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Lubbock, TX 79401
hello@marketlubbock.org
1-800-692-4035
www.visitlubbock.org
Whole Lotta Lubbock, Whole Lotta Family Fun
It’s that time of year again. The family is ready for a weekend getaway and it’s up to you to decide where.
That brings us to Lubbock, Texas, known around the world as the hometown of Buddy Holly, but so much more than that. There’s enough—and then some—to make the whole family happy. But let’s start with you. Instead of going through the headache of making your own itinerary, here are a few ideas to get it started.
Buddy Holly Center
You simply can’t plan a trip to Lubbock without stopping by the Buddy Holly Center. Rest assured, this is no boring museum of times gone by; this is a colorful, eccentric rock ‘n’ roll shrine.
What to See at the Buddy Holly Center
Before you ever step inside the museum, you’ll spot two inspiring dedications to Buddy Holly: the lifelike statue of Holly wielding his trademark Fender Stratocaster and the oversized sculpture of his iconic horn-rimmed glasses. If you can walk past these without taking a picture, we commend your self-control but lament your missed opportunity.
Inside the guitar-shaped gallery, you’ll find something even better than the bronze Stratocaster outside: Holly’s real Stratocaster that he played at his last concert. In keeping with the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, you can even see Holly’s 1958 Ariel Cyclone motorcycle, which was at one time owned by Waylon Jennings. We could go on and on, but perhaps the most poignant item in the museum is Holly’s actual glasses, recovered from the site of the fateful plane crash in 1959.
What Can Kids Do at the Buddy Holly Center?
The Buddy Holly Center isn’t just silent hallways of text and artifacts, but filled with interactive experiences with Holly’s music. They’ll also be able to see Holly’s childhood artifacts (school assignments, report cards, a slingshot), which gives kids something to relate to—something that shows that this world-renowned hometown hero started out as a kid like them. It drives home what they, in turn, may be capable of.
If you want to time your visit for maximum family fun, the Buddy Holly Center puts on a variety of events throughout the year. All of these events have activities specifically for the kiddos, so if you’re traveling with a small army, it’s worth checking out the center’s event calendar for what’s on the horizon.
Caprock Canyons State Park & Trailway
The word “adventure” gets thrown around a lot, but when it comes to Caprock Canyons State Park & Trailway, that’s what a real adventure looks like.
What to See at Caprock Canyons State Park & Trailway
With 17,500 acres to explore, there’s a lot to see at Caprock Canyons, like the 90 miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding against the backdrop of far-reaching vistas. This is the best way to admire the startling red rock canyons.
Whereas some of us visit Caprock Canyons, others have made it their home. By “others,” we’re referring to the Official Texas State Bison Herd, who do indeed make their home where the buffalo roam. Of all the natural wonders of the park, it’s the regal buffalo—majestically grazing, majestically blocking traffic—that visitors come away thinking about the most.
What Can Kids Do at Caprock Canyons State Park & Trailway?
Kids will, no doubt, have a thrill seeing the buffalo in a non-zoo environment. It’s important to remember there’s a 50-yard safety rule, so it’s a great opportunity to teach the kids how to respect the boundaries of nature.
The buffalo aren’t the only creatures to list their residential address as Caprock Canyons State Park. You have to take the kids over to Clarity Tunnel between April and October. During this period, just as dusk starts to fall, a massive colony of Mexican free-tailed bats pours out of an old railroad tunnel like a gust of black wind. If that doesn’t get them to look up from their phones, nothing will.
Prairie Dog Town at Mackenzie Park
When you’re looking for things to do with the family, you’re looking for things you can’t do anywhere else. Might we introduce you to Prairie Dog Town? It’s exactly what it sounds like: a habitat in Mackenzie Park where black-tailed prairie dogs have set up a full-blown civilization.
What to See at Prairie Dog Town
Prairie Dog Town has been a boomtown since the late 1930s, when a local man named K.N. Clapp relocated a pair of prairie dogs to Mackenzie Park. Nearly a century later, the colony is still going strong. They pop in and out of their burrows and chirp at each other like tiny, furry crossing guards.
What Can Kids Do at Prairie Dog Town?
Watch. Point. Giggle. Squeal. Attempt to give them all silly names. Prairie Dog Town is one of those places where kids don't need a structured activity; they just need to be pointed in the right direction. The prairie dogs are social, expressive, and endlessly watchable. For younger kids especially, this is a core memory in the making. And because it's inside Mackenzie Park, there's a playground and open space to burn off whatever energy watching the prairie dogs didn't.
Better yet, the experience is free, it takes about thirty minutes, and your kids will talk about it for the next six months. Get ready to field months of requests to buy a prairie dog for the backyard.
Cook’s Garage
Sometimes, nothing pairs better with a burger than a thick slice of Americana. Only the wide-open plains of Texas are big enough for a place with this much personality. Where else couldyou find a place where your kids can wander around staring at vintage cars and neon signs while you sit back with a cold drink and live music? Someone built it. It's in Lubbock.
What to See at Cook's Garage
Cook's Garage is part restaurant, part car museum, and part live music venue. The space is filled with classic and vintage automobiles, retro signage, and enough neon to light up a small street. The food tastes great, the drinks are cold, and you’ll never run out of things to marvel at.
Before you even get in the restaurant, you’ll find classic signs lining the parking lot—those tall beacons for the road warriors of yesteryear: Goodyear, Zephyr, Lion, and more. As you get closer to the restaurant, you’ll find some old warhorses parked underneath the awning. It’s all a reminder that they just don’t make them like they used to, unless it’s Cook’s Garage.
What Can Kids Do at Cook's Garage?
At Cook’s Garage, the car collection alone will keep them occupied while you eat as many of the kids' fries as you can. Even if the kids aren’t into cars, it’s impossible not to be drawn to the sheer visual overload of the place.
Lubbock: You Love to See It
Lubbock has a certain way about it, that’s to be sure. Between the rock 'n' roll history, the canyon full of bison just a short drive away, the prairie dog community, and a restaurant where the décor is a classic car collection, there's enough to fill a long weekend without ever wondering what to do next. Everybody wins in Lubbock.
Ready to make the trip? Check out the best hotels in the area right here.
About the Author: Hunter Lanier is the head writer and content specialist for Tour Texas. When he isn’t writing about the many great places in the state of Texas, he's reviewing upcoming films on his YouTube channel, Feature Underground.
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