One of the criticisms that is often heard about Amarillo is that there isn’t enough to do. Residents frequently look to larger cities for a variety entertainment options, rather than exploring their choices at home.
Eric Miller set out to change that with his new book, “100 Things to do in Amarillo Before You Die.” Having worked in tourism in Amarillo for more than two decades, he was able to compile a list of some of the obvious stops, some of the not-so-obvious stops, and a little of everything in between.
“One of the big things is Route 66,” said Miller. “It crosses the Panhandle and it goes right through Amarillo. I mean, it was the main street for years and years and years, long before we had an interstate. In our stretch of Route 66 there are galleries, artists, musicians, there’s good food, antiques, there are all sorts of things you can find up there.”
In terms of good food on Route 66, Miller recommends stopping at the oldest restaurant in Amarillo, The Golden Light.
“It started in the 1940s and it has a long legacy in Amarillo and along Route 66,” said Miller. “It’s a great place to get a burger, sit out on their back patio and just kind of enjoy an evening.”
Another must-see stop Miller recommends for visitors and Amarillo natives alike lies a few miles south of town.
“My absolute favorite place, without a doubt, is Palo Duro Canyon, and that’s because it’s just so special,” said Miller. “I’ve had so many guests from out of town, I take them to the Canyon and about halfway there, they think I’m kidding them. They say things like, ‘there’s not a canyon around here,’ but then five minutes later, there it is. It is such a nice surprise to find it here.”
While there is a plethora of things to do, see, and explore in and around Amarillo, to Miller, it’s the community that really makes the city special.
“I love the people,” said Miller. “That’s the easiest answer to just about any question I’ve gotten, it’s always the people in Amarillo.”
