5 Best Sights in West Texas and the Panhandle, Texas

Check out exhibits, examine sunspots and flares safely via film, or peer into the workings of giant research telescopes. Guided tours of the domed observatories are given several days a week following programs at 11 and 2. After nightfall, the observatory offers star parties (usually Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday). Online reservations are required for all public programs. It's a beautiful 15-mile drive from Fort Davis to the visitor center, at 6,235 elevation.

Whether you like signature architecture, appreciate Western art, or just love horses, you'll enjoy this museum, which showcases stars of the American quarter-horse world. Inside, you'll see enormous bronze sculptures and halls of fame honoring horses and humans who have significantly contributed to the history and legends of the breed. See quarter-horse paintings by midcentury Western artist Orren Mixer, or spend some time learning about the bloodlines and special features of the breed in the interactive educational gallery. Temporary exhibits and special events throughout the year make each visit to the museum unique.

More than 15,000 people signed the guest register in 2013 to see this nostalgic collection of 25 recreational vehicles, lovingly restored over the past quarter century by father-and-son team Jack and Trent Sizemore. Parked inside 10,000 square feet (so far) of climate-controlled display space, these rolling gems include RVs from every decade from the 1920s to 1970s. The RVs themselves are packed with period memories—old-timey cracker boxes to vintage cameras and dominos—to create a snapshot of the travel culture at the time. Look for the bus used in the movie RV starring Robin Williams. Need a place to park your own RV? Ask the Sizemores about their Amarillo Best Wonderland RV Resort.

As the second-largest canyon in the United States, this 80-year-old, 14,103-acre park is popular for hiking, horseback riding (including a variety of guided rides with cowboy-style breakfast), swimming, fishing, and camping. Rent a vintage CCC cabin or pitch a tent and picnic under giant cottonwood trees. The park's amphitheater hosts summer performances of Texas, an outdoor drama about the history of the region.