Tourist Traps Of Amarillo

Every city has its tourist trap, and Amarillo is actually known for a few of them. Two of them are considered huge tourist traps, and I'd have to say I agree with that. One of them will cost you some dough, while the other one won't.

So before we start diving into this, let's determine what exactly a tourist trap is.

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A tourist trap isn't just something that people say you HAVE to see. For example, many would consider the world-famous Cadillac Ranch to be a "tourist trap". However, all that will cost you is a can of spray paint or two. That's not the definition of a tourist trap.

It's more commonly something that will cost you a fair amount of money, yet when it's all said and done, you don't feel like you got out of it what you paid into it.

Many people in Amarillo will tell you that the biggest tourist trap in the city is The Big Texan. It fits a lot of the criteria for sure. Something that is known for the most part across the country for their "free 72oz steak", even though you find out once you get there what exactly you have to do in order to get it.

It's a huge place that has a gift shop, it's own brewery, the outdoor seating area with the giant chair, and of course, some not so cheap food. Yes, those are all the ingredients for a tourist trap. It's not a bad thing, it just is what it is.

So the bigger question is this. What is the SECOND biggest tourist trap in the city? I saw Wonderland mentioned several times, and HODGETOWN actually even got a mention or two. I mean, baseball games are expensive by nature these days, and I don't know of any amusement park that costs less than $50 per person to get into.

Remember the criteria though. Are you getting out of it what you put into it financially? I'd love to hear if you agree with either of those, or if you have something else in mind that can be considered a tourist trap in Amarillo.