Abilene is a small city in Texas with plenty of attractions for every type of visitor. One of the top things to do in Abileneis exploring Frontier Texas!, a 14,000-square-foot museum of the American West. For visitors craving to explore even more of the local heritage and culture, there are other museums like the 12thArmored Division Memorial Museum, the Buffalo Gap Historic Village, and Fort Phantom Hill, home to the ruins of an 1851 army post. If history is not your cup of tea, then there are many Abilene attractions centered on arts and culture as well. For example, tour the Storybook Capital of Texas, the Grace Museum, the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature (NCCIL), and the Center for Contemporary Arts. Guests staying in one of the hotels in Abilene will also find themselves close to nature. Visitors can meet various animals at the Abilene Zoological Gardens, play a round of golf, or go hiking, cycling, swimming, and fishing at the Buck Creek Trails, on Lake Kirby, or in the nearby Abilene State Park. In the evening, dine downtown Abilene or grab a drink and unwind at a local bar. Later, catch a film at the historic Paramount Theatre, built back in the 1930s.