a pool, and a cluster of sculptural private residences called Sunday Homes.
It is luxury, but not the glossy resort kind, more soulful, intentional, and deeply connected to the land and sky. It blends modern innovation with the timeless quiet of the desert and is sure to draw a new wave of travelers to Marfa.
Ideal for: creative retreats, artist residencies, wellness gatherings, architecture lovers, and luxury travelers seeking something different.
Gage Los Arcos Quarters – Marathon, Texas
The historic Gage Hotel long adored for its rustic charm and old-world Texas soul is evolving into The Gage Resort & Spa, and the transformation is impressive. Their newest project, Los Arcos, will add 24 luxury rooms, a resort-style pool, and a saltwater hot tub. More than an expansion, it is an invitation for travelers seeking upscale experiences, wellness escapes, girlfriend getaways, and intimate desert weddings.
What I love most is that Marathon is not trying to be anything it is not. It is still quiet, slow, and authentically West Texas but now paired with elevated amenities that make it feel like a true destination.
For RV travelers like us, it adds flexibility and excitement. We can keep the freedom of the road and still dip into spa time, a pool afternoon, or even a night in one of the new rooms, rugged meets refined.
Together, these projects mark a new chapter for the West Texas corridor, where remote beauty meets modern luxury. We keep returning because these towns feel like soul-places. The desert slows the noise of everyday life; the sky opens wide; the quiet roads let us breathe again. They may be small, but there is always a bar with a good story, a restaurant that surprises us, and a shop that pulls us in. And somehow, every time, the desert gives us exactly what we did not know we needed.