Amarillo
Introduction
Amarillo sits in the Texas panhandle and serves as the seat of Potter County, with the southern part of the city reaching into Randall County. It is the largest city in the panhandle, and its metropolitan area draws together a wide stretch of the surrounding region.
Before you go
Amarillo sits on the northern tip of the Llano Estacado Plateau but looks to the High Plains, where it serves as the economic, industrial, transportation and cultural hub. The climate is relatively mild and the air is among the cleanest in the country, so plan for wide open spaces and striking sunrises and sunsets rather than extreme weather.
The city is the gateway to Palo Duro Canyon, so if you intend to explore it, build that into your plans. Expect a strong Western heritage: the area's history runs through Indians, conquistadors, buffalo hunters, settlers, cowboys, adventurers, lawmen, gunfighters and the railroad, and "cowboy" is still an honorable profession here. Culturally, the city supports a symphony, ballet, little theater and opera, and is home to Amarillo College.
Getting there
Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport (AMA) sits on Airport Boulevard, roughly two miles north of I-40 East and about seven miles east of downtown. American Eagle, United Express, and Southwest Airlines serve it with non-stop flights to Dallas, Houston, Denver, and Las Vegas. Tradewind Airport, about three miles south of downtown, handles general aviation.
By road, Amarillo lies on Interstate 40 between Albuquerque to the west and Oklahoma City to the east, and on Interstate 27 north of Lubbock. U.S. Highway 60 runs west-southwest toward Pampa, U.S. Highway 287 comes up from Boise City, Oklahoma, and the city straddles historic Route 66. Greyhound buses stop at 700 S Tyler St.
Getting around
Amarillo is a car-dependent city, and most visitors find a private vehicle the most practical way to reach the full range of attractions, restaurants, and services. Rental cars are widely available, taxis operate from multiple companies, and ride-hailing is a common option, particularly for trips the bus network does not conveniently serve. Local bus service is provided by Amarillo Transit, but routes are limited and run on weekdays only, so check current schedules in advance if you plan to depend on it. Paratransit options such as ACT-Connect and Panhandle Transit require certification or advance booking and are not suited to spontaneous travel. There is no metro, tram, or light rail, and no local commuter rail.
Understanding the street grid helps when planning your movements. In central Amarillo, north–south avenues are named for U.S. presidents in the order they served, from Washington just west of downtown through Cleveland to the east, while most east–west avenues are numbered from N 24th through S 58th. Historic Route 66 crosses east to west as Amarillo Boulevard, passing just north of the airport, downtown, and the medical center, and linking US-60 on the east side with I-40 on the west. Loop 335 is designated but not yet a fully limited-access loop; it comprises Soncy Road on the west near Westgate Mall, St. Francis Avenue on the north, Hollywood Road on the south, and Lakeside Drive on the east near the airport. Walkability is limited overall, though downtown and the Route 66 historic district offer some pedestrian access to dining, shopping, and leisure spots, and the ZIP codes 79102, 79101, and 79109 are more pedestrian-friendly than others. Cycling is feasible on generally flat terrain, but bike lanes are insufficient and many key roads lack bike infrastructure, so biking suits recreation and park visits better than daily errands. From Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport, which sits north of I-40 East and east of downtown, the practical options into the city are taxis, ride-hailing, or a rental car, since there is no rail link and only limited weekday bus service. If you arrive by intercity bus, the Greyhound station is on S Tyler St.
Where to stay
Most of Amarillo's lodging clusters along Interstate 40 on the city's west side, where you'll find plenty of motels if you're passing through by car. Campers can settle in at the Amarillo KOA on Folsom Road, a well-kept campground with a heated outdoor pool, free Wi-Fi, a playground for children, and a gift shop stocked with camping supplies.
- The Cactus Cove Inn and Suites sits off Interstate 40, adjacent to a Cracker Barrel, and offers an indoor pool, miniature golf, a game room, a restaurant, free breakfast, massage service, and complimentary tickets to Starlight Ranch.
- Courtyard Amarillo Downtown places you on South Polk Street in the downtown core.
- Microtel Inn on Ross Street provides free local and long-distance calls within the continental United States, free wireless high-speed Internet in every room, advance online check-in and check-out, a remote TV with ESPN, CNN and a movie channel, and a complimentary continental breakfast.
