Top 50 things to do and attractions in Abilene

Frontier Texas! is an absolutely fantastic museum and a definite must-visit in Abilene. It is genuinely interactive and incredibly informative, making the history of the Texas frontier engaging for all ages. The museum truly brings the past to life, especially through their innovative use of hologram characters. It feels less like reading plaques and more like meeting the people who lived this history—it’s a completely immersive and memorable experience. We found the entire visit to be great and left feeling thoroughly educated and entertained. If you want history that jumps off the page and gets you involved, make sure to stop by Frontier Texas! Highly recommended!

This place was so much fun, extremely interactive so it kept the kids attention and we learned so much! We got some really cool souvenirs to take home and we talked about and referenced the museum our whole trip. Highly recommend bringing the whole family!

Such a fantastic museum! My husband & I throughly enjoyed exploring & learning about the Frontier! The holographic scenes are amazing. Take a couple hours and check this museum out!

We had a great time on our field trip. This place is interactive and informative. Can't wait to go back and visit again, but be able to take my time. Our tour guide was very patient and had a lot of knowledge.

We came on a field trip with second and third graders. There was a lot of interactive exhibits, which kept their attention well. We had a guide and she was dressed for the part and very knowledgeable and patient. There is a really cool 360 experience at the end that the kids loved.

I love the little areas where characters from history speak to you as if they were still here. It looks like animatronics meets holographic. This museum tries to tell both sides of the frontier story.

Had a fantastic time at the museum It was awesome to see the holograms and to learn a lot about the state of Texas and how hard it was to live back then people dying left and right killing each other war fighting over land

I didn't tour the 2nd floor, only the 1st and 3rd. The Grace Coffee Shop is no longer open and is now an Event Center that happened to be in use when I was there. The tour of the 3rd floor was full of memorabilia from the early to mid 1900s. Beautifully displayed antiques and room settings.

The history of Abilene is fun to learn about. If it wasn’t for the train the city wouldn’t be here! To learn about the Grace Hotel is fun to learn about too!

What a beautiful museum! Small, but I love being able to see inside the old hotel. There are art galleries on the first two floors, a super fun kid's space on the second floor, and more local history on the third. I really enjoyed it and learning more about Abilene! The original train station is right across the street and several of the storybook character statues are in the immediate area. There is dedicated parking for the museum, "behind" the hotel (opposite from the front corner entrance), both covered and uncovered. I found plenty of street parking as well right on the corner. There's a coffee shop and restaurant nearby that looked like they were serving at 10 am.

We recently attended a wedding at The Grace Museum and it was absolutely unforgettable! From the moment we walked in, we were blown away by how beautifully the historic building blended classic charm with modern elegance. The stunning architecture, art-filled walls, and warm lighting created the perfect romantic atmosphere — every corner felt like a photo opportunity! The staff at The Grace were incredibly professional and attentive. Everything ran so smoothly, from the ceremony setup to the reception. You could tell the team truly cared about making the evening special for everyone — guests and couple alike. The museum’s layout worked perfectly for the event: the ceremony was intimate and heartfelt, the cocktail hour flowed seamlessly, and the reception space was both spacious and cozy. It was such a unique and elegant venue that captured the spirit of West Texas in such a timeless way.

Stopped in Abilene for a few hours and popped into this little museum. It’s a combination of art, kid’s stuff, and history. The building was originally built to be a hotel, and the third floor has some history about it. The lady working the front desk was super nice and informative. She explained the layout of the museum since it was my first visit. I also asked for recommendations for the city, and she was very helpful with things to see and eat.

The Grave Museum is not only a showcase art gallery for current professionals but it is a legacy, a historical site, record of human expansion in the Abilene area with its cluster of galleries dedicated to honoring the past. It serves as an experiential zone for creativity that young people can freely engage. For the artist whom are impacting the world one gallery showing at a time, your artist membership and active showings are a way to execute your influence through vision, interpretation, expression.

Our family of seven visited The Grace in the morning. Our five children had an amazing time discovering all the kinds of art they could make in the play zone. The VW Bug was a huge hit for our three-year-old. Our seven-year-old loved the stage area and the Astronaut costumes. Our eight-year-old was amazed by the touchscreen draw creator. And our five-year-old and six-year-old loved the play centers. The art installations on communication and the arts were beautifully displayed and the children found them most interesting. The period rooms and the hotel room would have looked like at The Grace for was very interesting and was loved and cared for. I enjoyed the dresses and many types of hand fans. We could not have been more entertained by this outing. It was also a great place to be out of the hot sun.

We've been visiting the Abilene Zoo for over 13 years now, and it’s always a family favorite. All three of my kids have grown up loving this place—there’s always something new and exciting to see with each visit. The staff is one of the highlights of the zoo experience. They're friendly, approachable, and incredibly knowledgeable about the animals they care for. Whether it’s during a fun educational show for the little ones or just answering questions while you stroll by, they clearly love what they do. The zoo itself isn’t massive, which is actually a plus in my book. You can easily see everything without feeling exhausted by the end of your visit. It’s the perfect size for families with younger kids, and still entertaining for adults too. They are currently expanding, so the zoo will soon be growing—but even now, it’s a wonderful and charming place to spend the day. If you haven’t been to the Abilene Zoo yet, I highly recommend stopping by. You won’t be disappointed!

I was originally going to give the Abilene Zoo 4 stars because while it’s a great zoo, there are definitely some areas that could use improvement. A few exhibits seemed a bit overcrowded or lacking in enrichment. However, I talked to a very friendly employee at the carousel, and after hearing about everything they have planned, I’m honestly hopeful and impressed. For example, the spider monkey exhibit felt extremely overcrowded — it looked like there were more than 10, maybe 15 or more. The employee explained that they recently seized around 9 baby spider monkeys at the border and brought them here temporarily. Once they’re old enough, they’ll be placed in other zoos. Knowing that made the overcrowding make a lot more sense, and I appreciate the role the Abilene Zoo is playing in helping them. He also mentioned that many exhibits are in the process of being updated to become more enriching and spacious, which is great to hear. Another unique detail he shared was that one of the higher-ups owns a large plot of land with his own animals and brings some to the zoo depending on the time of year. Right now, for the holidays, they have reindeer — which my son was ecstatic to see! The zoo itself has a train, a carousel, and lots of great animals. My son got to see a snapping turtle for the first time, and he was both amazed and a little scared because of the size. The animals all looked well cared for, active, and easy to see. The jaguar exhibit in particular looked amazing. Ticket prices are very affordable, and honestly, I think the experience is worth more than the cost. Overall, I enjoyed my visit and would definitely recommend checking out the Abilene Zoo. I’m only passing through, but I hope that the next time I’m in the area, I’ll get to see all the improvements they’re planning.

This zoo is a gem. Their exhibits are top notch. It’s not too long of walk to see everything, and each exhibit is well taken care of. And the giraffe feeding is one of the best zoo experiences someone can have.

Maybe it's because we had the entire zoo basically to ourselves because we were there on an off day, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The facility is beautiful, they have a great variety of animals, and they have great themes.

My granddaughter and I, had a great time. Not very expensive. Lots of critters. We went during Halloween time. Decorated cool Definitely, will go back often! You can feed some animals. There is also, a giant sand pit for the kids. That's when, I rested. I had brought my umbrella for the sun. Didn't really need it. Lots of trees with shade. The monarch butterflies were everywhere, too!

This is such a cool smaller zoo you can spend time just strolling around the beautiful laid out property, It wasn't crowded and we so enjoyed looking at the animals. I would come back here again and again, can't wait to visit in the near future..!!!

We took our daughter for boo at the zoo and we absolutely loved it! Everything was beautiful & well maintained! You can really tell the animals are loved!!

I've been to other historic forts that had amenities such as gift shops and partially- or fully-restored ruins. This site has ruins, restrooms, and a heavily spider-infested welcome area with a bit of history posted. So this is a place you come if you like the idea of walking around looking at ruins, not a museum-like ruins as you see in some other historic forts. Also FYI, there's a posted sign warning to watch out for rattlesnakes (we didn't see any; someone apparently mows the grass, which helps) and there are sticker plants, so wear long pants.

After visiting Frontier Texas!, we headed out to Fort Phantom Hill, and thoroughly enjoyed exploring the ruins. It offers a fascinating glimpse into history, and the information booklet provided at the entrance is excellent, allowing for a fantastic, easy, self-paced walking tour of the grounds. The site itself is a beautiful, open piece of history. The only minor drawback is that because it is an open-air historical site, there are quite a few spiders and creepy crawlers around the ruins—so be prepared and maybe wear closed shoes! Despite the bugs, it's a worthwhile, informative, and highly recommended historical stop for anyone in the Abilene area.

What a great stop on a road trip! We grabbed sandwiches in town and ate them as we walked this site. It's a free park. In mid-May, the flowers were so beautiful! So many butterflies! Cacti were in full bloom! So many huge mosquitoes! Bring insect spray or just do what we did...move quickly and watch each other's backs! The site was great for getting a short walk in on a long drive and seeing some historical ruins.

