For those of us who have grown up or lived in Amarillo for most of our lives, it's easy to take for granted some of the amazing things about our great little city. Sometimes it takes someone passing through to remind us that Amarillo is really an amazing place.

Beautiful Scenic Sunsets

When I look at the area surrounding Amarillo, I tend to see how flat it is and the lack of trees. Yes, it may be flat and there aren't many trees around here. But, that makes for some of the most amazing sunsets and sunrises in the country. There have been movies (Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade) filmed in our area specifically for that reason.

Palo Duro Canyon - US 2nd Largest Canyon

If you're from Amarillo, you've been to Palo Duro Canyon countless times in your life (probably). We drive through all of the water crossings and walk around the caves. But, do we really take the time to stop and look at the grand scale of the canyon. It's actually the second largest canyon in the United States. If you have never been down at the canyon at dusk, it's something that I think everyone should experience. The colors are completely different than during the day.

Local Lakes For Fishing & Visiting

We have multiple "lakes" located in the city limits. While they aren't the type of lakes where you can take your boat and ski all day, they are still really nice and loaded with fish. Regardless of what side of town you live, there is a serene body of water in the area. Southeast Lake is really a beautiful little lake and can almost make you forget you're in the city limits. The lake in the medial center (MediPark) is always a beautiful place to go for a walk or even spend a day fishing. Other lakes include Martin Road lake and McDonald Lake in John Stiff park.

Historic Route 66

Most of us have cruised down Route 66, or 6th street as we call it. We forget the history of the road and that it used to be the main way that people got from the central United States to the West. There are some amazing little shops and antique stores located along the Amarillo route 66. There are also some great clubs and eateries there as well.

The "Arts"

You might not think about it, but Amarillo is really big in the "Arts". We have a local symphony, theater, opera, and even a great museum in Canyon. The "arts" community rallies around anything that is brought to town, whether it is a new play, art gallery showcase, or symphony. And for the opera, Amarillo is the only city in the Texas Panhandle (and even further) that has an active opera following. So, these are some sophisticated outings that you might just want to take in the next time they are having performances.