This blog post is sponsored by Visit Lubbock, an organization I was honored and excited to work with because of all the great things they do for our community. They work hard to be at the forefront of all things new and exciting in Lubbock and are my first go-to for news and events!
You know we love a good adventure- even if we don’t have to go far to find it! And thankfully- we don’t! When Visit Lubbock contacted me about doing a Family Day in Lubbock for National Travel and Tourism Week, I couldn’t say “yes!” fast enough.
Shawn and I grew up in a small West Texas town about 3 hours from Lubbock, and truly never expected to stay after moving here just after we were married. But, we have! And I believe we’ve stayed for many reasons:
The People. Truly, Lubbock is one of the friendliest places on earth. We have found wonderful friends and a church community here like none other, and we are so thankful for them.
The Culture. We love living in a city that has a large university (fun sports games to go to and other events, beautiful campus to walk through, camps and programs for the kids), and a thriving arts community. Being an artist myself, the arts scene here constantly inspires me.
The Food. We have a LOT of GREAT places to eat- driving through town, it doesn’t take long to see that! There is always something new to try and discover, plus tried-and-true faves.
The Size. Lubbock isn’t the biggest city in Texas, and we like it that way. “Across town” is a 20 minute drive. It’s not too big, and not too small. Coming from a smaller town, I thought I’d really made it big when I moved to a city with a Starbucks!
So, last Saturday we set off on a Family Fun Day in Lubbock- and it was so much fun, we are definitely going to be doing it again soon!
1st Stop: J&B Coffee
We are a little partial to this coffee shop because it is the one housed comfortably in our neighborhood- but if we ever were to move, we’d sure miss it! It’s a cozy study spot for many TTU students, but there are also a lot of regulars here.
Things you must try if you’ve never been:
Red Raider Royale (so rich and delicious!)
Lavender Cold Brew (seasonal)
Vietnamese Iced Coffee
Any of their locally-roasted coffees- our personal faves are Costa Rica La Minita and Governor’s Cup
Other great local coffee shops:
Sugar Brown’s
Pearl Tea
Monomyth Coffee
Yellow House Coffee
Tova Coffeehouse
Tumbleweed and Sage
He-Brews
2nd Stop: Texas Tech University’s Public Art Collection
Texas Tech has a beautiful campus sprinkled with amazing art and sculpture- and this is no accident. Through the Public Art Program, public artworks are funded using one percent of the estimated total cost of each new major capital project. I love this program and what it has done for campus and for art lovers like us!
The program has put together several free walking tracks where you can view the amazing sculptures and other art- many of which are interactive. Our kids LOVED this “scavenger hunt” and it was the perfect way to expel some extra energy they had due to the hot chocolates at J&B.
We had never done a walking track before and we are excited to invite friends to do it again- there is so much to see and did I mention it is completely free?
Other cool things to check out:
American Wind Power Center
Silent Wings Museum
Buddy Holly Statue and West Texas Walk of Fame
Buddy Holly Museum
Next Stop: Lunch @ Tom and Bingo’s
Tom and Bingo’s is a local favorite and exactly what you want in a BBQ joint. It’s got limited seating, delicious brisket, and a line out the door. We were lucky to get there while there were seats available and they hadn’t run out of food! (Yes, they run out everyday- it’s that good!)
My parent's joined us for lunch and despite our large group the employees at Tom and Bingo’s were so kind and helpful. We love their brisket sandwiches and Bingo burgers. Worth a stop and worth the wait if there is a line.
Other local lunch faves:
Dirk’s
Caprock Cafe
The Crafthouse Gastropub
Capital Pizza
Choochai
Burklee Hill Vineyards
Blue Sky
Next Stop: The National Ranching Heritage Center
If you’ve never been to the NRHC, they have something for everyone- and the perfect time to go is a beautiful West Texas day like we had! Here, there is a ton of history and they’ve gathered ranch buildings, old homes and artifacts of life on the Plains and displayed them in a city-like configuration where you can walk through them and see just how they were used.
Our kids loved looking for Jackrabbit Joe throughout the property and finally found him at the train depot. The NRHC hosts a variety of events throughout the year- like the Candlelight at the Ranch during the holidays- and it is a truly magical experience.
Other fun activities for kids in Lubbock:
Play Street Museum
YWCA Sun ‘N Fun
Prairie Dog Town
Joyland
Altitude Trampoline Park
Science Spectrum Museum
Lubbock Lake Landmark
Stars & Stripes Drive In Movie Theater
4ore Golf
Miss Megan’s Make Room
Texas Tech Sporting Events (check out their kids club!)
Frisbee Golf at Mae Simmons Park
Buffalo Springs Lake
South Plains Fair
Caprock Canyons State Park
Next Stop: The LHUCA and CASP Studios
The arts district in Lubbock is special to us and there are so many cool things to do and see there! It is full of fun, colorful murals and sculpture- worth a visit if even to just walk around. At the LHUCA, we were able to see some amazing artwork and then had the opportunity to make clay pinch pots at the clay studio! Instructor Mica was so kind and great with the kids- we had a blast!
The LHUCA hosts the First Friday Art Trail every month and is one of our favorite things to do in the “Hub City”. They also have many art classes - for kids and adults! They’re hosting youth summer camps, too- check it out here.
Other cool downtown spots to check out:
Two Docs Brewery
LBK Brewery
Buddy Holly Hall
CASP
Jux Ta Posh
The Garden
Last Stop: Dinner at Triple J Chophouse
Always a fave with us- Triple J! This restaurant has been a staple in our Lubbock life- locally brewed beer, live music, and delicious eats with a fun atmosphere. We love pretty much the entire menu, but have a few things we always order:
Raider Red Ale (brewed by Triple J)
Chilton (the local cocktail created first in Lubbock)
House salad with house dressing (lemon vinaigrette- SO good!)
Wedge salad (equally delicious!)
Any of their steaks- we love the Miss Kitty Kat and Sir Nick
Pizzas (kids always get this)
Chicken “Potted” Pie
And of course their house-made rolls and butter- you WILL leave full, I promise!
Other great dinner spots with kids:
The Plaza
Cook’s Garage
Teddy Jack’s
Picosos
And because mom and dad need a date night every now and then:
La Diosa
Stellas & Manhattan 9
Italian Garden
The West Table
Table 82
Cook’s Garage
La Diosa
The Funky Door
Burklee Hill Vineyards
The Nicolette
Lastly, I wanted to include some of our local favorites in other categories:
Snacks and Treats:
The Pie Bar
Holly Hop Ice Cream Shop
The Soda Shack
Kurbside
Shopping:
Jux Ta Posh
Odds and Ends
Barque
The Heritage Press
J Hoffman
Vibeage
Wineries:
English Newsom
McPherson Cellars
Burklee Hill
Llano Estacado Winery
Pheasant Ridge
Bolen Vineyards
Thank you to Visit Lubbock for giving us the gift of family memory making in our city! I hope this blog post has been helpful and will try to update my lists as I think of new places or places I have missed. AND- if you’d like to add to my lists, feel free to comment your local faves!
