Here are 19 enjoyable issues to do in Odessa, Texas one of many quickest rising cities within the U.S.
Soon my household and I’ll journey as soon as once more to Odessa Texas. We are from there and our dad and mom and siblings nonetheless dwell there. We would most likely dwell there too, however there aren’t any army installations there! Growing up there I all the time heard folks say that there’s nothing to do there, however that isn’t true. Here are a some issues you are able to do in Odessa and Midland when you dwell there or end up visiting there.
19 Fun Things to do in Odessa Texas
Jurassic Jungle
The Jurassic Jungle is a brand new splash pad/splash park on the UTPB campus close to the baseball fields and common playground. It’s free because of the Odessa Junior League. Be certain to verify the hours they’re operating, as a result of each instances we went it was closed.
Sherwood Park Pool
Odessa has an amazing neighborhood pool at Sherwood Park. It’s inexpensive too, they’ve a household night time that’s tremendous low cost. My children all the time like coming right here to chill off throughout hotter months. There’s a playground subsequent door that’s enjoyable for teenagers as properly. It’s been re-done not too long ago, however the octopus continues to be there!
Rimrock Raceway
Rimrock Raceway is a hidden gem off of freeway 80 have been you and your loved ones can go race go-carts. You need to be at the least 8 years outdated to make use of their go karts. There’s additionally a a bar on website, Victory Lane bar. Located at 12412 W Hwy 80 E Odessa, TX 79765.
Altitude Trampoline Park
Odessa lastly has an indoor trampoline park and it’s a superb one! It’s just a little costly, however your children are certain to find it irresistible. They have an Olympic trampoline. 
The Globe of the Great Southwest
The globe theater is a duplicate of Shakespeare’s globe theatre. They placed on many performs right here and so they additionally host a Shakespeare pageant yearly.
The Permian Playhouse
The Permian Playhouse placed on a wide range of performs and musicals all year long. Many years in the past I noticed Fiddler on the Roof right here and it was superb.
The Commemorative Air Force Museum
The commemorative Air Force Museum contains planes from a number of international international locations and different army conflicts since World War II. They host an air present yearly.
Midland Rockhounds
They are the Permian Basin’s minor league baseball staff. The video games are very enjoyable and child pleasant. They have a really good playground for the children. They do an amazing fireworks present for the 4th of July.
Odessa Jackalopes
They are the realm’s minor league hockey staff and based mostly in Odessa. The video games are child pleasant and enjoyable.
Ratliff Ranch Golf Links
With little to no rain you may golf virtually 12 months spherical in Odessa.
Eat Donuts!
You need to go to Southern Maid and take a look at their cherry donuts. Their different donuts are good too, however we go for the cherry donuts. 
Permian Basin Stonehenge
Odessa has its very personal Stonehenge duplicate on the UTPB campus. This model of Stonehenge is manufactured from limestone slabs as much as 19 toes tall and 20 tons apiece. The Permian Basin Stonehenge is barely shorter than the unique, however it’s precise in horizontal measurement and astronomically correct. For some cause this was one of the best picture I’ve of it.
Odessa Meteor Crater
The 62,000 12 months outdated Odessa Meteor Crater is a meteorite crater within the southwestern a part of Ector County, southwest of town of Odessa of West Texas, United States. It is accessible roughly 3 miles south of Interstate 20 at Exit 108. It is the second largest meteor crater within the U.S., a gap 550 toes huge and 100 toes deep shaped when a thousand-ton mass of space-iron slammed into the earth. I’ve not been out right here in over twenty years, however I’ve heard from some that it isn’t actually a crater anymore.
Doug Russell Pool
Midland has a incredible neighborhood pool that children will love. I feel Doug Russell pool is one of the best neighborhood pool within the space. It has larger slides than the opposite neighborhood swimming pools, a devoted space for youthful kids, a mountaineering wall, and extra.
Museum of the Southwest
The Museum of the Southwest over in Midland has a enjoyable child’s space. The children space is named the Durham Children’s Museum. Here children will discover a wide range of interactive areas that create an thrilling studying expertise for youngsters of all ages. Ponder marine life by visiting our dwelling coral reef. They can expertise hands-on studying and life whereas taking part in within the child-sized grocery retailer, kitchen and vet clinic. The museum additionally presents neighborhood occasions.
Sibley Nature Center
The Sibley Nature Center encompasses 49 acres in Hogan Park in Midland and highlights the southern Llano Estacado, Edwards Plateau and Transpecos Regions. Inside they’ve taxidermy displays of animals present in our area, which will be extremely entertaining for teenagers. For children, they provide guided excursions, toddler instances with gardening and story time, and so they have a nature membership for grade schoolers. The Sibley Nature Center is open to the general public Monday by way of Friday 9 a.m. to six p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the Sibley Nature Trails are open day by day dawn to sundown.
