Midland: Parks, Nature and Culture

In Midland, parks and nature attractions sit alongside museums, a planetarium, and themes related to the history of the oil industry and confectionery. When choosing a hotel, you can start by considering the purpose of your trip: should your stay focus mainly on outdoor recreation, culture, or history? The city offers specific places to visit for each of these interests. A nature outing with trails or golf has a different focus from historic museum exhibits or the planetarium’s dome shows.

Parks, Nature and Recreation

The city’s Parks and Recreation Department includes 29 neighborhood parks, nine pocket parks, eight community parks, and two regional parks. There are also two swimming pools, two senior centers, and a recreation center. Centennial Park is next to the Bush Convention Center in downtown Midland. Free outdoor fitness classes for the public are held on the Great Lawn. The Children’s Nature Play area is intended for supervised children between the ages of five and twelve.

The I-20 Wildlife Preserve is an 86-acre regional park. The Sibley Nature Center offers self-guided trails as well as tours led by staff. Here, you can choose between exploring the trails on your own and taking a guided tour. For golf enthusiasts, the Roadrunner and Quail courses at Hogan Park offer a total of 36 holes.

Planetarium and Oil History

The Marian West and William Blanton Blakemore Planetarium offers stargazing presentations and dome shows using a 360-degree Digistar system. The Permian Basin Petroleum Museum devotes 15,000 square feet of interactive exhibit space to the oil industry. The museum also includes the Oil Patch, a 40-acre outdoor exhibit area with drilling rigs and related equipment. Admission to the Museum of the Southwest gives you access to all of the museum’s facilities. Check the latest visitor information before your visit.

Historical Perspectives and Local Themes

The Bush Family Home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, as is the historic Turner Mansion, which was listed in 1988. The Midland County Historical Museum features exhibits on Midland’s early history, with pioneer-era memorabilia as well as photographs and memorabilia from the Civil War and the two World Wars. Artifacts from Indigenous American cultures are also included. A reproduction of “Midland Man” is also on display.

The Haley Library has more than 30,000 volumes on the exploration of the West, early railroads, and the development of ranching, mining, the oil industry, and politics. It also offers extensive information on the Lincoln County War and Billy the Kid. Its historical topics therefore range from the region’s early development to specific conflicts and figures.

Confectionery and Directions

At Susie’s South Forty Confections, visitors can tour the factory and watch toffee and other sweets being made. Calling ahead is recommended to get information about the tour. To reach the Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center, take FM 1788 north from Interstate 20 for eleven miles to Highway 191. Check for possible temporary road changes before driving.

Discover more destinations: Midland, Wharton, Rockwall, Robertson County, Bastrop, Bailey County, Delta County, Jefferson

For the main travel overview: Texas.