6 Reasons to Visit Amarillo, Texas: The Most Fun Things To Do

Looking for things to do in Amarillo, Texas? I really enjoyed spending a weekend in this fun little city!

When I told people I was visiting Amarillo, Texas, many of them stopped, cocked their heads and looked at me quizzically. “Why?”

My response: “why not?” As Australian expats living in Texas, my husband and I have been trying to make the most of our time here. Texas has a culture all of its own and between the cities of Dallas and Austin, the small towns that dot the Texas Hill Country, quirky Marfa and iconic road trips, there is so much to explore.

Amarillo attracted me because it’s a slice of old Texas – but with the trappings of a big city.

I wanted the history and the stereotypical Texan cowboy town, but with the safety of good restaurants, bars and plenty of things to keep us busy for a weekend.

So, if you’ve ever wondered why anyone would visit Amarillo, here are a few reasons! We discovered a lot of fun things to do in Amarillo!

1. Route 66 ran through Amarillo

You may recognise Amarillo from the famous song “(Get your kicks on) Route 66”. Amarillo was the most important town along the Texas section of historic Route 66.

While Route 66 no longer exists (it was decommissioned in 1985), it lives on in Amarillo.

You can take photos of the Route 66 signs that dot the 1-mile stretch of 6^th Avenue between George and Western streets, as well as explore the antique stores that also line the street.

Pick up your own Route 66 memorabilia in one of the many antique stores or find a quirky souvenir in one of the newer shops that have popped up.

Get lost in the maze that is Alley Katz Antique Emporium (2807 SW 6^th Ave) as you sift through the vintage toys, kitchenware, signs and sports memorabilia.

Or for something more modern, The Roseberry (2816 SW 6^th Ave) has a range of luxurious candles, locally made condiments and Native American blankets for sale.

2. It has a good food scene

Most of my trips are planned around finding the best eats, and it was no different this time. A quick search for the best restaurants in Amarillo yielded some great options.

We started our Amarillo food adventure at Yellow City Street Food (2916 Wolflin Ave). What started out as a small shack is now a hipster space selling fun street food that’s even been featured on the Travel Channel.

Dinner was at Crush (627 S Polk St). Housed in an industrial-style space, this restaurant has great service and a modern menu that stretches far beyond the steak and fried food you’ll find in most Texas towns.

The Sunday brunch menu at The 806 Coffee + Lounge (2812 SW 6^th Ave) rotates regularly, and I had the most delicious migas I’ve ever tasted. Plenty of egg, cheese and potato in a tortilla, but the pièce de résistance was the crushed blue corn tortilla chips inside.

It’s a cool space that hosts live music and Amarillo’s longest-running open mic night.

3. There are cars buried in the sand

Hello, Instagram. One of the most popular Amarillo attractions is the perfect place for your next ‘Gram-worthy photo.

Located on the outskirts of Amarillo, this art installation (free entry) features almost a dozen old Cadillacs half-buried nose-first in the dirt. It was created in the mid-70s by artists who were part of an art group called the Ant Farm, and funded by local millionaire Stanley Marsh III (who later was allegedly involved in some shady stuff involving young children, yuck).

You can pick up one of the spray cans on the ground (or bring your own) and leave your own mark on the cars, now thick with decades of graffiti.

4. And beautiful art deco buildings

Wandering down Polk Street after dinner, I was surprised to see so many gorgeous art deco buildings.

The Santa Fe building, an old theatre (a gorgeous building that’s now a Marriott hotel), the local courthouse and many more are all beautifully maintained.

5. It has an awesome state park

We’ve visited quite a few national parks now, but Palo Duro Canyon State Park was our first state park. It’s only a 30-minute drive from the city, and one of the best things to do in Amarillo. ($8 entry fee per person, free for kids 12 and under)

Nicknamed Texas’s Grand Canyon, it’s 120 miles long, 6 to 20 miles wide and more than 800 feet deep. That compares to the Grand Canyon’s 277 miles long, 8 to 18 miles wide and a mile deep.

READ NEXT: 21 things to know before visiting the Grand Canyon

We set out early one morning so we could attempt to avoid the hottest part of the day. Because we visited in summer, it was freaking hot. I wouldn’t recommend going hiking at this time of year. It would be better to explore the park in spring or autumn. And while it was cooler in the morning, we were still dripping in sweat as the temperature hovered at around 86°F (30°C) by 9am.

We hiked the Lighthouse trail (2.8 miles one way, moderate hike), the park’s most popular trail that leads to the Lighthouse rock formation.

The rich, red dust along the way reminded me of the earth in the Australian outback.

