Head West

What to see — and skip — on a magical West Texas journey to Marfa

Marfa. Mythical creative mecca? Starkly gentrified desert town that attracts hipsters like flies to artisanal honey? Far-flung West Texas oasis that seems more like a film set than a functioning town?

In a relatively short amount of time, Marfa has been through several transformations, and, for better or worse, in its current manifestation, it’s become a place where you can order $40 beef tongue carpaccio and then sip $2 Lone Star tallboys with the rancher whose cow you just ate. While there’s no denying that it’s now a major destination for art-world tourists, underneath the hip, artsy sheen, Marfa retains its quirky, dusty, small-town soul.

Here’s what to see — and what to skip — when you make the magical trek out west.

See

Ballroom Marfa
Showcasing regularly changing exhibits of visual art, music, and film, Ballroom Marfa is a must-see gallery. Housed in a converted old dancehall, this offbeat space is the heart of Marfa’s contemporary art scene (next to Chinati, that is).

Lost Horse Saloon
If you want your non-Texan friends to think they’ve had a real adventure, take them to the Lost Horse Saloon, where you’re bound to see as many cowboy hat-clad locals as tourists. Though Marfa isn’t short on glitzy drinking establishments, the Lost Horse offers true dive vibes: think $1 drafts on Thursdays, free pool, rustic wood-paneled walls, saddles, and taxidermy.

The Marfa Lights Viewing Center
Though it may seem cheesy at first, trying to catch a glimpse of the famed Marfa Lights is all part of the Marfa experience. Cozy up with a travel mug of whiskey coffee, and keep your eyes peeled for the ghostly orbs that dance and shimmer on the horizon line between the prairie and the mountains.

Hotel Paisano
This historic, charming property — where Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean camped out during the filming of the 1956 classic Giant — is still the coolest hotel in town. With its Mediterranean-style outdoor fountain and courtyard, classic Texan ranch decor, and retro-chic vibes, the Hotel Paisano is a stately relic of Marfa’s past.

INDE/Jacobs
Artist Donald Judd was hell-bent on creating inventive exhibition spaces in Marfa, and this minimalist gallery continues Judd’s legacy into the present, with its clever, sculptural shape and sleek design touches.

Ayn Foundation
If you’re in town on a weekend, be sure to stop by the Ayn Foundation to see The Last Supper by Andy Warhol — there’s nothing as disorienting as seeing a giant, wall-sized Warhol in a tiny, remote Texas town.

Marfa Book Company
In the lobby of the Hotel Saint George, the Marfa Book Company boasts an incredibly well-curated selection of art and architecture books, poetry journals, and local fiction, plus cool prints, apothecary products and housewares for sale.

The Sentinel
The former home of funky bar Padre's is now the headquarters of the area's oldest newspaper, the Big Bend Sentinel, as well as an all-day gathering space for coffee, cocktails, and community. The paper's new owners, who acquired it this year, opened The Sentinel as a means to connect the community to the newspaper in a new way and further the mission of local, independent journalism.

The Chinati Foundation (self-guided viewing)
Marfa’s main attraction is well worth your time, of course. Judd left his imprint on the landscape with the Chinati Foundation, a 340-acre former military base that now houses works by Judd, Dan Flavin, John Chamberlain, and other contemporary artists. It’s free to see the outdoor works and $10 for self-guided viewing of select indoor works.

Skip

Prada Marfa
Hate us if you want, but Prada Marfa is 100 percent skippable. The Insta-famous art installation is cool, sure, but most people drive all the way out there (it’s 30 minutes from Marfa, in Valentine), spend five minutes snapping jumping selfies, then leave. You’re better off spending more time in town — or driving to Big Bend National Park.

Freda
If you’re in the market for a $460 silver cuff or a $690 blue geode ring, by all means, pay a visit to Freda, a “concept and lifestyle store.” Otherwise, feel free to skip this pricey shop and go inhale burritos at the beloved Marfa Burrito next door.

Renting bikes at El Cosmico
Yes, Beyonce once rode around Marfa on an El Cosmico bike, and a horde of influencers followed suit. Yet, wandering aimlessly on foot is the best way to get a feel for this eclectic town, with its surreal visual wonders and strange nooks and crannies that can make you feel like you’re trapped in a dream.

