Once a famous ranching center, now a major city, Lubbock is still home to some of Texas' large ranches. For those interested in the bigger ranching past, though, the Ranching Heritage Center has numerous ranching structures to explore, including a log cabin, horse barn and ranch house. Lubbock is also a lively college town, home to Texas Tech University, the largest university in West Texas. Local vintners produce award-winning wines and offer tours and tastings daily. Additionally, and perhaps most remarkably, Lubbock is one of the largest cotton-growing regions on earth.
Lubbock has been the home of several well-known musicians, including the legendary Buddy Holly. The Buddy Holly Gallery and the Texas Musicians Hall of Fame are located in The Buddy Holly Center. Other worthy museums are the American Wind Power Museum with its rare and carefully restored windmills, and the Silent Wings Museum, which celebrates the glider pilots of World War II.
The natural beauty of canyons and lakes are readily enjoyed throughout the area. Lubbock Lake Landmark is famous for yielding vast archaeological evidence of South Plains cultures over the past 12,000 years. Guided and self-guided tours are available along the site, which is also a popular birding and wildlife-viewing attraction. Sixty-five miles southeast of Lubbock is another lake, Lake Alan Henry, with premier bass fishing, rugged hiking trails and hunting.
At Caprock Canyons State Park, beautiful views abound along the many miles of hiking trails. Some trails allow horses, and a small lake offers fishing and boating. The Mackenzie Park, as well as being home to that Wind Power Museum, has a flying disk golf course, a more traditional golf course, and its own prairie dog town. Horseback riders will find trails here.
Lubbock is in the South Plains of northwest Texas. It is known as the "Hub City" because so many highways meet here: I-27 from the north, US 82 through the east/west, US 84 through the southeast/northwest, US 62 from the southwest, and US 87 from the south. Loop 289 circles the city.
