Airbnb published its America Off-the-Map list on Monday, March 23, compiling 20 communities around the country that offer adventure, natural beauty and a reprieve from some oversaturated tourist destinations. Among those top contenders is Matador, a tiny town of around 500 residents located just shy of 100 miles east of Lubbock.
The draw? Its deep-rooted history and slice of gorgeous Texas landscape that many visitors and Texans alike haven’t basked in yet. Top attractions include Caprock Canyons State Park, which features among the last free-roaming bison herds in the U.S., as well as the Motley County Historical Museum that unpacks the history and lore behind frontier ranching in the Lone Star State.
With Texas being such a hotbed for tourism, Airbnb officials said the list, and Matador’s inclusion, are intended to take guests off the beaten path and into all that various regions and states have to offer.
“Our goal with America Off-the-Map was to encourage travel beyond traditional hot spots — particularly as rural tourism across the state continues to rise. With 63% of Texas currently lacking hotels, tourism remains concentrated in just a few areas,” Laura Spanjian, Airbnb’s global head of policy, said in a statement to MySA. “In Texas, Airbnb hosts and guests contributed $7.6 billion in economic activity in 2024 alone. Now, tourism and its benefits are expanding to new unique places like Matador, which offers outdoor experiences and wide open roads waiting to be discovered.”
Looking for a reprieve outside the Lone Star State? Airbnb’s full list of rural recommendations is available online.