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Published: July 29th 2017
Rest Stop Ranger Hill
On the overlook down the hill watching trucks way down on the highway. I'm a huge Texas history buff and have wanted to visit Frontier Texas for a while now. For many reasons the timing was just right this last Wednesday. I loaded up the three oldest grandbabies and off we went - Trevor 3, Audrey 7 & Blake 9. It's only a two hour drive due west down I-20. A few stops in town and on the road by 9 am. Stopped at the Ranger Hill Rest Stop - our program here in Texas to remodel or build new rest stops is working. So pretty and felt safe/secure. Made it into Abilene about 11:30 and had Subway for lunch. Then onto our first stop of the day.
Fort Phantom Hill - We just made this a quick stop as it was already very hot. Most of the buildings are in ruins with only chimneys & cellars left. I told the kids we have to use our imagination to see how it was when the soldiers were here. That made it pretty fun. We also had to have on our ears & eyes for snakes. There was plenty of places for them to be. The fort is on FM 600 about 15 miles
Fort Phantom Hill
It was getting HOT!
off I-20 on the Northern side of Abilene. It is free. The area is well kept and there is a mowed path to walk on.
http://fortphantom.org It took about 20 minutes to get to downtown Abilene. A good chance to cool down & drink a bottle of water each. Frontier Texas! This museum was as awesome as I thought it would be. You start out with a very informative film. Then you walk through each exhibit with each featuring artwork and artifacts and a hologram display. Towards then end there is what they call the experience theatre. You sit on these swivel stools and the show is 360 around you. You sit through all kinds of scenes the frontiersmen may have sat through; like a thunderstorm or buffalo stampede. It is very cool. After this is two more exhibits and a hall of firearms. Outside they have a giant lawn with a giant cow skull for photo ops.
http://frontiertexas.com The museum is located in downtown and there are blue signs leading you there. Admission was $20 after a coupon from
http://www.abilenevisitors.com.
It was now mid afternoon and super scorching hot outside. We went to Dairy Queen for ice
Frontier Texas!
Trying to find their way home!
cream to go and on to the hotel for check in. Stayed at Comfort Suites University. Check in with Nicole who was super nice. I had completely messed up my reservation online. Wrong date and room type. She got me in an accessible king bed suite down the hall from lobby and breakfast on one end and pool on other. Why accessible you ask? First floor & wood laminate floors. Why just a king bed with 3 kids? Audrey and Trevor would end up in my bed anyway; I might as well get largest bed possible. Blake slept on the sofa bed. Everything was very clean - room, pool and breakfast room. Breakfast room was huge and they had the banana nut waffles - YUM!
After a couple hours or so rest I had the kids put on their swimsuits under their clothes . Went on for their surprise dinner: Mr Gatti's Pizza & Fun. Pizza/salad buffet was so so. The arcade and rides were a blast! Employees were not so friendly on pizza side
Mr Gatti's Pizza
Trevor is smiling now but the roller coaster wasn't his favorite. He didn't ride it again. but the arcade employees were a hoot. The price was right on point. Dinner and $20 card was $50. Then I bought another $20 card. We were there nearly three hours with all of us playing games and the kids riding rides. Games were .25 or .50. Rides and Bowling were 1.00 or 2.00. Not bad. Oh no tokens or tickets to keep up with .... all on playing card. Kids cashed in their tickets and split the booty. Also got a big ball for the pool.
http://gattispizza.com/locations/gattis-pizza-abilene Back to the hotel for a swim ... indoor pool open till 10 but after 8:30 the desk has to let you in. Swam for about half an hour & ready to crash.
Great nights sleep - comfy bed & Trevor didn't pee on me. Bonus! Up early to get kids back home for Mommy. Breakfast room huge and big selection! Then easy drive home.
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D MJ Binkley
Dave and Merry Jo Binkley
Texas
Interesting looking tree