One thing I quickly learned about Abilene before visiting is that it is the Storybook Capital of…read moreAmerica, creating sculptures, benches, and other Easter eggs throughout its downtown district as an ode to storybook classics. Right off North 1st Street lies Dr. Seuss Park, with six Dr. Seuss statues of some of his most popular characters. The statues include Horton from Horton Hears a Who!, Sam-I-Am from Green Eggs and Ham, Yertle the Turtle, the Grinch, the Lorax, and of course, the Cat in the Hat. These Dr. Seuss sculptures were all installed between 2012 and 2013, and they're all well maintained. I really like how Sam-I-Am's green eggs and ham are oxidized to make them green. It's an amazing touch. The park is very serene, especially with the fountain in the middle. I do wish there were a few more floral aspects, but the level of greenery really helps give the place the love it deserves. I would recommend this to anyone driving through or past the city to make a little detour because it is so cool to see. RIYL: Dr. Seuess but Universal Studios Florida is too far away

The City of Abilene has a whole "storybook" section dedicated to parks, encouraging those to read…read morewhile enjoying the outdoors. The Dr. Seuss Park was one of these well-maintained environments that I visited on 11/21/2023. Even though winter is obviously approaching with coolness in the air, the absence of water in the large fountain, and leaves scattered everywhere, the grounds made for a peaceful fall walk. I have been a fan of Dr. Seuss since I was little. That admiration of his works re-emerged when I was a teacher over 10 years ago. His books helped my young students as well as my own children to develop a passion for reading. There were several key characters from Seuss's books that had statues in this small suburban park: The Cat in the Hat, Horton the Elephant, The Grinch with Max (the loyal little canine) at his side, The Lorax & a few more. Though these are fictional creatures, they certainly teach us important lessons in life. "A person's a person, no matter how small." That's definitely one of my favorite Seuss quotes. It and other are etched in stones in front of the Abilene Convention and Visitors Bureau nearby. Free 15-minute parking is available in a small lot within short walking distance. On Google Maps you might see this park listed as "Everman Park."

Next to the Abilene Zoo you will find Nelson Park. It is a beautiful park that has a lake. You are…read moreable to walk or run around the lake. It is so peaceful, quiet and empty. It is a great place to either stop at before your day at the zoo or after.

Gorgeous day for this expansive park! There is a variety of activities for everyone. Swan…read morepaddleboat rides, kite flying, splashing around at the splashpad, and picnicking were all available. We brought a picnic and enjoyed lounging next to the ducks by the shore of the lake. There is a nice playground and dog park on the grounds too!

love the park and they have baby swings there. easy close parking. We take our little granddaughter…read morethere and cant wait to try the splash park in the summer.

Nice park. We like going to see the groundhogs, but it looks like a few have finally dug a way out…read more We came along and doing this painted rock. It is very nice that someone would place these around for people to find and enjoy.

A nice park I have been going to for years. There is a playground, some basketball courts, tennis…read morecourts, and a baseball field. I usually only use the track circling the park since I live close by and its a nice running area. Also a nice bbq place if the other parks are full during the summer since people seem to forget its here and there are pavilions here too.

Nice walking trails, nice picnic tables, great playground sets. Would be 5 stars if swings covered…read more Maintenance there and doing a great job cleaning up park. Was a nice stop for this traveling family.

Not much going for this small neighborhood park. It does have a playground and plenty of space for…read morerunning around. Could handle large family gatherings- but you might have to bring tables and chairs. Not sure about the parking. I only saw a couple spaces.

I've been there. It's ok, but I think it'd be better if there were some outdoor exercise stuff…read morelike at Redbud Park.

This is my favorite park in town. Firstly because it is always empty, the other bigger parks in…read moretown get more attendance. It's older but is in good condition. It has lots of shaded seating, 3 areas for kids to play, lots of space to roam, disc golf, high swings for bigger kids, bathrooms, pavilion, tons of garbage cans, and it's far from the road so no road noise or concerns of little ones running into traffic. Very clean, I've never seen any litter. There is a water fountain but the button doesn't work, the water is constantly dripping into a small mosquito breeding ground created by the fountain. What a waste of clean drinking water.

Nice area but no running water at fountains, pavilion with picnic table in need of repair. Paint…read morechipping, rust, damage etc. Bathroom doors are all locked and driveways are severely damaged. Trailer tire got stuck in a deep pothole. Here on travel stopover so not sure why bathrooms are all locked and there is no running water.

Abilene's storybook initiative is one of the coolest things I've seen in a small town of its size…read more The Adamson-Spalding Storybook Garden, free and open year-round, was one of my favorite things to see in Abilene. The garden wraps around the Abilene Convention Center and features beautifully maintained sculptures of both classic and modern storybook characters, including Goldilocks and the Three Bears, the Three Little Pigs, Stuart Little, and Charlotte and Wilbur from Charlotte's Web, among others. I loved how next to each sculpture is a page or the cover from the actual book, which helps you connect the character to the story. Some of the sculptures also had author bios about the storybook's writer, which is a nice detail. There are great opportunities for photos, such as sitting in the boat with Stuart Little or running away from the three bears with Goldilocks, which my girlfriend and I took advantage of. The park also has a lot of string lights for nighttime and is open all hours of the day to enjoy. If you're ever passing through Abilene while on I-20, I highly recommend making a pit stop to check out all these statues. They're still adding more each year, and the new Clear Fork Bank Storybook Garden on the opposite side of the Abilene Convention Center already features two sculptures with plenty of room for more. RIYL: Being the only adult without kids looking at statues

this is a neat little park with a nice walking path and a bunch of different statues.read more

Really bad park, very run down. Tennis people are very rude especially the head guy Chris would not…read morerecommend going there

Looking for a relaxing time? I know I am. Oscar Rose Park on 7th and Barrow is where I like to go…read morewhen I take a long lunch or just want to walk the path for a bit. Picnic tables set up and on several weekends there's families having events there. Oh and for the younger crowd there is a skate boarding area.

Fantastic lineup of Air Force inventory from many generations. Both bombers representing the Dyess…read moreoperation and fighters from the past. All of these aircraft are lined up as you drive down the main strip and are indicated with a plaque describing the aircraft type, history, and donor. They are in good repair and have walkways that circle to let you examine them. The walkways are key, as a sea of fire ants, bees, and many bugs I do not know of are hiding nearby. The bees seem to enjoy the intake vents while the ants enjoy my legs. If you dare to venture off the path, wat h out for burrs that sneak into your shoes. As you can imagine, I am slowly aclamating to the desert climate. A good place to stop and walk for an hour taking advantage of a free museum.

Stopped at the museum as directed by website for access to linear Air Park. The place looks…read moreabandoned. No flags flying, fountain completely drained and birds nests in lighting. The museum was closed until 2:30 and a sign stated the visitor control center had been moved to the front gate. Went there and was told we had to get a pass back at the museum that was closed. Apparently, the whole operation is a one man show. Very disappointed as we're visiting from Florida and my father served there around 1961.