The tour of Chinati/Judd Foundation
Unless you’re a diehard Judd head, it’s cool to skip the full-day and half-day tours of Chinati (opting for self-guided viewing, instead), and the same goes for the Judd Foundation, which offers public tours of Judd’s Marfa studios and home.

Chinati, Marfa’s main attraction, is well worth your time.

Photo courtesy of Kit and Ace

Chinati, Marfa’s main attraction, is well worth your time.

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Now hear this

New Texas museum shines spotlight on Tejano music history

Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum, San Antonio, tejano music

Photo by Edmond Ortiz

Roger Hernandez serves as board president of the Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum.

For a city that proudly calls itself the capital of Tejano music, San Antonio has long been missing a permanent place to honor the genre’s pioneers and preserve its history. That gap officially closed In December with the opening of the Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum at 1414 Fredericksburg Rd.

The music couldn’t have found a better steward than its founder and board president. Roger Hernandez has had his finger on the pulse of Tejano music for decades. His company, En Caliente Productions, has provided a platform for countless performing artists and songwriters in Tejano, conjunto, and regional Mexican music since 1982.

Hernandez says his wife, who ran a shop at Market Square years ago, would often get questions from visitors about the location of a physical Tejano music museum, a thing that simply did not exist. In 2022, he banded together with friends, family, and other local Tejano music supporters to make the nonprofit Hall of Fame a reality.

“I decided I've been in the music scene for over 40 years, it's time to do a museum,” Hernandez recalls.

Hernandez says a brick-and-mortar Tejano music museum has long been needed to remember musical acts and other individuals who grew the genre across Texas and northern Mexico, especially those who are aging. Recently, the community lost famed Tejano music producer Manny Guerra and Abraham Quintanilla, the renowned Tejano singer/songwriter and father of the late superstar Selena Quintanilla-Perez. Both deaths occurred roughly one week after the Totally Tejano museum opened to the public.

“They're all dying. They're all getting older, and we need to acknowledge all these people,” Hernandez says.

The Totally Tejano Museum — named after Hernandez’s Totally Tejano Television Roku streaming — has 5,000 square feet of space packed with plaques, photos, promotional posters, musical instruments, and other memorabilia honoring the pioneers and stars of the beloved genre. Mannequins wear stage outfits from icons like Laura Canales and Flaco Jimenez, and a wall of photos remembers late greats. Totally Tejano Television plays legendary performances on a loop, bringing the exhibits to life.

The newly opened Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum includes a growing collection of memorabilia. Photo by Edmond Ortiz

Hernandez says the museum will soon welcome permanent and rotating exhibits, including traveling shows, a Hall of Fame section, and an area paying homage to Chicano music crossovers, such as the late Johnny Rodriguez, the South Texas singer-songwriter who blended country with Tex-Mex music. Plans call for the organization to hold its inaugural Hall of Fame induction in February 2026.

Eventually, a 2,000 square feet back room will be converted into additional display space and host industry gatherings, community symposiums, and record and video release parties. The museum also plans to add a gift and record shop and a music learning room where visitors can listen to early Tejano music and browse archival photos. Hernandez is already talking with local school districts about educational field trips.

Much like Tejano itself, the museum is a grassroots production. Hernandez and fellow board members have used their own money to rent, renovate, develop, and maintain the museum space. The board also leads the selection of the Hall of Fame honorees and curates the exhibits.

Hernandez has been heartened by the museum’s reception, both from media outlets and music fans around Texas and beyond.

“We had a radio station come in this morning from Houston to interview us,” he says. “People have come in from Lubbock, Texas. We have had people from Midland, Texas. We have another person who emailed us who’s coming in from New York. People are learning all about us.”

That includes many of the musicians who helped shape the genre. Johnny Hernandez, Sunny Ozuna, Elida Reyna, and Danny Martinez from Danny and The Tejanos are among the luminaries who have already graced the halls.

The Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum is now open 10 am-6 pm, Tuesday-Sunday, and closed Monday. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged. Fans can call 210-314-1310 for more information.

san antonio tejano music museums hall of fame music openings

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New Texas museum shines spotlight on Tejano music history