Round Trip USA
Ok, I lied about the Big Texan being the only touristy kitsch thing to see in Amarillo, Texas. I forgot about Cadillac Ranch!
Even though it’s a tacky piece of “art,” I’d still recommend a visit if you’ve got a car and a few minutes to spare. It’s free to visit and if you’ve never tagged something ugly with something even uglier, then here’s your chance!
Be aware that the ranch has moved about 1 mile away from it’s original site and locals might give you directions to the old location. No worries though, because once you get to the old site, you’ll see a helium factory where they’ll give you proper directions to the new site. Follow their directions instead of your own perceptions of what might be a quicker route, because there are one way streets in this middle-of-nowhere industrial / farm area. Go figure.
Normally I wouldn’t stop at a helium factory for directions, but I had read that the Cadillac Ranch was created by a millionare who made his fortune selling helium. I figured the people at the factory would know about their boss’ weird art. We drove the car towards a group of men at the factory and before we said anything, one of the guys said “Cadillac Ranch?” and gave us quick and simple directions on how to get there. They get a lot of lost tourists their way.
There are a few stories floating around about what the Cadillac Ranch symbolizes. One says that it’s meant to represent the richness of America where expensive Cadillacs are a dime a dozen and can be buried in the ground as art. Another says that the Cadillacs represent the evolution of the car industry since each subsequent car in the line-up is a newer model of the one before it. Finally, the last story just says that the millionare who owns the property and the factory in the area is eccentric and that’s reason enough.
Tips for Travellers to Cadillac Ranch
- As mentioned above, the ranch has moved so if you find yourself in the wrong area ask the guys at the helium factory for directions.
- You can bring your own cans of spray paint, but if you only want to write a word or two you can find some cans on site with some leftover paint to use.
- Wear closed shoes (no flip-flops) – preferably with no traction. The area is super muddy and we ended up taking about a half hour just to scrape everything out of our soles.