Food & drink
For a classic Amarillo meal, head to The Big Texan Steak Ranch, a Route 66 icon known nationwide for its 72-oz steak dinner, offered free to anyone who can finish the whole meal in an hour. It's also a stop for country and western performances. If you'd rather keep things home-style, Calico County serves chicken fried steak, meat loaf, catfish, chicken and dumplings, and all-veggie plates, while Abuelo's Mexican Food has been voted the city's best Mexican food for several years running. Belmar Bakery & Cafe is a good bet for sandwiches, salads and soups alongside its baked goods.
Downtown's South Polk Street, between 7th and 8th avenues, is the main nightlife district. Crush Wine Bar & Deli is a chic, cozy spot where you can settle in for hours of eating and drinking, and Bodegas (Chesney's Whiskey Saloon) is a stylish wine and jazz club. Butlers draws a crowd for its martinis and mixed drinks, R&R Bar is LGBT friendly with strong cocktails and a great selection of music, and the Golden Light Cafe, a Route 66 landmark, pairs great hamburgers with country western music.
What to see and do
Amarillo's roadside art is a genre unto itself. At Cadillac Ranch, ten old Cadillacs stand upended and half-buried in a cow pasture beside an I-40 frontage road; visitors are encouraged to add their own spray paint, and cans are kept in a hole at the end of the formation. The Dynamite Museum scatters pseudo-road signs bearing non-sequiturs across commercial and residential parts of town, while Ozymandias on the Plains, just off the freeway south of town, is a sculpture of two legs with a plaque riffing on Shelley's poem. For indoor viewing, the Amarillo Museum of Art on the Amarillo College campus pairs a gallery of Asian art with rotating exhibits and a monthly evening of live music, hands-on art activities, film and coffee. The American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum displays Western art and larger-than-life bronze statues, with a Wall of Honor Plaza, interactive exhibits in the Hegel Stables section, an X-ray-style look at the inner workings, and glass cases of artifacts, attire, tack and photos from inductees' lives. Other collections cover Native American culture at the Kwahadi Museum, the evolution of RVs at the Jack Sisemore RV Museum, hot rods at Bill's Backyard Classics, and aviation at the Texas Air & Space Museum. The Amarillo Botanical Gardens feature High Plains specimens, with the Helium Times Column Monument and the Don Harrington Discovery Center, which has dinosaur replicas and science exhibits geared toward younger children, next door. To get outside, hike the trails at Wildcat Bluff Nature Center for a taste of the Llano Estacado steppe and its rocky outcrops, watching for prickly pear thorns, or take a horseback ride at a local ranch. Families can head to Wonderland Amusement Park, and in mid-September the Tri-State Fair and Rodeo brings a PRCA rodeo, livestock and horse shows, live entertainment, exhibits and a midway with rides and games.Three days in Amarillo
Day one: Arrive at Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport (AMA), served by American Eagle, United Express and Southwest Airlines with connections from Dallas, Houston, Denver and Las Vegas. If you fly into Tradewind Airport instead, you are still within easy reach of the city. By road, Interstate links Amarillo with Albuquerque, Oklahoma City and Lubbock, while Highway reaches Pampa and Boise City in Oklahoma. Greyhound stops on Tyler Street, and rental cars are available. Settle in and get your bearings on the Llano Estacado Plateau of the High Plains, then take a first look at the city itself.
- Arrive by air, road or bus
- Pick up a rental car
- Orient yourself on the High Plains
Day two: Head out to Palo Duro Canyon, the dramatic break in the otherwise flat Llano Estacado Plateau. Expect wide views and a landscape that feels far removed from the city streets. The canyon country around Amarillo was once home to Western Indians, and the cultural layers of the region are worth keeping in mind as you look out over the rim. Return to Amarillo in the evening.
- Palo Duro Canyon
- Llano Estacado Plateau
- Western Indians history
Day three: Spend your last day in Amarillo itself, which spreads across Potter County and Randall County. Culturally, Amarillo College is part of the city's fabric, and Airport Boulevard and the East side give you a sense of how the town is laid out. If time allows before your flight or drive onward, take one more slow pass through the streets before leaving Texas.
- Amarillo College
- Airport Boulevard
- East Amarillo