15 Amazing Things To Do in Amarillo TX (Attractions & Activities)

Situated in the high plains of West Texas, the welcoming city Amarillo holds some surprisingly popular attractions, which are worth investing your time at. If you are also looking for the best things to do in Amarillo tx then you can start right from the history and culture of the city by visiting Quarter Horse Museum and end your wonderful journey with trying your hand at graffiti, in the outskirts of the town, at Cadillac Ranch. 

So, check out our list of the 15 unique things to do in Amarillo Texas and get ready to escape the hustle and bustle of the city because once you visit these amazing attractions, you would not want to leave. 

Best Things To Do in Amarillo Texas

If you have never visited Amarillo Texas, you must be wondering how to plan your trip and what to do in Amarillo Tx? Well, you can visit any of the mentioned places below depending upon the time of your vacation. So, let’s just begin introducing you to the best of the city. 

1. American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum 

Presenting you Amarillo Texas attractions with interactive exhibitions, live demonstrations and dramatic presentations of the colonial times, the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum is worth spending every second at. For those, who are interested in themed fine art offerings and to know about the history of people who contributed to the breeding of these horses can definitely visit the place without any second thought.

Things to do at the Quarter Horse Hall of Fame 

• Experience the colorful history through the gallery featuring western art. 
• Don’t miss visiting the gift shop inside the Hall of fame and museum.
• Always say a big yes to the gallery featuring western art in the museum.
• See the activities performed by the world\’s most popular breed of horses. 

2. Amarillo Museum of Art

Still wondering what to see in Amarillo tx? Visiting the Amarillo Museum of Art may be your second best option as this place has a lot to offer. It is located at the Van Buren Street of Amarillo Texas and is popularly known as the Amarillo Art Center. 

Things to do at Amarillo Museum of Art

• Amarillo museum of art presents you a wide variety of indoor art. 
• Some days you may also experience live music along with refreshments.
• The Asian art price gallery has over 300 amazing artefacts collected. 
• You can also experience an outdoor sculpture collection on the museum grounds.

3. Amarillo Botanical Gardens 

You can include a visit to this magnificent garden in your list of all the fun things to do in Amarillo Texas as this place is full of magic, color, and peace, it will beg you to stay more and more. It is one of the best places to get away from the hustle of the city for a while and stroll though the beautiful scenic landscape of the garden. 

Things to do in Amarillo Botanical Gardens 

• Take an hour to visit the pleasant spot with an attractive tropical conservatory. 
• The four-acre garden offers numerous themed planings including Japanese, Xeric, etc.
• If you love photography, you will get head over heels for the vibrant flowers.
• The garden will let you embrace nature more closely and in the best possible way.

4. Cadillac Ranch 

Visiting Cadillac Ranch is one of the cool things to do in Amarillo TX. It is an open ranchland that supposedly perplexes the people with its modern artwork. The cars that are buried half underground were buried in their original conditions. However, they couldn’t remain original as the visitors started painting them. So, if you would also like to see something weird yet interesting, ten buried cars in a single file is the place for you. 

Things To do at Cadillac Ranch 

• Check out the ten cars buried in a single file, paint them if you want.
• Don’t miss the gift shop about a mile east of the cars to buy different stuff.
• You can have fun taking pictures of you pretending to be the victim of an absurd incident that happened with the hippies. 

5. Amarillo Zoo

What to do in Amarillo tx? Visiting zoos is always the best option to explore wildlife. The famous Amarillo zoo is known for right-tailed lemurs and African lions along with exotic birds and other mammals. So, isn’t it worth it to have an experience seeing over 120 animals representing 70 species from all across the world. 

Things to do at Amarillo Zoo

• Get a chance to see the exotic birds, mammals, and African lions in the zoo.
• Visit the nearby theatres and art shows along with the space museum. 
• See the reptiles, arachnids, amphibians and some other animals inside the zoo.
• Some native texas species like bison, longhorns, grey foxes are displayed. However, it can\’t be seen around the area sometimes. 

6. Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum 

Being on the of the largest history museum in Texas, the museum exhibits American Western Life and historical artefacts. What to see in Amarillo tx? If you are someone interested in decorative art and furniture and agriculture history artifacts then Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum might be the right place for you to visit as it has over 70,000 visitors annually.

Things to do at Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum 

• The museum permanent exhibition includes “People of the Plains: Experiments in Living”, displaying the differences and the similarities of the town settlers. 
• One of the cool things to do in Amarillo Texas can be to check out the Statue of cattleman Charles Goodnight and the exotic 1920s vehicle.
• Don’t forget to have a look at the Chuckwagon exhibit and the Turn-Off-the-Century bicycle.

7. Texas Air & Space Museum  

To explore the fun things to do in Amarillo Texas, we got you one of the very best places to visit, the Texas Air & Space Museum. Situated at the Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport, it presents you the history of air travel and space. Inside the museum you can see astonishingly iconic modern aircrafts and artefacts related to aviation and more. 

Things to do at Air & Space Museum 

• Climb the training aircrafts to explore more about them.
• Get information about Rick Husband, after whom the airport is named. 
• Get a look at the iconic aircrafts, aviators, artefacts related to the airports. 
• Looking for cool things to do in Amarillo Texas? Get adventurous at the outdoor park of the museum, donned with rare aircrafts.

