Abilene, Texas
 

Looking at a camp this summer being held at Hardin-Simeons (spelling?) University. I've never been to Abilene and wanted to know if there would be anything of interest for my daughter and I while dad and son are busy with the football camp.

ALso, any suggestions for a neat place to stay would be appreciated also.

The Cliffs on Possum Kingdom lake is a nice resort between Abilene and Fort worth with rentable vacation townhomes. You get marina, golf, pool, and club access. You could even rent a houseboat for a week there.

Abilene is a quiet, small, West Texas town. They do have a decent zoo. There is some good shopping in the downtown area, and the mall has your standard stores. There is a depot-like building downtown that houses a wonderful candy company! The towns of Albany and Buffalo Gap are not a far drive (under 1 hour each), and both have cute shops and places for lunch. Baird (30 minutes' drive East) has a town square full of antique shops. Abilene also has a few antique shops, too.

The best place for a family to stay would be the Ambassador Suites out near the mall. It used to be a Emabssy Suites and it fills quickly on weekends. There are several restaurants nearby, and a movie theatre. Abilene IS well-known for excellent steakhouses! Perini Ranch, Lytle's, Joe Allen's, etc.

My personal favorite Abilene eatery is Harold's Pit BBQ (between downtown and I-20). Get there early so you can get a seat, because the line will be out the door! If you're lucky, Harold will lead the lunch crowd in a gospel sing-along! As my husband called it, "It's a stop-and-smell-the-roses moment!"

Have a great trip!

Thanks so much. My daughter is only 11yrs old, so antique shopping is not an option. She LOVES sports, is a total tennis shoe nut, so the mall will probably be our best bet.

Thanks!

Does the girl like horses, and do you need a gret portrait of your daughter and yourself?

I have a friend who lves near Abilene who has some horses and is a professional portrait photographer. I'm willing to bet that if you hired her to have your portrait taken, she'd gladly organize some time with a horse for your daughter.

I live thousands of miles away, and don't know the area personally, but my friend reports it is pretty non-touristy.

BAK