Abilene Christian University in 2 Days: An Abilene, Texas College Visit Fly-In Trip
A parent-first plan for visiting Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas: how to book a daily campus visit, where guests park by the Hunter Welcome Center, the Holiday Inn north of campus about 7 minutes away plus Budget, Mid-range and Upscale options, drive times from Abilene Regional and DFW airports, the Abilene Zoo and the free children's illustrated literature center for siblings, and Abilene weather by season, every fact sourced and checked Oct 31, 2026.
The Hardin Administration Building, one of the guest parking spots on campus, at Abilene Christian University in Abilene (Jun 2019). Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped
Last checked Oct 31, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).
The short version
Trip at a glance
School
Abilene Christian University (Abilene, TX; United Athletic Conference)
Days
2 days: fly in on day 1, campus visit on day 2.
Fly into
Abilene Regional (ABI), about 15 minutes from campus, served by American Airlines and United; or Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), about 3 hours away by car with no traffic.
Best base
Holiday Inn Abilene - North College Area on West Lake Road, about 7 minutes by car from the Hunter Welcome Center.
Car or transit
Rent a car: ACU's directions are drive routes from I-20, and guest parking is next to the Hunter Welcome Center.
Registration
Book a daily campus visit on ACU's registration page and pick your day and time there.
1. Who this guide is for
This plan is for parents with a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, who want to see Abilene Christian University, a private university on a 262-acre campus in Abilene, in west Texas.
Visits start at the Hunter Welcome Center (1949 ACU Dr.), where ACU staff answer questions and hand out a campus map.
Why this order
ACU's daily campus visits include a guided campus tour, a meeting with an admissions counselor and information about admissions and financial aid.
During the academic year, many daily visits also include lunch on campus in the World Famous Bean and a meeting with an academic department of your choice.
Plan ahead: registration and timing
Register for a daily campus visit on ACU's sign-up page and pick your day and time there; daily tours run twice a day. Questions go to the Campus Visits office at 325-674-2909.
Seniors who complete a campus visit by April 15, 2027 receive the Experience ACU Award, worth $2,000 per year for four years (not available to full-tuition students). Check the Undergraduate Visit page for the details.
Can't make it in person? ACU offers a virtual tour of the main campus, linked from its Undergraduate Visit page.
Tour availability varies by season.
Wildcat Preview Days are a deeper dive, with special interest sessions you choose plus an admissions meeting and a campus tour. Dates and registration are on the Undergraduate Visit page.
Transfer students can visit during any Wildcat Preview Day or daily visit, and ACU also offers group visits for 10 to 45 people through a separate request form.
2. The suggested 2-day plan
Drive times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, and walking times use OpenStreetMap foot routing, with addresses geocoded by OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Campus times are to the Hunter Welcome Center, where visits check in.
Day 1: Fly into Abilene or Dallas/Fort Worth and settle in
Abilene Regional Airport (ABI) → Holiday Inn Abilene - North College Area (3525 W. Lake Rd.)
Driving (no traffic)
~14 min, 7.5 mi
Driving and walking
Rental car
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) → Holiday Inn Abilene - North College Area
Driving (no traffic)
~3 hr 6 min, 174.7 mi
Driving and walking
Rental car
Holiday Inn Abilene - North College Area → NCCIL (102 Cedar St., downtown)
Driving (no traffic)
~8 min, 3.8 mi
Driving and walking
Drive
Abilene Regional Airport is served by American Airlines and United, and all of its parking is at the terminal at a single rate.
If you land Tuesday to Saturday before 4 p.m., the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature downtown is free; the Storybook Garden on the Abilene Convention Center lawn is a free outdoor stop any time.
Day 2: Abilene Christian University campus visit
Holiday Inn Abilene - North College Area → ACU Hunter Welcome Center
Driving (no traffic)
~7 min, 2.3 mi
Driving and walking
~47 min walk, 2.2 mi
ACU Hunter Welcome Center → Abilene Zoo (2070 Zoo Ln.)
Driving (no traffic)
~10 min, 3.6 mi
Driving and walking
Drive
ACU Hunter Welcome Center → Abilene Regional Airport (ABI)
Driving (no traffic)
~15 min, 5.8 mi
Driving and walking
Drive
Enter at the main ACU entrance on N. Judge Ely Blvd. and park in the guest spaces outside the Hunter Welcome Center, to the right of the entrance, then check in inside.
The visit includes a guided campus tour, so wear comfortable shoes, and plan for lunch on campus if your visit includes the World Famous Bean.
3. Campus by campus
The Hardin Administration Building, one of the guest parking spots on campus, at Abilene Christian University in Abilene (Jun 2019). Photo: Michael Barera · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped
Visits check in at the Hunter Welcome Center, 1949 ACU Dr., Abilene, TX 79699, just to the right of the main ACU entrance.
The campus address is 1600 Campus Court, Abilene, TX 79601, and the main university number is 325-674-2000.
Visitor parking
Guest parking is outside the Hunter Welcome Center and the Money Student Recreation and Wellness Center, both to the right of the main entrance, and at the Hardin Administration Building.
ACU requires a visitor pass to park on campus. Passes are free from the ACU Police Department or Wildcat Central in the Campus Center, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays; ask at check-in if you're unsure. ACU Police: 325-674-2305.
Getting there
From I-20 eastbound, take exit 288, follow E. Stamford St. and turn right on N. Judge Ely Blvd. to the ACU entrance on the right. From I-20 westbound, take exit 288, follow E. Overland Trail to E. Ambler Ave. (TX 351), turn left, then turn left on N. Judge Ely Blvd.
