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Location Overview |
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| AMARILLO --Situated in the part of Texas recognized as "the Panhandle," Amarillo is a primary commercial and agricultural hub for the wheat, helium and cattle industries. Livestock auctions, among the largest in the world, are held Mondays and Tuesdays at the Western Stockyards. If you're in Amarillo from June to mid-September, wake up to a "Cowboy Morning," which features breakfast on the open range, a wagon ride and a roping and branding demonstration (make reservations at the city visitor center). The Don Harrington Discovery Center is a 51-acre/21-hectare park with hands-on exhibits that explore natural phenomena, from the world below the surface of the sea to the farthest reaches of space. The Mr. Wizards in your group will also be astounded by the International Helium Centennial Time Columns Monument dedicated to the discovery of helium in 1868 (Amarillo has one of the largest helium plants in the world). And the American Quarter Horse Heritage Center and Museum, is an fascinating description of the horse's history. Wonderland Park is an Amarillo amusement park open during the summer; it's home to the Texas Tornado, which has been called the most exhilarating double-loop steel coaster in the U.S. While you're in the area, visit the Cadillac Ranch (a row of classic
cars buried trunk up in the dirt), the Amarillo Art Center and the Harrington House, the Llano Cemetery (notice its sculpture and the eternal flame that burns in its military burial grounds) or spend an evening at the Amarillo Little Theatre. A nearby attraction that will appeal to archaeology buffs is the Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument (38 mi/61 km northeast), site of prehistoric flint quarries where the first Texans made tools and weapons 12,000 years ago. Plan at least a day in Amarillo. |
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