Amarillo is the capital of the Panhandle in everything but name: about 200,000 people, the region’s main airport and the place where I-40 and I-27 meet. It grew up as a cattle-shipping railhead, and ranching, feedlots and energy still shape the town more than tourism does.
Visitors come for a handful of famously odd roadside sights. Cadillac Ranch sits in a field west of town, the Sixth Street district keeps a mile of old Route 66, and the Big Texan Steak Ranch still dares diners to finish 72 ounces of beef. Half an hour south, the ground falls away into Palo Duro Canyon, and that is why most people stay at least two nights.
Highlights
- Cadillac Ranch: ten half-buried cars you are welcome to spray-paint.
- Sixth Street: antiques, bars and old storefronts on historic Route 66.
- The Big Texan: a loud, cheerful monument to the steak.
- Downtown: restored 1920s towers, including the Fisk Building and the Barfield.
- Palo Duro Canyon: only about 30 minutes’ drive away.
- Route 66 day drives: Vega and Adrian to the west, Groom and McLean to the east.
Quick facts
| Where | Centre of the Panhandle, on I-40 and I-27 |
|---|---|
| Airport | Rick Husband Amarillo International (AMA) |
| Ideal stay | 2–3 nights |
| Best for | Route 66 icons, steaks, base for the canyons |
| Getting around | A car is essential for nearly everything |
| Time zone | US Central |
How long to stay & where to base yourself
Two or three nights covers the city and a full day in Palo Duro. Stay downtown for walkable restaurants and the restored hotels, or by I-40 for easy parking and cheaper chain rooms. If the canyon is your main reason to come, consider the town of Canyon instead.
