When Sharon Danitschek, president of the Military Reunion Network and producer of the annual Military Reunion Network Educational Summit, announced that the 2025 event would take place in Lubbock, Texas, people were excited, she said, “but at the same time [they were wondering], ‘What’s in Lubbock?’
“By the end of the summit, they were [saying], ‘Oh my gosh, I had no idea,’” Danitschek said.
The Texas Panhandle destination offers a unique selection of offsite venues and options for groups that go beyond traditional meeting spaces and allow for thinking outside of the box.
That venue diversity, seen firsthand by Danitschek during a 2018 fam visit to the destination, was the key reason she chose the city for the summit.
While changing trends in transportation from car to air travel have shifted the focus from smaller cities like Lubbock and Amarillo in West Texas to major hubs like the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, groups who are curious about the cultural, technological and agricultural aspects that forged the U.S. will be especially intrigued by the region’s unique heritage.
“I like to move around the country to give veterans who have volunteered to plan their reunions a taste of the different attractions that are options and have potential for their reunions,” Danitschek said. “That’s the fun of moving these conferences around. You’re exposing people to such phenomenal attractions.”
From the National Ranching Heritage Center, which Danitschek described as “incredibly fascinating and an amazing representation of our American history,” to the FiberMax Center for Discovery, the American Windmill Museum, the Silent Wings Museum and the Buddy Holly Center, the Texas Panhandle is a culturally rich destination for groups to explore.
[Related: How to Experience the Heritage and Culture of Central/West Texas During Events]
Perks of the Panhandle
“We are fortunate in Lubbock to have several pillars in our economy,” said Amy Zientek, director of community development and market Intelligence, Visit Lubbock. “When one of those pillars hits a rough spot, the others are either steady or they slightly increase. We don’t typically have the high-highs but, on the flip side, we don’t get the low-lows.”
Most business in Lubbock derives from Texas Tech University (TTU) and sports tournaments, but in April, the city hosted two days of George Strait concerts that were citywide. Occupancy is high during TTU’s May graduations but can fluctuate throughout the year.
The 2025 Military Reunion Network Educational Summit was headquartered at the 297-room MCM Elegante Hotel & Suites, one of several full-service properties in Lubbock, which has 59 hotels and nearly 100 short-term rentals, according to Expedia.
Other full-service properties include the Overton Hotel and Conference Center, the DoubleTree by Hilton Lubbock University Area and the Cotton Court, Valencia Hotel, which features live entertainment. A new 96-room Fairfield Inn & Suites Lubbock is expected to open this month, bringing locally based TAJ Hospitality’s chain of limited-service hotels to 13.
In Amarillo, a stop on the Route 66 Centennial trail, recent properties include the boutique 112-room Barfield, Autograph Collection, which opened in 2021 and is located in the city’s first “skyscraper,” the circa-1926 Barfield Building, which tops out at 10 stories. (Viewers of Yellowstone may have caught a glimpse of it during the show’s previous season.) It is one of Amarillo’s nearly 80 hotel properties and one of eight with restaurant amenities.
In June, the Everhome Suites Amarillo will open with 114 rooms. In addition, the historic Herring Hotel is being revamped and is expected to open in 2029 with 226 rooms and 20 suites, a rooftop bar, lounge and meeting space.
With Amarillo boasting stellar roadside attractions, visitors like to see as much as they can of the destination. When it comes to groups, this curiosity has changed how some programs are run.
“We’re seeing more breakouts [utilizing] multiple meeting spaces, more like activations or small educational outings and mobile workshops,” said Amy Tarr, director of sales, Amarillo CVB.
When in the Panhandle, visitors are also encouraged to step out of town to admire the beautiful landscapes of Caprock Canyons and Palo Duro state parks, as well as Lake Alan Henry and Lake Meredith.
For wine enthusiasts, Lubbock offers a slew of vineyards (in case you’re not around for the Texas Wine Hops and Shops Festival that takes place in March). These regional attractions are great opportunities for day trips and “bleisure” activities.
[Related: 5 Texas Museums With Inspiring Event Spaces]
New Competition for Hotel Occupancy
With separate AI facilities proposed for both Lubbock and Amarillo, change is coming to West Texas. Of these, plans for Amarillo’s Project Matador, a nearly 6,000-acre, private energy campus, are the most advanced. Co-founded by former U.S. Energy Secretary and Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Toby Neugebauer, CEO of Fermi America, Project Matador will feature wind turbines, natural gas and solar power for a 15-year period, until the project’s nuclear reactor comes online. Construction of a nuclear plant is expected to begin in 2027, with up to 14,500 temporary construction workers anticipated at peak.
“[Amarillo hotel inventory is] in a bit of a ‘storm’ right now, with the uptick in AI data center builds and incoming crews,” Tarr noted.
Lubbock, approximately 150 miles south of Amarillo, anticipates a slight impact, but “we don’t feel it will change the landscape,” Zientek said. “We have significantly more hotel rooms and short-term rentals than the majority of other West Texas cities and are hopeful we can absorb the increased demand.”
Get Your Kicks on Amarillo’s 66
This year marks the centennial of Route 66, the iconic highway connecting Chicago with Santa Monica, California, and many destinations in between. Even in this day of air travel, the “Mother Road” (as John Steinbeck called it) still inspires adventurous travelers, citing a 20% year-over-year increase in the historic route, according to Tripadvisor.
“Route 66 isn’t just a road but a century’s worth of stories and experiences, and travelers on Tripadvisor remind us of that every day,” noted Steve Paganelli, vice president of global media and partnerships, Tripadvisor.
In West Texas, where the highway passes through Amarillo, the attractions include such landmarks as the Cadillac and Slug Bug ranches, the Amarillo Country Club (est. 1919) and The Big Texan Steak Ranch & Brewery, home of the infamous 72-ounce steak challenge (eat it all and it’s free), and many more.
Within the Route 66 Historic District, attendees will find living reminders of the route’s heyday, like the Golden Light Cafe, where local tour operators will customize fun group activities. Multiple festival events include a road sign-making workshop at Stoex Design Gallery and Cafe, which doubles as a venue for groups of up to 200, according to Alexis McAffrey, Stoex owner and curator.
All of the landmarks and attractions along Amarillo’s stretch of Route 66 will be on display during the Centennial edition of the annual 10-day Texas Route 66 Festival taking place June 4-13. Along with the TX 66 Celebrity Fast Draw Shoot Out, a longhorn cattle drive and car parade, and the Coors Ranch Rodeo, there are car displays and cruises, notably lowriders and “tin cans,” or campers. The festival concludes in the Historic 66 District with carnival eats and games, merchandise, pageants and car shows.
Occupancy during this time will run high, making this a complicated time to hold events. But once the festival is over, planners and attendees can still experience the timeless tale of Amarillo via its many unique venues and attractions.
