Group tours visiting Lubbock, Texas, will be immersed in the city’s history and its rich and evolving culture. “Lubbock is a dynamic city with a lot to offer,” says McKenna Dowdle, media and communications manager at Visit Lubbock. “Known as the ‘Hub City’ of West Texas, Lubbock offers a look into the West Texas way of life through the hospitality of its people and the museums included in group tour itineraries.”
Since 2016, Lubbock’s downtown revitalization project has invested over $100 million of private funding into the area. The project produced new hotels like the Cotton Court Hotel; one-of-a-kind restaurants like The Nicolett; nationally acclaimed breweries like The Brewery LBK; and a world-class performing arts venue, The Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences. These attractions tell the story of Lubbock and are available for tours and group dining. For a behind-the-scenes look at The Buddy Holly Hall of Performing Arts and Sciences, groups are given a tour of the facility from the front of house to backstage areas.
Credit: Visit Lubbock
Lubbock’s rich history makes for incredible museums, Dowdle says. From the largest windmill collection in the world at the American Windmill Museum to the National Ranching Heritage Center and the Bayer Museum of Agriculture, guests can travel back in time to Lubbock’s inception. The National Ranching Heritage Center recently broke ground on the Ranch Life Learning Center, which is an immersive experience for guests to get an in-depth look into what life is like on a ranch.
The Texas Tech University Public Art Collection is a great way to see the university’s campus. “We can accommodate smaller groups on the Art Cart, a trolley that rides through campus to showcase the pieces,” Dowdle says. “For larger groups, this is a great way to stretch your legs and walk around campus.”
Credit: Visit Lubbock
Group tours can take part in several specialized art experiences at the Charles Adams Studio Project (CASP) or the Louise Hopkins Underwood Center for the Arts (LHUCA). Located in the Arts District, CASP is a community arts program that offers studio space to local artisans, and LHUCA is a local gallery that offers space to artists and classes to the public. Group members can create their own souvenir to take home. From screen printing tote bags to throwing their own ceramic pot, visitors can experience what drives inspiration for local artists.
Credit: Visit Lubbock
For groups wishing to sample another art form, Lubbock is home to six award-winning wineries that are eager to host groups for a tasting. Lubbock accounts for 90% of all Texas wine grapes grown and produced in the state, making the region a true wine country.
“When a group leaves Lubbock, we hope the travelers take with them an unexpected satisfaction for the destination,” Dowdle says. “Lubbock is a city with rich history, burgeoning culture, immense talent, and a passion for West Texas hospitality. What guests find here may surprise them. Our city is an ever-growing metro that holds tight to its roots as a way to honor what has brought us to where we are today and inspire us to have a vision for what is to come.”
For more information, visit visitlubbock.org.
Lead image:
Will Rogers and Soapsuds statue, Texas Tech University
Credit: Visit Lubbock
