Things Lubbock Residents Treat Like Major Tourist Attractions

If you've been around here a while, you may have developed a different definition of what qualifies as an "attraction."

In larger cities, you'll find world-class amusement parks, iconic skylines, scenic hiking trails...and well...more options for fun ways to spend your vacation time.

Here, we've got prairie dog town and a suspicious amount of excitement for the arrival of chain restaurants that most big cities have had for decades.

It's part of our charm, or something...

Anyway, here are a few things Lubbock residents treat like big-time tourist destinations:

Prairie Dog Town

Nothing brings traffic to a standstill faster than someone spotting a prairie dog.

We drag visitors from out of town to see them as if they are about to witness one of the natural wonders of the world.

"Look how cute that lil guy is!"

Yes. We are quite impressed by those little dirty squirrel-hamsters, thank you very much!

Bluebonnet Fields

Everybody stops to take a photo, sprawled out in a field of bluebonnets for social media. If you don't mind possibly stepping on a sneaky rattlesnake or having a few bugs crawl up your pant legs, have at it. They are rather lovely.

Anything, And I Mean ANYTHING Related to Buddy Holly

Whether you've been here your whole life or you're just visiting from another city, I'm pretty sure you're legally obligated to visit at least one Buddy Holly-related site. The museum. The statue. The glasses. It's tradition.

Read More: Top Summer Camps For Kids In Lubbock: What's Still Available?

A New Restaurant

When the news announces a new Mexican restaurant, it doesn't matter if we have 40 billion others; half the city will be lined up and ready to go before sunrise.

We love new restaurants. Chains. Locally owned. Food trucks. Doesn't matter. We will be discussing them endlessly on Facebook, and then continuing to recommend the 5 places we've been going for 20 years instead.

A Rain Cloud

Stop the presses! Nothing attracts more attention in Lubbock than a big fat cloud that looks like it might produce a couple of drops of rain. We're posting photos. We're calling out neighbors. We're checking out weather apps every 5 minutes. We excited as all get out.

The First Cool Day of Fall

The moment our temperatures drop below 80 degrees, we collectively lose our minds. We emerge in hoodies before they are necessary, even if we end up peeling them off by lunchtime. Pumpkin-flavored everything hits the shelves. We all declare "Fall is finally here, guys!" on Facebook, even though it will probably reach 96 degrees again next week. Just let us have our moment.

Lubbock May Not Be The Best Vacation Destination

At the end of the day, our tourist attractions aren't exactly what you'd find in Los Angeles, Vegas, or New York City, but there's something adorable about folks getting excited for clouds, prairie dogs, and a new plate of enchiladas.

And, if you can't appreciate the small things around these parts, you'd never survive a West Texas summer. Sitting in front of a brand-new window unit should have made the list of attractions...

Keep scrolling for more Lubbock fun in the galleries below!