Everyone and their grandma knows about Marfa by now . Literally , your grandmother probably knows about Marfa and even fuck about it before you did . The setting for the classic 1956 filmGiant , Marfa was once the sleepyheaded and quaint embodiment of West Texas before it became the Instagram capital of the reality . But there ’s much more to West Texas than just Marfa ; the region boasts hot bound , wraith towns , whitewater rafting and … well , just scroll down .

Alpine is your gateway to the mountain folk

The urban center that serves as the gateway to West Texas and theBig Bend National Park , Alpine is equidistant from all the major attractions of West Texas . It also provides museums and a dramatics to bridge the gap between civilisation and a complete retreat into the arms of nature .

Terlingua isn’t for those with a weak tummy

You could go to Terlingua for the famous white water rafting . You could go to Terlingua for the camping under the stars in the canyons . But let ’s be material . You ’re going to go to Terlingua for the world - famousOriginal Tolbert ’s International Championship Chili Cook - Off . After all , it is here that the International Chili Champion is prefer each year .

Van Horn is out of this world

You may one day see a sci - fi flick in which a space holidaymaker utters the line , “ Van Horn , we have a problem . ” That ’s because Amazon beginner Jeff Bezos has constitute his super - secretive infinite touristry projectBlue Originout of Van Horn , Texas . Locals are so jazzed about next things that they are even building a 10,000 year clock in the town ( also funded by Bezos , of row ) .

Bathe in the cool waters of Balmorhea

Technically located in the bantam town of Toyahvale , most refer to the this desert oasis by the name of the park and raw outflow fed pocket billiards that draw in visitant there : Balmorhea . The trash dispirited water of the globe ’s largest spring - fed swimming pool crack welcomed relief from the often clip unforgiving West Texas sun and also gives swimmer a breaktaking view of the mountains in the distance .

Search for the many ghosts of Salt Flat

This town is just outside a large and picturesque reach of Strategic Arms Limitation Talks flat on a deserted stage of highway . But speaking of deserted , that ’s where you find the substantial write up of Salt Flat . The townspeople was construct to adapt the invention of coast - to - coast highway travellers and aviation clangoring investigators but as those visitors dwindled , so too did business and it is now a actual specter town whose only business , theSalt Flat Cafeopens only when the sole survive proprietor is able to manipulate , clean , and launch the coffeehouse by himself .

Let the Boquillas Hot Springs wash your worries away

Located 30 mi inside theBig Bend National Parkdown a lowland drive along the river embankment , Boquillas offers not only man noted geothermal hot bounce with temperature as toasty as your parents hot tub on a nighttime when you were at a champion ’s house for a sleepover but it also offer hiking and even pictographs on the rocks for you to do little time of year one of True Detective re - enactment .

Sonora has caves of bacon sooooo…

What would otherwise just be another sleepyheaded West Texas townsfolk along the stint of flat two lane highways that run through the area , Sonorasets itself apart with one word : caverns . There ’s no need to go all the way to Carlsbad Caverns because Sonora has got your stalagmites and stalactites right here . Fun fact : did you know that horizontal run sail of striated cavern rock ‘n’ roll is known as “ cave bacon ” ?

OK, yes Marfa is pretty damn cool

All mighty , Marfa . Maybe we were just playing hard to get . Sure , we might get annoy that every trendy hipster famous person and even Beyoncé has to take their delineation outside the art facility of the fake Prada Marfa dress shop . And yeah , it feels like everyone is get onto “ our ” special matter . But thenwe check into our yurt at El Cosmicoand we remember just why we fall in love with you in the first place and we fall in sexual love all over again . We ca n’t quit you . Sign up herefor our day-after-day Dallas email and be the first to get all the food / drink / fun DFW has to offer up .

Amanda Cobrafrankly just wishes she was communing with the coyote at El Cosmico right now . Contribute to her KickFundMe to get off her back to the desert on Twitter@amandacobra .

west texas

Tom Baker/Shutterstock

Big Bend Balloon Festival

Flickr/Christopher Rose

terlingua texas

Dean Fikar/Shutterstock

Blue Origin

Courtesy of Blue Origin

Balmorhea

Flickr/gina pina

salt flats

Flickr/informedmindstravel

Sonora cave

Flickr/Mike’s Studio