Alibates is located near Fritch, Texas, about 35 miles north of Amarillo. A park ranger leads a 1.5-mile walking tour through the quarries. Located near the Canadian River, the quarries were a primary source of flint for making Native American tools and weapons, including arrowheads. Items made from the flint have been found from Montana to Central Mexico and as far east as the Mississippi River.
Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument
P. O. Box 1460 Fritch, TX 79036
(806) 857-3151
http://www.nps.gov/alfl/index.htm
This third-generation working cattle ranch also hosts several events for visitors to the Amarillo area, including Jeep tours of Palo Duro Canyon. One of the most popular is the cowboy breakfast, which includes a 15-minute ride into the canyon to a campsite. Breakfast includes scrambled eggs, sausage, country-style potatoes, buttermilk biscuits, cream gravy, cinnamon rolls, fruit, cowboy coffee and juice--and musical entertainment.
Elkins Ranch
11301 East State Highway 217
Canyon, TX 79015
(806) 488-2100
http://www.theelkinsranch.com/
The 20,000-acre park is located 25 miles south of Amarillo on State Highway 217. The park is open year round. Camping is available, as well as guided horseback tours. Pioneer Ampitheater is home to "TEXAS!" each summer. Known as the Official Play of the State of Texas, the family-friendly show tells of the hardships and joys experienced by settlers in Texas in the 1800s. The park offers hiking, nature study, bird watching, mountain biking and scenic drives.
Palo Duro Canyon State Park
11450 Park Road 5
Canyon, TX 79015
(806) 488-2227
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/spdest/findadest/parks/palo_duro/#sch
This 15-acre attraction includes animals known to roam the Panhandle plains, including bison, elk, pronghorn and deer; a herpetarium with lizards, frogs and salamanders; and ranch animals such as horses, donkeys, sheep, goats and a longhorn. There also are black bears; wildlife native to Texas, including coyotes, grey fox, raccoons and coatimundi; spider monkeys; and cats such as a male African lion, bobcats and servals. The zoo is open daily except for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Day and Martin Luther King Holiday.
Amarillo Zoo
2400 N. Polk St.
Amarillo, TX 79107
(806) 381-7911
http://www.amarillozoo.org/generalinfo/tips.html
You may not be able to eat a 72-ounce steak, but watching someone else try is worth the price of dinner. The Big Texan's 72-ounce steak dinner includes an appetizer, salad and potato. Eat it in an hour, and it's free. Almost 40,000 diners have tried, and more than 7,000 have succeeded, according to the Big Texan website. Other menu items include smaller steaks, chicken-fried steak, pork spare ribs and catfish. The Big Texan also boards humans and horses.
Big Texan Steak Ranch & Horse Hotel
I-40 East at Lakeside
Amarillo, TX 79118
(806) 372-7000
http://bigtexan.com
Open summers only, Wonderland was voted 2009 Park of the Year by Amusement Today Magazine. The park features four roller coasters, including the double-loop Texas Tornado, and five water rides. There also is a Kiddie Land area and miniature golf. Spectator passes are available for those just tagging along, wagging purses and holding drinks.
Wonderland Amusement Park
2601 Dumas Drive
Amarillo, TX 79107
(806) 383-0832
http://www.wonderlandpark.com
The museum, one of Amarillo's newest attractions, includes the Thomas Mails collection of Native American culture, bronze castings by sculptor Tom Knapp, the Cunningham Navajo Rug Collection, the Perry Null Game Animal Exhibit and the Bob and Sally Jones Indigenous Birds of the Plains display. There also is a dance performance theater, where ceremonial dances are performed.
9151 I-40 East
Amarillo, TX 79120
(806) 335-3175
http://www.kwahadi.com
