With cooler days around the corner, the big skies and wide-open spaces of the Texas Panhandle are ready to welcome Fall Break travelers. This often-overlooked region of the Lone Star State is a wonderland of colorful canyons, shortgrass prairies and thriving wildlife. And the stars truly shine big and bright across the night sky here as efforts are being made by Texas State Parks to limit light pollution.
Historic Route 66 runs right through the heart of Amarillo, a perfect destination hub for this family vacay given its proximity to iconic roadside attractions and some incredible state parks. Amarillo’s culinary scene is rapidly evolving with creative chefs, international cuisine and farm-to-table fare. Beyond dining, so much history and adventure await in the Great Plains of Texas, where your family can watch bison roam, explore canyon trails and enjoy unmatched views of the Milky Way. Check out this long-weekend itinerary when planning your family’s next road trip.
Getting There
Amarillo is just four hours from the OKC metro, a quick drive along I-40 that’s easily traversed over an evening so you can kick off your vacation the following day. This city offers a wide range of hotels and rental homes, but one of the most scenic stays is a cabin at Palo Duro Canyon State Park. The park offers several 4-person cabins along the rim of the canyon, not far from the Visitor Center, treating guests to spectacular overlooks and several amenities, including heat and air, linens and a private bathroom.
Several newer glamping cabins also dot the floor of the canyon. These cabins are situated next to the Palo Duro Trading Post, which sells groceries and has a small restaurant serving breakfast sandwiches, hamburgers, ice cream and more. The glampsites include comfortable beds, air conditioning, games and a covered patio, with shared bathrooms just a short walk away. Plus, you’ll enjoy the unique experience of stargazing in the heart of the canyon. Keep in mind: all cabins book up quickly since only a few are available currently.
Day One
Jump start this high-adventure day with a delicious breakfast and coffee from Palace Coffee, located in a beautiful, historic building in the heart of Canyon, Texas, at Canyon Square. Beyond creative lattes and scratch-made pastries, this business also strives to embrace kindness, so customers can support rotating local nonprofits through their drink purchases.
Next up, Palo Duro Canyon, the second largest canyon in the country at 120 miles long, 20 miles wide and 800 feet deep, boasts 30 miles of trails ready to be explored by foot, bike or horseback. Just minutes from the state park entrance is the Visitor Center and a stunning, panoramic view of the canyon, where visitors see how it earned the title “Grand Canyon of Texas,” with rugged rock walls displaying vibrant bands of color and 250 million years of geologic history. Just past the gate entrance, don’t miss the Longhorn Pasture where you can park to see some of Texas’ official State Longhorn Herd.
After your hike, give your legs a break with a 30-minute scenic drive along the Palo Duro Canyon Loop. Or, opt for a 1-hour guided horseback ride with Old West Stables along the stunning canyon walls and through unique rock formations. Another exhilarating way to experience this magnificent canyon is by zipline! Palo Duro Adventure Park offers experiences for all ages, including a tandem zipline crossing for kids ages 1 and up and under 65 pounds. Our boys thoroughly enjoyed this quarter-mile zip across the canyon, an adventure they remember to this day.
A busy day calls for a relaxing dinner at Cask and Cork, just 30 minutes from the canyon. This rooftop restaurant prides itself on balancing a casual ambiance with upscale dining and quality ingredients. They serve an extensive menu, from specialty flatbreads to seafood, including a wide selection of gluten-free items. Their gorgeous patio is the perfect place to enjoy the sunset with your family.
Day Two
The morning would be well spent at Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, just 40 minutes north of Amarillo. This hidden oasis is a respite from the surrounding dry, windswept plains and a haven for migratory birds. The Canadian River has cut dramatic 200-foot canyon walls around this gorgeous lake, where visitors enjoy water skiing, fishing or hiking along the nearby trails.
Just 15 minutes away is the Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument, where your family can take a unique tour to learn about Native Americans who used this flint 13,000 years ago. These beautifully colored rocks form pathways of rainbow flint pieces, which are revered for their sharpness and use in tool and weapon-making. Tours run twice daily from April through October.
Make your way back to Amarillo for lunch at Yellow City Street Food, a chef-owned and operated restaurant inspired by street food from around the world. The menu changes daily and often includes several vegan options. Afterward, kids will enjoy some hands-on fun at the Don Harrington Discovery Center, where exhibits stimulate imaginative play and STEM-based learning. The outdoor science park includes a fossil dig and tennis ball launch while indoors offers a space and weather gallery, a giant ant maze to crawl through and a rotation of other seasonal exhibits.
Route 66 is dotted with roadside oddities and Amarillo is home to several. Venture over to the Historic 6th Street Antique Mall for several blocks of walkable shops, art galleries and unique boutiques to peruse one-of-a-kind gifts. Don’t miss a chance to visit The Big Texan Steak Ranch, home of the 72 ounce steak challenge, where patrons eat for free if they can finish the entire steak, sides included, in under an hour!
Today’s final attraction is Cadillac Ranch, an art installation featuring 10 Cadillacs lined up and buried headfirst into the earth. Each car showcases thousands of layers of spray paint, so bring a can or two if you want to add your own unique art design.
After another full day of sightseeing, enjoy a remarkable Indian meal at It’s a Punjabi Affair. Customers rave about the butter chicken and Naan-wiches, all rich with savory Indian spices and an American twist.
Day Three
A final day of excursions in the Texas Panhandle calls for a nutritious brunch at Girasol Café and Bakery. This restaurant’s quaint garden patio is the perfect spot to enjoy a beautifully plated dish, including breakfast tacos, omelets or avocado toast.
The Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum is the largest museum of its kind in Texas, with exhibits showcasing artifacts and stories of this area’s ancient inhabitants, from dinosaurs to Native people and western pioneers. Explore more than 4,000 pieces of artwork, fossils from the late Triassic Period and a life-sized Pioneer Town.
The rest of the day will be spent at Caprock Canyons State Park, located about 90 miles southeast of Palo Duro, where majestic red cliffs reach 1,000 feet above the surrounding green landscapes and riverbeds. There are 90 miles of trails here, but we enjoyed hiking the 3-mile Mesa Trail and the 2.3-mile Haynes Ridge Overlook Trail most for their unmatched views across the park. While on the trail, watch for pronghorn antelopes, foxes, raccoons, jackrabbits, and of course, the Texas State Bison Herd.
Another popular site near Caprock Canyon is Clarity Tunnel, an abandoned railroad tunnel located on the Trailway, a 64-mile bike-friendly trail that crosses north Texas, just south of the park. Clarity Tunnel is home to 500,000 Mexican free-tailed bats, which can often be seen flying out at dusk from April through October.
After returning to Amarillo for the evening, stop at 575 Pizzeria for flavorful, gourmet pies in a casual atmosphere. Pizza always hits the spot after a jam-packed vacation, and these folks use the freshest ingredients, including made-from-scratch dough, to provide the best dining experience.
Autumn is an incredible time to visit the Texas Panhandle, with its milder temps and the gorgeous cottonwoods contrasting their yellow leaves against the blue skies and multihued rock faces. This will be one of those trips your family looks back on with fondness as you remember the thrilling outdoor adventures, delicious meals shared and ending your days under a Texas sky displaying the starry heavens above in their full glory.
