287 from Dallas to Amarillo (Mesquite, Wichita Falls: places, top, towns)

[GayleTX]

I like that drive......you can see the 'real' Texas traveling that way....and it's a good road.

We recently stayed at the new Best Western in Quanah on 287.......it is a very nice place (rivaled many of the nice conference hotels I've stayed in) and the desk staff was very accomodating for some special needs we had. The museum there in the old RR depot is interesting, and there is a restaurant in the Casa Royale motel down the road from the Best West that looks a little seedy but the food there was wonderful (we had a party of about 6 that night - everyone had something different and it was all above average). When you go thru Claude, there is a little hamburger place called Mighty's that has great burgers and limeades - we time our trips to always stop there!!

When you get to Amarillo, you might want to allow an extra half day to visit the Palo Duro Canyon south of town.....second in size only to the Grand Canyon.

Enjoy your travels.......

[Tumble-weed]

Great roadtrip - classic Texas. You can fly. I've made it in less than five hours. Slow down in Estelline, otherwise set your cruise at 79.

[catman]

287 is a good road. I prefer all the older highways; they are much more interesting than the interstates, which are generic and only useful if you've just got to make time. And there isn't one that duplicates 287. You can can get much more of a feeling for the real country on the federal & state highways (and FM roads, etc.!).

[caendaniels]

As bad as Texas Police can be Okalahoma cops are worse. If you want to drive faster than the speed limit on 287, wait for the guy going 79 and stay 150-200 yards behind him. Watch for break lights.

[catman]

And watch your rear view mirror very carefully, if you're going to be a 'back door'.

I think you're probably right about Oklahoma cops. OK is the first state where I saw a big "NO TOLERANCE" biilboard, just as I crossed the state line. Don't you Texans be going 56 in our 55s!

[Ciszewski93]

I've heard rumors of that part of the highway going to be turned into an interstate sooner or later, which is really bad for those small towns along the way. There'll be like absollutely no tourists or visitors going thru those towns and will be abandoned cause of no major type of income.

[catman]

I wouldn't worry about it too much. (Re: 'rumors', 'sooner or later'.) And those towns aren't very touristy. They serve other purposes. Some of them are county seats.

[hardgrader]

Just drove 287 from Dallas to Amarillo. Prior posts are generally accurate. Catfish O'Harlie's was good for lunch, and sure enough someone was getting a ticket in Estelline.

[TXNGL]

Originally Posted by hardgrader

Just drove 287 from Dallas to Amarillo. Prior posts are generally accurate. Catfish O'Harlie's was good for lunch, and sure enough someone was getting a ticket in Estelline.

Old post but we just did 287 to and from Amarillo last week and also saw people getting tickets in the small towns. Stopped in Clarendon to see the restored Donley County courthouse.

[dpitre63]

I really hate to spend money in towns that are notorious speed traps.