Amarillo itinerary scene

Weekend itinerary

Route 66 Friday, Palo Duro Saturday

Check in near Amarillo, spend Saturday morning in Palo Duro Canyon, and save Sunday for Cadillac Ranch or Sixth Avenue before the drive home.

By Cal Mercer — a Second Star Guide itinerary

Sixth Avenue neon and a Palo Duro Canyon morning divide an Amarillo weekend between city streets and the canyon south of town.

Best length

2 nights

Two nights separate the long canyon day from Route 66 neon and a Sunday museum or roadside stop without rushing the Lighthouse Trail turnaround.

Stay

Hyatt Place Amarillo West

West Amarillo select-service hotel with parking and I-40 access, convenient for Cadillac Ranch and westbound…

Main activity

Palo Duro Canyon

Palo Duro Canyon is the long Saturday block; Route 66 neon and Cadillac Ranch fill the city hours before and after it.

Trip shape

One canyon day and one city day

Saturday belongs below the Palo Duro rim; Sunday is for Cadillac Ranch, Sixth Avenue, or the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in nearby Canyon—not all three if checkout is tight.

Friday

Check in downtown and catch Route 66 after dark.

Drop bags at The Barfield or another Polk Street hotel, fill water bottles for tomorrow, and walk Sixth Avenue for neon and an easy first dinner—or save Cadillac Ranch for a quick westbound stop if arrival lands before sunset.

4:00 PM

Saturday

Drive south early for Palo Duro Canyon.

Eat in Amarillo, pack sun layers and more water than the trail map suggests, then take I-27 toward Canyon. Choose the Lighthouse Trail only when alerts allow an early finish; otherwise stay on the scenic drive and overlooks.

2:30 PM

Afternoon

Return to Amarillo for showers and dinner.

The canyon day ends with a northbound drive back to town. Save the Big Texan spectacle for Saturday night when I-40 neon fits the mood, or choose a quieter Polk Street room when tired legs want a shorter walk.

Sunday

Cadillac Ranch, barbecue, or the museum in Canyon.

Tyler's Barbeque opens on select weekdays and Saturdays—verify hours before building Sunday around it. Cadillac Ranch is a fast westbound stop; the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum rewards a separate half-day in Canyon.