I-20 Wildlife Preserve
This is an 87 acre park with just a little marsh, strolling path, and butterfly backyard in Midland. It’s an oasis in the course of the desert. Wildlife tends to make an look later within the night or early within the morning. They have a straightforward, partially shaded 1.2-mile loop path that encircles the wetland marsh. The path floor is asphalt, hard-packed filth, and wood boardwalk. The Texas sunsets listed here are lovely. Admission is free. The nature protect is open from 8:00 A.M. -6:00 P.M. Tuesday-Saturday. The I-20 Wildlife Presrve is situated at 2201 S. Midland Drive,
Mall Playground
There is a playground contained in the Music City Mall aka the mall in Odessa. It’s not large, however it’s a good measurement for being within a mall.
Ice Skating
The mall in Odessa additionally has an ice skating rink. (I labored there in highschool.) You can deliver your individual skated or hire a few of theirs. Sessions are for 2 hours.
George W. Bush Childhood Home
For $5 you may tour the The George W. Bush Childhood Home. Home to 2 Presidents, two Governors and a First Lady, this outstanding Nineteen Fifties restoration offers guests a novel perspective of the Bush household and their legacy, perception into the restoration of this modest house and offers an fascinating view of life in Nineteen Fifties Midland. The house is situated at: 1412 West Ohio Avenue, Midland, Texas 79701.
For extra issues to do in Odessa try our checklist of enjoyable finds. This can also be the place you will discover some critically tasty restaurant suggestions and distinctive bars to go to.
19 Things to do in Midland, Texas
6 Fun Day Trips from Odessa, Texas
There are some fascinating issues to see across the space which are price venturing out to.
Balmorhea State Park
Balmorhea State ParkOne of one of the best day journeys is Balmorhea State Park, house to world’s largest spring-fed swimming pool constructed again within the 1930’s. Here you may swim, scuba, or pores and skin dive, camp, geocache, and chook watch. The park has picnic websites, an outside sports activities space and a playground. More than 15 million gallons of water move by way of the pool every day, gushing from the San Solomon Springs. The pool is as much as 25 toes deep, covers 1.3 acres, and holds 3.5 million gallons of water. The water temperature stays at 72 to 76 levels year-round. It’s deep, so if I like to recommend placing children in a life jacket.
Monahans Sandhills
The Monahans Sandhills State Park is a 3,840-acre state park simply 31 miles west of Odessa. You can hire sand disks on the park headquarters and slide down the dunes for $2 for two hours. The park is open day by day, however the gate could also be locked after 10 p.m. on some holidays. My children LOVE doing this.
- Adult: $4 Daily and Child 12 Years and Under: Free
Carlsbad Caverns
3 hours from Odessa is Carlsbad Caverns National Park. It is situated throughout the Chihuahuan Desert of southern New Mexico. It options greater than 100 caves. The Natural Entrance is a path into the namesake Carlsbad Cavern. Stalactites cling to the roof of the Big Room, an enormous underground chamber within the cavern.
Adults (16 and older): $12 per particular person, Children (15 and beneath): Free
Guadalupe Mountains
The Guadalupe Mountains are an amazing place to go climbing with 80 miles of climbing trails. Within this National Park is the world’s most intensive Permian fossil reef, the 4 highest peaks in Texas, an environmentally various assortment of wildlife, and the tales of lives formed by way of battle, cooperation and survival. Come expertise mountains and canyons, desert and dunes, night time skies and spectacular vistas.
McDonald’s Observatory
McDonald Observatory is situated within the Davis Mountains of West Texas 2 hours and 20 minutes from Odessa, beneath among the darkest skies within the continental United States.
McDonald Observatory welcomes the general public on the Frank N. Bash Visitors Center for star events and displays. Weather allowing, guided star events are held weekly on the Rebecca Gale Telescope Park, which now options, amongst all kinds of 8-24 in telescopes, the Wren-Marcario Accessible Telescope (WMAT) with wheelchair entry, accessible to all friends.
Marfa
Marfa, a small desert metropolis in west Texas, is named an arts hub and a 2 hour and 40 minute drive from Odessa. The city was established in 1883 as a water cease and freight headquarters for the Galveston, Harrisburg and San Antonio Railway. Nowadays its again within the public eye for having this random Prada retailer! But they’re greatest recognized for the Marfa lights, close to U.S. Route 67 on Mitchell Flat east of Marfa. They have gained some fame as onlookers have ascribed them to paranormal phenomena similar to ghosts and UFOs.
You ought to contemplate making this an in a single day journey and keep in a teepee at El Cosmico.
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