10 Things Not to Miss in Amarillo, Lubbock, Midland, Odessa, El Paso

West Texas

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1. The official Route 66 Historic District in Amarillo is located on 6th Avenue between Georgia & Western Streets. In the district, visitors will find over one mile of art galleries, antique shops, collectible stores, craft and specialty shops, restaurants and bars. Not only was Route 66 the Mother Road of America, but this district was one of the first residential and business districts in Amarillo.

2. Just outside of town, you can go off road at Palo Duro Canyon State Park, located about 30 minutes outside Amarillo. The nation’s second largest canyon, Palo Duro Canyon is 800 feet deep, covers 30,000 acres and boasts 15,000 acres of trails to hike and bike to your heart’s content.

3. With six award-winning wineries in the area, any trip to Lubbock will be as memorable as each smooth sip of Texas High Plains Wine that meets your palate. Located downtown in a historic Coca-Cola bottling plant, the legacy of Doc McPherson, the “Father of Texas Wine,” lives on at McPherson Cellars. Llano Estacado Winery, the state’s second oldest winery, is located 10 miles outside of town thanks to Lubbock’s history as a dry country. English Newsom Cellars and Pheasant Ridge Winery are worth a nod as well.

4. Museums open our eyes to a unique local experience, so next time you’re in Lubbock, make a stop at the American Windmill Museum. The largest windmill museum in the world, the museum, showcases more than 170 these beautifully restored structures and a 6,000-square-foot hand-painted mural titled Legacy of the Wind.

5. Take yourself out to the ballpark in Midland and enjoy a Midland RockHounds game. The team is the Double A affiliate of the Oakland Athletics and four-peat Texas League Champions.

6. “Keep your head in the stars and your feet on the ground” has new meaning after a trip to the U.T. McDonald Observatory. South of Midland but worth the journey, the observatory is one of the world’s leading astronomical research and educational centers, where visitors experience dark skies brimming with planets, stars, nebulas and galaxies.

7. Take your team to the tees at Ratliff Ranch Golf Links. A Scottish-style links course with rolling hills and unique elevation changes, the public course is situated on 125 acres and offers enjoyable golf combined with beautiful views of the surrounding West Texas plains.

8. Take a trip down Odessa’s Queso & Margarita Trail, where you’ll taste some of the best queso and margaritas West Texas has to offer. Whether you view this passport as a challenge to eat as much queso in a day as you can, or you’re playing the long-con and enjoying dining out for the next few months, consider this trail your craving companion.

9. Make your stay an iconic one at the historic Hotel Paso Del Norte in El Paso. Officially restored and reopened in 2020, the hotel now features innovative guest rooms, a vibrant rooftop pool and bar, world-class dining, reimagined event spaces, and a century-old Dome Bar with its stunning 25-foot Tiffany-style-stained glass dome.

10. El Paso is making a name for itself in our new flexible live-work economy. The city received two accolades last year, including being named No. 2 on the list of America’s Best Cities for Remote Workers by Ownerly and No. 4 of Bank Rate’s Best Places to Live When You Can Work from Anywhere.

Sources: Visit Amarillo, Visit Lubbock, Visit Midland, Discover Odessa, Visit El Paso.

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