Best Things To Do In Amarillo, Texas

1. Get your kicks on Route 66

Made famous in film and song, Route 66 was one of the original highways within the US highway system. It began in Chicago, IL and ended in Santa Monica, CA. Route 66 runs through Amarillo and an entire district has been preserved to capture a moment in time when travelers would and stop to get gas or a bite to eat.

The district spans 13 blocks along Sixth Street in the San Jacinto Heights district between Georgia and Forrest Avenues and contains one of the most intact groups of buildings along the famous highway. The buildings are a variety of architectural styles from the early 20th century such as Art Moderne, Art Deco and Spanish Revival. The most historically significant of them are the Natatorium (a ballroom), The Adkinson-Baker Tire Company, Taylor’s Texaco Station, Borden’s Heap-O-Cream and Dutch Mill Service Station and Cafe. There is also a wide range of shops from antique stores to handicraft shops and lots of dining options featuring traditional Texas fare. Travel back in time and get a feel for what is was like to “get your kicks on Route 66” in Amarillo’s historic Route 66 district.

Route 66 Historic District

Address: San Jacinto Heights, 79106 Amarillo, Texas

Website: Route 66 Historic District

2. Cadillac Ranch

Image a graveyard of Cadillacs, fins up, spray painted with graffiti. It’s an image that is hard to conjure up but take a drive along Route 66 west of Amarillo and you will see 10 Cadillacs half buried in a field. It’s called Cadillac Ranch.

The ranch was invented by a group of art hippies from San Francisco called The Ant Farm with the help of a financial backer. The purpose was to install public art that would baffle the locals. They came up with the idea of a tribute to the Cadillac tail fin.

In 1974, the Cadillacs were brought to a field, then buried nose-down. It wasn’t long before the word got out and people would stop along the highway and walk out to see the cars, but they didn’t just gaze innocently at them, they began to deface them and rip off pieces as souvenirs.

The Ant Farm and their backer eventually accepted the defacing of their art and even encouraged it, but the tail fins gradually disappeared. Cadillac Ranch is now more popular than ever despite the fact that they are barely recognizable as Cadillacs. It is now a type of pilgrimage site, a Mecca for roadside attraction enthusiasts. Day-Glo graffiti now covers the stripped down car hulls. If you go, take a can of spray paint, make your own graffiti and take a picture because whatever you contribute will be gone in a few hours.

Cadillac Ranch

Address: I-40 Frontage Rd, 79124 Amarillo, TX

Website: Cadillac Ranch

3. Amarillo Museum of Art

Designed by architect Edward Durell Stone, the Amarillo Museum of Art opened in 1972 on the grounds of Amarillo College. The museum features art exhibits from many different art genres and time periods, as well as 25 special exhibitions a year. The Price Gallery of Asian Art within the museum houses a permanent collection of over 300 artifacts donated by Dr. and Mrs. William R. Price.

There is also an outdoor sculpture collection. Current programs include gallery talks/conversations with guest lecturers, Art after Dark (a casual evening of art, music, food and drink), senior on-site and off-site programs, school tours, workshops with visiting artists, summer camps and fall and spring classes. You can tour the museum on your own or take a guided tour which should be scheduled in advance. There is no admission fee.

The Amarillo Museum of Art is open: Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. (except for exhibition installation weeks), closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Amarillo Museum of Art

Address: 2200 S Van Buren Street, 79109 Amarillo, TX

Website: Amarillo Museum of Art

4. Amarillo Botanical Gardens

Amarillo may be near the desert, but the city’s botanical gardens are an oasis of flowers and plants mostly native to Texas. There are more than 1.6 hectares (4 acres) of outdoor, seasonal gardens as well as an indoor conservatory that highlights tropical and exotic plants from around the world. The Mary E. Bivins Tropical Conservatory houses plant species from outside Texas.

Two particularly beautiful gardens are the Japanese Garden and Butterfly Garden. Indulge your sense of smell with a visit the Fragrance Garden. You can wander the gardens on your own or take a free tour with a docent, who will take you on a walk and give information about the flora and fauna. The botanical gardens also offer educational programs about plants, gardening and more. Leashed dogs are welcome at the gardens!

Amarillo Botanical Gardens

Address: 1400 Streit Drive, 79106 Amarillo, TX

Price: General admission is 5 USD for adults, 4 USD for seniors (60+), 2 USD for children ages 6 to 14 and free for children 5 and under.

Website: Amarillo Botanical Gardens

5. Amarillo Zoo

If you are an animal lover, don’t miss the Amarillo Zoo. The zoo, located in Thompson Park, is a 6-hectare (15-acre) zoological park featuring 150 animals from over 80 worldwide species. Some are native to Texas such as gray foxes, tarantulas and bison and some from other continents such as African lions.