I love history, so getting to walk through a place that was first inhabited in 1850 was special to me.

such a neat place with such a history! can't wait to go back & explore around some more when it gets cooler out.

My husband & I stopped here after we visited the Frontier Texas. It was cool to walk around & imagine what life was like. Make sure to wear closed shoes, a lot of bugs 😀

If you love history and looking for a active and free activity this the place clean restrooms but not to maintain is not 💩dirty is just dusty and spider webs but is awesome 🫡🫡🫡🫡

Really love this place. I only have been here on Saturday mornings with my two year old. Not only is it free to get into but they do free crafts and if it’s open, a little museum featuring artists and authors and their books. They have a book/gift shop too that’s pretty big and has a lot of options. My toddler loves it and it gives us something to do Saturday mornings. Not to mention the staff are always very kind and pleasant. They have an area in the back too that has other activities for kids to do as well. Idk if it would be really crazy fun for little babies or older kids, unless they like art, but it’s pretty perfect for toddlers. It’s always clean too. I haven’t been to any of their events or anything though, but I imagine those are just as great too. Definitely recommend if you just need to burn off some toddler energy or if your child is into literature and art. If they do have special events i would recommend buying tickets in advance.

Oh my gooodness this park and the sculpture walk was awesome. We were in town on a misty/rainy day. There were a few groups of people out enjoying the sculptures at the park and strolling the streets. Abilene downtown has a neat feel. There’s fun boutiques, hat shops and a Texas Novelty store. The Paramount Theater was playing “Its a Wonderful Life.” I mean… come on 🥰

A really nice little (free) museum not to be missed! It spotlights a children's book writer/artist with original art. The bookstore is wonderful too! There are also b/w photos of previous spotlighted writers. There are also really great children's book statues outside of the museum to enjoy. 👌

We were greeted at the door. She explained the history of the museum and the original art of the book illustrators. We then were able to explore on our own and finifinished off going to the bookstore.

Ms. Kayla from NCCIL is phenomenal! Early Artists was such a great session. Our 5,3, and 2 year olds loved it. Thank you!

This was such a fun experience! It is another hidden gem in Abilene. The NCCIL features the original art work from one children's book illustrator each quarter. When possible the illustrator comes for the debut of their art work. You get the opportunity to see their art with the story book near by. We had a great time! Admission is by donation only, and the staff was very friendly and helpful.

The NCCIL is a fantastic place. This weekend is the annual CALF (Children's Art & Literacy Festival) which draws people from all over.

Local fixture! Cozy historical theater in downtown Abilene TX offering concerts, movie, and documentary showings. We love going every chance we get!

I LOVE this place!!!! It’s absolutely BEAUTIFUL and they have some wonderful events here too!! You can even hit the snack bar! It’s very historical and it’s just an awesome place to go for so many things— one night they’ll have an actual movie showing, another night they’ll have a live performance of the Community Orchestra… It’s a lovely venue for anything!!! If you’re gonna be in town, I’d look to see if they have anything going on! It’s beautiful when it’s lit up outside and just as gorgeous on the inside (where if you look up at the ceiling, you think the clouds are moving!). Definitely a place I’d recommend!

The theater was awesome. A beautiful, historic building. Staff was helpful and polite. We went to see Reed Timmer and the entire experience was flawless. The Dominator 3 was awesome and Will (Rocket Man) with Team Dominator was very informative. The theater was a perfect place. 🥰

This was my first visit to the Paramount Theater in Abilene and it was for a concert. The venue was a very nice theater and the sound quality was good for the performance. The theater reminded my a lot of the Majestic theater in San Antonio. It had the star lights in the ceiling and I had been well maintained. I look forward to attending lore events here.

This is one of the most lovely theaters! It has been tastefully updated in such a way that it hasn't ruined the nostalgic character. In fact, I'm glad they haven't redone everything. There's something genuine and peaceful about things that age gracefully and don't get fussed over too much. It is definitely a step back in time to the golden age of live performances and golden Hollywood character.

Lovely facility.....staff friendly and happy. Each one of them mentioned how it was an honor to work in such a place of history. Can't wait to enjoy the events we purchased tickets for . Perfect size.

Great place for a movie, was here this time for a concert. It really is a great venue for whatever they may be hosting. Ben Folds was awesome, too!

We stopped while on a road trip passing through. It was the perfect place to stretch our legs. My 2.5 year old had a blast looking at the statues and running around. I can't wait to make this a regular pit stop!

I loved the amazing thoughtful, and intricate artistic work that was put into this. My kids really enjoyed it. I also loved the interactive app to help you search for more of these statues around the area.

Beautiful little park with so many sculptures from new and old children’s stories. Definitely worth a stop and many are under the shade of trees. Bring the children’s books with you! At the front you can also pick up a brochure with more info on each. Lots of fun activities for kids.

Had a great time taking pics with my girl, as we passed thru Abilene! Great park! ❤️

The Book quotes on the large sitting stones along the pathway were my favorite part of the park. Of course my younger kids enjoyed the story book statues the best. The location was clean, safe, and well landscaped/designed. A must see in the city!

This garden was an enchanting step into the storybook of childhood. Goes to prove Abilene is the storybook capitol.

What a sweet place! It's so cute and well done, though I wish they would clear out what I assume are the added christmas "extras" of added skirts and scarves. I'm told at night it looks totally different. I bet Charlotte's Web over Wilbur looks best at night - it's a little hard to see in the daytime. Also, don't do what I did - I parked a block away. Park in the copious convention center parking right next to it.

Wonderful experience. Amazing to just sit and reflect.

Definitely need to put this on your bucket list. The peace and transformation that comes over you as you take time to see all the details of the beautiful scuptultes and the reading throughout the rocks is heartfelt. I've been twice and look forward to going again . I find peace here. I took my Dad there after he had just been in an accident we were coming from Texarkana and were making our way home and I just knew he would feel it's presence. He really like it. J

A very solemn place located within Abilene Christian University. A good place to meditate. Ample parking.

Stopped by to check out this statue. It is astonishing. So beautiful. Take time to walk around and read everything.

Really lovely, easy for an outsider to visit - there's a parking lot right there, and while I'm sure it's for students, no one will mind if you park for a few minutes to look! Beautiful campus.

The sculpture is part of the public sculpture collection, spread throughout the town of Abilene. It was somewhat difficult to locate once we were on campus (Abilene Christian), but a loop around, and following the signs, we were asked to locate it. There are plaques that tell the story of this piece near the base.

Jacob's Dream Sculpture is the perfect place to take photos, eat lunch or to sit and enjoy quiet time. It's peaceful and allows you to reflect. There are so many beautiful focal points with inspiring words of affirmation and reminders of the beauty of the universe and God. The lush grass and landscaping is a beautiful backdrop. My daughter graduated from Abilene Christian University and I decided to take her photos here. I'm no professional but ... I must say they came out GREAT!

Truly a hidden gem in Texas. We just happened to be passing thru and thought we would stop in. I had not heard of the 12th Armored Div., so I learned so much that I had not known about before. The museum has an extensive collection spread through 3 floors.

The 12th Armored Division Memorial Museum in Abilene is a truly powerful and moving experience. It offers a profound look into the history of the "Hellcats" during World War II, focusing not just on battles, but on the human cost. The atmosphere within the museum is notably eerie and solemn, which reflects the heavy realities of their service. It’s an incredibly informative museum, with thoughtfully curated exhibits that successfully honor the legacy and personal sacrifices made by the division's soldiers.

Very cool! Little museum in Abilene downtown. History of the 12th armored division army unit and work it in World war II. Very sombering. There's a section about the concentration camps but it was very interesting as well. She's short two block walk to Monk's coffee shop so check it out. $24 for a family of four. Two adults, two kids.

Unbelievable detail, amazing displays, completely clean, organized and full of knowledge. A hidden gem 💎

As a disabled veteran, I love visiting this place. There’s so many nice things there that really make you appreciate the amazing service members that came way beyond I ever did—- the folks there are so nice and wonderful and are always there to answer your questions and give you a taste of history. God bless these wonderful folks. Even while living in Abilene, I visited this place more than once… and it was wonderful every time. I would absolutely recommend this place for anyone to visit and when I go to Abilene, I’ll definitely stop by again.

Had a great time exploring this museum. Such fantastic history. So glad we found this museum!

Pictures cannot do justice. There's three levels of this museum and be prepared to read a lot! There's a lot of interesting photos as well so give yourself plenty of time to browse. I've never been to Abilene so be aware it's nestled right in downtown. Great museum!

I'm so glad they are trying to preserve the 1910 historic Swenson House. They allowed our bus tour to have a catered lunch there with a private guided tour. Sorry some of the photos got out of order.

This is a really cool, old house. You are immediately transported back in time as you step across the front threshold of this place. The group that runs and preserves this place has done a fantastic job keeping everything period appropriate, or pretty close. You can rent the Swenson House for private parties and gatherings. I would recommend taking an opportunity to see this place. It is truly magnificent!

