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Amarillo, USA: A Real Western City
The city of Amarillo, Texas is part of the real American West. While the city has evolved over time, it holds true to its western roots and many of the attractions found in the area highlight its rough and tumble past, while pointing to the city’s progressive future.
Upon entering Amarillo, visitors are quickly reminded of what it must have been like to live an old western town, as its ruggedness remains, despite the modernity that has overtaken many areas. One visit to Amarillo and guests can return home knowing that they have experienced a true cowboy town.
See the Canyons
Just outside of Amarillo is Palo Duro Canyon State Park. The park is 30,000 acres in size and has outstanding hiking and mountain biking available. The actual canyon is the second largest in the United States, behind only the Grand Canyon, at nearly 200 kilometres long, 32 kilometres wide, and 250 metres deep.
Visitors to Palo Duro Canyon will find the Lighthouse rock formation, Capital Peak, the Devil’s Slide, and the Spanish Skirts, each of which is a significant natural landmark. Wildlife found in the canyon and its surrounding area include deer, foxes, coyotes, bobcats, sheep, mountains lions, rattlesnakes, wild boar, and wild turkeys. Two longhorn cattle also live in the park.
Every summer, a musical drama called Texas is performed in the park. The play tells the story of the original settlers to the area during the 1800s. Visitors to the canyon can also go for horseback rides or take a ride on a zip line that crosses the canyon, so there is more than enough reason for visitors to venture away from their hotels to spend a day just outside of Amarillo.
Stop By Some Roadside Attractions
When driving through the Amarillo area, visitors are sure to find something unique alongside the roads. Perhaps the most popular roadside attraction is Cadillac Ranch, which is a series of 10 Cadillac cars from the 1960s that have been half buried, nose down in a field. The cars have also been spray painted. This was originally a work of art created by an eccentric local, but is now an interactive piece, as visitors are encouraged to spray paint the vehicles themselves.
The Historic Route 66 District runs right through central Amarillo, TX and pays homage to days gone by. Once part of the main highway that ran from east to west in the United States, Route 66 has since been removed from the country’s highway system. Today, this portion of the route is full of restaurants, hotels, antique stores, theatres, and boutiques, making it a must-see for anyone who has never been to Texas.
Experience Local Art and Museums
The largest history museum in all of Texas is located in Amarillo and is called the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum. This museum has a number of permanent exhibits that depict the history of the state, in addition to travelling exhibits. Other similar museums include the Kwahadi Museum of the American Indian and the Amarillo Railroad Museum, which are on the east side of the city and a short drive from the hotels of the downtown area.
For something a little different, the RV Museum features camping equipment, RVs, and other exhibits from the 1920s onward. The Texas Air & Space Museum offers insight into the region’s flight history, while the Don Harrington Discovery Center has a space theatre and a helium monument.
Visit the Parks and Zoos
It’s always good to spend time outdoors whilst in Amarillo and the city’s zoo provides an excellent place to do just that. While the zoo mostly focuses on animals found in that part of the world, there are some exotic animals present, as well. This is a relatively small zoo, so it is a good place to bring small children, as there isn’t much walking. Other parks in the city include El Alamo Park, Southeast Park, Ellwood Park, and Memorial Park.
Wonderland Amusement Park is a busy location that features over 60 different rides. Many visitors are particularly fond of the roller coaster. Splash Kingdom Water Park provides a place to cool off on a hot day. This is the largest water park on the Texas Pandhandle and features water slides, a wave pool, a playground, and a lazy river.
Real Texas Culture
No visit is complete without experiencing some true Lone Star State culture and the easiest time to accomplish this is in mid-September when the Tri-State Fair and Rodeo is held in Amarillo, TX. This is the largest annual event of any type in the Texas Panhandle and features a pro rodeo, live music, horse shows, games, exhibits, and midway rides. It might be difficult to find space in the area’s hotels upon arrival, so booking early is recommended.
L J Silver Mesa Ranch is another Texas original that can’t be found anywhere else in the world. This working ranch offers visitors the chance to go on horseback rides, ride in a wagon, have a real cowboy breakfast or dinner, and experience an Old West gunfight. The Big Texan Steak Ranch & Opry has country music performances during the week and is significant because the on-site restaurant has a 72-ounce steak challenge where the meal is free for anyone who can eat it in under one hour.