Discover Midland: Parks, Museums and Nature Experiences

Midland combines expansive parks with nature observation, regional history, science and unusual visitor experiences. Those planning a trip can tailor their stay to different interests: Centennial Park focuses on offerings for children and free public outdoor fitness classes, while museums, a planetarium, historic buildings, nature trails, golf and a confectionery factory provide additional highlights.

Parks and offerings for different daily itineraries

Midland’s Parks and Recreation Department includes 29 neighborhood parks, nine pocket parks, eight community parks, two regional parks, two swimming pools, two senior centers and one recreation center. This gives the city a broad selection of public recreational spaces, without requiring travel plans to be limited to a single activity.

Centennial Park is located next to the Bush Convention Center in downtown Midland. Its Children’s Nature Play area is intended for supervised children aged 5 to 12. Free public outdoor fitness classes are offered on the Great Lawn. Those traveling with children can therefore plan this park as a separate activity; anyone looking for exercise will find another opportunity to spend time outdoors with the fitness classes.

Planetarium and museums: science, petroleum and regional history

The Marian West and William Blanton Blakemore Planetarium offers astronomy presentations and dome shows with a 360-degree Digistar system. It adds a perspective on the night sky to the excursion options and is particularly suitable for travelers who want to include science as a shared experience in their plans.

The Permian Basin Petroleum Museum provides 15,000 square feet of interactive exhibition space dedicated to the petroleum industry. The Petroleum Museum also includes the Oil Patch, a 40-acre outdoor exhibition area with drilling rigs and related equipment. Those interested in the development of the petroleum industry can combine indoor and outdoor areas during their visit. Admission to the Museum of the Southwest provides access to all of the museum’s facilities.

The Midland County Historical Museum covers Midland’s early history, pioneer-era memorabilia, photographs, Civil War and both World Wars memorabilia, as well as artifacts from Indigenous American cultures. It also displays a reproduction of “Midland Man.” The Bush Family Home and the historic Turner Mansion are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. These sites add a historical perspective to the trip without requiring you to limit your stay to a single theme.

Nature trails, golf and literature about the region

The I-20 Wildlife Preserve is an 86-acre regional park. The Sibley Nature Center has self-guided educational trails and tours led by staff members. You can therefore choose between exploring independently and taking a guided tour. For golf enthusiasts, the golf courses at Hogan Park offer a total of 36 holes across the Roadrunner and Quail courses.

The Haley Library contains more than 30,000 volumes on Western exploration, early railroads, and the development of ranching, mining, the petroleum industry and politics. It also provides extensive information on the Lincoln County War and Billy the Kid. This focus is a good complement to the historical museums if you are interested not only in exhibits, but also in the development of the region and the themes that shaped it.

Special discoveries and getting there

An unusual stop is Susie’s South Forty Confections. Visitors can tour the factory and see the production of toffee and other confectionery products. Susie’s South Forty Confections also holds a Guinness World Record for producing the largest piece of toffee. This makes the visit an experience in its own right, away from classic museum and nature destinations.

To reach the Wagner Noël Performing Arts Center, take FM 1788 north from Interstate 20 for 11 miles to Highway 191. You can take this specific route information into account when planning your drive.

Which accommodation suits your travel plans?

When searching for a holiday apartment in Midland, it helps to first determine your preferred focus. Those who want to combine nature and independent exploration can consider the I-20 Wildlife Preserve and the educational trails at the Sibley Nature Center. For trips with children, the Children’s Nature Play area at Centennial Park is a possible separate activity. If you are particularly interested in museums, golf or confectionery production, rank these destinations by their importance to your stay before booking. Then choose your accommodation based on the mix of nature, culture, activities and relaxation that defines your travel plans.

For further orientation, you can also visit Midland. You can find more travel-planning pages under Atascosa County, Brooks County, Hall County, Hansford County, Blanco County, Deaf Smith County and Crane County.

For the higher-level travel overview: Texas.