An absolutely fantastic way to spend an hour in Abilene! The house is absolutely gorgeous and the tour guides are top notch as well. If only these walls could talk! You truly feel like you are stepping back in time in this place and frankly wish you could stay ;) The flamengo bathroom was the price of admission.

A most beautiful and interesting place. Lots of history and curious, charming features that provide insight in to the times. The floors, the furniture, the ceilings, the windows are all fantastic. The oval dining room is fun too.

Beautiful historic home with great staff. Lovely gardens and the decorations are always amazing☺️

We went to an open house last Saturday that included a tour of the main floor of the house and freedom to roam the grounds. Coffee and pastries were served as well. There were also kids activities available as well as a few craft and food vendors. It was wonderful to see the house and grounds so well cared for! If we were local I would have joined the preservation society. They're doing great work.

An absolutely beautiful building and the staff is incredible - a pleasure to work with! Swenson House is a great venue for memorable events and well worth supporting.

When I went in October 2020, they were still only doing to-go beer. However, we were told they would be reopening October 14th. I didn't get a chance to go inside, but got the Stripper Dust Vanilla Porter to go. I definitely liked the vanilla notes. The picnic tables in the back would be nice, in normal times. I'll have to stop by again, next time I'm in town.

Friendly area, awesome tours, great people, highly rated brews available. Watch the canning process, ot the brew art coming alive.

Pretty good beer. 7th anniversary was fun with the Dave Hobbs band. They should have more events with live music.

I go here with my brother when he is in town and it never fails me! I have a great time! This is a place that is not open long and only one day but the beer is awesome, the people are friendly and you are in a brewery! It is really cool! If you want to stop in - best check the hours, I was taking pictures of this awesome car and forgot to take pictures of the place dang it! I do love it there though. It's a come as you are place and people do. Dogs are welcome too. That is a place that I will be taking mine so she can mingle with the other dogs there and get some socializing in. Do stop by and always say hello to the help, they are awesome cool! Pappy Slokum Brewery a great place to be on a Saturday!

First time going and I completely recommend it for others. It is a great family friendly environment that makes you feel right at home. I couldn't tell who were regular costumers and who worked there from the love shown between the staff and friends that have been made with this place. Everyone was proud to wear the Pappy shirts and you could tell the pride that has been put into the place. I'm not even a beer drinker and thought the two beers me and a friend split were really good. Even the food truck was exceptionally wonderful. If you can't tell I was really suprised.

This is a fun brewery to visit. Not many amenities like most breweries, but the atmosphere is fun and inviting. Their beer is very good. They clearly know what they are doing. Food is provided by a food truck that parks out back. A very enjoyable place to go. They would get more of a rating for me if they had longer hours. I have visited Abilene multiple times and it has been hard to catch these guys open.

What a great time! Stopped by on our way through with our toddler and dog. Kids and dogs are welcome! Delicious food, great people, great beer, such a welcoming, friendly place, and I can't state enough how awesome it was to find a dog friendly place so our dog could stretch his legs too.

Nice park Trail for good walk playground area, shelter area for bbq and birthday parties clean bathrooms I like that it has a dog park attached and there a sign there saying don’t feed the duckies this keeps poop away and the park clean you can see a view of the zoo as well

Beautiful park, quiet and clean. Has an outdoor bathroom, walking trail and fishing areas if you want to catch some catfish.

The new Splash Pad at Nelson Park is awesome! It's a great way to cool off after a hot journey around the Abilene Zoo.

This the perfect place to have a family day in one spot! The zoo is walking distance. There is enough Room to set up canopies and a BBQ pit. There is are 2 parks and a splash pad and a large pond for fishing. Public restrooms are kept up with. Definitely recommend 👌

Very nice and clean park. It also have 2 dog parks for either large and small dogs. Water park for the kids. Close proximity to the Abilene zoo and a softball field.. fishing is a popular pastime.

This is such a lovely park close to two dog parks (one for big dogs and one for small dogs) and the Zoo. It has a playground and splash place. Evening walks or bike rides here can be lovely. Gorgeous sunsets. There are also plenty of places for fishing. One of my favorite places in Abilene. Great for families.

Love it!! Peddalboats, feeding giraffes, feeding the fish, or watching the monkeys it's just fun. Husband and I went to the zoo on a date and had a blast. Clean and friendly people.

We took the kids here for a swim day before school started again. They had a blast! There’s a great spot for little kids, but there is also plenty for the bigger ones. The lazy river and slide are a huge hit. This is a great attraction for Abilene.

With the Texas heat, this is a great place to stay cool. Loved the lazy river the the tube slide. Very clean. Areas for all ages. We thought it was great. Pricing was very reasonable. We went 3 days in a row! We even enjoyed the snacks from the snack bar!

How are yall going to have this sign at the entrance and then tell kids/parents after the lifeguards deny access to the slides that the sign at the front is not accurate. The sign clearly says “you must be this tall to ride”. If someone is that tall then you should let them ride or fix the dang sign. Thanks for making my daughter cry today…

We brought my son for his birthday. He and my other boys had so much fun with the slides and numerous pools/ swimming places to go. Was very disappointed about not being able to bring a cooler with my waters and fruit ( I didn’t have much to spend at concession plus no healthy options!) I believe waters should be allowed in a cooler, and I think they should add some healthy foods ( think fruit, summer veggies with ranch, dye free options for popsicles, fruit salad, maybe trail mix, protein options that are NOT fried - I have fatty liver disease and am no longer any fried foods or ultra processed foods) and drink options - pure 100%juice no corn syrup or dye, Greek yogurt, frozen yogurt, smoothies etc … just a suggestion to adventure cove as this was my first visit and loved all but concession 😔

Went to adventure cove today with my 1yr old & she had a blast! There’s a lot of kid friendly things to do. The pool goes from 1ft to 4 ft. Which is perfect for little kids. They also have a lazy river that is 3ft so not deep, but the jets are strong. The lounge chairs & umbrellas are first come first serve. Overall great place to take the family to enjoy the water & the sun.

Hey there! Y'all, this is a great spot to beat the heat! There is something for everyone. There is a play water area/pool for smaller children, a lazy river, and within in the lazy river is another pool. We arrived about 15 minutes before opening at 1 pm. We were the 3rd family in line within 5 minutes, there were about 30 people behind us. Benefits to being the early you are able to find shaded pool chairs under the big umbrellas and a tube for the lazy river ( there are about 7 in the whole park). We paid $15 for an adult and child (over 48 inches) to enter (not bad). There is a very nice snack bar with plenty to choose from, and it is reasonably priced. The sign states no outside food or drinks;however, I did see a couple of people roll a small ice chest in. I'm not sure how strict that rule is. The green slide was down, but the other 2 slides were in working condition. We had a great time and I would highly recommend it.

It's a little smaller than I thought it would be. Just three slides , a small lazy river, and a pool attached to a splash pad on one end. But we went to a party where they had the whole place rented out in the evening, and it was really nice. Relaxing, perfect temperature. My daughter loved it.

We had a great time with kids ages 3-8. We didn’t buy the pass with multiple events because it was our first time there and wanted to see which activity would interest the group. We played mini golf, they did the rope course and loved the mini city. There was still a lot more to do. It was clean, and all the workers were helpful and polite. Will definitely come back again!

5 stars for sure!!! We decided to stop in Abilene on our way down south. I found this place on a google search and decided to try it out with our 2 kiddos! We could not have been happier with the whole experience. The entire staff was so friendly and helpful. High fiving our kids every time they walked by and always putting a smile on their faces. There were so many fun things to do and our 5 and 7 year old had “the best day of their lives”! :). We spent 3 hours there before they closed and didn’t even have enough time to do everything! I would recommend this place to anyone! It’s a great place with great workers! WAY TO GO PRIMETIME! We will be back someday!:)

Amazingly fun place... go-karts, bowling, arcade, and Lazer tag plus a concession stand with food and drinks. My wife and I are from Brownwood, Tx but we travel to Abilene often and most every time we stop here for some great fun. I highly recommend this place its great for kids and adults. P.s the staff are very friendly and the place is very clean.

I'd give 6 stars if I could! I emailed the manager a specific request for a high ticket prize and he had exactly what I was wanting there and ready for pick up in less than 24 hrs! When I went to cash in my tickets Lydia, Landon and Steven were just as excited about my awesome prize as I was and made it a super fun experience! Ill definitely be returning again and again letting out my inner child to replenish my my ticket supply for the next big thing!

So much fun. So many many things to do. Their pizza was affordable and super yummy. I would suggest just ordering their pizza if anything else. No refill drinks is where they get you though. Laser Tag was a blast. Xd theater didn't disappoint. Bowling was good. Gocarts were fun. We didn't get to do the mirror maze because they closed before we got a chance but they're open late and we just had an all around good time. Highly suggest for a weekend with the family.

