PANHANDLE PLAINS REGION: AMARILLO

AMARILLO

Amarillo is where you want to go if your time in Texas is limited, but you want to have as classic a Texas experience as possible. There are plenty of things to see and so in Amarillo and the surrounding area, in addition to the famous Cadillac Ranch. Amarillo's Panhandle Plains Historical Museum is sort of a Texas Smithsonian. If you want to eat free beef you can go to the Big Texan Steak Ranch and eat a 72 ounce steak in an hour. If you don't manage to do this in an hour, you have to pay for the steak. Amarillo has minor league baseball and football with the Amarillo Dillas & Dusters. If it's a roller coaster you're looking for you'll find one at Amarillo's Wonderland Amusement Park. Amarillo was the biggest town on famed Route 66. You can drive some of Route 66 through Amarillo with the route look much as it did before the Interstates were built. Amarillo is known for its clean air and colorful sunsets, like the sunset you see in the photo of the Wonderland Roller Coaster known as the Texas Tornado..

Palo Duro Canyon State Park

The Cadillac Ranch is located on the outskirts of Amarillo. The Cadillacs are angled to match the angle of the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt. The Cadillacs are stuck in the ground in a cow pasture along eastbound I-40 between exits 60 and 62. Exit onto the frontage road, park and enter the pasture through the unlocked gate. If you have paint with you, feel free to add to the graffiti.

click a thumbnail to view a photo

You can still get your kicks on Route 66 in Amarillo. In fact you can get more than your kicks, because there is over one mile of antiques and restaurants, clubs and shopping along a stretch of the original Route 66. Amarillo is the largest city on Texas’s 170 plus miles of Route 66. Amarillo's Route 66 is located along 6th Avenue, between Georgia and Western Streets. You can get information about Route 66 from the Old Route 66 Association of Texas at the Big Texan Steak Ranch, which is located on Route 66.

The Big Texan Steak Ranch is famous for its free 72 ounce steak dinner (eat it in an hour and it’s free, if you can't manage that, it’s $50). About 35,000 have tried and 7,000 have succeeded. The Big Texan sells a lot of beef. Over 60 tons are served each year. The Big Texan Steak Ranch is also home to the Big Texan Opry, performed every Tuesday evening. Top local talent entertains in one of the best regional opry’s in the country. The show is free with your dinner but reservations are required. Call 806-372-6000.

Big Texan
Steak Ranch Website.

With Fifteen acres of water, Splash Amarillo is a new summertime Amarillo attraction. Speed slides, a large wave pool, a lazy river and a kiddie pool make this a good cooling off spot. Splash also has a rare Sidewinder water ride, one of only a few in the country. Splash is open daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day
Call 806-376-4477. Splash Website.

Wonderland Amusement Park is Amarillo’s non-chain, homemade entertainment park. The steam train ride is a favorite of Amarilloites. That is the Texas Tornado Roller Coaster, at sunset in the photo. Wonderland is located in Amarillo's Thompson Park, a few miles north of downtown on the west side of Highway 287. The park is open daily from Memorial Day to Labor Day and weekends in early May and September. Call 800-383-4712.

Wonderland Amusement Park Website.

Got the following feedback from an Amarilloan referencing Amarilloites in the above paragraph.

I noticed on your website that you refer to Amarilloans as “Amarilloites.” I’m a native Amarilloan now living in your native Houston. Amarilloite sounds about as foreign to me as Houstonite would sound to a Houstonian.

Robbie

Astronaut Rick Husband was from Amarillo.

Rick Husband commanded the Space Shuttle Columbia that broke up over Texas on re-entry in February 2002.

Astronaut Husband's love of space and adventure is captured in a larger-than-life statue on the main concourse at Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport.

The Kwahadi-Kiva Indian Museum and Performance Center is one of the Amarillo's newest attractions. It is home to a collection of Native American artifacts.

The Kwahadi Website.

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