Amarillo, with a population of 190,000 as of 2010, is a town full of cowboy personality in the Panhandle Plains. If you arrive on old Route 66, it's easy to visit a mile-long stretch of specialty shops and restaurants. Just off Interstate 40 is the Big Texan Steak Ranch, where a 72-ounce steak is free if you can eat it in one hour, and the quirky Cadillac Ranch, which is the resting place for 10 junk Cadillacs planted nose-down in the desert. Don't miss spectacular Palo Duro Canyon State Park, located 25 miles southeast of Amarillo. Cut by the Red River, Palo Duro the second-largest canyon in the country. Seven cabins perch on the canyon rim of the 26,000-acre park. The historical outdoor musical "Texas" is performed in the park during the summer using a 600-foot cliff for a backdrop. Amarillo is a six-hour drive from Dallas and a four-hour drive from Oklahoma City, Okla.
Amarillo Convention & Visitor Council
1000 S. Polk Street
Amarillo, TX 79101
800-692-1338
VisitAmarilloTX.com
Whether your interests lie in the arts, on the playing field or at the shopping mall, Dallas, the third-largest city in Texas, is the place. Museums, notably the Dallas Museum of Art that includes works by Georgia O'Keefe and Vincent Van Gogh, are a good bet for a summer afternoon. Go back in time at The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza where John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. Depending on the season, you can cheer for the Dallas Cowboys football team, watch the Mavericks shoot hoops, or see the Texas Rangers work on their batting averages. A tourist hub, the West End Historic District dates back to the early 1900s and features more than 100 clubs, shops and eateries. Dallas is about a three-hour drive from either Austin or Shreveport, La.
Dallas Convention & Visitors Bureau
325 North St. Paul Street, Suite 700
Dallas, Texas 75201
214-571-1000
VisitDallas.com
The Texas Hill Country is the prettiest during the spring wildflower season, but the small town of Boerne, pronounced BER-nee, is a romantic getaway anytime of the year. Located just 30 miles northwest of San Antonio, Boerne is rich in German heritage and boasts more than 30 restaurants and nearly two dozen bed and breakfasts or small inns. Ye Kendall Inn, built in 1859 as a stagecoach stop, has been restored and overlooks the bustling town square. For the budget conscious, camp at the 1,900-acre Guadalupe River State Park, where you also can picnic, fish, canoe, hike and swim. If wine tasting is more your style, Sister Creek Vineyards, 12 miles north of Boerne, is one of 11 wineries on the Texas Hill Country Wine Trail. Boerne is a 3.5-hour drive from Houston.
Boerne Convention & Visitors Bureau
1407 S. Main St.
Boerne, TX 78006
830-249-7277
VisitBoerne.org
Galveston Island's 32 miles of Gulf Coast was first explored by Europeans in 1528, and now it's waiting for you. Lodging can fit any budget from RV camping to luxury hotels or bed and breakfasts. An hour's drive from Houston and two hours from Beaumont, Texas, Galveston can be a quiet weekend of beach strolls, birding, and seafood dinners or an action-packed visit to the Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark, Moody Gardens or tours of historic homes. Bishop's Palace, built from 1886 to 1892, is on the American Institute of Architects' list of 100 most important buildings in America.
Galveston Island Convention & Visitors Bureau
2328 Broadway
Galveston, TX 77550
866-505-4456
Galveston.com