As someone who grew up coming here, and has continued bringing kids here as an adult, it's sad to see how far it's fallen. Game prices are crazy, half the machines don't work properly and almost all the games last like no more than a minute if they do work, and most of the staff was rude and unhelpful. I came here today with my niece and nephew since I was taking care of them. The arcade was completely down for almost an hour due to internet issues, the manager refused a refund despite us not being able to use the money we had paid and wanting to leave. Once they got the internet up finally, even still most of the games were simply just out of order, and whatever ones did work were extremely lackluster. Definitely won't be back, I recommend the Main Event in Odessa, or the Mr. Gattis in Abilene and Big Spring much higher. More bang for your buck, better food, and much friendlier staff.

My boys and I absolutely love spending time at prime time! We drive an hour one way, just to get there. So we usually stay for most of the day, and we go as often as possible. We were literally there three times last week. It's a great place for family fun! Wonderful, kind, and helpful employees , and tasty food too!

We drove around on a Sunday to see what there was to see in the area and it felt like we were in some sort of apocalyptic movie. We pretty much had the whole area to ourselves. There was barely any other life forms around. Strange but neat. Will check it on any day but Sunday next time I'm in the area.

I love visiting Abilene. Heck, they even have trees. Seriously though, it's a great town with lots to offer.

Beautiful and cute little downtown.

They are trying hard to restore and preserve their history. I like it!

decently cool

Beautiful walk in downtown Abilene

Free to explore in Downtown Abilene, the 8 foot tall horse sculpture with red eyes, is quickly driven by without context or explanation. The sculptor Luis Jimenez was born in El Paso, Texas in 1940. His family was originally from Mexico and his art focuses on Hispanic themes. “Mesteño” was created in 1997-98’ sits on the former site, of the old city hall. Interestingly Luis Jimenez decided to create a 32 feet tall horse out of his signature polychromed fiberglass. His sculpture was to portray the wild spirit of the West. It was blue, standing on hind legs and with glowing red eyes. Tragically in 2006, a heavy portion of the statue fell on Jimenez and severed his artery. He died an untimely death and the work of art was left unfinished. Fortunately, his sons finished it for him and “Blue Mustang” was installed at the Denver International Airport in 2008. It quickly became renamed Blucifer and most residents wanted it taken down. Denver has a 5 year waiting period before the city's Commission on Cultural Affairs would even consider removing a piece of public art. The artist died while creating a finally piece of art makes it more poignant. This is the 8 foot horse with red eyes In downtown Abilene named “mesteño”(untamed) escaped from the owner and is running wild also :

Parking was great today at the gun show event, everyone walking out looked pleased with the experience. We got good deals and met awesome ppl 💸🔫

Great venue and great customer service. You can actually walk up to the box office and purchase real paper tickets after they walk you down to the actual seats where you'll be sitting. Excellent experience. Couldn't be happier.

Pretty neat. It’s the downtown cultural district, home to the largest public collection of storybook characters. With 25 sculptures (and counting), these characters brand Abilene as the Storybook Capital of America

This is the heart of Abilene. I have seen updates and renovations to keep the convention center competitive when it comes to attracting meetings to choose Abilene. This is one of the finest in West Texas. Recent renovation to the North Entrance is a plus. A new full service hotel being built south of the convention center will be a big attraction to Abilene downtown.

Quick and excellent service which is uncommon these days. Great job people!

Something for everyone! Not only christmas ornaments but also snacks and jams and popcorn's And plenty for the men with wood crafts, knives, and leather wallets! Meet and take pics with santa Children's author signing books!!

We shared a meal with Abilene. I love community and this parade and meal were awesome to experience.

It was so much fun! My first time. Great carnival rock and roll!! Delicious funnel cake and the rides were so fun! My inner kid is so pleased. Bracelets 35$ or 1$ per ticket rides are an average of 4 tickets per ride... expect long lines but Worth it

Fun rides. Sometimes the ride conducters are nice and sometimes they aren't 🤷‍♀️. Plenty of food and places to eat. My 3 year old and 2 yr old had Plenty of rides to ride without and with us. Be careful shopping vendors tend to up prices way higher than their usual. Though I believe after 8:30 pm should have free entry because at that point some things are closed 🤔.

Great experience kids love it and a family tradition for sure.

Me and my family have gone for years and it is at its worst 120$ just to get in the door for the rodeo 160$ for armbands and 200$ for us just to eat it's a rip off for as small as it is.

West Texas Bulls at Night Presented by Coors Rodeo was incredibly entertaining. These "fellers" put on a great show. It was amazing watching every single person involved working together. Impressed that with a girl that had an important hands on role. Admire the brotherhood and camaraderie between the guys.

We had a great time kids loved it! It was a little expensive for the arm bands but I guess thats gonna happen.

Lots of clean fun! Great rides and food. Don't miss the rodeo or pig races!

Great place! Laid back, honest to goodness fun. And the most gorgeous sycamore tree you've ever seen! It's not pristine and new but for me that's part of the charm. And they are actively repairing and replacing minor flaws. Go see them and keep this Abilene icon in business!

We thoroughly enjoyed playing mini golf here. A few of the holes needed some new carpet, but that didn’t hinder us from enjoying our time. The music was great and the owner was very welcoming and nice to us. We’ll be back!

Went here a little bit ago with a group of friends, we had an absolute blast! I got there a little bit before all my friends and the gentleman who handles the tickets and the register was very kind and cracking jokes with me until everyone else got there! 100% recommend to anyone who is looking for a fun place to go putt-putting

I had heard about this place on the radio. I was excited to come, and check it out. I was pretty disappointed. Everything was in pretty bad shape. The man at the booth was ok, but not overly inviting. Some of the holes weren't numbered plainly. The greens were in various forms of decay. Probably will not be back.

One of the many things I miss about living in Abilene is Play Faire Park. A fun venue and you can't ask for friendlier, more welcoming folks than the owners, the England family. We've tried mini golf where we live now, but the people just want you there for the $ --- and boy do they charge ridiculous prices! The kids run wild and no one is very friendly. Every time we been we say "Well, we're not at Play Faire, so what did we expect?" Play Faire has good music, a beautiful venue, and a great atmosphere. Weather you're there for a date or a family night, it's always a good time!

It was fun to play mini golf again. It is created with railroad ties, and has a down-home feel. We were allowed to play both courses, but it got too hot on a summer afternoon.

Fantastic fun! Great venue and setting for a fun evening with a friend. Cool music list played while we putter through the courses. Even cooler folks running the place.

I like it because there is public access to many areas of shore around the lake. I have visited many lakes where there is one designated area and that area stays packed. I do worry that all the new renovations will turn it into a party place instead of a more or less peaceful lake.

Pretty decent lake for Abilene. Weekends are the busiest, lots of people out with their boats fishing, relaxing, skiing and tubing. There are areas where you can pitch a tent and spend the night or just have a barbecue for the day. Fun day out for the family!

Fort Phantom Hill is a great boating lake. You can catch just about anything you want here. Lots of pleasure boaters and fishing going on here. Bank fish is pretty good but you may lose quite a bit of tackle due to its rocky bottom.

I live out here, very peaceful for the most part

This is a must stop! To be able to walk through this place and stand where so much history took place was quite an honor and it’s also so impressive to see just how much hard work just to live back then and you could see the remains of their garden areas...

Best lake in west Texas I went Labor Day and hardly a sole there. Very clean park and local police are friendly and helpful. It’s 80% full as of this review. Take your family. Nice area of cut grass for great place for large families.

I love this lake; lived here for 15 years now. Most beautiful sunsets and sunrises around! I'd like to state my observation on your observations. I saw a lot of reviews with less than 5 stars because the fishing wasn't what they expected. Lol, I recommend that they learn to fish. Less than 5 stars because people are slobs. Well, we can't control that behavior but if you'll watch for our volunteer clean-up days, we'd love to have you join us. Less than 5 stars because the city places obstacles to keep you from accessing certain areas. Well, it's to TRY to stop people from ruining our natural environment and nesting areas with off road vehicles. This lake, the public areas and FREE access are a gift meant for everyone to enjoy and something really special in our area. We love this place and we are proud of it. Please come and have fun and please help us keep it clean, safe and family friendly.

They were super helpful! Lots of information. Lots of great and interesting products. All the plants looked healthy. Able to get sand for an above pool cheaper than Lowe’s and easier. Absolutely recommend!

My favorite nursery in Abilene! Willow Creek Gardens has a wide variety of healthy plants suitable for the Abilene climate. The staff is knowledgeable and helpful. The plants always look very healthy and well cared for.

I stopped by Willow Creek Gardens today to ask if they would have any magnolia trees in September since I'm wanting to plant one in my back yard. The young lady who met me at the entrance was watering plants, but she stopped what she was doing to help me out. She and a supervisor gave me the information I needed and quoted me a great price on the type of tree I wanted, which includes delivery, planting the tree and providing the mulch. Now, I can't wait to get my tree planted. And, I walked out of the store with a jar of local honey.

