The city of Amarillo, about 330 miles (531km) northwest of Dallas-Fort Worth, is where the old West lives on in the commercial center of the Texas panhandle.
Amarillo started out in 1887 as a 'buffalo-hide tent camp' for railroad construction workers. Today, the town named for a nearby stream, the Arroya Amarillo, boasts a convention center, symphony, ballet, theater, opera and two higher education facilities, Amarillo College and Texas State Technical College.
Amarillo's fortunes have long rested on the horns of cattle ranching, but it has also become a popular stopover for tourists
keen to play cowboy or cowgirl, with numerous motels and restaurants having opened up in recent years. The town is located on the major Route 1-40 east-west highway, making it easily accessible for visitors and those who come for the famed frenetic Amarillo Livestock Auctions.
At first glance Amarillo may seem unprepossessing and have little to offer apart from cowboys and cattle, but it is worth digging below the dust of the high plains to discover its attractions.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
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The Columbus World Travel Guide has been published for 26 years and is sold in over 90 countries worldwide.
Word Travels is a comprehensive travel guide covering hundreds of cities and holiday resorts in more than 125 countries.