8. Harrington House

Visiting the neoclassical style Harrington house is one of the fun things to do in Amarillo Texas. History buffs can explore the house which still has its original furnishings, such as the beautiful tapestry in the reception hall, custom finials, giltwood mirrors, and 18th-century parquet flooring.

Things to do at Harrington House

• Experience the largely displayed Harrington’s art collection. 
• The neoclassical style Harrington house is a sight to see for history buffs.
• The original furnishing of the Harrington house is perfectly preserved till now.
• Want to see the notable furniture pieces like 1820 regency-style cabinet and urns, and the George III style giltwood mirrors.

9. Amarillo Symphony 

We all love music, it’s peaceful and fun at the same time so if you are also wondering what to see in Amarillo tx? Then do pay a visit to the Amarillo Symphony. Being one of the very respectable options, Amarillo Symphony puts on different seasonal performances. The 1924-founded local orchestra can be heard by people of all ages. 

Things to do at Amarillo Symphony 

• Get a chance to hear the local orchestra that puts on different performances. 
• Step to the Globe-news center for performing arts to relax your senses.
• Witness the music of composers and artists of diverse backgrounds.

10. The Big Texan Steak Ranch & Brewery

Now that you are done visiting places to places, you might want to grab a bite? So, The Big Texan Steak Ranch & Brewery is a fun place to grab a bite of peace and challenge your appetite because this place is enormously famous for steak challenges where you are challenged to consume 72 oz steak along with appetizer, salad, and potato within an hour. 

Cool Things to do in Amarillo Texas

• Take part in the steak challenge and get a chance to win it.
• Try different types of tasty meals to surprise your taste buds.
• Start your meal with mountain oysters and fried pickles. 
• Move ahead to fill your belly with fried chicken, Texan strips, baby back ribs, etc.

11. Don Harrington Discovery Center

Visiting the Don Harrington Discovery Center is one of the best things to do in amarillo texas as this place is filled with numerous science-themed exhibits that are undoubtedly perfect for your children. So, if you are taking your little ones with you, plan a trip to the Don Harrington Discovery Center and let your kids enjoy hands-on experiences. 

Don Harrington Discovery Center

• Learn about the weather conditions of the space and the planet in the space gallery. 
• Do let your kids experience the construction space in little builders and KinderStudio.
• The animal-themed excitement and the Space theatre in Critter Row is worth paying attention to. 

12. Route 66 Historic District

Wondering what to do in Amarillo tx? Why don’t you visit Route 66 Historic District, a 13-block commercial expanse which helps you fulfil your desire of shopping, sightseeing, and so much more. Most of the buildings in the 66 historic district route are made in 20th century architectural styles. 

Things to do at Route 66

• Find historic structures like the Natatorium, Taylor’s Texaco station, beautiful galleries, and dinings. 
• Get your share of shopping from the local market and get to see the local aesthetics.
• Have a view at the 20th century structured buildings, photograph them if you want. 

13. Cowgirls and Cowboys in the West

Next location that we have is the Cowgirls and Cowboys in the West which offers you some interesting things to do in Amarillo tx. It covers you for tours, gets you relevant information, and takes care of your adventures. What else are we looking for? A horse ride maybe, go ahead and experience it even if you don’t know how to because you will be accommodated throughout. 

Things to do

• Get on some educational tours, camping trips, photography tours, and much more.
• You are more than welcome to try Horseback riding, regardless of your skill level.
• Don’t forget to visit your areas of interest to make your journey more adventurous.

14. Palo Duro Canyon State Park

Out of the gazillion things to do in Amarillo, Texas, there are still a few things left. Palo Duro Canyon State Park is just thirty minutes to Amarillo’s south, where you can look into the geology and history of the area offering panoramic scenery. Being one of the second biggest canyons of the nation, the state park is worth planning a trip to. 

Things to do at Palo Duro Canyon State Park

• Participate in the local activities such as hiking, camping, horseback riding, etc.
• Visit the numerous hiking trails such as the Lighthouse trail at the canyon State Park. 
• Get an eye-catching view of the unique birds and native fauna species around the area. 

15. Wildcat Bluff Nature Center 

Wildcat Bluff Nature Center is one of the best Amarillo Texas attractions, the area is spread across 600 acres of land, where you can have a look at the delightful scenery. The main building of the nature centre offers the visitors an inside historical view of its flora and fauna. Must know that this area was once very crucial in the Gregg-Marc Wagon Trail, for it linked Santa Fe with Fort Smith 

Things to do at Wildcat Bluff Nature Center

• With the help of the tour guides, explore the grasslands. 
• See few of the remains of Wagon trail that are left till now.
• Explore the environment and experience its flora and fauna.
• Gather historic information from the center\’s main building.

Things to do in Amarillo Texas For Free

Most of the places and things in Amarillo TX are free. If you are a travel freak, you would love to spend less and travel more, which is why these things to do in amarillo texas for free can be a life saviour for you. These options can be a great choice for couple dates or for family tours. 

Some of the above mentioned places such as Amarillo Zoo, Amarillo Botanical Gardens, American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum, and other such locations can get you the best experience even in your low cost budget, so that money cannot disrupt your travel plans and you can enjoy the best with what you have. So, if you are looking for the things to do in amarillo texas for free, fret not! We got you covered. 

Through this in-depth guide, hope you got your travel plans on track. From experiencing wildlife to having an inside view at the historical buildings, we trust that the mentioned places in Amarillo Texas are worth paying a visit to escape the rush of the city. 

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