New to the area. Liked the plants and the people HATE the "composted soil" they sell. I'm a master gardener and have grown in many soils and climates. Last spring I bought some "composted soil" and was not impressed but I tilled it in and it seemed okay. Last week I bought some for raised beds and it's BAD. Seems like 3/4 sand and 1/4 something else. If the 1/4 is compost it's poor compost. It is very hard to water in. Water just sits on top with dry sand underneath. For the price this is upsetting.

Went to a couple nurseries in Abilene and found our match here. Willow Creek welcomed us with great customer service and their friendly staff made it easy to put our vision to life. They worked with us seamlessly to get our plants delivered and made the perfect recommendation for plants and wood chips. You just need to provide the area that you are filling and they will accurately calculate it so you won’t have to waste a bag. Coming back soon for our next project.

Good service and nice selection of plants and fertilizer. The seasoned hands seemed to be very knowledgeable. They say they only carry plants that grow well in Abilene. Posted prices aren't the cheapest in town, but if you use the IBUY ABILENE app, they tend to at least match the cheapest in town and sometimes beat them. I do recommend Wilow Creek and the IBUY ABILENE app at checkout.

My go to garden shop real friendly people always ready to help you out

Play grounds are clean. Grass always maintained. A safe park a d is wheelchair accessible in some areas. Quite a few things to do in the area. The outdoor gym is cool!

This is one of my favorite places in Abilene. The playground is a big hit with the kids. I always enjoy visiting the prairie dogs. If you haven’t had a chance to see them, I highly recommend it.

Great park to let the kids play. There is a nice big climbing area, and they even have a walking/biking/running walkway around the whole park. There is also a splash pad that looks like it's for the younger children. Not very big, but looks like a great time! We also saw some Prarie dogs! Will definitely visit this park again.

Paved path measures 1.6 miles from the entry parking area around the full loop. Beware--no shade on 95% of it, so you will feel the sun the whole time. Nice peaceful park, plenty of people walking, walking dogs, playing at the playground. Prairie dogs love this park too!

Very nice park in Abilene with a big walking trail and it’s right next to the YMCA. I don’t recommend staying after sunset since it’s not well illuminated. Once a saw a big all white male group gathered/huddled for what looked like a meeting at this particular park. I honestly didn’t feel safe walking passed this all big white male group although I was accompanied by a friend who has been living in the immediate area of the park for several years. I can only hope that it was not a hater or neo supremacist group meeting. I truly hope that isn’t the case because it would a negative representation of not only of Red Bud park, but the surrounding neighborhoods to include the community, and city as a whole. It’s a nice day time walking park. I see ppl walking the big trail along the perimeter of the park with family, friends, and pets all the time. It would be great if they had better lighting during the dark hours. Love, Light, Peace, Blessings, Community No weapon formed against me shall prosper

Just wanted somewhere I could take my dog for a nice walk. Even though it was in town, this was open space. I took her off-leash. Let her run as well as on leash walking around the periphery of the park. There were doggy bags with trash cans.

Great park for walking and running. So many prairie dogs!

This is an interesting place to visit! It centers on a Christian perspective of how our world was created along with several historical time periods. The kids especially enjoy the dinosaur display. Admission is by donation so if you can't afford much feel easy about going anyway.

My family and I had a wonderful time here. We spent 3 hours here learning all about so many different things. God is Truth and thats the end of the that story. The staff are so sweet and could be angels in disguise. This place a true gem that everyone should see!

The animals are very clearly not taken care of. This poor dove has been pulling its feathers out due to stress. The reptiles are enclosed in spaces entirely too small and have no where to climb or hide. Truly heartbreaking. I don’t recommend giving them any of your money. It clearly doesn’t go to the care of these animals.

My husband and I dropped in to the Discovery Center totally unexpectedly on a mission to head to the antique mall next door that was closed when we got there before our appointment at the DMV. We decided to take a look around the shops nearby and noticed the Discovery Center. Gwen was the most welcoming host! She gave us a rundown of the museum and introduced us to lovely Henry (the museum’s orange cat)! We want to express our gratitude for having someone on board that is passionate about what she does and she surely left an imprint on us. We hope that the next time we both are in Abilene—the Discovery Center will be our first stop to see Gwen! I wish we could have explored more of it, but we were on a time crunch as it wasn’t on our to-do list for the very small roadtrip west. What a fascinating place!

Carolyn and Gwen are the best tour guides! They are knowledgeable and passionate about this center! We enjoyed our time spent there. My grandchildren had so much fun. There's much to see, lots to hear. Thank you, Discovery Center, for what you do! Prov. 25:2

Great little gem of a museum in the heart of Abilene. Exhibits are free, but a donation is recommended. Great place to spend an afternoon and learn about the Titanic (did you know they guy who found it lived in Abilene?), Israel, The Ark and so much more. They have a few animals that are hands on and a cool mini sandbox for the kids. They also have a summer camp that my son loved. They even had the kids 'dig' for fossils. They offer so much information, you won't have time to do everything. It's a great way to keep the kids entertained without all the money. Bonus fact: they have a Woolly Mammoth tooth, you'll have to check out. Be prepared, you will have to plan multiple trips!

This place is amazing full of mind blowing information about God's creation of man, God's Laws, and much more. On top of all of that the ladies and volunteers that run The Center are the sweetest ever.

Updating my previous post about the Louisiana Hot chicken sandwich I had, the first experience wasn't the best but after I posted my review the owner I assume David reached out to me and offered to pay for me to try the sandwich again and I must say it was really good. Now it's not the fact I got a free meal it's the fact that they were willing to make it right and stand behind their product which is really important to me and many consumers. So I want to say thanks and if you haven't been I'd definitely recommend you give this place a try. Delicious food and above and beyond customer service!! See y'all at the Luau on the 7th 😁

Location and atmosphere are great. Loved the bottomless coffee. Food took a very long time to come out. Had to request utensils as they're not available to grab. Breakfast tacos were bland. My friend enjoyed her chicken sandwich and fries but wasn't crazy about the sauce. I'd return and get something different if ever back in Abilene.

Okay, on a whim, we stopped by after a Firefighter pension conference. The place is clean, relaxed, and the people are friendly. We ordered the buffalo chicken fries and the bratwurst. We also had the Wayfinder beer and a double express (yes, I had both). The fries were perfectly balanced with a touch of heat and a hint of blue cheese flavor. With the Wayfinder Pilsner, it was AMAZING! The bratwurst was traditional in its meat, with sweetness added to the onions. Mustard was mild but added the right amount of flavor. Altogether, I would eat here once a week if I lived in the community. Delicious and highly recommended!

Must stop for beer fanatics. La Dolce Vita is a lovely tribute to Italian beers with a sweet finish, pizza oven needs to be a next step. Leadoff Lager is a ridiculously clean lager, this beer tells you the craft heavy brewmaster at work like no other beer on the menu. Nowhere to hide, light and an incredibly delicious beer. Hidden Agenda pulls heavy almost like a pale ale, lovely flavor. Kibosh Bock is also solid, I get cherry with the bread and caramel. Crudo is a nod to the healthier crowd, the rest of the menu is amazing and leaves you wanting to return. A wonderful tribute to that foodie destination, South Africa in quite a few of the dishes. Staff are beer and food educated and super helpful. Do yourself and your mouth a favor, drop in to this West Texas gem. I had to come back a week later to ensure it wasn’t a mistake! Definitely legit and for real. Get after it and visit.

This place is fantastic. They offer both indoor and outdoor seating, including a dog-friendly patio. They have great beer, wine and non-alcoholic beverages. They also have great food like their steak fries or sausage plate. The staff is approachable and considerate, making every visit pleasant. I have had many enjoyable gatherings with friends and family here. It's also a great place to work or simply relax during the day.

Original Review 1 yr ago: The food is excellent. We sometimes come in just to eat here. High quality meat and ingredients, cooked well, with great flavors. Its always clean and well kept. Beers cold. Update: GT yall are breaking my heart with the menu changes. Pancakes left the brunch menu and never returned. Nor did any alternatives like French toast or waffles... The lunch/dinner entrees we enjoyed are gone.. no more pork verde fries.. no pork loin.. some of the specials are better than what's on the menu too. It's down to deep fried and battered this or that, burgers, and dogs :( Wed love to dine here as often as we used to. I'm not sure if anyone else feels the same, but please being back the variety and lighter choices you used to have. Thank you.

Stopped by for a beer after a long drive (headed in from Wisconsin) and stayed for dinner and Monday Night Music Bingo. Had the fish fry - amazing, and my husband and son were equally impressed with the burgers. If I find my way to Abilene I will definitely stop again.

Can't beat the price! Screen quality is OK, FM on my car has some hiss noise. Good thing car next to me brought a boombox. Snacks is surprisingly good and cheap too. Person behind me smokes a lot. Just because its open doesn't mean anyone's getting second hand smoke. Place should be smoke free. Will visit again.

This place does not open at 7pm as indicated on the website, it opens at 7:30pm. It’s got that old time charm to it and nothing is too terrible fancy. Just the necessary things you need: a big screen and a diner that has checkered flooring. The diner is reasonable priced, you can get a burger for $4 and a large drink for $3.

