Lubbock Is Full Of Great Surprises

By Kathy Condon Freelance Travel Writer

“When I received an intriguing email from a Public Relations firm extending an invitation to come to Lubbock, Texas, I immediately thought, “Great, a community I know nothing about.”

Where is Lubbock?

It is located approximately 350 miles West of Dallas in the Texas Panhandle. The countryside nearby is flat and is actually at 3500 ft elevation. Upon checking, I learned Lubbock is far from a sleepy town, for it is home to Texas Tech University, with nearly 41,000 students, making it the 6th largest University in Texas.

Once I started working on airline reservations, I learned it is a community easy to access. I flew from Palm Springs International Airport to Dallas and then transferred to Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport for a short, over-anhour flight to Lubbock.

Cotton Court Hotel

In 1979, three large tornadoes came together and devastated downtown Lubbock. This horrific storm resulted in businesses and residents recreating their lives on the city’s perimeter. Thus, several hotels, including name brands like LaQuinta Inn, Red Roof Inns, and Extended Stay, were built to accommodate visitors.

However, the Cotton Court Hotel now stands proudly in the center of Downtown Lubbock. Cotton Court Hotel exudes its namesake, cotton.

From the cotton-themed décor in the lobby and cotton products in the gift shop to the spray of a dried cotton plant hung on one wall of my room. I noted the shower curtain and even the Kleenex box were woven from cotton.

My second-floor balcony room had the southern feel the minute I approached it, for by the door was a delightful red rocking chair. Sitting in the chair at night, I could view the large courtyard with a large, heated year-round pool, firepits, and comfy lounge sofas, creating the perfect atmosphere to relax at the end of a busy day.

Wineries in Texas?

Over the three days, I had the opportunity to visit three wineries located on the 290 Wine Trail, which includes 60 wineries. Yes, I know it is surpris-ing that there are so many wineries, but the elevation of 3500 ft provides the perfect environment for grapes, including Sangiovese, Malbec, and Tempranillo.

English Newsom Cellars is a picturesque venue about 10 miles from downtown Lubbock on 140 acres on the Wine Trail. It is considered a premier facility in the area and named one of the top 20 wineries in Texas.

McPherson Cellars

McPherson Cellars is housed in a former Coca-Cola Bottling plant. You quickly recognized the signature design and familiar red facade as you approached the building. The casual seating provides an inviting place to meet your friends while tasting their small-batch wines. They were among the first to grow Sangiovese in Texas and won over 600 medals in state, national, and international wine competitions.

Llano Estacado Winery

Llano Estacado is the largest and best-selling premium winery in Texas. It is located 11 miles from Lubbock and surrounded by cotton fields. The dog-friendly tasting room is a comfy place to relax and taste outstanding wines. It differentiates itself from other Texas wineries by producing white, red, sweet, and dry wines.

Buddy Holly Center

Buddy Holly grew up in Lubbock, Texas. Unfortunately, he was killed in a plane crash at the age of 26. The Buddy Holly Center has been created to honor Buddy and showcase his influence on music during his short life.

The Center has a number of individual showcases. One contains his leather-making tools and examples he created, a hobby he enjoyed. Another contains his guitars, and still another highlights his actual performance schedules. As you are about to exit, a showcase holds the black, broad-dark-rimmed signature glasses he was wearing when he was killed.

National Ranching Heritage Center

The National Ranching Heritage Center has 55 historic structures that served as welcoming shelters or homes for cowboys and ranchers. Moved from various locations throughout the state to these 19 acres, people can walk the paths and view how the structures evolved through time and the settling of the West.

The Welcome Center has outstanding exhibits to help educate people about the various aspects of ranching. Hundreds of schoolchildren come here to learn about a way of life that is still maintained today. The extensive gift shop has the book series Hank the Cow Dog, which is apparently a mustread for anyone growing up in Texas.

Art District and Art at Texas Tech

To help revitalize the downtown area, city officials have now embraced approximately a four-block area, making it an official art district. An artist, Charles Adams, donated funds to create the Charles Adams Project, which now houses, among other things, a printing studio, a clay studio, and a metal studio where artists can come and create.

Nearby is housing for the artists, where they can live and work among creatives to share ideas. The LHUCA non-profit provides space where the art is displayed and attracts buyers.

If you want to see large public art installations, head to the Texas Tech Campus, where approximately 100 large installations spread throughout the campus. The University is thriving, new buildings are being built, and the 1% rule for art is triggered, allowing for sizeable outstanding art to be incorporated into the design or grounds.

Pie for breakfast

Having worked in Texas years ago, I was prepared for dining and receiving large portions of food when dining. Nothing has changed— portions are still enormous.

When was the last time you were expected to eat pie for breakfast? I sat down, and six different kinds of pie were placed in the center of the table. Admittedly, I smiled when I saw the fluffy coconut cream pie near my seat. How did the universe know I love coconut cream pie? Let’s say I was not disappointed. This tradition started here because the pies are so good they sell out early in the day at the Cast Iron Grill.

Casual meals were at Evie Mae’s, Neighbor F&B, and Monomyth for a quick breakfast with fantastic quiche. West Table, an upscale restaurant with New American cuisine, provided an excellent opportunity to try familiar food with a global twist. La Dosa Cellars provided a fun atmosphere the first night, where we drank sangria and stuffed ourselves on their outstanding tapas.

The Nicolett

This elegant Nicolett restaurant downtown Lubbock was the final evening gathering place for the journalists, who readily admitted they were all surprised at what we learned about this city. Dining in a former greenhouse with vines creeping up the walls and the sun setting gracing its light through the glass panes seemed the perfect cocoon to share a fabulous meal and conversation.

Impression of Lubbock

After returning home, I went to the BNP Paribas Open in the stadium with 16,000 people. A conversation with the man sitting beside me revealed that he grew up in Lubbock and left right after graduating from high school.

After listening to me and everything I told him about Lubbock, he said, “You know what? It is the 50th-year reunion of my class. I wasn’t going to go, but after hearing what you saw and did, perhaps I will go.” There is no better way to sum up how people’s perception of Lubbock, Texas, is not an accurate image.

The next time you drive through the area, I urge you to make Lubbock, Texas, a stop on your itinerary. You are bound to be as happy as I am that I accepted the invitation to learn about this thriving city.