Abilene: Where to get interesting shots?

[jtpro1]

I'll be in Abilene this weekend (April 17 - 19) and I'm looking for some interesting places to get some photographs. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[rockpics]

Downtown Abilene has an early 20th century, vintage feel. You'll know what I mean when you see it. It's restored and maintained. I also like to go to the Buffalo
Gap Historic Village for shots, as well as Fort Phantom and Abilene State Park. ACU has
some interesting buildings, and the Hardin Simmons Campus is well-maintained with some
new buildings as well. McMurry U.'s most prominent building has some interesting features, and the Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest is lovely. It's lit with sodium lamps at night, and I've not been able to white balance those lights.
While in Abilene try out Cypress Street Station (great food), Spano's (the best Tiramisu in town), Joe Allen's or Perini's for BBQ. Little Italy is also great.

[kenw]

Fort Phantom Hill is always an interesting spot. Never been to the zoo, but they do have one.....

[awsilver]

Joe Allen's ROCKS, glad it's still there! Gawd I miss that place!

[amadjuster]

Originally Posted by awsilver

Joe Allen's ROCKS, glad it's still there! Gawd I miss that place!

Have you been to the new one? They built it right next to Cahoots and when the old building was torn down, they could have rendered many gallons of "oil" out of the walls!

[awsilver]

It had to have been the old one, it's been over 16 years...the old place woulda made a cool place to shoot too. :D

[jasond]

The zoo is pretty good. You might also see if you can find the wind farm(s). Not sure of the location, but read that there was one within 20 miles of Abilene. Sorry, the memory's fading, I've been in Austin for so long...

[rockpics]

Spano's closed its old location on Buffalo Gap Rd., and is now where Cahoots used to be,
next to Joe Allen's. The zoo is good for a town the size of Abilene. The giraffe display is unlike any I've seen elsewhere. A walkway over the enclosure puts you at mouth level with the giraffes.

[Shane Jennings]

Take your pick of windfarms. It's hard to take a landscape shot around here that doesn't include a bunch of wind turbines anymore. :)

Lake Fort Phantom isn't the prettiest lake in Texas, but it's not bad at sunset.....

[Shane Jennings]

Oh, and at ACU there is a water garden with a huge bronze sculpture of angels on a ladder to heaven (Jacob's Dream). It's all built on limestone blocks with Bible verses engraved in them. Pretty cool. If you stand on the west side of it and look back through the limestone structure, this is the view. I intend to go early one morning and get the sunrise through it, but I haven't yet.

[Shane Jennings]

Part of the angels in Jacob's Dream....

[mdparthum]

There is Fort Griffin in nearby Albany. As legend has it, this is the place Wyatt Earp met Doc Holliday.

[jtpro1]

Thank you everyone for all of the great suggestions. I'll be sure to get some good shots and a few good meals as well!

-JT

[rdking91]

dont forget to go out to buffalo gap, also i think there is a shin-dig going on at the abilene state park probably would be worth looking into.

the zoo now has black rhinos!

drive out on hwy 277 toward san angelo just past coronados camp the wind turbines are so close to the highway you dont even have to get out of the car to shoot!

instead of joe allens go to sharon allens lytle land company for a GOOD steak, i'm afraid ol joe is living off of his reputation anymore!!

[iCe]

There's lots of big "fans" that you get real close to down around Nolan. Technically it's more like south of Sweetwater than Abilene but it's only 40 miles and you can get right in the middle of "fans" that are being erected as well as opertional. Take 277 south to FM 89. Go west to Nolan. If you go east on FM 89 you end up at Lake Abilene and Buffalo Gap (cool little town with a couple of antique stores)