Omg! I love going to the drive-in theater! What a nice experience watching Jurassic Park on a huge screen.

The experience was nice to take my kids too. Compared to other drive-in theaters this one needs better management. This theater should be doing better in concession sales but they lack the drive to make that happen. The restrooms are scary and at no time did I let my children walk around due to certain paraphernalia that was seen smashed into the half rock half grass theater lots. This drive in under new management and a small investment would show a good ROI. Hope to see it change before it crumbles, we need these complexes to stay around for our children.

We went tonight (Saturday) and saw the double feature. The experience was great. There was a bit of a line getting, and one poor guy trying to handle us all. He did fantastic and let us know about their no lights policies. The sound quality was great, and we could easily see the screen. They have bathrooms and a snack bar on sight as well. This was my daughter's first drive-in experience and she says she likes it more than the regular theater. I also love that they let their viewers know if they're having battery issues, they'll give a battery jump. That is awesome. This was a great night! We would definitely recommend, and will be back in the future.

This place is a great value. We went with our kid who is still a little too young for a traditional movie theater. The sound plays over your car radio and the movies were both pretty current. It seemed like a lot of families were there. The concession stand is reasonably priced as well. Most people sit in their cars but I saw a few in the back of pickups or on lawn chairs. Go! It's fun.

The location of the theater is fairly decent. There are three screens with plenty of parking at each screen. There is no marked parking spots. The audio is pushed through your radio. If you plan to be outside please bring a radio you can tune into or be prepared to turn you radio all the way up. It appeared there was only one attendant so getting snacks was not always the quickest. The restrooms were not in the best shape and hopefully this will be addressed soon. The other downside was that the screen we were watching kept shutting down but the audio would still play. It corrected itself after a minute or so. Kind of took from the experience. Other than that I hope to visit again.

How do I take my one star rating back!! I wouldn't even post a photo of the bathrooms and along the edge of the water is a paper like deposit I've seen around leaking septic tanks it would be really nice if they cleaned it up has a nice park but we didn't stay it just didn't feel sanitary

I love this park. Abilene did a good job improving and adding play ground and new pavilions. I am very relaxing whenever I am at this park.

The beach was extremely disappointing, not maintained, horrible algae over growth and garbage everywhere. Maybe it’s a bad time of year, but I would never return and never recommend.

My family and I have been coming to Johnson Park for over 20 year's. It's always a fun affordable place for family to get together and have some fun!

Fantastic park with grills.

Safe family friendly park close to the city of Abilene and great family fun. Security is helpful and there is not a bunch of drinking here. Very pretty and best area in the area to visit.

We love this lake and come every other weekend when my husband is off work . My reason for giving them 3 stars is because there restrooms and playground. They’re absolutely horrible there crawling with lots of spiders . My children can’t even play on the playground because it’s covered in spiderwebs everywhere. There’s lots of dangerous spiders like black widows and brown recluse . I understand we are outdoors but it wouldn’t hurt for them to treat and spray these areas to make them more safe and suitable for families . Other than those 2 issues the lake is well taken care of and clean . I recommend bringing your own sort of portable toilet and bikes for your children.

It’s exactly what it says it is - a giant bull skull. Don’t come here expecting a moderate-sized skull, or a giant dinosaur skull, because you’ll be disappointed. Seriously though, with the buffalo wind catchers overhead, this is a fun stop along your adventure.

Tho I've not seen these pics, looks fine, nothing huge or fancy about it. It's to dam HOT IN TEXAS!!

Looks cool.

Giant Bull skull that is an icon of Abilene. Great for kids to climb on.

The description is missing a word... SCULPTURE It is not real.

If you thought this was an actual giant Buffalo Skull, I have a bridge to sell you.

What a beautiful scene.

The quality of the performances of AbiPhil is probalby the best kept secret in town. From our first concert on after moving here, my wife and I got season tickets. The mix is for His (Masterpieces) and Her (Pops Concert) and Both (the Zoo Concert) but each is our monthly Date Night. I encourage all Music Lovers to check it out - you will not be disappointed! Extra Kudo to Majestro Itkins - Bravo!! Just the way it should be...

High-quality performances! Was impressed by the orchestra, and the guest soloists were top-notch.

Musicians are alright, and performances are pretty good for a town of this size. The conductor, however, feels a need to make public political statements. When I go to a classical music concert, I want to listen to music, not to someone's uninformed and ignorant opinion. It is not an appropriate venue to push someone's political agenda.

Absolutely love this gem in Abilene! The Philharmonic has great momentum and exposure to excellent performing arts for West Texans to enjoy.

ABILENE Philharmonic is a wonderful experience! ABILENE is very blessed to have this orchestra in town. The concerts are always a true gift!

They have a class my son goes to. He is difficult but they show him great patience. I love what they do and they are very talented.

Loved this little spot. Would give a 5 if they had a dry red...(maybe they were out). My husband is a fan of sweet wine so he was very pleased. The mini charcuterie and the bread and oil were very good!!!! Sat outside by the creek. Pretty. Forgot to take pics before diving in but...empty plates speak volumes. Yummy!

Cute and quaint winery. I actually visited this place for the first time almost a decade ago, so it's been around for a while. They have a decent amount of wine options, and the ambience is great. The outdoor view is pretty, considering it's in a city. I've had a lot of Texas wine. This winery's wine doesn't rank among my favorites, but that's just based on my personal wine preferences. If you like trying new wineries, then this place is worth a visit.

My first time coming here, one of the ladies that was helping me was very sweet, but the other lady that was working there kept jumping in, and was very rude.

I highly recommend this place!! If you are just passing through Abilene, it’s worth a stop! They are great about having themed drinks, music and food trucks on the weekends, comedy shows and trivia nights! They have a wide variety of wine and delicious food!

Excellent place to share with friends or family and be able to taste the variety of wines that they make.. super recommended

We attended the trivia contest! What a great eventt, we had lots of fun. People should remember it's not business friendly to bring outside food and beverages. How is the place supposed to make money?

I really like this place, but I wish they would clean up the outside sitting area better. I understand its outside, but a leaf blower and broom to the spider webs would make it better.

They take great pride in their collection. Very friendly and informative. Call ahead if you can to verify someone is available for the plane tour otherwise you may have to wait.

Museum was very interesting with a great dedication to Col. Dyess. The Historian Curator was a wealthy of knowledge and super kind to our family. We took a personal tour onto the base and were privileged to get up close and personal with many planes at the air park. My grandkids were thrilled with the opportunity to go inside the C130 Hercules and simulate parachute jumping! So much history and so much fun! Call the Museum ahead to take the air park tour.

Great aircraft on display! Be sure to get the tour from the museum director to learn some history🎆

Great experience. Ask Walter for a tour of planes inside the base. Extremely informative!

We came during open hours, but all the doors were locked and no one was inside.

Great little exhibit just outside of the gate to Dyess AFB. Had the privilege of hearing a presentation. By Walter Nichols to new airmen on the history of the base.

It gives you history of the air force, the planes, the uniforms and pictures!!! They have engines and plane seats and instrument panels. Kids will love it and adults will learn stuff too!! Very interesting!!! Will be back!!!

This park was cute. Definitely suitable for pretty much all ages of kids. Big covered tables for gatherings and plenty for shade over the playground itself. The lake is right next door and you can walk to it from the park through the designated trail(s). Only reason I did not give this place 5 stars is I did not see and bathroom anywhere.

I was nervous because another poster said "small" but it's not. The nature trail is short (75 feet?) But the park is pretty substantial with lots of spread out areas.

Cute little park and playground area. Nice trail! Great for the Littles to run off some steam!

If your into fishing it's come a long way. But still takes Patience like anything else. But you can tell they are trying to make it nicer and more things to do for those who don't fish 🐟🐠...👍😉

Went fishing here. Place is super dirty. The fish were clean considering the trash all over the place.

Great smaller playground and sandbox between ball fields. Follow the nature trail across the road, and it will lead you to Lake Kirby, wonderful for birdwatching and fishing.

There's some walking trails and a great playground definitely would recommend for getting outdoorsy.

Disturbing and confusing! Definitely not kid or Christian friendly!!! The picture of the crucifix was done very distastefully and dark while contradicting the Bible verse above speaking of Light...and placed next to the display of straight out Satanic photographs. I don't understand how or why Abilene's community art center is promoting such Satanic photography in the name of art. Abilene has a strong Christian culture with 3 Christian colleges and the world record for most churches per square foot. Why would you promote such "art"? I found this to be disrespectful and dismissive of Abilene's core values and beliefs...while still expecting this same community to support your center. Shame on you! Don't take your kids

Totally awesome place to visit with a extremely vibrant atmosphere and wonderful artwork! I highly recommend this place for a visit to take in the wonderful atmosphere of excellent artworks on display! Some available for purchase and all available for viewing! Easy to find location!

