Two small towns southeast of Lubbock make an easy half-day or full-day trip, with a dramatic drive down the Caprock thrown in. Slaton, about 17 miles away, grew up as a Santa Fe railway town in 1911 and still has a busy rail yard and a lovely restored Harvey House.
Post, around 40 miles away on US-84, was founded in 1907 by the breakfast-cereal millionaire C. W. Post as a planned model town, complete with tree-lined streets, a textile mill and rainmaking experiments (he tried to make it rain by setting off explosives). Today it is the seat of Garza County, with a classic courthouse and a small-town arts scene.
Top things to do: Post & Slaton
Slaton Harvey House
Built by the Santa Fe Railway in 1912 as one of Fred Harvey’s famous railway restaurants and hotels, the Mission-style Harvey House beside the tracks has been restored and hosts events and guests. Even from outside it is a handsome reminder of the railway era.
Slaton’s town square
Stroll around the square and grab something from the town’s well-known bakery — a local institution for decades.
Drive down the Caprock
Between Lubbock and Post, US-84 drops off the edge of the Llano Estacado. Near Post and along side roads you see the Caprock Escarpment as a line of red and white cliffs — the edge of the plains.
Historic Post
Walk the wide main street and courthouse square, look for the historic buildings of C. W. Post’s era, and check what is on at the town’s galleries and theatre.
How to get there
- Slaton: about 17 miles (25 minutes) southeast of Lubbock on US-84.
- Post: about 40 miles (45 minutes) southeast of Lubbock on US-84, via Slaton.
- Loop: return via Ralls or Crosbyton for more Caprock scenery.
Insider tips
- Weekdays are quiet; small-town shops and museums may close early or on Sundays and Mondays.
- Freight trains are a big part of the scenery in Slaton — railfans will love the yard.
- Continue south beyond Post to Snyder or east to the Caprock country for a longer road trip.
Pair it with a tour
GetYourGuide has no bookable tours in Lubbock itself yet, so these are the best-rated experiences that fit naturally into a trip that includes Post & Slaton:
Small-group tour from $36 Fort Worth: Guided Tour from Dallas or Fort Worth
The best-reviewed way to see “Cowtown” without driving in DFW traffic. The tour takes you to the Fort Worth Stockyards and the Cattle Drive visitor centre, with a guide explaining how the cattle trade built the city — a good warm-up before the long drive west to Lubbock and the ranching country of the Llano Estacado.
- The historic Stockyards and the longhorn cattle drive
- Cowboy history of “Hell’s Half Acre”
- Transport from Dallas or Fort Worth included
Sightseeing tour from $41 Fort Worth: Heritage and Landmarks Open-Air Tour
A relaxed open-air overview of Fort Worth that links the Stockyards with downtown and the museum-rich Cultural District. Choose the quick 70-minute loop if you are between flights, or the three-hour version to see more of the city that grew rich on the cattle trails that once crossed West Texas.
- The Stockyards, downtown and the Cultural District
- Short 70-minute or longer 3-hour option
- Good-value introduction to Fort Worth
