By Nick Coston
When you think of billboard towns, it’s easy to conjure up New York, Chicago and Los Angeles. Philadelphia is awesome too especially when driving north on I-95 through the heart of the city. Billboard heaven on both sides of the road, nice and low so you can read the copy.
Those big metro areas are easy marks. Any average Joe on the street can tell you this. But I am not your average Joe.
My favorite billboard town is none of these hot spots. Mine is way out west, western Texas to be exact, where the boards are a compilation of small and large companies, local and regional ads, and lots of dust. ‘
Ok, the gig is up. I’m talking about Amarillo, as in Amarillo, Texas, proud home of the world-famous Cadillac Ranch, The Big Texan Steak and Brewery, the humongous Palo Duro Canyon, only the second largest canyon in the U.S, and finally a large portion of historic Route 66, that runs from Chicago to Santa Monica, California.
Back in spring of 2024 when I lost a bet and wound up driving from our little ol’ farm town in Maryland clear across the U.S. ending up a week later at the yearly OAAA conference in Carlsbad, California, one of my surprises was spending the night in Amarillo. I had just traveled a few hundred miles from visiting with IBO Chief, Chris Cowlbeck at his ranch somewhere near or in Ardmore, Oklahoma. Chris mentioned to me the best way to get west and see the sights was to take the U.S 40 until I get to Amarillo, stop there and eat a big honking steak.
I’ll never forget his parting words. No, they weren’t “don’t you dare show your face around these here parts again” but instead, in Chris’s wonderful western rancher accent told me “Don’t forget to see all the billboards. They’ll tell you everything you’ll need to know about the area. Ride and die by the boards”, he yelled as he slapped his horse on the rear, did a “high-o-silver, away” and vanished into the sunset.
I made that last part up, but you get the visual. He did have horses too.
This year 2026, Route 66, where it chugs through Amarillo is celebrating it’s 100th year. How did I know that? It’s on all those sparkling throwback billboards as you cruise and in out of the area, that’s how. They’ve been plastered all over google images and it when I was researching for another story. I guess the old highway was celebrating its 98th birthday when I saddled on through.
And what an amazing billboard town it was. I did eat at The Big Texan Steak Ranch, skipped the 72 ouncer, strolled through Cadillac Ranch, even stayed at The Big Texan Hotel and listened to some awesome local music at The Western Horseman where I do believe it was Cowboy Night.
All because of billboards. You just must stop at that Caddy Ranch, you must eat a Big Steak at the Big Texan, you gotta listen to some live local music. No billboards you say. Sadly, you’d wind up just keep on a going west until you hit the ocean and never see these amazing sites.
I made that last sentence up.
“Well, it goes from St. Louie, Joplin, Missouri
Oklahoma City looks, ooh, so pretty
You’ll see Amarillo and Gallup, New Mexico
Flagstaff, Arizona, don’t forget Winona
Kingsman, Barstow, San Bernardino
Won’t you get hip to this kindly tip
Jack, and take that California trip?
Get your kicks on Route 66”
I sang that the whole way from Chris’s Ranch. Really, I did. Thank you, Chuck Barry.
So next time you are stuck in miserable east coast traffic as you crawl through Southern Phili trying to figure out who the heck is Steven Singer is and why do we hate him so much, build in an extra 2 weeks to your ride, make a hard left on I-80 head for Chicago. There you’ll pick up Route 66, take a lot of stops and pics, and just few days later meet me for dinner in The Big Texan in Amarillo. Just follow the billboards.
I’ll treat.
Insider’s Note: Nick Coston has been writing opinion pieces for the OOH industry for 10 years now. His weekly pieces also appear on Substack where you can view the last 2 years worth. Full-time, Nick is the VP, Sales and Sales Strategies for Moving Walls, the Singapore based media and ad tech giant, here in The America’s.
To receive a free morning newsletter with each day’s Billboard insider articles email info@billboardinsider.com with the word “Subscribe” in the title. Our newsletter is free and we don’t sell our subscriber list.
Paid Advertisement
