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How To Do Marfa, TX On a Budget

How to do Marfa, TX on a budget.

Hi, friends! If you’re wondering if you’ve already seen the image above, you have! Haha. Last week I posted our travel guide for seeing Marfa, TX in 3 days and you all loved it! I got such great feedback from you guys, that I thought I’d share some of the other content we created in regards to traveling to Marfa. If you scroll down I have included our mini Marfa playlist as well as some bonus tips on tackling Marfa. But, what I really want to share with you guys is how to do Marfa on a budget.

Traveling is one of Travis and my favorite things to do. Whether it’s Europe, the beach, or our own state, we always seem to have the travel itch. Traveling expenses can add up quickly though. So, throughout our relationship we’ve learned how to budget in such a way that allows us to still visit all the places on our wish list. We’ve learned how and where to cut corners in such a way that doesn’t dilute your experience or cause you to miss out.

Tips for traveling to Marfa, TX on a budget.

It probably goes without saying, but driving to Marfa instead of flying is the most budget-friendly option. Yes, it is 8 hours away from Dallas, but flying isn’t the better alternative. You actually can’t fly into Marfa directly, so you’d have to fly into a bigger city, pay to rent a car, and still drive some. So to start out with, road tripping is the easiest, prettiest, and cheapest way to get to Marfa.

MARFA BUDGET TIPS

  • BRING YOUR OWN COOLER – this tip was given to us by my sweet friend over at The Perennial Style. If you’re staying in a tent or a safari tent at El Cosmico, bring your own cooler for water. We did this and definitely didn’t regret it. We bought a case of water on the way there and loaded up our cooler. This saved us from buying $4 water bottles throughout the weekend.
  • HAPPY HOUR AT HOTEL SAINT GEORGE FOR DINNER – this was something Travis and I just happened upon. After going to the pool on Saturday we went over the Hotel Saint George bar for a drink and ordered a couple of appetizers from their Happy Hour menu. Um…y’all, they were such big portions! We ordered fries and wings and actually ended up just splitting it and considering it dinner! And it should be noted that my husband eats a lot more than I do and even he said he was stuffed after. So, finding happy hours that run into dinner time is a great way to save a little. You could also eat a bit at happy hour and then split an entree at dinner to save, too.
  • HOTEL SAINT GEORGE POOL AT 4 PM – our friend recommended the pool to us and we were so glad they did! However, we weren’t staying at Hotel Saint George, so it was going to cost us $20 a person ($10/person on a week day) to even go to the pool. Then, a sweet woman told us that if we waited until 4 we could get in for free. We did that and it was great! It was still so sunny and hot and was a great way to unwind after our hike and relax a little before dinner.
  • SPLIT FOOD WHEN YOU CAN – this is a tip Trav and I learned early on in our travel escapades. It’s not always possible, but when you can split food, it sure saves a lot of money. The one place we recommend splitting food at in Marfa is Marfa Burrito. We ordered one to start with but as soon as we saw the size we knew instantly neither of us could finish a whole one. So, definitely go to Marfa Burrito, but definitely split one!
  • CAMP AT EL COSMICO – Staying in a hotel in Marfa (there are only two, haha) will cost around $200 per night. However, if you stay in a Safari tent at El Cosmico, it’s only $120/night. AND, if you want to save even more, you can tent camp for only $20 a night!!
  • BE CONTINENTAL – hehe, this one makes me smile. It makes me think of my grandparents that love taking advantage of continental hotel breakfasts when they travel. They were onto something though! Whether you’re in a hotel or staying at El Cosmico, take advantage of what they do offer in the morning. For example, if you’re staying at El Cosmico, they have complimentary tee and coffee in the morning. So, instead of going and buying some, grab a cup of joe, sit and read, and make some new friends!

Now, if you’re staying at El Cosmico, we created a couple of tips just for you! These tips are things we didn’t even think of thinking of prior to our trip, but will definitely abide by next time we visit!

TIPS FOR STAYING AT EL COSMICO IN MARFA, TX.

EL COSMICO TIPS:

  • WEAR CLOSED TOED SHOES – I heard a friend say this, but I was determined to wear my sandals. Mistake. Haha. If you’re staying in town you can definitely get away with just wearing sandals. But, if you’re staying at El Cosmico, you’ll want some close toed shoes or booties because it is oh-so-sandy. I felt like I was washing my feet constantly because of how gross my feet got from the all the sand.
  • BRING LOTION – I’m sure all west texans know this, but it was new to us. In order to combat how dry your skin gets from all the sand blowing around, you needs lots and lots of lotion. So, bring ample amounts of lotion.
  • SWEAT PANTS & SWEAT SHIRTS ARE A MUST – one of the cool things about west Texas is that it gets hot during the day, but cool at night. We didn’t realized how cool, but were so grateful we both grabbed sweat pants and a sweat shirt at the last minute. We actually ended up sleeping in them and socks!
  • HIKING BOOTS ARE ESSENTIAL – for hiking. If you plan on hiking Davis Mountain (20 miles away) – which we highly recommend doing, bring your hiking boots. My husband brought his and I thought he was being so extra so I didn’t. Well, the joke was on me. The trails are pretty rocky, so normal running shoes just doesn’t cut it. I will definitely be bringing my hiking boots next time.

Well friends, I hope this helps you guys some! If you have any tips I should add, please be sure to let me know!

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