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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Amarillo
Give Amarillo two nights with a car: one full day for Palo Duro Canyon, one half-day for Cadillac Ranch and Route 66, then drive on.
Amarillo is the hub of the Texas Panhandle and the practical base for Palo Duro Canyon, the second-largest canyon in the United States, 27 miles southeast. The city itself is a car town strung along I-40: Route 66 kitsch, a serious quarter-horse museum, steak and Tex-Mex. Two nights covers it; a car turns it from a fuel stop into a stop worth making.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (35°C+ afternoons), late Dec–Feb ice stormsJul–Aug (95°F+ afternoons), late Dec–Feb ice storms
- Stay
- 2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $70–110 excl. bed · Mid $130–200 excl. bed · High $250+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $3–6 |
| Breakfast burrito or diner plate | $10–18 |
| Steak dinner, mid-range steakhouse | $28–55 |
| Beer: draught in a bar / six-pack at a store | $6–9 / $9–14 |
| 5 km taxi or rideshare3.1 mi taxi or rideshare | $12–18 |
| Palo Duro Canyon day-use entry | $8 per person |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | $10–25 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- AMA · Rick Husband Amarillo International
- Nonstop to Dallas, Houston, Denver and Las Vegas; about 11 km east of downtown, no public bus to the terminal.Nonstop to Dallas, Houston, Denver and Las Vegas; about 6.8 mi east of downtown, no public bus to the terminal.
- TDW · Tradewind Airport
- General aviation only, about 5 km south of downtown.General aviation only, about 3.1 mi south of downtown.
Typical fares
- AMA airport → downtown, taxi or rideshare
- about $25–35, 15–20 min
- Downtown → Palo Duro Canyon gate
- about 27 miles, 45–60 min by car
- Amarillo City Transit single ride
- low fare, limited routes and hours
Get around
A car is close to essential: sights sit 5–25 km apart along I-40 and Loop 335, and Amarillo City Transit runs limited routes with long waits. Downtown avenues are named for presidents west to east; most cross streets are numbered. Old Route 66 is Amarillo Boulevard, running just north of downtown and the airport.A car is close to essential: sights sit 3.1–16 mi apart along I-40 and Loop 335, and Amarillo City Transit runs limited routes with long waits. Downtown avenues are named for presidents west to east; most cross streets are numbered. Old Route 66 is Amarillo Boulevard, running just north of downtown and the airport.
See and do
Known for
- Cadillac Ranch
- Palo Duro Canyon gateway
- Route 66 and the Big Texan
- American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Palo Duro Canyon State Park | US 87 south to Canyon, then Park Road 5; car only | About 45–60 min |
| Cadillac Ranch | I-40 west frontage road, exit 60 | About 20 min |
| Vega, Texas | I-40 west, about 28 miles | About 30 min |
| Borger and Alibates Flint Quarries | TX-136 north, about 35 miles to the monument | About 1 h |
| Pampa | US 60 east, about 55 miles | About 1 h |
| McLean, Texas | I-40 east, about 70 miles | About 1 h 15 min |
Sleep
- Downtown / Polk Street
- Walkable bars and restaurants between 7th and 8th; the only area where you can leave the car parked.
- I-40 West (Coulter and Soncy)
- The motel strip: cheapest beds, Westgate Mall, 15–20 min drive from downtown.
- East I-40 near the airport
- One-night airport stopovers; nothing to walk to.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the rental car return? | Where is the rental car return? |
| A table for two, please | A table for two, please |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| How far is Palo Duro Canyon? | How far is Palo Duro Canyon? |
| Is there a fee to park here? | Is there a fee to park here? |
| Thank you | Thank you |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Summer afternoons hit 35°C+; hike Palo Duro before 10:00 or after 17:00 and carry more water than you think you need.
- Spring brings hail, high wind and tornado watches; check the forecast before a canyon day.
- Distances are deceptive — Palo Duro's gate is 27 miles from downtown, so budget an hour each way with stops.
- Some Route 66 roadside stops and small museums keep short or seasonal hours: check before driving out.
Amarillo is a normal mid-size US city: violent crime concentrates in a few pockets, so stay downtown or on the I-40 west motel strip and lock the car. The bigger risks are heat, dehydration and long empty drives.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Amarillo yet. Suggested stay: 2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Cadillac Ranch
- Palo Duro Canyon gateway
- Route 66 and the Big Texan
- American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Amarillo City Transit: www.amarillo.gov/amarillo-city-transit/
- Wikivoyage: Amarillo, revision 5241653 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5241653
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Amarillo
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No consulates in Amarillo; nearest consulates-general are in Dallas, Houston and Denver — check your country's list.
Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% for taxis and rideshares.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/amarillo). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.