10 Things to Do in Lubbock This Weekend
Lubbock, Texas, has a lot more to offer than people realize! As the home of Texas Tech University and the Buddy Holly Center, Lubbock is a cultural hub. Our office team is local, and we love to share the best of Lubbock with our residents! Explore some of our top suggestions below the next time you need a weekend adventure or want to eat out instead of cooking!
TOP 5 PLACES TO GO IN LUBBOCK
Some attractions are so well-known they hardly require a recommendation. Others might be harder to find, especially if you're new to the area. A trip to any of the five fun attractions below can make for an exciting evening or weekend excursion.
Windmills have long been a staple on Texas ranches and farms. The American Windmill Museum is a perfect place to learn about how these incredible devices harness the wind and have shaped Texas agriculture.
The museum has the largest collection of vintage and restored windmills in the world! There are active outdoor windmills spinning on the museum grounds, some as large as 25 feet in diameter. Be sure to check out the towering 660KW Vestas Wind Turbine, which boasts a 154-foot diameter and stands on a 165-foot tower, producing enough electricity to power the museum!
Arcave Adventure Games planned their space like a video game. There is a series of progressive rooms, each of which takes between 3 and 4 minutes to solve. There are currently 11 rooms spaced out over four themed buildings, but there are more in the works! You have the option of paying for one or two hours of puzzle time or by swipe to access any of their rooms. Can you escape before your time or swipes run out?
Lubbock is home to some truly beautiful parks. Dunbar Historical Lake Park is one of the most popular free parks in the area. It boasts 276 acres of scenic views, water, and protected land. Want to get your steps in or take your dog for a walk somewhere beautiful and peaceful? The Dunbar Historical Lake East and West Loop is a moderately challenging 4.8-mile trail that most people can walk in about two hours. There is fishing, a waterfall for photo opportunities, and launches for kayaks and other small boats. The park has flushing bathrooms by the main parking lot and is home to a colony of prairie dogs, which is sure to enchant most animal lovers!
The Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts (LHUCA) is a free gallery that also hosts performances and classes. The LHUCA galleries regularly host exhibitions featuring local, national, and even international artists. Check out their First Friday Art Trail walk on the first Friday of every month, as well as Un(wine)d With the Arts the following Thursday. During Un(wine)d With the Arts, visitors can interact with the curator and enjoy wine.
The LHUCA also hosts music and comedy performances, film festivals, and ballroom dance classes. There are educational programs for people of all ages, as well as special programs for local youth and families. Enjoy art and maybe bring some home after a visit to the Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts.
Nature lovers may appreciate a free visit to the Lubbock Memorial Arboretum. There’s an Interpretive Center where visitors can learn about local plant life, surrounded by perennial gardens overflowing with spring bulbs and irises, as well as a water feature and gazebo.
The Sensory Garden is a true delight with garden beds designed to stimulate each of the senses, while the wildflower garden is home to drought-tolerant local perennials and milkweed for Monarch butterflies migrating to Mexico. The Lubbock Memorial Arboretum is a perfect place to walk, relax, or learn something new!
TOP 5 AMAZING PLACES TO EAT IN LUBBOCK
Even if your kitchen has plenty of counter space, a dual-basin stainless steel sink, and a dishwasher, sometimes you just don't want to make your next meal at home. Thankfully, Ashton Pointe Apartments is close to many of the best local eateries in Lubbock. We've rounded up five of our favorites to help you overcome decision paralysis when deciding where to grab a bite!
BUNS OVER TEXAS
Restaurant, Burgers, Sandwiches
Buns Over Texas has been slinging some of the best burgers in Lubbock for more than 31 years! They began with a location in Amarillo in 1989 and then expanded to Lubbock soon after. Each of their burgers is 100% beef, ground fresh daily. They serve their burgers on hand-toasted, buttered buns that inspired the eatery’s name. Their impressive self-serve condiment selection has everything from ketchup and mustard to jalapeños and pickle relish!