We saw mountain bikers and horse riders along the way, as well as people walking their dogs. When we reached Lighthouse rock, we could climb up to a flat part for spectacular views out. The 94-metre-high rock is a National Natural Landmark.

Other than the draining heat and the nasty march flies that nipped at us as the sun rose higher, it was a great walk. When we returned to our car after our hike, there were rangers handing out cold bottles of water – so it’s also possibly the friendliest state park in the country!

If it hadn’t been so hot, I would have loved to do a few other Palo Duro Canyon hikes:

• CCC trail, 1.4 miles one way, difficult – descends to the floor of the canyon
• Rock Garden, 2.4 miles one way, difficult – climbs 200 metres from the bottom of the canyon to the rim
• Juniper / Riverside, 1.1 miles one way, moderate – has colourful rock formations and is a flat trail
• Paseo del Rio, 1 mile one way, easy – follows the river and has a cowboy dugout you can visit
• Rojo Grande, 1.2 miles one way, moderate – one of the few shady trails in the park

I’d love to come back and stay at Doves Rest Cabins, which sit above Palo Duro Canyon. Would be a beautiful view to wake up to!

READ NEXT: The ultimate Utah national parks road trip

6. You can eat a 72-ounce steak – for free!

The one thing people did mention when I said I was going to Amarillo: the steak at the Big Texan. This steak-eating challenge is legendary throughout Texas.

Challengers sit at a table on a small stage in the front and centre of the restaurant. The challenger must eat 72 ounces of steak, a baked potato, shrimp cocktail, salad and bread roll with butter in under an hour.

If you can do it, the meal is on the house, if not, you have to cough up $72.

Do it if you dare!

There was one challenger the night we ate there. We left before he finished, so we don’t know if he was successful, but he looked like he was struggling, with 40 minutes still to go!

Bonus reasons to visit Amarillo!

With only a weekend in Amarillo, we didn’t get through everything I had on my to-do list. There are of course a few more reasons to visit Amarillo if you have more time.

• There are some interesting museums like the Jack Sisemore Traveland RV Museum, a collection of old trailers and RVs.
• The American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame and Museum, a museum about the “horse that won the west”.
• Bill’s Backyard Classics celebrates classic cars and hot rods, and has nearly 100 classic cars dating from 1928 to 2012.
• In addition to Cadillac Ranch, there are other unusual installations like Ozymandias, a pair of giant legs, and Combine Ranch, a collection of half-buried combine tractors.
• The 4-acre Amarillo Botanical Gardens would be a nice respite from the heat.

Another bonus tip: if you’re driving from Dallas to Amarillo, you HAVE to stop at the Pecan Shed just outside of Wichita Falls. This place has the best fudge I have ever tasted in my entire life. Seriously. (Thanks to my friend Ashley for the tip!)

PS. If you are roadtripping, don’t forget to check out my road trip packing list for everything you need to take on a road trip.

Tips for visiting Amarillo

After visiting Amarillo, I’ll impart some wisdom about how to visit the city right. Here are a few of my tips:

• If you’re coming for the weekend, stay Friday and Saturday night (rather than Saturday and Sunday nights). Places close early on Saturdays, so you want to make the most of the day. And Sundays are pretty quiet – a lot of restaurants are closed as well as shops and museums.
• Avoid summer if you can. Amarillo is in the centre of the Texas Panhandle, where the Great Plains meet the desert. Stepping outside in Amarillo in the height of summer is like stepping into an oven, as we learned pretty quickly!
• A car is a must! Like the rest of Texas, there’s just no way to get around Amarillo without your own car. We drove up from Dallas, so we had the comfort of our own vehicle. But if you need wheels, you can rent a car in Amarillo.

Where to stay in Amarillo

The Airbnb we stayed in unfortunately isn’t available to rent online any longer, which is such a shame, because it was so comfy and the owners were divine. But I’ve found a few other alternative options:

• This duplex on historic Route 66 gets rave reviews from past guests
• This stunning ranch home is just 10 minutes from town and sleeps 8 people

There are also plenty of hotels in Amarillo, many of them your standard chain hotels, but you can stay at The Big Texan Motel!

How to get to Amarillo

By road, Amarillo is located on the I-40, and is 362 miles from Dallas, 596 miles from Houston, 284 miles from Albuquerque and a whopping 1,530 miles from New York City.

It took us around 6 hours to drive from Dallas to Amarillo with stops along the way, so you’ll need a long weekend to do this trip.

You can fly into Amarillo International Airport, which is serviced by the major airlines. Fun fact: the Space Shuttle landed at Amarillo’s airport twice! You’ll want to rent a car while you’re here to get around easily.

If you’ve visited before, what are you favourite things to do in Amarillo? Leave your tips and comments below!

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