Located on the West Texas plains, Odessa offers a good mix of activities and attractions.
“Odessa is a wonderful place for groups to come and enjoy their time away, whether it’s for business or leisure,” says Discover Odessa’s Mary Rains. “There is a Smithsonian-affiliated art museum, a state-of-the-art archives and many other unique attractions. We take pride in these places and look forward to sharing them with our visitors.”
The Presidential Archives and Leadership Library is home to exhibits featuring campaign memorabilia, books, photos and other items that document the history of the U.S. presidency. Guests can see the Hall of Presidents and four unique collections that showcase additional presidential artifacts. Another local historical attraction is the Chris Kyle Memorial Statue, which honors the Odessa native and Navy SEAL whose life was the basis for “American Sniper.”
For arts devotees, the Ellen Noel Art Museum of the Permian Basin contains a vast collection of works by international and regional artists that can be discovered on tours, during education sessions and at special events. A good evening activity is catching a show at the Permian Playhouse, a theater that stages local productions of familiar plays and musicals throughout the year.
One of the area’s more interesting attractions is a Stonehenge replica, which is located on the University of Texas of the Permian Basin campus. The 20-plus stones, while slightly smaller than the English ones, are arranged in a similar circular pattern, and each one weighs around 20 tons.
For more information, email Discover Odessa’s Monica Tschauner or go to odessacvb.com.
Top photo: Ellen Noel Art Museum
Photo by Odessa CVB
Support for Courier articles provided by:
Cliff Castle Casino Hotel
Desert Diamond Casino Hotel
