Lizzie Mae's Mercantile Campground

The Great Outdoors

Just north of the campground is Lake Meredith, the perfect spot for fishing and water sports. The 16,000-acre lake has seen some record-breaking catches and is well known for being well-stocked with a variety of fish species. Anglers will find various types of bass and catfish, trout, perch sunfish, and many more. With over 100 miles of shoreline and several public boat ramps, it's very easy to get out on the water to fish.Around the lake are several recreational areas for swimming and hiking and parking for your rental RV.A little further on from Lake Meredith brings you to the Rita Blanca National Grasslands area. The grasslands are typical of Texas short grass prairies, a habitat that is quickly disappearing from the state, so these protected areas are critical. The area is also home to a rich diversity of wildlife, including deer, coyote, and prairie dogs.On the northern outskirts of Amarillo is the Thompson Memorial Park, which also incorporates the Amarillo Zoo and the Thompson dog park. It's a lovely area to spend a few hours, especially if you brought your dog on your RV camping vacation.

Exploring the Area

A short distance from the campground, there are several grocery stores and a good selection of shops and restaurants, so you don't need to go far if you've had enough of cooking in the rental RV.An interesting feature, right next door to the Fort Amarillo RV Resort, is the historical helium plant. This may seem a little odd, but when you consider that the plant produced the bulk of the world's helium supplies and is adjacent to around 95% of the world's supply of helium, it becomes significant. Helium was used for the great airships of the early 20th century and the USA's restriction on selling the gas to Germany, directly lead to the Hindenburg disaster, when the hydrogen-filled airship exploded. Helium is inert, and the Germans had to use explosive Hydrogen in its place.Amarillo is packed with places to visit, from amusement parks to museums. Car enthusiasts should head to Bill's Backyard Classics, where you can see over 90 vehicles, from the 1920s onwards. You'll see military jeeps, next corvettes, and even modern smart cars.Should you prefer historical buildings, then Harrington House certainly shouldn't disappoint. Built-in 1914, the house was originally home to a family of cattle ranchers but bought by the Harringtons in 1940. Since then, it has been packed with period furniture and artifacts that match the beautiful Neoclassical style of the building. Guided tours are available and well worth it to experience a different kind of living.Also worth visiting are the Amarillo Botanical Gardens, with beautifully prepared gardens, but you will need to pre-book a guided tour.One iconic attraction of the Amarillo area is Cadillac Ranch. Created in 1974 by art students, the ranch is a row of Cadillacs, buried in the ground, with just the backend of the vehicles sticking out. The ranch has been featured in numerous videos and films and has become known the world over.