Centered on Lubbock and Amarillo, the windswept high plains of the Texas Panhandle are full of surprises and just the kind of roadside attractions that make road-tripping fun. There is no kitschy Americana that better symbolizes the joy of getting one's kicks on Route 66 - which snaked right through Amarillo in its heyday - than Cadillac Ranch, the inspired public art that consists of 10 graffiti-clad Cadillacs buried in the earth at the angle of the Cheops Pyramid in Egypt. Amarillo embraces its longtime status as a stopover town for tourists, and has plenty in the way of lodging and dining. To the south, Canyon is the home of West Texas A&M University and the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, one of the state's best. Canyon is named for the dramatic Palo Duro Canyon, located east of town, which is the country's second largest canyon. Lubbock, home of Texas Tech University, is a fun college town with an impressive musical heritage: This is the birthplace of rock-and-roll legend Buddy Holly and the site of his grave. Lubbock's rockabilly and country roots are still apparent on stages at nightclubs all over town.
- Eric Peterson for Triporati
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