The stars at night, are big and bright… That's the first line to a famous song about Texas, and it's especially true about the Panhandle Plains. With its wide-open spaces and rolling plains, this region boasts some of the clearest and brightest star-filled evening skies you'll find anywhere in the Lone Star State.
However, that's just the beginning of the many wonders you'll find here. There is rugged beauty all around you, from the vast expanses of fertile farmland to the water-carved canyons. Scenic lakes are plentiful, too.
This region's northern edge begins at the Texas-Oklahoma border and stretches south to San Angelo. Travel west and you can step over into New Mexico, while Wichita Falls and Brownwood are anchor cities along the eastern rim.
The northern part of the region is dominated by Amarillo and its spectacular sights. Visitors hoping to find some nostalgia can find a piece of Americana along Route 66. Just to the south lies one of the state's most beautiful natural attractions, Palo Duro Canyon State Park in Canyon. One of the largest state parks in Texas, it features more than 18,000 acres of majestic scenery, including walls that plunge nearly 1,000 feet to the canyon floor.
Head further south and you'll find Lubbock, which boasts many attractions of its own. Buddy Holly, native son and rock 'n' roll pioneer, is honored with the Buddy Holly Center, while the city pays tribute to its settlers at the American Wind Power Museum. The Silent Wings Museum details the history of the World War II military glider program, and wine connoisseurs can visit the city's three wineries and sample some of the state's best vintages.
To the southeast lies Abilene, definitely a must-see city. The Abilene Zoo is one of the five largest zoos in Texas, and nearby Abilene State Park features 621 acres of pecan tree-shaded beauty that was once a popular campground for Comanche Indians. A piece of Texas history can be found at Fort Phantom Hill, and Frontier Texas! gives visitors an opportunity to experience life as an early settler on the Texas plains in this spectacular multi-million dollar interactive attraction. Buffalo Gap, just a few miles south of Abilene, consists of 15 structures that detail life on the Texas frontier from the late 1880s to the early 1920s.
You'll also find attractions in the dozens of smaller communities that dominate this region. Towns like Eden, Stamford, Tuscola, Albany, Cross Plains, Sweetwater, Post, Hale Center, Plainview and many more offer adventures that capture the imagination, feed the soul and entertain young and old alike.
But, this information just scratches the surface of all of the opportunities for fun you'll find in this region. Please read through each city's listing in the following pages and learn about the journeys that await you. So saddle up, pardner, and ride into the wonder of the Panhandle Plains region!