Abilene to Amarillo drive: Best road trip stops, time & distance

The distance from Abilene to Amarillo by car is 286 miles, with a 4h6m driving time. The best road trip stops on the Abilene to Amarillo drive are the National WASP WWII Museum, Lubbock TX and the Mabee Regional Heritage Center.

Planning an Abilene to Amarillo road trip itinerary

The Abilene to Amarillo drive connects two of the larger regional cities in Texas.

The first port of call for many visitors in Abilene TX is Frontier Texas, a museum about life in the Old West. Unlike many dreary local history museums, Frontier Texas uses state of the art technology to be as interactive as possible, and the scope is much grander than the immediate local region.

The other really interesting attraction in Abilene TX is the National Center For Children’s Illustrated Literature, which collects the original artwork from beloved children’s books.

For Abilene accommodation deals, compare prices here.

Amarillo is a classic stop on Route 66. Highlights include Cadillac Ranch, an art installation featuring 10 brightly-painted Cadillacs buried nose-first in the ground. You’ll also find the Texas Air and Space Museum here, and the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame. For the great outdoors, Palo Duro Canyon State Park is just to the south-east of the city.

Interesting Amarillo activities include Route 66 walking tours and scavenger hunts.

For high quality Amarillo accommodation, try the historic Barfield or the spacious Embassy Suites Amarillo Downtown.

Abilene to Amarillo distance and driving time

By car, the distance from Abilene to Amarillo is 286 miles. You can expect a driving time of around four hours and six minutes. The quickest route goes along the US-84 and I-27.

The best stops to an Abilene to Amarillo road trip itinerary are the National WASP WWII Museum, Lubbock TX and the Mabee Regional Heritage Center.

For more suggestions, check out the guides to the Abilene to Lubbock drive and Lubbock to Amarillo drive.

Abilene to Amarillo road trip attractions: National WASP WWII Museum

The National WASP WWII Museum in Sweetwater TX takes a look at World War II from an unusual angle. This aviation museum celebrates the efforts and achievements of the Women Airforce Service Pilots. When qualifies pilots were in short supply after Pearl Harbor, these women took on the task of delivering planes to the training bases in the South. They also flight-tested repaired planes before they were returned to active service. 

The museum tells their story amid the planes on display.

Best stops between Abilene and Amarilllo: Lubbock TX

Lubbock is home to the Texas Tech University, which plays host to the National Ranching Heritage Center. This explains the history and culture of ranching across Texas and further afield.

There’s also the Museum of Texas Tech University, which has dinosaurs and a planetarium. Perhaps the most interesting attraction, though, is the Buddy Holly Center, which celebrates the local boy music star who died tragically early.

For something a little cuter, you can visit the prairie dogs at Prairie Dog Town Park.

Good Lubbock accommodation options include the good value La Quinta and the personality-packed Cotton Court Hotel.

Abilene to Amarillo drive: Mabee Regional Heritage Center

The Mabee Regional Heritage Center in Plainview TX plays host to three museums. The Flying Queens Museum is about a college basketball team that entered the Basketball Hall of Fame for a 133 game winning streak. The Jimmy Dean Museum looks at a local musician, entertainer and pig farmer. And the Museum of the Llano Estacado looks at the history of the Southern High Plains region.

Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas.
Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas. Photo by Andy Staver/ Unsplash.

More Abilene TX road trips

Abilene to Austin | Abilene TX to Dallas | Abilene to El Paso | Abilene to Fort Worth | Abilene to Houston | Abilene to Lubbock | Abilene TX to Midland TX | Abilene TX to Odessa TX | Abilene to San Angelo | Abilene to San Antonio.

More Amarillo road trips

Amarillo to Albuquerque | Amarillo to Austin | Amarillo to Colorado Springs | Dallas to Amarillo | Amarillo to Denver | Amarillo to El Paso | Amarillo to Flagstaff | Fort Worth to Amarillo | Houston to Amarillo | Lubbock to Amarillo | Amarillo to Oklahoma City | Amarillo to San Antonio | Amarillo to Santa Fe | Santa Rosa NM to Amarillo | Tucumcari to Amarillo | Tulsa to Amarillo.