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Major city · United States

Kilgore

Go for one night as an oil-boom stop on the I-20 run between Tyler and Longview: half a day for the museum and derricks, then move on.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Mar–May, Oct–Nov
avoid Jul–Aug (heat and humidity)
Airports
TYR · GGG · DFW
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Kilgore is a small East Texas town of under 14,000 people that sits near the centre of the old East Texas Oilfield, and it shows: a downtown block of steel derricks, a museum that rebuilds a 1930s boom street, and a college drill team famous well beyond the state. There is no airport and no rail; you come by car on I-20 or by Greyhound, and one night covers it. Treat it as a stop on a Piney Woods loop with Tyler, Longview and Marshall rather than a destination on its own.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Kilgore, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee2026 estimate$3–6
  • Street or quick mealSandwich or wrap at a downtown café2026 estimate$8–14
  • BeerBeer at a bar2026 estimate$5–8
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum entry2026 estimate$5–10
  • Budget bedFamily room (up to 4), a night, per roomUS$130
  • Mid-range bedChain motel double room, a night, per roomUS$110
  • High-end bedChain motel double room, a night, per roomUS$170

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$60 · Mid US$110 · High US$190

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

World's Richest Acre Park derricksEast Texas Oil MuseumKilgore College RangerettesTexas Shakespeare Festival
Airports
TYR Tyler Pounds Regional (About 30 min west by car; small, limited daily flights.) · GGG East Texas Regional (Longview) (About 20 min east by car; mainly a private airfield, with American Eagle commuter flights to DFW.) · DFW Dallas/Fort Worth International (About 2 h by car; the practical gateway for most trips.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Kilgore: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

14°C

2°C

8 rd

Feb

16°C

4°C

8 rd

Mar

21°C

8°C

9 rd

Apr

25°C

12°C

8 rd

May

29°C

17°C

9 rd

Jun

32°C

21°C

8 rd

Jul

34°C

23°C

7 rd

Aug

35°C

23°C

6 rd

Sep

31°C

19°C

7 rd

Oct

26°C

13°C

7 rd

Nov

20°C

8°C

8 rd

Dec

15°C

3°C

8 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

A car is the practical choice: US 259 is the main road and most sights sit within a few blocks of it, while the New London museum is 10 miles south on TX 42. Downtown is easy to walk once parked. A bus station in town has served Greyhound lines — check current service, as it is not dependable; without a car you are limited to the centre and taxis or rideshare, which can be slow to arrive.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Longview

go

Door to door: About 30 min

I-20 east by car, about 20 min

Bigger town for dinner, shops and more beds; easy half-day add-on.

Tylergo

Door to door: About 45 min

TX 31 west by car, about 35 min

Rose gardens, museums and the wider restaurant choice; pairs well with a Kilgore morning.

Gladewater

go

Door to door: About 30 min

TX 31 west, then TX 42 north by car, about 20 miles

Antique shops and a small historic downtown; a short browse, not a full day.

Marshall

go

Door to door: About 1 h

I-20 east, then US 59 north by car, about 45 miles

Brick streets and old courthouse square; combine with Longview.

Jefferson

go

Door to door: About 1 h 10 min

US 259 north, then TX 49 east by car, about 55 miles

Best done as its own stop on a Piney Woods loop rather than a return trip.

Carthage

caution

Door to door: About 1 h

TX 42 south, then US 79 east by car, about 50 miles

Thin on sights for a dedicated run; worth it only if you are heading that way.

Karnack

caution

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min

US 259 north, then TX 43 and TX 49 east by car, about 60 miles

Caddo Lake country; go for the water, not the town.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

US 259 North strip

Chain motels and easy parking on the main road; best if you have a car and an early start.

Downtown Kilgore

Walkable to the derricks, shops and cafés; beds are limited — check availability before you commit.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$60–100 excl. bed
Mid
$100–170 excl. bed
High
$170+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Chain motel double room1 × 1 night × US$110US$110
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$110US$220
Car, one day with fuel1 × US$60US$60
Museum entry, per person2 × US$8US$16
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$44
Trip total≈ US$240 per person per day, bed includedUS$480

2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax added at checkout. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee2026 estimate$3–6
Sandwich or wrap at a downtown café2026 estimate$8–14
Tex-Mex plate2026 estimate$12–20
Beer at a bar2026 estimate$5–8
Museum entry2026 estimate$5–10
Gallon of fuel2026 estimate$3–4

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

A quiet small town; the real risks are summer heat, long empty drives at night and rough side streets away from US 259. Lock the car and keep to lit central blocks after dark.
  • Summer heat and humidity: plan indoor stops in the middle of the day.
  • Side streets off the main roads can be rough for walking at night; drive or stay central.
  • Some sights keep short or seasonal hours — check before you drive out.
  • The New London museum is volunteer-run: large groups should call ahead.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
Poison control
1-800-222-1222

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

KilgoreKilgore

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Can you take me to this address?To this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Poison control1-800-222-1222

Embassy

No consulates in Kilgore; nearest national consulates are in Dallas and Houston.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • DFW → Kilgore by car: about 2 h, roughly 120 miles
  • Tyler → Kilgore by car: about 35 min on TX 31
  • Longview → Kilgore by car: about 20 min on I-20

Say or show

  • Where's the East Texas Oil Museum? — Where is the museum?
  • Are you open today? — Is it open today?
  • Do you take cards? — Can I pay by card?
  • Can we get the check? — The check, please
  • Where can I park around here? — Where can I park?

Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Kilgore. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Mar–May, Oct–Nov · avoid Jul–Aug (heat and humidity) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 2 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 7 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for TYR, GGG and DFW: drive times, last sensible arrival, motel fallback.
  2. Walking cluster for downtown Kilgore: derricks, museum, shops and cafés with opening hours checked.
  3. Place pages for the East Texas Oil Museum, World's Richest Acre Park, Rangerette Showcase and the New London museum.
  4. Eat pages with posted hours and last orders for the downtown cafés and the US 259 grill strip.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources