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Amarillo is the largest city in the Texas Panhandle, set on the wide, windswept High Plains of the Llano Estacado about 3,600 feet above sea level. It began in 1887 as a railroad camp for buffalo hunters and cattle drivers, and its name comes from the Spanish word for yellow, after the yellow soil and wildflowers along a nearby creek. Amarillo grew into one of the largest cattle-shipping centers in the world, and the discovery of natural gas and helium in the region added to its wealth.
Today Amarillo has about 200,000 residents and keeps a proud cowboy character. Its most famous landmark is Cadillac Ranch, an art installation of ten graffiti-covered Cadillacs buried nose-first in a field along old Route 66, where visitors are encouraged to add their own spray paint. The historic Sixth Street district preserves a stretch of Route 66 with antique shops, diners and neon, and the Big Texan Steak Ranch is famous for its free 72-ounce steak, if you can finish it in an hour.
The area's greatest natural wonder is Palo Duro Canyon State Park, just south of the city, the second largest canyon in the United States, with layered red, orange and white cliffs, hiking and horseback trails and the outdoor musical TEXAS performed in an amphitheater beneath the canyon walls. Back in town, the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in nearby Canyon is the largest history museum in Texas, the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame and Museum celebrates the breed, and the Amarillo Botanical Gardens and the Sod Poodles minor league ballpark round out a visit.
The second-largest canyon in the US, about 120 miles long and up to 800 feet deep, with red, orange and white rock layers about 30 miles southeast of Amarillo. Hike the Lighthouse Trail to the famous hoodoo, ride horses or drive the scenic road. Bring plenty of water in summer.
A public art installation from 1974 of ten Cadillacs buried nose-first in a wheat field beside Interstate 40, created by the art group Ant Farm. Visitors are encouraged to add their own spray paint, so the cars change color daily. It is free; bring paint and wear old shoes.
A mile-long stretch of Sixth Avenue that was part of historic Route 66, lined with 1920s to 1940s buildings now holding antique shops, cafes, bars and live music venues. Look for the Natatorium dance hall and old service stations. It is liveliest on weekend evenings.
A Route 66 landmark restaurant opened in 1960, famous for its free 72-ounce steak meal if you finish it with sides in one hour while other diners watch. The Old West-themed complex also has a brewery, a gift shop and a motel. Even if you skip the challenge, the steaks are good.
The largest history museum in Texas, on the West Texas A&M campus in nearby Canyon, with dinosaur fossils, oil industry exhibits, Native American artifacts, Western art and a recreated pioneer town. Allow two to three hours; it pairs well with a trip to Palo Duro Canyon.
A museum along Interstate 40 telling the story of the American Quarter Horse, the most popular horse breed in the world, with interactive exhibits, a theater and a Hall of Fame honoring famous horses and people. Outdoor sculptures make good photos. Plan an hour.
A summer musical staged in the Pioneer Amphitheatre inside Palo Duro Canyon, telling stories of Panhandle settlers with songs, dancing, horses and fireworks against a 600-foot cliff backdrop. Shows run from June to August. Arrive early for the optional barbecue dinner.
The downtown ballpark of the Amarillo Sod Poodles, the Double-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks, opened in 2019. Seats are close to the field and the ballpark food includes local favorites. Tickets are affordable and games run April to September with fireworks nights.
Gardens in Medical Center Park with themed outdoor gardens, a Japanese garden, a children's garden and a tropical conservatory, offering green space in the dry Panhandle. Entry is inexpensive and a visit takes about an hour. Spring and early summer blooms are the best times.
A family-run amusement park in Thompson Park since 1951, with the Texas Tornado double-loop roller coaster, water rides, kiddie rides and a mini golf course. It is open on weekends in spring and daily in summer. Buy an all-day ride pass if you plan to stay more than a few hours.
A hands-on science center in the Medical Center area with exhibits on physics, space and the human body, a planetarium dome and space for traveling exhibits. Outside stands the Helium Centennial Time Columns Monument, a reminder that Amarillo was once known as the Helium Capital of the World.
A modernist museum building designed by Edward Durell Stone on the Amarillo College campus, with American paintings, photography, Asian art including Buddhist sculpture, and changing exhibits. Admission is free and it rarely gets crowded, so it is a calm break from the heat.
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