Perched on Route 66, Amarillo is surrounded by sprawling cattle ranches where you’ll find iconic attractions like Cadillac Ranch and Palo Duro Canyon State Park. You can also bite into some of the best steaks in the United States.
Things to do in Amarillo
One of the biggest attractions in the Texas Panhandle, Cadillac Ranch is a quirky outdoor art installation. It was created by a local artist who partially buried 10 Cadillacs in a nearby wheat field. You’re encouraged to leave your mark on the cars with cans of spray paint.
The American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum celebrates the legacy of the state's toughest residents. The museum spotlights the role horses have played in ranching and racing over the years. As you enter, you'll be greeted by larger-than-life bronze statues.
For a glimpse at the city's cattle farming industry, head to the Amarillo Livestock Auction. Held every Monday, it’s one of the biggest livestock markets in the United States with more than 100,000 animals sold every year. Meat lovers will jump at the chance to visit Big Texan Steak Ranch, which offers diners a free two-kilogram steak if it's eaten in under one hour.
You can stretch your legs at Wildcat Bluff Nature Centre, which covers a 240-hectare footprint. It's laced with hiking trails that wind through cottonwood groves and grasslands. Keep an eye out for prairie dogs, burrowing owls, porcupines, rattlesnakes and tarantulas
Getting around Amarillo
Amarillo sits halfway between Chicago and LA on Route 66, a historic highway that stretches from Illinois to California. Downtown Amarillo is easy to get around on foot, though you'll need a car to explore the rest of the Texas Panhandle.