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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Cross Plains
Skip unless you are a Robert E. Howard fan. A 30-minute stop for the museum, then continue to Abilene or Cisco.
Cross Plains is a tiny Texas town (population about 1,000) best known as the home of Robert E. Howard, creator of Conan the Barbarian. The main draw is the Howard Museum and an annual Barbarian Days festival in January. Most travellers pass through on TX-36 between Abilene and points south.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $50–80 · Mid $80–150 · High $150+ (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $2–4 |
| Lunch (burger or sandwich) | $8–12 |
| Dinner (sit-down restaurant) | $12–20 |
| Gasoline (per gallon) | $3–4 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ABI · Abilene Regional Airport
- 44 miles NW; rental car needed
Typical fares
- Abilene → Cross Plains by car
- about 44 miles, 50 min
- Cisco → Cross Plains by car
- about 21 miles, 25 min
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Town is walkable; a car is needed to reach Cross Plains.
See and do
Known for
- Robert E. Howard Museum
- Barbarian Days festival (January)
- Conan the Barbarian heritage
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Abilene | TX-36 northwest, 44 miles | About 50 min |
| Cisco | TX-206 north, 21 miles | About 25 min |
| Graham | TX-36 west then US-380 north, about 50 miles | About 1 h |
| Wichita Falls | US-277 north, about 90 miles | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Cross Plains
- Very limited options; most visitors stay in Abilene or Cisco.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Howdyhow-dee |
| Thank you | Thanksthanks |
| Yes / No | Yeah / Nopeyeah / nope |
| Excuse me | Excuse meex-cuse me |
| How much? | How much?how much |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Museum hours are limited; check the official site before visiting.
- No public transport; you must drive.
Very safe small town. Standard precautions apply at night.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Cross Plains yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Robert E. Howard Museum
- Barbarian Days festival (January)
- Conan the Barbarian heritage
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Cross Plains, revision 3500873 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=3500873
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Cross Plains
Take me to this address, please
Take me to this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
English is universal.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/cross-plains). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.