From Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport in Lubbock, you are never far from the action, with canyons, wineries, and wide-open West Texas within easy reach. Lubbock is the hub of the South Plains, a college town built around Texas Tech, Buddy Holly, and big skies that turn orange at sunset. It is friendly, unpretentious, and easier to get around than almost any city its size.

Standout experiences around Lubbock: - Visit the Buddy Holly Center and the statue on the West Texas Walk of Fame - Explore the National Ranching Heritage Center, with dozens of relocated frontier buildings - Wander the Depot Entertainment District for live music and Texas Tech game-day energy - Taste wines at Llano Estacado and McPherson Cellars, pioneers of the Texas High Plains - Watch the prairie dogs at Prairie Dog Town in Mackenzie Park - Tour the Silent Wings Museum, dedicated to World War II glider pilots - See 12,000 years of history at Lubbock Lake Landmark, an active archaeological site - Climb through the American Windmill Museum, the largest of its kind - Hike or bike Caprock Canyons State Park and see the Texas state bison herd - Take a day trip to Palo Duro Canyon, the second largest canyon in the country

Lubbock sits in the middle of the region that grows most of the grapes used in Texas wine, something few visitors expect. Canyon country breaks up the flat farmland to the east and north, with Caprock Canyons about an hour and 45 minutes away and Palo Duro a bit farther. Spring and fall bring the most comfortable weather, and a Red Raiders home game adds a whole different energy to town.