As a city that sits an equal distance from each coast, Amarillo has always been at a crossroads. Long before the time of the Pilgrims, Spanish conquistadors traveled through Amarillo in search of gold. As history marched on, the city stayed in the center of the action as a stop on Route 66 and is still a major route to the West. Holding such an important place over time, the city gives families a chance to explore the landscape of the Panhandle as well as stories from the past that make this city uniquely Texas.
Day One
Propped with pillows on the rough-hewn bed at the back of a cozy stone cabin, you can gaze through the window as the sun rises over the rusty stripes of Palo Duro Canyon (806/488-2227, palodurocanyon.com). Known as the “Grand Canyon of Texas,” it is the second-largest canyon in the country, offering both natural beauty and activities for families. Three cabins on the rim of the canyon are the ideal lodging choice when exploring the state park, and while the amenities are humble, the views from the patio overlooking the canyon are outstanding.
Rising early is the perfect opportunity to hit the Lighthouse Trail, a popular hiking and biking trail that leads to the park’s signature geological formation, the Lighthouse. The six-mile round-trip hike is the best way to see the formations of the canyon and encounter the desert creatures that live here. Or, explore the canyon on horseback – in the way of the Apache and Kiowa Indians, who made their home in the Canyon more than 12,000 years ago. Old West Stables hosts one-hour rides into the canyon for ages 6 and up.
As evening brings cool breezes to the sunny Canyon, crowds gather in the Pioneer Amphitheatre for an outdoor presentation of TEXAS (806/655-2181, texas-show.com). The struggles of settlers in the Texas Panhandle of the 1800s are dramatized in rousing song and dance with the beauty of the canyon as a backdrop. TEXAS serves as the official state play and runs Tuesdays-Saturdays in the summer months only.
Day Two
Start the day at the Panhandle Plains Historical Museum (806/651-2244, panhandleplains.org), where can you cover 26,000 miles and millions of years in a matter of hours. As the largest history museum in Texas, PPHM covers everything from dinosaurs to conquistadors and highlights the struggles to settle this land. Step back to the Old West with the life-size Pioneer Town, and explore the history of the vital petroleum industry. Backpacks at the front desk filled with books, scavenger hunts and other activities are available for kids to borrow.
No visit to Amarillo is complete without a trip to Cadillac Ranch, and although it is slightly less academic, it is still a part of the history of the city. Perhaps one of the most recognizable roadside attractions, this collection of 10 Cadillacs, built between 1949 and 1963, are embedded tail up in a dusty Texas field. Bring along a can of spray paint and make your mark on this constantly evolving art exhibit.
Fill a Texas-size appetite with a stop at the Big Texan (806/372-6000, bigtexan.com). First built on the original stretch of Route 66, this steakhouse and motel has been keeping up the big reputation of Texas since 1960. Its well-known shtick is to offer a 72-ounce steak free to anyone who can finish the meal in under an hour, but they also offer normal-size meals and activities such as sluice mining and a cattle pen maze to entertain the kids.
Day Three
Gear up for the day with some grub from the Stockyards Café (806/342-9411, stockyardscafeamarillo.com), a historic restaurant located inside the stockyards, where live auctions take place every Tuesday. Whatever your interest, you can fill the day with museum exploration in Amarillo. The Don Harrington Discovery Center and Space Theatre (806/355-9547, dhdc.org) is the place for science lovers, while the Kwahadi Museum of the American Indian (806/335-3175, kwahadi.com) gives visitors a glimpse of the culture of the Plains Indians. The RV Museum (806/358-4891, rvmuseum.net) is a unique collection of camping vehicles from every decade since the 1920s and a nostalgic way to see how family travel has evolved, making it a perfect last stop before you load up the kids and mosey out of town.
Published September 2013
