Flatness as far as you can see -- this is the view driving into Lubbock. This West Texas city below the Panhandle is surrounded by farmland. Cotton may still be king around these parts, but Lubbock isn't populated by farmhands. This surprisingly vibrant city in the middle of the Plains has a major university -- Texas Tech -- and a rich musical legacy. Lubbock may be off the tourist radar, but it's not lacking for things to do. At least not for West Texas.
Family Fun
- If you're traveling with family in tow, you'll want to visit Mackenzie Park and its attractions. Lubbock's major public park is home to Joyland Amusement Park, open from March through September. The amusement park features plenty of thrill rides, including a roller coaster and log flume, as well as kiddie rides and carnival games. Also in the park, Prairie Dog Town is a zoo-like attraction showcasing one animal, the prairie dog, a cute burrowing rodent with a call similar to a dog's bark. Mackenzie Park also contains a disc golf course, equestrian trails, picnic areas and a large playground.
After Dark
- For nightlife head to the Depot District downtown. This entertainment district is the center of Lubbock's after-dark scene with its many pubs, restaurants and nightclubs. Live music is common in many establishments, heavy on Texas-flavored country and rock. You may spot some urban cowboys, but you don't need a cowboy hat to fit in. This revitalized old railroad district is a place where you can find upscale dining options, then duck into a honky-tonk afterward for a different kind of local flavor on the dance floor.
Must-Do for Music Fans
- Rock 'n' roll legend Buddy Holly hailed from Lubbock. The city pays homage to its favorite son at the Buddy Holly Center in the Depot Entertainment District. The center features permanent and rotating exhibits related to the singer and programs promoting the music and musicians of the region. Across the street from the center, inside the Buddy and Maria Elena Holly Plaza, stands a larger-than-life statue of Holly. The statue is the centerpiece of the West Texas Walk of Fame, where other notable musicians from the area are lauded, including Waylon Jennings. Pay your respects at Holly's gravesite inside Lubbock Cemetery -- that's not a misspelling on the headstone; Holly's actual surname was Holley.
Museums -- Texas Style
- Lubbock has an art museum and science center like most cities its size, but two of its more fascinating museums are devoted to more Texas-centric subjects: ranching and windmills. The National Ranching Heritage Center covers the history of North American ranching in a historic park and museum with restored buildings and farming implements dating as far back as the 1700s. The American Wind Power Center is a surreal-looking 28-acre site filled with vintage windmills and a few modern ones. The enclosed portion of the museum contains, you guessed it, smaller windmills and windmill-related artifacts.
