Looking for any tips and tricks - mainly family things to do and maybe a good casual place to eat - meeting my inlaws and we will have our 2.5 yr old. We plan on dedicating most of one day to Palo Duro, so any tips for that is also appreciated. Have considered zoo, Discovery Center. TIA!

That age, Discovery Center would be good. The nearby Amarillo Botanic gardens are nice, though might not be much growing outside right now. The adults could go there while the kid and one parent go to the DC just across the parking lot. There's also a playground at the same place, and a pond with ducks to feed. Some nice walks around the ponds/creek there at the medical center.

Never been to the zoo, so no real advice there.

The aviation museum is just getting off the ground, a few nice exhibits, but not a lot, yet. Don't care about the Big Texan or Cadillac Ranch. Sixth Street/Old Route 66 is full of antique shops. Further afield, Square House Museum in Panhandle is good, Lake Meredith has some interesting scenery and hiking. Alibates Flint Quarries are interesting, but probably not for that age. Buffalo Lake NWR is interesting, but PD is obviously much more spectacular. Caprock Canyons is pretty much the same terrain as PD, but much less crowded. It also has free-roaming buffalo, but it's a long drive from Amarillo.

Palo Duro, he will love to throw rocks in the creek. I'd stop by the visitors' center for a literal overview of the park, and a few exhibits. Almost any trail would be great for you, just go a little out and back. and take water. It's usually hotter in the canyon than on top. Just be aware if you're on a bicycles-allowed trail, and keep him safe.

There are a few areas toward the end of the park road where people slide down the lower slopes of the canyon. I think they use cardboard to slide on.

There is a bird watching blind behind the park store, if he has the patience for that.

Check the park web site, there may be some ranger programs or guided hikes.

If you have time/the weather is bad, the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum is very good. The old cars, dinosaurs, and cowboy and Indian things might catch his interest, as well as the pioneer town. For the adults,
exhibits on the oil business, a large gun collection, and a special exhibit on WWI and the Panhandle.

If you're coming in on 287 from the SE, consider the Charles Goodnight home near Claude. If you are a Lonesome Dove fan, Goodnight was the real Woodrow Call.

Food, in Amarillo: Tyler's BBQ, BlueSky, Tacos Garcia, Coyote Bluff, Kabuki Romanza. In Canyon: Sayakomarn's, Pepitos, Fat Boys, Feldman's. For upscale in Canyon, Imperial Taproom, and we have a very popular coffee shop (Palace) that has won a few national awards.

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THANK YOU!

Depending on the little one. A trip to the drive in theater north of town on 287 might be an option also.

Coyote bluff. It's a dive but one of the best burgers anywhere
Tyler BBQ. Great.

Texas the play at the canyon

Was surprised to Google the Tascosa drive-in theater and find it is open already. However the Texas! musical drama doesn't open until June 2nd.

There is a music show on May 20th at the same amphitheater, with The Flying J Wranglers, whoever they are.

Just a note.

Really enjoy Coyote Bluff. The last time I was there, I think they only accept cash

This is about the only way for us to go see a movie with my youngest. He hates the loud theater setting. We can control the volume and he loves movies now.

jtp01 said:

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This is about the only way for us to go see a movie with my youngest. He hates the loud theater setting. We can control the volume and he loves movies now.

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I've lost a bit of hearing over the years, and the sound levels are usually too loud for me. Can't imagine how painful they are for a small child with good hearing.

The Panhandle Plains museum is a must, kinds LOVE Pioneer Town there. The zoo is very small, so just know that. At the Discovery Center, they just installed a new playground and your kid will be happy there for hours. It even has a mini zip line!

For a more "adult" meal, check out the Imperial Taproom in Canyon's downtown square. It opened a year ago and was named best new brewpub in Texas. Kid friendly at lunch, on some evenings they have live music and its rather loud, so I'd avoid a night like that with a toddler.

What's the pub like down from palace in canyon

That's the Imperial Taproom that Bluecat and I mentioned. It is pretty popular, definitely upscale. Sayakoman's is still my go-to favorite, but Imperial was very good, the one chance we've had to visit. I'm not into beer, but the folks that are, like it.

The kitchen is open for lunch and dinner, the brew pub part is open longer hours.

They are definitely trying to be innovative with the food choices there and not all of them are hits in my book, but it's nice to have an upscale place like it with some different items on the menu.

Agree, and good luck to them. The same people are opening two more eateries in the new shops on the south side of the square.

They plan to be lower cost options to attract WT students

I hope it works! I'd like to see Canyon be more of a college town rather than a town with a college.

I don't wish for a northgate or sixth street atmosphere, but it would be great if the students would spend more time staying around town and campus.

WT seems to have lost its sense of direction when legendary Coach Joe E. Kerbel left... and even moreso during also legendary Coach Gene Mayfield/s years as it only got worse as student enrollment declined - Until then it was in NCAA Div I and for many years in the same Border Intercollegiate Athletic Association conference with TTech, NM, NM State, AZ, AZ State, etc., - after 1984 it downsized to NCAA Div II.

Since becoming a part of the Texas A&M System in 1990, WT is regaining its original stature as the major university for the Panhandle plains area. And, along with the addition of the Nance Ranch (1970) to it's already superb College of Agriculture facilities, etc., is a fantastic location for the pipeline to the Texas A&M Vet School.

He is VERY sensitive to loud noises. Even the hand dryers at public restrooms are "too loud". So we just do the drive in where we can control the volume.

Last time we went to a theater, he fell asleep (his coping mechanism) and refused to go back. That is where we got the idea of the drive in.

I always liked Canyon growing up. I guess it was the museum and the PDCSP. We lived here for a few years, in the early 80s when we first got married, and moved permanently in '94.

The traffic has exploded, as have the number of neighborhoods all directions from the old city center. But with the growth that I dislike, lots of good changes too.

Lots of new restaurants, coffee houses, farmer's markets. As annoying as Wal-Mart is, two large grocery stores is a good thing. The 1909 Courthouse was rebuilt, with the annoying 1950s additions demolished. The square is coming back, both as a business hub, and a place to hang out.

WT has turned into a university rather than a commuter school. No longer is it a ghost town after Friday noon. Lots of new dorms and other great facilities, they've closed some streets off, otherwise landscaped. It's a much prettier campus.

Some good stuff happening.

I hope you'll come back and post about your trip!

Come back anytime!