You will not run out of fun things to do in Abilene with kids. Abilene, Texas is a family friendly city with plenty of ways to entertain and inspire the kids.
Abilene, Texas hails the title Storybook Capital of America. With so many storybook characters immortalized along the streets of Abilene, this quickly becomes a favorite place for families who love picture books. Our kids loved jumping into their favorite stories and making them come to life.
How to Get to Abilene, Texas
Abilene is just west of the DFW area of Texas. It is easy to access from all directions.
Abilene is only 2 hours and 15 mins from Fort Worth or 2 hours and 45 mins from Dallas. Driving to Abilene is simple with straight, flat roads. Abilene is only 2.5 hours from Midland and 3 hours from Odessa, so you can make a trip through West Texas. From San Anonio to Abilene is a 4.5 hour drive. Abilene is only 4 hours from Austin.
Alternately, you can FLY into Abilene. There is a very small airport (code ABI). American, United and Alaska all fly into the airport several times a day. The airport is conveniently located within 10 mins of the zoo and downtown. You will love how simple and easy it is to get to Abilene.
Where to Stay in Abilene
We found a Fairfield Marriott that offered a stay for only 5,000 points. This is a steal. Sign up for this credit card and with the opening bonus, you could stay here for free for weeks!
Even without credit card points, there are plenty of affordable and nice hotel options in Abilene. Staying in downtown Abilene gives you more time to stroll among the storybook statues and find all of them.
What to do in Abilene, Texas
Plan for a full day to three days to experience all that Abilene offers. Your family will love the affordable entertainment options, animal encounters and historical learning. To get the best experience, make your first stop downtown at the Visitors Bureau.
First Stop: T & P Depot (Abilene Convention & Visitors Bureau)
Before you head out to the many Abilene attractions, stop by the Vistors Bureau to pick up a free adventure guide with maps, detailed explanations and history of the area. There is a listening guide as well as a self-guided walking tour perfect for all ages.
Stop at the Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau. Pick up a free activity guide, a “See Seymour” Passport and get a map of the area. The front desk can let you know all the free things to do in Abilene, as well and the best places to eat and visit.
Buy a Round Up Pass
If you plan on spending a day or two in Abilene, the Roundup pass is the perfect option. For just over the cost the entrance to the Abilene Zoo, you will get entrance into 5 different museums around Abilene. Buy a Round-up pass at the Visitors Bureau or at any participating venue.
Adults are $20 and kids are $10. This saves you $12 per person if you do all the included venues. Tickets are good for up to a year, so even if you can’t use them all in one visit, it is still a great deal. This is the best way to get cheap things to do in Abilene. Even if you just visit the Zoo and Frontier Texas! you will save money using the Round up Pass in Abilene.
Spend time with Dr Suess characters at Everman Park
Right next to the visitor center, you will find Everman Park. It is full of your favorite Dr. Seuss Chacters. You will love to insert yourself right into the best books and beloved characters. This park is a free activity in Abilene for the whole family.
Find Beloved Characters at Adamson-Spalding Storybook Garden
Walk or drive to the Storybook Garden. Here you can find the three little pigs, Goldilocks and the three bears, the kittens two lost their mittens, beloved dinosaur and even Charlotte and Wilbur. It’s a lovely setting giving you a beautiful moment to make stories come to life. My kids loved acting out the scene with the statues who seem to be in motion.
Feed the Animals at Abilene Zoo
The Abilene Zoo is at the top of the list for fun things to do in Abilene with kids. This Zoo displays animals from around the globe in easy to spy enclosures. You will love showing your kids exotic mammals and exquisite reptiles. Ride the train or carousel for even more fun.
Feed the giraffes, roar with lions and sing with the birds as you make your way through the Abilene Zoo. Some Zoos are so big you are exhausted and overwhelmed with all there is to see and walk to. I loved the size and scope of the Abilene Zoo. Large enough to include all your favorite animals, but small enough you aren’t completely exhausted after the day.
Take a break from walking to play in the sand box play area near the water.
Play at Fort Imagination Park
Right outside the Zoo, you’ll find an amazing park. It’s is all fenced in and mostly made from wood. The kids love the hiding places, climbing structures and imaginative play areas. Save some time to play at this great park. There are several parks in Abilene to visit, but this one is best for its creative play structure.