The Hunter Welcome Center is about 7 minutes by car from the Holiday Inn on West Lake Road and about 8 minutes from the downtown DoubleTree, with no traffic.
What to know
During the academic year, ask when you register about lunch in the World Famous Bean and a meeting with the academic department your student is interested in.
Wildcat Preview Days let your student choose special interest sessions on top of the tour and admissions meeting.
Contact
ACU Campus Visits: 325-674-2909. ACU main number: 325-674-2000.
Last checked Oct 31, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.
Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Hotel · Our pickMid-range
Holiday Inn Abilene - North College Area by IHG
3525 W. Lake Rd., Abilene, TX 79601
Why here
North of campus, about 7 minutes by car from the Hunter Welcome Center and about 14 minutes from Abilene Regional Airport with no traffic.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 3-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Good to know
Expedia lists an on-site restaurant (Maxx Bar & Grill), a gym, a seasonal outdoor pool and free self-parking; cooked-to-order breakfast carries a surcharge. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
DoubleTree by Hilton Abilene Downtown Convention Center
500 Cypress St., Abilene, TX 79601
Why here
Downtown, about 8 minutes by car from the Hunter Welcome Center and about a 10-minute walk from the NCCIL, with no traffic.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 4-star property, so we place it in the Upscale tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Good to know
Expedia lists an outdoor pool, a 24-hour gym, a bar and the Smokehouse Abilene restaurant; full breakfast and valet parking carry surcharges. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
In south Abilene, about 17 minutes by car from the Hunter Welcome Center with no traffic.
Expedia lists this hotel as a 3-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
Good to know
Expedia lists free cooked-to-order breakfast, a free roundtrip airport shuttle, an indoor pool, a hot tub, an arcade/game room and free self-parking. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.
Stay north of campus or downtown to keep the morning drive under 10 minutes: the Holiday Inn on West Lake Road is about 7 minutes from the Hunter Welcome Center and the DoubleTree is about 8, while the south Abilene hotels are about 17.
5. Meals between tours
Hours change, so check before you go.
On campus
During the academic year, many ACU daily visits include lunch in the World Famous Bean, so you may not need a lunch plan on visit day.
Near your hotel
MCM Elegante Suites and the Abilene Whitten Inn both list free breakfast on Expedia, and the Holiday Inn and DoubleTree both have on-site restaurants.
6. Things for siblings along the route
With siblings
Abilene Zoo
2070 Zoo Ln., Abilene, TX 79602
About 10 minutes by car from the Hunter Welcome Center. Gates are open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the park closes at 5; attractions such as the train and carousel run 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays and 10 to 4 on weekends and school holidays. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature (NCCIL)
102 Cedar St., Abilene, TX 79601
Downtown, about a 10-minute walk from the DoubleTree. General admission is always free; open Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with free family activities on Saturdays.
Park in the guest spaces outside the Hunter Welcome Center, to the right of the main entrance on N. Judge Ely Blvd.
ACU requires a visitor pass to park on campus; passes are free from ACU Police or Wildcat Central in the Campus Center on weekdays.
From I-20 in either direction, use exit 288 and follow ACU's directions to N. Judge Ely Blvd.
Flying in and out
Abilene Regional (ABI) is about 15 minutes from campus with no traffic and is served by American Airlines and United. Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) is about 3 hours away by car.
Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Abilene Regional Airport)
Spring: April averages about 79°F highs and 53°F lows, with about 1.9 inches of rain.
Summer: July averages about 96°F/73°F, with about 1.9 inches of rain, so plan for heat on the walking tour.
Fall: October averages about 79°F/55°F, with about 2.8 inches of rain.
Winter: January averages about 59°F/34°F, with about 1.1 inches of precipitation.
Parent checklist
Register for an ACU daily campus visit and ask about lunch in the Bean and a department meeting.
Seniors: note the April 15, 2027 visit deadline for the Experience ACU Award.
Plan to park outside the Hunter Welcome Center and pick up a visitor pass if you need one.
Book flights into Abilene or Dallas/Fort Worth, plus a rental car.
Book an Abilene hotel for the night before the visit.
After the visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.
8. Student-athlete recruiting visits
For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.
Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.
Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.
1 Division I
Athletics
Abilene Christian University
NCAA Division I United Athletic Conference
RecruitingWe found no department-wide recruiting page. Look for a questionnaire on your sport's team page at the athletics site ↗, or email the coaches.
Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
Division I (Abilene Christian University): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.
Planning around the season
Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.
Add your dates and how you're getting there, and we'll pull this guide into one plan: tour sign-up links, the hotel base, parking or airport notes, the route and meals.
Coming soon
Planning more college trips?
Visit-season reminders and new trip guides from College Visit Guides. Newsletter coming soon.
Sources
All checked Oct 31, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.
Expedia listing: Holiday Inn Abilene - North College Area by IHG (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-31) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Abilene-Hotels-Holiday-Inn-Abilene-North-College-Area.h15260762.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: MCM Elegante Suites Abilene (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-31) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Abilene-Hotels-MCM-Elegante-Suites-Abilene.h1837.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: Abilene Whitten Inn (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-31) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Abilene-Hotels-The-Inn-And-Suites-At-34-Fifty.h18912.Hotel-Information)
Expedia listing: DoubleTree by Hilton Abilene Downtown Convention Center (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-31) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Doubletree-By-Hilton-Abilene-Downtown-Convention-Center.h91694445.Hotel-Information)
