Amarillo

A cowboy town in the Texas Panhandle, with the graffiti-covered Cadillac Ranch, Palo Duro Canyon—the second-largest canyon in the US—and the 72-ounce steak challenge.

Amarillo sits on the High Plains of the Texas Panhandle. With a population of about 200,000, it's a cowboy town on Route 66 and I-40 that grew up on ranching, beef processing and helium. At an elevation of about 1,100 m, it has its most pleasant weather in spring and autumn (Apr–May, Sep–Oct); summer days often exceed 32°C with frequent afternoon thunderstorms, tornado season is May–June, and winters are windy with occasional blizzards. Sightseeing falls into three areas: in town, Cadillac Ranch, the Route 66 Sixth Avenue historic district, the Big Texan Steak Ranch and several museums; about 40 km south, the town of Canyon has the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, with Palo Duro Canyon just east of town, where the musical TEXAS is staged in the canyon amphitheater in summer; to the north are Lake Meredith and Alibates Flint Quarries, and along Route 66 to the east and west are roadside landmarks such as the giant cross in Groom and the Midpoint in Adrian. Amarillo's airport has flights to Dallas, Houston and Denver; sights are spread out and public transportation is scarce, so you'll basically need a car. Plan on 2–3 days: one day for the city and Route 66, one for Palo Duro Canyon, and optionally another for the lake area or Caprock Canyons to see bison. Always carry plenty of water when hiking in the canyon, and avoid midday in summer.

Top sights

Where to eat

Itineraries