Everything here is a short drive apart, but not walkable. Mornings are best at Cadillac Ranch, evenings on Sixth Street.
1 Cadillac Ranch
Ten Cadillacs nose-down in a field, installed in 1974 by the art group Ant Farm and moved a little farther west in 1997 as the city grew. Layers of spray paint are now part of the work, and adding yours is expected. The ground can be very muddy after rain.
Practical: Free and open at all hours, on the south side of the I-40 frontage road west of town. Allow 30 minutes. Please take empty paint cans away with you.
2 Sixth Street Historic District
The old alignment of Route 66 through the San Jacinto neighbourhood, lined with brick storefronts, antique shops, bars and diners. It is the best place in the city to feel the old road.
Practical: Free to walk. Around SW 6th Avenue between Georgia and Western. Many shops close on Sundays, so check first.
3 The Big Texan Steak Ranch
A bright yellow roadside landmark on I-40. Eat a 72-ounce steak with sides inside an hour and the meal is free; fail and you pay for it. Contestants eat on a raised table under a countdown clock.
Practical: Open daily for lunch and dinner. Booking is sensible at peak times, and prices vary, so check the current menu.
4 Downtown Amarillo
Restored towers from the oil-boom 1920s stand beside a ballpark and new hotels. The Fisk Building and the Barfield are both now hotels, which gives you a good reason to wander into the lobbies.
Practical: Allow an hour. Street parking is usually easy.
5 Windmills and ranch heritage
The High Plains were settled with the help of the windmill, and you will see them all over the region. For the full story, the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in nearby Canyon has one of the best collections in Texas.
Practical: See our Palo Duro and Canyon guide for museum details.
6 Route 66 towns nearby
Vega is about 35 miles west, with a restored Magnolia filling station. Adrian, the road’s self-declared midpoint, is a little farther on. Both are easy half-day drives.
Practical: See the Route 66 guide.
