Lubbock, Texas - Bring The Whole Family!

Way back in 2019, we hopped in our Prius and took a road trip across the country. We hit the wide open road with our trusty dog Sally, and headed to West Texas. We spent four days eating incredible food, drank plenty of chiltons (IYKYK), and found as many puppy-friendly adventures as possible.

How our lives have changed.

A new year, a new car, a new pandemic, a new kid… ha! 2020 was a whirlwind, and we were craving a little normalcy. Why not head back to some of our favorite destinations with the whole family?

In November we hopped back in the car, with a few more bags, and headed back to our beloved Lubbock. And although we were in the midst of Covid-19 (right in between spikes), we found the same charm and flavor as our last visit. Whether you’re driving from California or somewhere in Texas, Lubbock is an amazing spot for the whole family. Here are some of our favorite Lubbock locales, including a few new names since our last visit!

STAY

While there are plenty of solid hotel options in Lubbock, they really upped their game in 2020 with the addition of the Cotton Court. The Cotton Court is part of the Valencia Hotel Group, a small chain of laid back, trendy hotels that are scattered around Texas and California. Spread out over acres of landscaped courtyards, the Cotton Court has a stunning pool, lawn games, space for live music, fire-pits, and outdoor dining. Perfect for families! (And they are SUPER pet-friendly!)

And the rooms! They incorporate luxury, local style, and hip design… and they’re incredibly spacious. Smeg refrigerators, comfy beds, cool light fixtures… we could’ve stayed so much longer!

Love the design, the space, and the SNACKS!

EAT

When we talk about Lubbock, we’re most often reminiscing on Evie Mae’s BBQ. This popular family-run establishment gave us a new appreciation for BBQ, and we go back every time we are in town! When you go, try a little bit of everything… but our favorite is the brisket! (And don’t be scared of the line, it moves fast. And it’s SO WORTH IT.)

With the pandemic still in effect, we had to get creative with a few of the new spots we tried while we were in town. We had Thai Pepper’s to-go in our hotel room, and it was so tasty! The wait was long, but again, totally worth it. Another new favorite of ours is Dirk’s for fried chicken! We sat outside (due to Covid and Sally) and had a savory assortment of chicken, fries, green beans, and mashed potatoes. A true Texas feast!

If it’s your first time in Lubbock, we’d say you can’t miss La Sirena Cocina and the Funky Door. At La Sirena Cocina you can indulge in scrumptious latin-fusion plates and a variety of “coctel artesenales” (we recommend the ones with tequila!). We love the salsa trio, the crispy brussel sprouts, and the chicken pot pie! If you want to get adventurous with your cocktail, try the “Last of the Oaxacans”. The Funky Door has INCREDIBLE fondue and tasty burgers. They currently have a “Quarantine Essentials” menu with great deals on both food and drinks. When life heads back to normal, it’s a perfect date night spot for a delicious meal and soothing live music.

A trip to Lubbock without a trip to Evie Mae’s would be a disaster…

DRINK

If you’ve been following us for awhile, you know that there are two types of drinks in our book… coffee and alcohol. For coffee, we were obsessed with Yellow House Coffee, Gold Stripe and Sugar Brown’s on our first trip to Lubbock. We visited them all again this time around, and loved the new “Lobby by Sugar Brown’s” that was a 2 minute walk from our room at Cotton Court.

This time around we found two new coffee shops on the booming Lubbock scene— Monomyth Coffee and TOVA Coffeehouse. We said numerous times that Monomyth would be our spot if we were Lubbock locals. As I, Bobby, am a self-proclaimed coffee snob (I’m not proud of it, I just like good coffee), I was right at home at Monomyth. (Not among snobs, but really good coffee.) We went to TOVA one morning for breakfast and coffee, and loved the vibe and their mission - they’re a non-profit shop combating poverty in Lubbock and beyond. So cool!

For the afternoons and beyond, there are two breweries that can’t be missed. We enjoyed both The Brewery LBK and Two Docs Brewing on our last visit, and we will on our next as well. The Brewery LBK has really good beer and is a solid date night spot if you order food from the West Table (or start at the brewery and end at the West Table). Their wraparound patio is also perfect for dogs or loud babies (hehe, our reality now). Speaking of being outdoors, Two Docs is a perfect spot for craft beer, four-legged friends, and the whole family. Two Docs consistently has a solid variety of beers on tap and rotating food truck partners serving up unique street food.

If you’re more of a wine-o, head to Burklee Hill or McPherson Cellars. We got lunch and a bottle of wine to-go from Burklee Hill one afternoon, and the club sandwich was one of the highlights of our trip. Their dry rosé was easy-drinking and perfect to enjoy outside our room while Jude napped. We didn’t have a chance to get to McPherson Cellars on this trip, but may still have a bottle of Mouvédre from last year - we brought a few home :) We’ve also heard English Newsom Cellars is a must for next time… we’ll be there!

Note - all of the above restaurants, breweries, and wineries have Covid-safe protocols that make them accessible and safe in this new reality we live in. From takeout to socially distant patios, they have taken steps that made us feel safe during our time in Lubbock.

The whole fam at Two Docs… I think Sally had some beer ha.

DO

If you’re in the mood for shopping, we are big fans of Mountain Hideaway and California T’s. Bobby was obsessed with the clothing and adventure gear at Mountain Hideaway, while Alli LOVED all the color at California T’s. We both came home with plenty of souvenirs. If you’re in the mood for an afternoon of shopping local and capping it off with dinner, consider Cactus Alley. There you’ll find several local vendors, as well as Gold Stripe Coffee Roasters and La Sirena.

With a child under one, our list of things to do typically revolves around eating and drinking since they’re usually pretty easy to entertain. But soon enough we’ll be seeking out all the family friendly activities a destination has to offer. During this trip, we loved exploring At’l Do Farms! From the barnyard, to the cow train, to the corn maze (!), Jude was in heaven! Another activity that was great for little kids was Prairie Dog Town. Jude was totally zoned in as the little prairie dogs pop in and out of their holes… So cute!

If you have older kids, 4ORE Golf is such a fun spot to spend an afternoon. A driving range with serious technology, there are a variety of games you can play. And they have really yummy food! If you want to go the more educational route for an afternoon, the National Ranching Heritage Center will allow your family to immerse themselves in the Wild West. They have replicated houses and cabins where families can explore and really feel what it would have been like to live in that time. Definitely an upgrade from reading about it in a book...

If you’re traveling with a four-legged friend, Lubbock is very dog friendly! We have a whole blog that’s a guide to all the dog-friendly adventures Sally went on during her first time in Lubbock. This time, a highlight for her was running around Phil Hoel Park. And probably having a few nibbles of brisket from Evie Mae’s :)

Contemplating if it’s worth jumping in :)

Whether you’re traveling solo or with a family and pets, Lubbock has something for you. The pandemic (and the newborn) slowed us down a little on this trip, so we’ll definitely be back again soon. We’ll be craving Evie Mae’s and Monomyth Coffee in no time!