Spy Prairie Dogs at Redbud Park
If you didn’t get enough animals at the zoo, Redbud park offers a prairie dog preserve. Here you can view many tiny critters popping up from underground to get a peep and the people. Prairie dogs are some of my favorite animals to watch, do you agree? Spying on animals popping under and above ground is a fun thing to do in Abilene,.
Return to the Wild Frontier Texas!
Frontier Texas! is one of the best things to do in Abilene. It will give you a taste of the history and culture of the area. Kids will be drawn in by the artifacts to touch and interact with as well as the technology component.
The technology implemented at the Frontier Texas! museum is unbelievable. Throughout the museum, you can push buttons to hear a story straight from the mouth of a hologram. It looks as if you are face to face with a pioneer, Indigenous American, or cowboy. It’s such a unique and interesting way to learn about history from first-person accounts.
The show in the theater plays every 20 mins. This is the highlight of the museum. First off, you sit in seats that can spin all the way around. This is perfect because the show will be broadcast in 360 degrees around the room. You will hear and feel a thunder and lightning storm (be aware, there are flashing lights). You will see a pile of buffalo skulls behind a screen and a fire. You won’t want to miss a minute of this entertaining and informational show!
If you have a kid who is taking Texas history (every child who lives in Texas) They will love showing off their knowledge and experience at the frontier museum.
Immerse in Art at the Grace Musuem
Grace Museum is an art museum that includes a section specifically for kids to create art. The kids section is being remodeled and will open in the summer of 2021.
My kids loved the 3rd floor with art work from the local schools on display. They loved seeing their age represented in art. You will also love the 4th floor. You will see kitchen and living room displays – showing the difference in living conditions throughout the decades in the 19th -20th century.
Walk through Taylor County History Center
Fifteen minutes south of Abilene you will find the Buffalo Gap Historic Villiage (entrance included with the Round Up Pass). Tour through 15 historic structures showing how Wild West Texas blossomed in to civilized settlements. You will love the thousands of artifacts preserved to show just how life was in early Texas history.
Read books at the National Center for Children Illustrated Literature
If you are looking for Abilene entertainment, bring the kids to read books and look at illustrations here! The National Center for Children Illustrated Literature is free to enter and observe the illustrations of artists (rotating exhibit). Here you can also read and purchase books and beloved book character plushies. Many of the books have signatures from the author, making them more unique. The illustrations on display include the picture book right next to the artwork. Many of the illustrations drew my kids in and they had to read the book. The Round-up pass has a coupon for 20%off any purchases at this book store.
Remember History at WWII Memorial Museum – 12 Armored Division Memorial
The Abilene Round up pass includes entrance to the WW II museum. You’ll find a collection of military attire, supplies and tent set-ups.
My kids enjoyed seeing the trucks and Jeep’s in the outdoor yard.
On the 4th floor you’ll find 3D artistic models of different war zones in miniature. Seeing the winter war scenes brought the battles to life.
Find Seymor and Jack Frost at Abilene Public Library
The is the perfect stop downtown to find a few of the statues (and See Seymour). My kids always love a good story book as we take a break from our site-seeing. Don’t miss the Jack Frost Statue outside.
Relax a moment at Minter Park
As you walk the downtown area of Abilene, be sure to walk by Minter park to see the water wall.
Learn about History at Fort Phantom Hill
Just 30 mins north of. Abilene, you can visit Fort Phantom Hill. The site is a free self-guided tour. There are public restrooms available!
From sun up to sun down you can walk around the ‘post on the Cedar Fork of the Brazos’. Fort Phantom Hills was built in the 1850s. The US army occupied the fort to protect the expanding frontier of Texas.
**We partnered with Visit Abilene to show you all the fun on the Round Up Pass. All opinions are our own.
If you are headed to West Texas don’t miss Visiting Midland. Your kids will also love to Discover Odessa.
Big Bend is just around the bend! Don’t miss this stunning National Park.
Find More Texas fun in DFW, Dallas Arboretum, Perot Museum, and Frisco
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