Previous exhibit events were enjoyable. The live band ruined it this time. It was too loud, not appropriate for the circumstance, and prevented socializing.

A very fine and beautiful two story place to display contemporary art. We watched a live performance from Mentalist Grant Price at this place. Very ritzy and an added lift to downtown Abilene.

Wonderful location, beautiful artwork done mostly by artists from the area; some can be purchased. Variety of styles and mediums available. There are 3 sections: a large room downstairs, smaller room down the hallway, and large room upstairs. Some of the artists have studio space upstairs and might have their door open when they’re around so you can peek in and have a quick visit. They have nice changing shows and fun openings.

I love to visit the Center for Contemporary Arts! They change out the art pieces regularly and so you can visit several times in a year without seeing the same artist twice! The cost is by donation and so I also like to bring money to place in the box to the left just inside the door. There are two floors and plenty to see. If you have never been you should go check it out!

Great place, very open. Even can watch some live theatre ♡

I love this park. Abilene did a good job improving and adding play ground and new pavilions. I am very relaxing whenever I am at this park.

The beach was extremely disappointing, not maintained, horrible algae over growth and garbage everywhere. Maybe it’s a bad time of year, but I would never return and never recommend.

How do I take my one star rating back!! I wouldn't even post a photo of the bathrooms and along the edge of the water is a paper like deposit I've seen around leaking septic tanks it would be really nice if they cleaned it up has a nice park but we didn't stay it just didn't feel sanitary

We love this lake and come every other weekend when my husband is off work . My reason for giving them 3 stars is because there restrooms and playground. They’re absolutely horrible there crawling with lots of spiders . My children can’t even play on the playground because it’s covered in spiderwebs everywhere. There’s lots of dangerous spiders like black widows and brown recluse . I understand we are outdoors but it wouldn’t hurt for them to treat and spray these areas to make them more safe and suitable for families . Other than those 2 issues the lake is well taken care of and clean . I recommend bringing your own sort of portable toilet and bikes for your children.

My family and I have been coming to Johnson Park for over 20 year's. It's always a fun affordable place for family to get together and have some fun!

Fantastic park with grills.

Safe family friendly park close to the city of Abilene and great family fun. Security is helpful and there is not a bunch of drinking here. Very pretty and best area in the area to visit.

Over the years since I was a child in Little League in the 60's-70's, the park has only improved. We hope to see it keep flourishing for all our children and community. A new Recreation Building, the great ball Fields here are a big Plus in Abilene. Great Job to the City!

Very nice, clean and cared for city park. Complete with open spaces, playscapes, ball fields, an amazing splash pad, and plenty of parking. Easy to access location. A nice gem for the people of Abilene.

Went here recently to visit the splash pad with our child, and was incredibly disappointed. There was trash and food all over the ground surrounding the splash pad area. Younger children were actually playing with ripped up plastic cups and other pieces of waste in the water. Despite there being a trash can within feet of the tables it seems like either the guests didn't care to pick up after themselves or the city needs to go clean the park up.

awesome splash pad for kids in the summers. they have slides and a section for toddlers.

This place is very cool for cooling off and kids having a good time

Beautiful place to sit and enjoy the outdoors at the park.

Best splash pad in Abilene!.

We've been visiting the Abilene Zoo for over 13 years now, and it’s always a family favorite. All three of my kids have grown up loving this place—there’s always something new and exciting to see with each visit. The staff is one of the highlights of the zoo experience. They're friendly, approachable, and incredibly knowledgeable about the animals they care for. Whether it’s during a fun educational show for the little ones or just answering questions while you stroll by, they clearly love what they do. The zoo itself isn’t massive, which is actually a plus in my book. You can easily see everything without feeling exhausted by the end of your visit. It’s the perfect size for families with younger kids, and still entertaining for adults too. They are currently expanding, so the zoo will soon be growing—but even now, it’s a wonderful and charming place to spend the day. If you haven’t been to the Abilene Zoo yet, I highly recommend stopping by. You won’t be disappointed!

I was originally going to give the Abilene Zoo 4 stars because while it’s a great zoo, there are definitely some areas that could use improvement. A few exhibits seemed a bit overcrowded or lacking in enrichment. However, I talked to a very friendly employee at the carousel, and after hearing about everything they have planned, I’m honestly hopeful and impressed. For example, the spider monkey exhibit felt extremely overcrowded — it looked like there were more than 10, maybe 15 or more. The employee explained that they recently seized around 9 baby spider monkeys at the border and brought them here temporarily. Once they’re old enough, they’ll be placed in other zoos. Knowing that made the overcrowding make a lot more sense, and I appreciate the role the Abilene Zoo is playing in helping them. He also mentioned that many exhibits are in the process of being updated to become more enriching and spacious, which is great to hear. Another unique detail he shared was that one of the higher-ups owns a large plot of land with his own animals and brings some to the zoo depending on the time of year. Right now, for the holidays, they have reindeer — which my son was ecstatic to see! The zoo itself has a train, a carousel, and lots of great animals. My son got to see a snapping turtle for the first time, and he was both amazed and a little scared because of the size. The animals all looked well cared for, active, and easy to see. The jaguar exhibit in particular looked amazing. Ticket prices are very affordable, and honestly, I think the experience is worth more than the cost. Overall, I enjoyed my visit and would definitely recommend checking out the Abilene Zoo. I’m only passing through, but I hope that the next time I’m in the area, I’ll get to see all the improvements they’re planning.

My granddaughter and I, had a great time. Not very expensive. Lots of critters. We went during Halloween time. Decorated cool Definitely, will go back often! You can feed some animals. There is also, a giant sand pit for the kids. That's when, I rested. I had brought my umbrella for the sun. Didn't really need it. Lots of trees with shade. The monarch butterflies were everywhere, too!

Maybe it's because we had the entire zoo basically to ourselves because we were there on an off day, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The facility is beautiful, they have a great variety of animals, and they have great themes.

This zoo is a gem. Their exhibits are top notch. It’s not too long of walk to see everything, and each exhibit is well taken care of. And the giraffe feeding is one of the best zoo experiences someone can have.

This is such a cool smaller zoo you can spend time just strolling around the beautiful laid out property, It wasn't crowded and we so enjoyed looking at the animals. I would come back here again and again, can't wait to visit in the near future..!!!

It’s a beautiful serene atmosphere. So many beautiful animals and friendly workers. The trolly tour is super cool. It’s a small zoo, but there’s enough to see and appreciate. I brought a friend along with me. It was such a nice experience. We got to connect with the animals and nature. I’m looking forward to going back to whatever I may have missed or overlooked. They also give military discount which I appreciate. I’m also looking forward to the Air Force C- 130 exhibit that will eventually launch at this Zoo. I’m sure it will be a great addition to the Zoo’s collection. Love, Light, Peace, Blessings, Community

Took the kiddos for a last minute picnic to get them out the house and off their devices.Grabbed pizza dessert and drinks. Had a great time ending up using a 40 pack of water in a water fight. Should of taken pics we had a blast!!!

Had a good time, my family enjoyed themselves, plenty of space for the Easter egg hunt!

Very beautiful! The playground looks nice and lots of disk golfing available. However I have been advised by APD to not be here after dark.

Really fun, family friendly park! It has a smaller playground for ages 3-5 (although I had a 15 month old and 2 year old playing on it) and a larger playground. Two sets of swings, with baby swings. The only thing I disliked were the super poor quality bathrooms. The women’s bathroom had one stall. It was dirty and old, with no soap, towels, or dryers. Would recommend using a restroom elsewhere. Overall, great place to bring the kids.

Great park. Great course. Watch out for the water on a windy day!

Great park needs more shaded areas and also a canopy over the playground for the children. But it is very clean spacious and peaceful.

The playground was dirty, trash lying around, dog poop in the middle of the big playground, and it smelled like sewage. The smaller slide in the big kid section was extremely uncomfortable and hurt my son's booty. It does seem popular for disc golf.

I got the privilege of setting the rock for the plaque. The park was clean and nice.

Nice fee splash park. Park was clean and has a bathroom on location.

A well kept Splash Pad! It's gorgeous (I think it was designed to look like a pond- quite creative!) and fun (could spend hours here)! Plus it has working, clean bathrooms (a must have for any place with kids)! A great place to take your kids on those hot Texas days (plus it's free!) Abilene did well with this!

Non slip pavement, great water fun for ages 2 and up. Park invites full family fun. There are movable water jets, and main splash area from large round container that dumps water after coming off a ramp. Restroom on site, area is usually mostly clean. After one hour of being there watching 50 couples come and go there was a 100% positive experience. Only thing I can recommend local power lines on the right side of the waterpark or wrapped round were dangling hopefully they're inactive.

Largely grassy flat, and treeless but overall a nice public park having an expansive ballpark area, kiddo play area, and nice splashpad area. Washroom was immaculately clean. Plenty of parking.

Great time. We were the only ones there.

It's a good place to get your feet wet on hot summer days. If only I could let my dog play in the water.

