According to results of a survey provided by Advance Funds Network, every vacation destination has one summer business capable of transporting people straight back to childhood.
It might be the ice cream window visited after a day at the beach, the noisy arcade on the boardwalk, the mini-golf course with slightly faded signs, or the snack shack where everything tasted better because it was eaten in a swimsuit, according to a release.
For others, it is a drive-in theater, a pier-side gift shop, a family-run diner, or the concession stand that somehow became as memorable as the vacation itself. In Amarillo, it could be a favorite swimming pool, like Gem Lake, the Riviera, or Dolphin Club.
There’s also Wonderland, which has been around 75 years, Thompson Park, Amarillo Dragway, Buffalo Lake (in its prime) and maybe even Putt-Putt Golf, to name a few. Drive-in theaters also call back summertime fun. However, Advance Funds Network surveyed 3,021 respondents ages 45 and older to identify the local businesses and attractions most closely associated with nostalgic summer memories. Results were broken down into states.
These were not necessarily the biggest tourist attractions. Instead, respondents chose the places they associated with family trips, sticky fingers, arcade tokens, souvenir shopping, and long drives home.
The Big Texan Steak Ranch, Amarillo
The Big Texan Steak Ranch, which scored as the top third spot among Texans surveyed, opened in Amarillo in 1960 along historic Route 66, bringing together western theatrics, neon, giant signs and its famous 72-ounce steak challenge. For families crossing the Panhandle in summer, it has long been the kind of roadside stop that children spot before the car has fully slowed down. The experience is big, bright and unapologetically Texan: steaks on the table, souvenir photos, travelers watching the challenge clock, and the highway waiting outside.
The other two most nostalgic summer spots in the Lone Star State were:
Owner of the Big Texan, Bobby Lee, said, “As we celebrate the Route 66 Centennial & what would have been my Dad’s 100 birthday, I’m so thankful that he had the visionary ability to create a business that portrayed our Texas heritage, feature Texas beef & catering both to travelers and local communities. My brother and I grew up at the Big Texan, learning from him how to take care of guests, how to promote the business, how to satisfy each guest so they would never forget the great experience and want to return year after year.”
Lee said it was even busier than usual with the Route 66 Centennial going on throughout the year. The industrious leader also owns the Big Texas Motel nearby, Starlight Ranch, the Big Texan RV Ranch and the Slug Bug Ranch which is nearby.
The Big Texan remains as a destination point and memorable event for many visitors and local folks, as well. The Texas sized restaurant and brewery attracts about 600,000 guests each year with around 75% being travelers passing through. More than 100,000 people have attempted the famous 72-ounce steak challenge. This year, the challenge hit the road as part of the Route 66 Centennial Caravan, traveling to various places along Historic Route 66.
Nell Williams is a staff writer covering trends and other news for the Amarillo Globe-News. Have a story idea? Email her at nwilliams@usatodayco.com .
This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Poll ranks Big Texan as third in Texas summer nostalgia locations
Reporting by Nell Williams, Amarillo Globe-News / Amarillo Globe-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Nell Williams, Amarillo Globe-News | USA TODAY Network
