'A big, big year': Amarillo sees rise in spring break travelers heading to ski resorts

Brianna Maestas, Amarillo Globe-News
·4 min read

Amarillo area restaurants, travel lodging, law enforcement and more are preparing for the rise in travelers this spring break, which begins Monday, March 13 and runs through March 19.

According to Bobby Lee, co-owner of the Big Texan Steak Ranch, the rush began Friday afternoon as travelers passed through Amarillo on their way to the mountains, seeking the best ski slopes. Lee said he began making preparations for the rise in customers soon after Christmas, and since has prepped his staff for longer hours. According to Lee, the gift shop and food prep arrives at 7 a.m. each morning to restock the shelves and prepare the food for the day before guests arrive. Lee said he expects not only the restaurant and gift shop to operate at capacity this upcoming week, but he also anticipates the brewery and hotel to be just as busy.

"Usually, we gauge how busy we will be during spring break by the amount of snowfall the local ski resorts get around Christmas, and this year we are seeing that the snow has been tremendous. And that is everywhere, not just in new Mexico or Colorado; it's everywhere. So, we are seeing skiers going as far as California this year. This is going to be a big, big year," Lee said.

According to Lee, he estimated that Friday would be his biggest day of the year kicking off spring break, and he was anticipating to serve 3,500 to 3,600 people. Lee said that commonly the resorts will stagger their openings, giving the Amarillo area a steady flow of customers. This week, all are open within the same week, creating a large surge of travelers to the area.

Amarillo area restaurants and lodging, including the Big Texan, as well as law enforcement prepare for the expected rise in travelers in the area as spring break approaches.
Amarillo area restaurants and lodging, including the Big Texan, as well as law enforcement prepare for the expected rise in travelers in the area as spring break approaches.
Amarillo area restaurants and lodging, including the Big Texan, as well as law enforcement prepare for the expected rise in travelers in the area as spring break approaches.
Amarillo area restaurants and lodging, including the Big Texan, as well as law enforcement prepare for the expected rise in travelers in the area as spring break approaches.

"This will benefit the whole area, the whole Panhandle. This is a big bit time for hotels, gas stations, convenience stores — there are so many positive things that occur in the area due to the tourism that we receive during this time," Lee said.

The Barfield Autograph Collection spoke about this being their second spring break since opening, and they are fully prepared for the arrival of guests. Although the hotel staff anticipate that they will have very few vacancies, General Manager Patrick Dougherty said that they have seen the good snow that the area mountains have received and are prepared for those traveling through the area this spring break.

More:Amarillo offers local spring break ideas for the whole family

"The first two months of the year allows us to get into this busy season a little more gradually, and then once we hit this week (spring break), basically through Thanksgiving, we see more guests. But this is what we do, so this week isn't necessarily odd for us; it's kind of our norm and what we are looking forward to," Dougherty said.

Travel safety measures

But businesses in the field of hospitality are not the only ones preparing for spring break. Local law enforcement is reminding the public of the dangers of driving under the influence over the holiday week, and they will increase general patrolling as a precaution for the more than average influx of travelers.

Amarillo Police Department stated in a Facebook post: "We will have extra officers out beginning tonight. (Friday night) They will work throughout Spring Break. Our goal is to inform the public and hopefully this will prevent any teen parties and teen drinking from occurring. But if it does, we will be enforcing the applicable laws. ... Please be safe and make good decisions. We want you to enjoy this spring break."

In addition, the Texas Department of Transportation launched its Spring Break Anti-Drunk Driving Campaign targeting college students.

According to the organization, one person in Texas dies every 7 hours and 43 minutes in a DUI-alcohol (driving under the influence) related traffic crash. In 2021, 1,134 people in Texas were killed and 2,565 seriously injured because someone chose to get behind the wheel while impaired. During spring break of 2021, Texas recorded 874 DUI-alcohol related traffic crashes, resulting in 31 deaths and 107 serious injuries.

TxDOT launched its statewide “Drive Sober. No Regrets” Spring Break drunk driving prevention campaign in an effort to remind drivers, especially college students, why finding a sober ride is so important and to never get behind the wheel after drinking, either over the holidays or other times of year.

For more information, visit TxDOT's “Drive Sober. No Regrets” campaign online at https://www.soberrides.org/

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo businesses prepare for influx of spring break travelers