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| Amarillo Attractions Amarillo
Museum of Art American
Quarter Horse Heritage Center & Museum Cadillac
Ranch
Wildcat
Bluff Nature Center Wonderland
Amusement Park Culture Amarillo
Little Theatre Amarillo
Opera Lone Star Ballet
Day Trips Lake
Meredith National Recreation Area Palo
Duro Canyon State Park “TEXAS”
Musical Drama (in the Outdoor Epic Theatre) Sports Amarillo
Dillas Amarillo
Rattlers Route 66 Motor Speedway | ||
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The
American Quarter Horse Heritage Center & Museum, located at 2601 I-40 E.,
focuses on the American Quarter Horse and the racing culture surrounding the breed.
Its guests can even climb a fiberglass replica of a quarter horse in the Performance
Gallery. The museum is open year-round from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays.
Additionally, it is open from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays, Memorial Weekend through
Labor Day. Call the museum at (806) 376-5181 for information about its admission
rates.
The
Big Texan Steak Ranch is home to the free 72-ounce steak – if you can eat
it in less than an hour. The steakhouse’s owner came up with the challenge
after incredulously watching a hungry cowboy consume a whopping 72 ounces of steak.
Since 1960, 4,800 people have accomplished the feat, while 30,000 have tried.
The restaurant’s menu selections also cater to the petite eater. Big Texas
Steak Ranch, which seats 450 people, includes a gift shop and shooting gallery.
Call the Big Texan Steak Ranch at (800) 657-7177 for additional information. .jpg)
Cadillac
Ranch is one of the most unusual roadside attractions in America. It consists
of 10 vintage Cadillacs, dating from 1949 to 1964 and buried eight feet in the
ground. People are allowed to spray paint, key, or draw on the cars while visiting.
The attraction is a result of a collaboration between Stanley Marsh III, scion
of a wealthy oil family, and AntFarm (a San Francisco art collective). Cadillac
Ranch can be found on I-40 East between exits 60 and 62. 
Amarillo
is the largest Texas city on Route 66. The Route 66 Historic District, located
in Amarillo, is a one-mile preservation of old Route 66. The district is located
on 6th Avenue, between Georgia and Western streets. Today, the district boasts
great nightlife, restaurants, antique stores, and specialty shops. Visitors arriving
the third weekend in June should not miss the district’s Summer Festival.
Wildcat
Bluff Nature Center, a tranquil escape from downtown Amarillo, consists of 600
acres of grassland traversed by a nature trail. Patient bird-watchers will most
likely spot a hawk or dove. Those who walk the trails during the right time of
year will probably spot monarch butterflies migrating their way to central Mexico.
Call (806) 352-6007 to get a guided tour, which is available to groups of five
or more. 
Wonderland
Amusement Park began as a small children’s park and evolved into the third-largest
amusement park in Texas. Its famous Texas Tornado draws roller coaster enthusiasts
from all over with its stomach-churning double loops. The park’s Shoot the
Chutes was the first wet and wild ride of its kind. Arcade games and miniature
golf also are available at the park. The Wonderland Amusement Park, located at
2601 Dumas Drive in Thompson Park, can be reached at (800) 383-4712 for information
about rates and seasonal hours. 
Opera
fans can see well-known shows such as Gilbert and Sullivan’s “Pirates
of Penzance” and Verdi’s “Rigoletto” with a ticket to
the Amarillo Opera. The Amarillo Opera is located at 2223 S. Van Buren St. Ticket
prices are based on seating. The cheapest seats are $12, and the most expensive
seats are $40. Call (806) 372-SING (7464) for information about the opera schedule
and tickets. 
The
Amarillo Symphony boasts that it is breaking the musical sound barrier. With tickets
starting as low as $15, tourist can decide for themselves if they agree with that
statement.
The
Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, approximately a one-hour drive north from
Amarillo, is a refreshing change of scenery within the arid High Plains of the
Texas Panhandle. Lake Meredith, the Panhandle’s largest lake, is a premier
area for boating, water skiing, swimming, fishing, and scuba diving. Visitors
also flock to the area to camp and picnic. There are various fees for activities,
such as a daily $4 boat launch fee. Contact the Park Headquarters, located at
419 E. Broadway in Fritch, at (806) 857-3151 for additional information. 
One
of the main attractions in Palo Duro Canyon State Park is the park’s namesake.
Palo Duro Canyon, often referred to as Texas’ Grand Canyon, is 120 miles
long, 20 miles wide, and 800 feet deep. Hiking, birding, fishing, mountain biking,
horseback riding, and camping are other popular park activities. Palo Duro Canyon
State Park, located in Canyon approximately 50 minutes from Amarillo, charges
a daily fee of $3 for adults, $2 for seniors, and nothing for children age 12
and under. There is an additional fee for camping. Call (806) 488-2227 for additional
park information. 
The
musical drama “TEXAS” draws as many visitors to Palo Duro Canyon State
Park as the Palo Duro Canyon. The production is a grand display that focuses on
the Texas Panhandle’s history. The drama takes place at the Outdoor Epic
Theatre, located within Palo Duro Canyon State Park. The Outdoor Epic Theatre
is the world’s best attended outdoor theatre. Call (877) 58-TEXAS (588-3927)
for ticket and schedule information.
The
Amarillo Dillas are part of the Texas-Louisiana Professional Baseball League.
They play 50 home games in the 7500-seat Potter County Memorial Stadium. The stadium,
also known as the Amarillo National Dilla Villa, is located at Third Avenue and
Grand Street. The Dillas season runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Call (806)
342-3455 for additional information.