What They Don’t Tell You About Moving to Abilene

To any outsider, Abilene, Texas can be a peculiar sight. Surrounded by gentle, rolling hills and flat plains of the Big Country, you might not know what to expect if you just arrived in the area.

To start, there's a lot to be thankful for when you live in Abilene.

Sure, the folks you meet when you first arrive will tell you about the many churches and convenience stores that abound, or about the traffic on Interstate 20, or about the lady that haunts Fort Phantom Hill, but some things you just have to decipher on your own.

If you haven't been formally introduced, welcome to Abilene - here's what they WON'T tell you:

First of all: Be prepared for the amount of vehicle maintenance required to make it on Abilene's streets. Potholes, ongoing construction, and badly-lit streets make every trip to work or the store exciting.

If you need a calming scenic drive after the hustle and bustle of town, though, drive FM 89 through Buffalo Gap and past Abilene State Park. Your annual case of cedar fever may act up, but stunning vistas of live oak trees and marvelous canyons make it worth the trip through Taylor County.

Moving to Abilene is the perfect excuse to broaden your horizons and taste some of the best barbeque joints in the whole Lone Star State. (Apologies to our vegan and vegetarian friends - smoked brisket is best.)

If barbeque is a bit too much for you, consider giving the cult favorite Allsup's fried burritos (or the more authentic Tex-Mex variety from La Popular) a try.

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And when all else fails, do as the locals do... just blame your bad mood, indigestion, traffic, inclement weather, and more on Wylie Independent School District or Abilene Christian University. It's the least we Abilenians can do.