When I was a kid, one of our favorite things to do in Lubbock was watch for dirt devils, those little whirlwinds that form over farm land and are visible from the highway. Today, Hub City has grown into a destination for tourist; from football fans to see The Big 12’s Texas Tech Red Raiders games to music and art lovers and outdoor enthusiast! Lubbock offers some fun opportunities to get outside and explore the South Plains with the whole family, as well as fun museums and entertainment centers!
1. Buffalo Springs Lake Great hiking trails, ATV trails, camping, a swim beach and water sports! You can bring your own boat or rent a boat, kayak, SUP paddleboard or jet ski!
2. Lubbock Lake National Historic Landmark Site of some of the longest-occupied prehistoric human camps with on-going research. Over 4 miles of hiking trails, with an interpretive center, and a prairie dog town.
3. The Science Spectrum and Omni Theater The Science Spectrum is a STEM and Children’s Museum, with hands-on, interactive exhibits for all visitors!
4. Prairie Dog Town Who doesn’t love a cute little animal? Prairie Dog Town has an observation area where you can watch these wild prairie dogs (and some adorable burrowing owls) as they run, bark and play at their home in McKenzie Park! It’s also the home of Prairie Dog Pete, Texas’ version of Punxsutawney Phil, the groundhog in Pennsylvania. Each February 2nd, Prairie Dog Pete also emerges from his burrow to forecast the coming Spring!
5. Stars and Stripes Drive In You know we love a Drive In movie! The Stars and Stripes offers first-run movies under the stars each weekend!
6. Joyland Amusement Park A family-owned amusement park with fun entertainment for the entire family! The park is open seasonally, March through Labor Day.
7. Adventure Park Take the adventure outside or in at Adventure Park, with ziplines, 360° bumper cars, bumper boats, casino nights and go carts!
8. Paddleboarding with SUPLBK Explore Dunbar Historic Lake on a paddleboard!
9. The Buddy Holly Center The Museum offers a look inside the life and art of Buddy Holly. Across the street is the Buddy Holly Memorial and the McCartney Oak, a tree planted to commemorate the concert Paul McCartney played In Lubbock in 2014. Like Lubbock, it’s random on the surface. But Holly was one of the inspirations for McCartney and The Beatles.
10. Llano Estacado Winery Tour One of the best known of the West Texas Wineries, Llano Estacado offers tours of their facilities 6 days a week, plus some fun special events!
11. At’l Do Farms Corn Maze Each Autumn, this Lubbock Farm offers one of the biggest and best farm mazes in the state!
12. Lubbock Water Rampage Local waterpark with all the expected, wave pool, lazy river, tube rides and much more!
Baker’s Dozen. National Ranching Heritage Center The National Ranching Heritage Center is a museum and outdoor park with 50 historic structures dating back to the 1700’s. In addition to the 19-acre historical park, the NRHC has 42 life-size bronze outdoor art pieces and a 44,000-square-foot museum with seven galleries featuring art exhibits, photography and artifacts that capture historical and contemporary Western life. The NRHC is open 10am to 5pm M-S and 1pm to 5pm Sunday. The historical park closes daily at 4pm.
Other fun things to see…
Head out to take a peek at the Steel House in Ransom Canyon!
Check out the Mount Blanco Fossil and Creationist Museum!
Spanky’s, across from Tech University, has the best fried cheese. I love their burgers and onion rings, but the fried cheese is my favorite.
He-Brews Coffee, 2700 Marshall. I’m not a coffee drinker, but this cozy coffee shop on Buddy Holly Lake is always a must for me. The patio offers great view of the lake, and the prairie dog town. You can also rent kayaks and paddle boards.
Keep Having Fun in the Texas Sun!
Michelle
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