6 Best Sights in Amarillo, West Texas and the Panhandle

Along the 2,400-mile stretch of America's first highway, the section that passes through Amarillo is still bustling with more than 100 home-owned businesses in the city's first and only historic district. Take home a piece of history from a selection of 25 antiques stores, shop until you drop at 22 specialty boutiques, choose from 15 locally owned restaurants, browse original art in the galleries, or party through the night at nearly a dozen bars and clubs. Wherever you go, your path will be illuminated by vintage lighting and you'll feel nostalgia oozing from tree-lined cobblestone sidewalks.

Tucked away on the campus of Amarillo College, this cozy three-floor museum has a generous range of art in its permanent collection, which has evolved only over the past four decades. You'll see 17th- to 19th-century European paintings, as well as works from 20th-century modernists. Designed by the architect for the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., this museum comprises galleries for photography and a substantial collection of Asian art and Middle Eastern textiles, made possible in part by donations from a local physician. Highlights include four Georgia O'Keeffe paintings.

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.

If you've ever had the urge to spray paint graffiti, but don't want to end up in court, this is the place for you. You can simply view this quirky roadside exhibit of 10 Cadillacs buried nose down in the middle of a pasture a half-century ago by an eccentric Amarillo businessman. Or, if you want to add to the graffiti already adorning the exhibit, bring some rubber gloves and a few cans of spray paint. If the wind is blowing—and it usually is in Texas—you might also want to pick up a dust filter for your nose and mouth. Go 4 miles west of Amarillo on Interstate 40 to the Arnot Road exit. Make a U-turn to cross the freeway, then continue on the access road for 1 mile. Because there is no lighting at the display, this is a daytime activity.

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.