Definitely don’t overlook the Double-Cheese Fries, smothered with cheddar and Monterey Jack cheeses and served with ranch for dipping. They also serve fresh, hot tater tots, plain fries, fried pickles, and hand-battered onion rings. For those who don’t want burgers, the menu also includes grilled chicken breast sandwiches, fried Alaskan Cod sandwiches, hot dogs, and chicken-fried steak! Buns Over Texas is the place to get an incredible burger!
Paris Croisserie Bakery and Café
Bakery, Café, Breakfast Sandwiches, Sweets
Craving something sweet or maybe looking for a great place to grab brunch on the weekends? Look no further than Paris Croisserie Bakery and Café! They offer an assortment of croissants, Danishes, and other pastries, such as a caramel apple turnover. The options for croissants range from plain to Coffee Velvet and Dubai Chocolate Forest! Their full brunch menu includes Eggs Benedict and savory croissant sandwiches.
They also offer their own take on the viral fruit ice creams influencers pay a crazy amount to try on camera! Their fruit “gems” have the shape and color of fruit that inspired them, but they are nuanced, creative dishes! The Strawberry Gem, which looks like an enormous red strawberry, is made of strawberry curd, vanilla castella, mascarpone Chantilly cream, and almond croustillant. It’s unlike any other strawberry dessert you’ve tried! Don’t forget to grab a mocha or matcha latte to go with your brunch or pastries.
Claraboya Scratch Kitchen + Bar
Restaurant, New American, Comfort Food
Want to try something fresh and unique that you couldn’t find in another restaurant or even duplicate at home? Claraboya Scratch Kitchen + Bar might be the perfect eatery for you! They pride themselves on offering fun, creative dishes based on American comfort foods. Located inside the DoubleTree Lubbock University Area hotel, Claraboya is a destination in its own right, not just a convenient source of room service for visitors.
The menu does shift over time to include new and special dishes, but certain staples have become beloved locally. You can’t go wrong with their lobster corn dogs, which include a butter-poached lobster tail dipped in a roasted sweet corn batter and served over a bed of crispy onions and drizzled with a citrus aioli. Emilio’s Hot Chicken Sandwich features a chicken breast brined in pickle juice. Their blacked snapper tacos are a fun take on the traditional fish taco. Be sure to save room for dessert, as Jordi’s Coconut Cake (topped with berry compote) and their chocolate chip cookie crumble bread pudding are enough to warrant a visit all on their own!
Cagle Steaks & BBQ
Restaurant, Steak, BBQ
Nothing says “West Texas” quite like mesquite-grilled steaks. That’s exactly what Cagle Steaks & BBQ brings to the table! This family-owned eatery somehow manages to offer large, high-quality aged steaks at a competitive price in an enchanting ranch-style setting. They also rent spaces for get-togethers and special events. This place is definitely worth the drive, especially for those who consider themselves steak connoisseurs.
Steaks are listed on the menu by both weight and thickness, making it easy to find the perfect option. The BBQ options range from a brisket-stuffed baked potato to a rib plate with multiple different meats. Salads topped with chicken, steak, and salmon are a fresh alternative for those who want something a little lighter. They also have fried catfish, burgers, and multiple tasty fried appetizers. Those looking for a filling meal on a special day may appreciate a trip to Cagle’s!
Crush Teriyaki & Wok Express Asian Food
Restaurant, Chinese, Teriyaki, Fast Casual
For those looking for fast service, take-out, and an impressive portion size-to-price ratio, Crush Teriyaki & Wok Express Asian Food may be the best option in Lubbock! This restaurant is a new offering from restaurateurs who had to shutter their first business during the pandemic. Regular requests from former customers made them realize they needed to get back into food service, and thus, Crush Teriyaki & Wok Express Asian Food was born!
They make dishes fresh to order and make their teriyaki sauce fresh in-house from scratch daily. There’s typically a line during lunch and dinner hours, but it moves quickly as they make each dish. If you aren’t sure what to order, they will actually let you try samples to assess their sauces before you order a full dish. Expect to have leftovers unless you arrive with an especially powerful appetite!