If you want to do more than just see the animals in the enclosures, you can participate in one of the many educational programs the zoo offers, such as animal shows, keeper chats and animal encounters. The Zoovenir stand sells zoo related gifts and souvenirs. The zoo is committed to animal conservation and educates about saving wildlife and habitats around the world or animals closer to where you live. The zoo also supports and promotes local and global conservation efforts by offering a wide variety of events, programs and projects to instill a strong sense of environmental stewardship.

Hours: The Amarillo Zoo is open 7 days a week, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day and Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Admission prices are 4 USD for adults ages 13 to 61, 3 USD for seniors 62 and older and 2 USD for children ages 3 to 12.

Amarillo Zoo

Address: 700 Comanchero Trail, 79107 Amarillo, TX

Website: Amarillo Zoo

6. Texas Air and Space Museum

The Texas Air and Space Museum is an aviation museum located at the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport. The museum has both indoor and outdoor exhibits. Inside there are six exhibition rooms that tell the stories of aviators, airports and aircraft from the past as well as displays of model aircraft. Civilian and military aircraft, artifacts from air and space travel are also showcased.

There are several actual aircraft that are on display indoors including a North American P-51D Mustang, a Douglas DC-3 and the helicopter from MAS*H. At the outdoor park, visitors can get a hands-on look at full-size aircraft. Some of the aircraft featured are a 1974 Grumman G1159, Gulfstream II, “Bearcat” Reno Racer, NASA Shuttle Training Aircraft and a Yak 11 “Mr. Awesome.” Hours are Monday through Saturday 10 am to 4 pm.

Texas Air and Space Museum

Address: 10001 American Drive, 79111 Amarillo, TX

Website: Texas Air and Space Museum

7. Wonderland Amusement Park

Take a break from sightseeing and visit Wonderland Amusement Park, an old-fashioned amusement park that has been in operation since 1951. There are lots of attractions to enjoy such as thrill rides, water rides and slides, miniature golf and family classics such at Tilt-a-Whirl, Bumper Cars, Ferris Wheel, Sky Ride and Pirate Ship. And it wouldn’t be an amusement park without roller coasters and Wonderland has four: the Texas Tornado, Cyclone, Mouse Trap and Hornet.

There is a kid friendly section that includes boats, a merry-go-round and a train, among other rides. Plenty of concession stands sells drinks and food. The park is open April through September. Operating hours vary, so check with the park before you go.

Wonderland Amusement Park

Address: 2601 Dumas Drive, 79107 Amarillo, TX

Website: Wonderland Amusement Park

8. Palo Duro Canyon State Park

If you love the great outdoors, plan a visit to Palo Duro Canyon State Park, the “Grand Canyon of Texas.” It is said to be one of the most beautiful attractions, not just in the Texas area but in the entire United States. The park contains 11,800 hectares (29,200 acres) of the northern most portion of the Palo Duro Canyon. The canyon itself is 193 kilometers (120 miles) long and as much as 32 kilometers (20 miles) wide with a maximum depth of more than 244 meters (800 feet). The elevation at the rim is 1,070 meters (3,500 feet) above sea level.

The park is regularly voted in the top 10 parks in the county. There are many outdoor activities from which to choose depending on your interest. There are more than 48 kilometers (30 miles) of hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding trails. If you want to spend more than a day, you can camp in the park. You will probably see much of the wildlife that resides in the park, so bring a camera.

A good place to start your visit to the park is at the visitor center where you can get information and learn more about the park. You can even take a virtual tour with their interactive trails map. Rangers offer programs on the park’s history and natural features. Take a driving tour with a ranger and learn about birds or longhorn cattle. Park is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. unless camping overnight.

Palo Duro Canyon State Park

Address:11450 State Hwy Park Rd 5, 79015 Canyon, TX

Website: Palo Duro Canyon State Park

Amarillo: classic western and contemporary classic

A visit to Amarillo will allow you to time travel back to an era of cowboys, cattle ranches and rodeos. An era when automobiles were beginning to travel long distances thanks to Route 66 which winds its way in and out of the city. A visit to Amarillo will take to you places of spectacular natural beauty. Amarillo has managed to retain its ties to the past and preserve the scenic landscape of plains and desert, but it has also evolved into a modern, cultural city that has a very cosmopolitan vibe. Museums, art galleries, diverse restaurants, a symphony and ballet are also part of the city landscape. Amarillo, where the plains meet the desert and history meets the 21st century.