I really enjoy this park. The playground is a good one, and there's a disc golf course (which I enjoy). There's two pavilions in different parts and restrooms to use in season.

Intermediate to advanced level Disc Golf. The course is diverse and has a few hazard challenges to cross over or through that reward you with smiles if you successfully pass through them. I look forward to returning.

The facilities were very well maintained for our little family get together. The space was adequate for the 25 or so people whom attended. That you for working restrooms and a small kitchen area to complete our serving preparations. A bit more luring would be nice over the parking lot area. As it got dark quickly this time of year.

So much childhood memories here. Climbing pecan trees, crawling in the drainage holes, playing in the super hot slide and catching crawdads.

Cute little park bathrooms places to sit even a trail with a bridge. My little one cant walk yet so the baby swings are just perfect. Will be back again

Could be a cute little playground if it was maintained. Lots of work zones in the area and the rest rooms were locked. My kid really like the rock climbing walls though and had covered seating.

Very spacious, open. Adorable bridge going over the creek scenery. Wonderful park to take the whole family and let the animals run around and play! Nice, basketball/rec center. Lots of things that can be done in that park.

Nice place but deducting a star as it no longer seems to be free to camp there!! Having said that I parked in the rest area overnight and nobody seemed to mind. Very quiet night

Great place to stop and sleep. The lake is s bit dirty but If you're just sleeping it's pretty good and free. Watch out though it seems to be a place for kids to go to and hang out for short periods. Had an issue with a couple that were shinning their lights into my camper and flashing them inside.

Really pretty area! The website says it's free but there's a little tiny qr code and sign at the entrance that says u gotta pay 22$ a night. There's also no ground fires and only 1 BBQ pit.

SeeBee has always been one of my favorite parts of ft phantom, this Sunday August 19th there will be an rc air competition going on starting at 8am to 12 pm. These planes are super cool! It’s definitely a thrill to watch what these guys can do !

Was amazing place until the city began to get greedy and charge people to “camp” at certain spots. There’s no power, water hook ups, or any provided amenities at these supposed camp spots. They are basically just a wooden table covered on top of a concrete slab that is only large enough to hold the table. Don’t get me wrong this place is beautiful and a great place to bring your family, but to charge someone to park their vehicle in one of those three spots is just greed from the city, there’s always trash everywhere around on the ground and the road pulling in is always littered with pot holes. Those things weren’t ever an a problem to me, but to think you want me to pay you money for absolutely nothing being done to make this place better in any way? Laughable. Wise up Abilene, do better. Instead of sending “patrols” for safety (glorified meter maids with the title or label of marshal, not a US marshal, a city park marshal those are not the same thing), why not send road crews to repair of maintenance to pick up trash or repair the tables and the horrible tin metal canopies that are blowing apart.

When Lake Fort Phantom is full (December 2017) this is a great place to launch a canoe or other boat. There is a concrete launch ramp at the far end (east) of the park. Plenty of wildlife, especially around dusk. Great place to walk dogs.

Very clean and well cared for camping,fishing and restroom facilities. Also has a very small boat ramp,not in the greatest shape but available.

The place was awful. The greenery in the photo is sticker weeds. We could not hook-up our RV without getting a sticker stuck somewhere on us. Too many sticker weeds for flip-flops. The pavilion was all trashed out. No shade available at the RV sites. Two houses gutted out nearby as scenery. Would not recommend to anyone.

I arrived after dark for primitive tent camping and the owner was very helpful. The tenting area is a bit hard to find in the dark (you might need to ask), but it was exactly what I was looking for, a quiet spot to set up for the night on late notice, on the edge of a very pretty lake.

I love this park but there are way to many weirdos walking around

Really nice. The playground equipment was nice and felt new. It's a really big park. Lots of people were playing frisbee golf. Nice big trees. Fishing. Only thing that keeps it from 5 stars is the bathrooms were horrible. Pro tip. Make sure you make the kids go before you get there.

We had fun fishing but it was very difficult for my daughter who's in a power chair- there was only one ramp to get near the water and it was on the opposite side of the area. Now we know where to park to access it.

Clean. Plenty of spots to fish along the bank. Best to use live bait. Clean bathrooms and even a disk golf course

Nice park, with lots of things to do. Disc golf (18 holes), fishing, playground, roller hockey, geocaching and a pavilion. There are amenities, but the bathrooms could use some improvements.

Really fun park for the kiddos! Great nature view of water, ducks and pelicans were present during our visit. My kids had a blast! Bathrooms have no doors on the stalls so if you have kids beware, and go in there with them. Recommend taking your own sanitation supplies as they have no soap dispensers.

This is one of my favorite park. I can fish or canoe here and it has great disk golf course.

Disc Golf was marked well. Wind and red ants make for a good Ole WesrTexas experience .

Great park with plenty of land. Great for walking.

Nice clean outdoors place to enjoy walking, running or entertaining children. The park has YMCA and hosts baseball and water park events in the summer. Safe place for families. Usually has a great breeze too. Well maintained/ clean by the city of Abilene....good job Abilene. Thanks.

Many kids throughout abilene enjoy coming to this park, it's nice and quiet, peaceful. To bad there's always somebody out there to destroy with their own Graffiti.

Great park! The skate park could use some clean and repairing but overall its a good park.

Adventure Cove is a great place to take the whole family. They have a refreshment stand, 3 big slides, Lazy River and kids area thats shallow on 1 end and 4 ft on opposite end. Plenty of chairs, huge umbrellas to keep you in the shade. Not allowed to bring food or drinks in. Adult price is 7.00 which is great, don't have to go broke to take the kids for a fun day.

A good park with plenty of open space. There is a playground and a skate park here as well. A creek does run through the West side of the park. So, it's something to be aware of with kids. There is also an outdoor amphitheatre near the playground and tennis courts on the East side of the property. There is a lot to do here and worth the visit.

👍🏼👍🏼

This place is great for little kid's parties. It isn't very big but big enough for small parties. It has one large room where all the inflatables are and then a party room to eat and do presents in. There is also a bathroom and an office. There are five inflatables. Four of the five have slides, three have large jumping areas, and one is an obstacle course. At the time of this post it costs $219 for a two hour rental during the week and $229 for a two hour rental on the weekend. The reason I only gave this four stars is because the air-conditioning was terrible. It's early Spring on a cool cloudy day and it was very warm inside with children running around. If they get the AC fixed this place would deserve five stars. Overall, this was a good experience.

Very fun place! Kinda small, can use some more work done on the floors to make it look nicer!

At noon on the day of the party, I was told that there was no power at PowerUp Inflatable. I was given the options: ···"New Management/Owners" will get enough generators to power the inflatables & light the banquet room & restroom. -No AC ··· Reschedule - Son's birthday was 3/27. Party scheduled for April 2nd. Saturdays are ALL BOOKED UP UNTIL MAY 2. Reschedule on the day of the party? Ugh. Yeah, let's not. ··· Refund Luckily it wasn't that warm. They stated they knew about what was going on for a few days now but gave me super short notice. Imagine trying to contact everyone & breaking the news to the birthday boy. I had to make that party happen. They gave me a small $20 discount for my next party. The party I booked was $199. Booking online is fairly easy. They did provide a few plastic ware and plates like the package states although we didn't get the juices.

We had a great time. Everything was easy and fun. The kids all had a great time and the adults were all able to visit and enjoy everything as well.

My kids have had their bday parties here 2 years in a row! It's a fun place to go! They always have the most fun there! Its a great place to have parties. They provided plates, bowls, utensils, and drinks with 4 long tables! We will definitely be back.

The party room is tiny, not a ton of room to run around, but the place seems clean and the kids had fun. No separate section for littles. There are some folding chairs for watching kids play. Two pay massage chairs for adults. Would recommend overall and would love to see this place expand!

So glad to have found this place. Owner is very friendly (handed out free bottles of water to parents and kids!) and the whole place is very clean, safe and well organized. My 2-year-old had a blast jumping around on all the different bounce houses! Great, inexpensive way to spend an hour or two with a toddler.

It's a very nice park .

Playground was a greater success than the water/splashpad. At least my son and my good friends kiddos believe that it could be a good thing to add some features to the festival garden as well as the splash pad and playground.

Another great turnout for the Abilene Rhythm & Blues Festival this year. I have provided armed security for this event 3 years in a row and its better each year with great bands, great food and great people coming together to enjoy themselves with live music. There is alcohol sold here but you cant leave with any and it is a 51% law which means no weapons of any kind unless your a Law Enforcement Officer or licensed to carry a hand gun under the Department of Public Safety so please leave any weapons especially any firearms in your vehicle please for this event, the well trained members of our armed security detail have your protection covered so that everyone may enjoy a carefree fun filled evening of live entertainment at its best.

This park is also amazing you can see the Zoo park and the lake nixe also for biking walking.

Tons of space for little ones, went for the 4th of july fireworks and was not disappointed

Relaxing fun outdoor area/park

Pretty big , enough people, check it out!

Fun chill Lil park my kids love it

Nice place