Abilene

Abilene is a city in the North Central Plains of Texas.

Abilene skyline

Get in

By plane

• Abilene Regional Airport Hwy 36 & Loop 322. American Eagle provides service to Dallas/Fort Worth.

By car

• From Dallas and Fort Worth: Take I-30 West towards Weatherford. Between Fort Worth and Weatherford, I-30 ends. Continue West on I-20 towards Abilene. Time: 2½-hr, depending on traffic and where you start.
• From San Angelo: Take US-277 North to Abilene. Time: about 1½ hr.
• From Lubbock: Take US-84 to Sweetwater, there US-84 mirdges with I-20. Continue on I-20 East until US-84 brakes off of I-20 and continue on US-84. Time: about 3 hr.
• From San Antonio: Take I-10 West to Comfort. At Comfort, use exit 523 and take US-87 North to Brady. In Brady, take US-283 North to Coleman. In Coleman take US-84 to Abilene. Time: 4 hr depending on traffic.

Get around

See

T&P Depot

• Abilene Zoo, 2070 Zoo Ln (in Nelson Park), ☎ [phone]. Fifth largest zoo in the state. 
• T&P Depot, 1101 N. 1st St, ☎ [phone]. This historic depot was built by the Texas & Pacific Railroad in 1910. In 1967 the last passenger train left the depot with a total of 39 passengers on board. In 1994 the exterior of the depot was restored to its exact appearance during the 1920s. The depot is the home of the Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau and Cultural Affairs Council. Admission is free. 
• Western Heritage Classic, 1700 Highway 36 (At the Expo Center of Taylor County), ☎ [phone]. A unique 4-day event held in early May to preserve western heritage. Includes a ranch rodeo, a chuckwagon cookoff, a bit and spur show, cowboy poetry, western art show, and a western parade. 
• Abilene Christian University, 1600 Campus Ct (Take Judge Ely Blvd north from Business 20. ACU will be on your left just north of EN 16th street.), ☎ [phone]. Expansive and well-maintained campus. Unique and beautiful architecture mixes with a large number of artworks. A 1.86 mile walking trail encircles the campus. Various theatrical, musical and athletic events occur throughout the year. 
• Hardin-Simmons University, 2200 Hickory St, ☎ [phone]. Founded in 1891, HSU is a private Baptist liberal arts university. With a small, beautiful campus, HSU is worth a peek. 
• McMurry University, 1401 Sayles Blvd, ☎ [phone]. Founded in 1923, McMurry is a small, tightly knit community of students and educators in Abilene's bustling south side. 

Do

• 🌍 Buffalo Gap Historic Village, 133 N Willams St. (Take Buffalo Gap Road (FM-89) south for 9 miles and follow the signs), ☎ [phone]. M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Sunday noon-5PM. Adult $5, senior/military $4, students (K-12) $3, children under 5 years free.  
• Century 12 by Cinemark, 3818 John Knox Dr, ☎ [phone]. Abilene's newest and largest theater. All stadium seating. 
• Premier Cinema 10, 4310 Buffalo Gap Rd, ☎ [phone]. 10-screen theater in the Mall of Abilene. Renovated, with all stadium seating. There is a great bar/restaurant next door for easy post-movie lounging. 
• Carmike Park Central 6, 3234 S Clack St, ☎ [phone]. 6-screen theater. All stadium seating. 
• Grace Cultural Center, 102 Cypress St, ☎ [phone]. 3 museums under one roof: an art museum, a history museum and an interactive children's museum spread out over the three floors of the beautiful former Grace Hotel built in 1909. 
• Historic Paramount Theater, 352 Cypress St, ☎ [phone]. Beautiful art-deco theater built in 1930 by H.O. Wooten whose namesake skyscraper looms overhead. The Paramount plays host to a slew of theatrical and musical productions, and to screenings of classic and contemporary films. The 2,000-seat auditorium is built to look like an outdoor Spanish courtyard, complete with twinkling stars and drifting clouds on the ceiling. 
• National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature, 102 Cedar St, ☎ [phone]. Tu-Sa 10-4. A small but wonderful museum showcasing the works of children's authors and illustrators. The NCCIL ("nickel") has played host to everyone from the Bernstein Bears to the works of Eric Carle. Exhibits are rotational and admission is free. One block from the Grace Museum. Free. 
• Frontier Texas!, 625 N 1st St, ☎ [phone]. M-Sa 9-6, Sun 1-5. Expansive new historical museum in eastern downtown Abilene, focusing on west central Texas' frontier days. Headquarters of the Texas Forts Trail. Not to be missed. $8 adults, $6 seniors & military, $5 students & teachers. 

Buy

• Mall of Abilene, 4310 Buffalo Gap Rd. Anchored by JCPenney, Sears, Dillard's, Best Buy and Books-A-Million. Home to dozens of smaller specialty clothing and gift stores and restaurants. 
• The Shops at Abilene, 3417 Catclaw Dr. Anchored by Bed Bath & Beyond, Ross, Old Navy, Petsmart, Michael's and Beall's. Also home to The Children's Place, James Avery, Shoe Carnival, Rue21, Catherine's, Lane Bryant, Payless Shoes, Oreck, AT&T, Red Robin, Coldstone Creamery, Gamestop, SportClips, Smoothie King and several others. Wal-Mart is at the same intersection and Kohl's is just down the street. 
• Wal*Mart South, 4350 Southwest Dr, ☎ [phone]. 
• Wal*Mart North, 1650 State Highway 351, ☎ [phone]. 

Eat

• Bogie's, 241 Cypress St, ☎ [phone]. Custom-made sandwiches on fresh-baked bread. 
• Cypress Street Station, 158 Cypress St, ☎ [phone]. Popular local barbecue/steakhouse. 
• Lytle Land & Cattle Co, 1150 E South 11th St, ☎ [phone]. Great steak and seafood. 
• Szechuan Chinese Restaurant, 3425 S 1st St, ☎ [phone]. Decent Chinese fare with large portions. 
• Tamolly's Mexican Restaurant, 4400 Ridgemont Dr, ☎ [phone]. Good Tex-Mex. Try the no. 8 combo. 
• 🌍 Perini Ranch Steakhouse, 3002 FM 89 (South of Abilene), ☎ [phone]. Famously good steaks. Voted best burger in America by the Today show in 2009. Catered several of President Bush's events. 
• 🌍 The Beehive, 442 Cedar St, ☎ [phone]. Wonderful and well-priced casual fine dining in the heart of downtown. 
• Copper Creek, 4401 Loop 322, ☎ [phone]. closed Sundays. Fine Texas dining: unsurpassed atmosphere and wonderful waitstaff coupled with delicious food and potent drinks. 
• Sharky's Burrito Inc, 1095 North Judge Ely Blvd, ☎ [phone]. 11AM-9PM. The college-town burrito joint inside United Supermarkets. Try the local improvement on Chipotle. Go for the seasoned chips and Spicy Ranch. Ask for the Kid's Burrito, its plenty big. 6.00. 

Drink

• Remington's Lounge, 4250 Ridgemont Dr, ☎ [phone]. Inside the impressive MCM Elegante Suites, Remington's is a popular local hotspot. 
• Seafood Tavern, 1882 South Clack St, ☎ [phone]. The small, dimly-lit bar in Seafood Tavern feels more like a British pub than a west Texas saloon. With live music regularly and a large and comfortable outdoor area, The Tavern is a great place to unwind. 
• Jack Rabbit Slim's, 833 East Hwy 80. Cheap beer, shot specials and a slew of massive projector screens and TVs playing sports and music all night, Slim's is a great hangout. 
• Linda's Lounge, 840 Us Highway 80 E. With a hole-in-the-wall feel, Linda's has 2 pool tables, loud music and cheap drinks. Regularly standing-room only on weekends. Very popular with the local college crowd. 
• Buffalo Wild Wings, 4401 Ridgemont Dr, ☎ [phone]. Very popular sports bar. Full menu at all hours. 
• Chelsea Street Pub, 4310 Buffalo Gap Rd (in the Mall of Abilene next to Premier Cinema). Live music most weekends. 
• Cabo's, 1874 S Clack St. Expansive sports bar with pool tables, darts and numerous TVs. 

Sleep

• 🌍 Candlewood Suites, 3050 Catclaw Dr, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. 
• Comfort Inn, 6350 Directors Pkwy, ☎ [phone]. 
• Comfort Suites (North), 1902 E Overland Trl, ☎ [phone]. 
• Comfort Suites (South), 3165 S Danville Dr, ☎ [phone]. 
• Courtyard by Marriot, 4350 Ridgemont Dr (across from the Mall of Abilene), ☎ [phone]. Quaint, quiet and comfortable hotel. 
• Hampton Inn, 3917 Ridgemont Dr (just west of US 83/84), ☎ [phone]. 
• Hampton Inn & Suites, 3526 West Lake Rd (just off of I-20 in far north Abilene), ☎ [phone]. 
• Hilton Garden Inn, 4449 Ridgemont Dr, ☎ [phone]. Large rooms, convention space and an indoor pool. 
• Holiday Inn Express (North), 1802 E. Overland Trail (just off of I-20), ☎ [phone]. 
• Holiday Inn Express (South), 3112 South Clack St (Just off of US 83/84), toll-free: [phone]. 
• LaQuinta Inn & Suites, 3018 Catclaw Ave, ☎ [phone]. 
• MCM Elegante Suites, 4250 Ridgemont Dr (across from the Mall of Abilene), ☎ [phone]. Built as an Embassy Suites, MCM Elegante remains Abilene's premiere hotel. Lovely 2-room suites, a full-service restaurant and amble meeting space. 
• 🌍 Residence Inn, 1641 Musgrave Blvd, ☎ [phone]. 

Go next

• Lake Fort Phantom, north of town, is a popular lake for sport fishing.

Routes through Abilene

Midland ← Sweetwater ←	W  E	→ Weatherford → Fort Worth
Childress ← Paducah ←	N  S	→ Uvalde → Laredo
Lubbock ← Sweetwater ←	W  E	→ Coleman → Waco
Sonora ← San Angelo ←	SW  NE	→ Wichita Falls → Lawton