Things to Do in Odessa, Texas: How to Spend One Day

Start your Odessa morning in the city centre, then make the White-Pool House your first timed stop if you’re visiting on a Friday or Saturday. For a sense of the area’s layout and local stops, use this Odessa city centre guide as you shape your route.

The White-Pool House offers free tours from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, as well as tours by appointment. If a personal tour suits your schedule, arrange one by email; large groups should call to schedule. The house recommends calling ahead because private events can close the museum, including on weekends.

The White-Pool House is an 1887 Victorian farmhouse and, according to its operator, Ector County’s oldest remaining structure. At 112 E. Martin Luther King, Jr. Street, the house connects Odessa’s pioneer and oil-boom eras through period pieces and family heirlooms. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated a Texas Antiquity and Texas Archaeological Landmark.

Check the White-Pool House visiting guide for more context as you plan this stop. Its former address was 112 E. Murphy Street, so use the current street address when arranging your visit.

For tours or group arrangements, call 432-333-4072; personal tours can also be scheduled by emailing whitepoolhouse@outlook.com. Because private events may affect access, check the official site before you go.

Choose the Odessa Meteor Crater Museum and park for an afternoon focused on the area’s geological history. The museum is open year-round, Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.; it is closed Mondays. The park is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., when its gate locks.

The museum is owned and operated by Ector County. The crater is 550 feet across and 15 feet deep, and high winds and heavy rain are eroding it. The site received Registered Natural Landmark status from the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1965. The museum opened on October 1, 2002, and is ADA accessible.

If you’d rather keep the afternoon in town, save your energy for a performance at the Globe Theatre of the Great Southwest or the Ector Theatre. The Ector Theatre’s address is 500 N.

Texas Ave., Odessa, TX 79761. White-Pool House is about 4 minutes by car from Economy Inn Odessa, making it a practical stop to fit into your day.

An evening performance can round out your Odessa itinerary, but choose a show before setting your schedule. The Ector Theatre box office is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and on show days.

The theatre is cashless and accepts cards only; complimentary street parking and parking at the 5th and Texas parking lot are available near the entrance.

Show end times typically fall between 11:00 p.m. and midnight, though the run time varies by show. The Globe Theatre of the Great Southwest is another local performance venue to consider if its program fits your evening.

Before you go: Performance schedules and visiting arrangements can change, so check the official site for the venue or attraction you plan to visit.

Is the White-Pool House open every day?

No. Its free tours run on Fridays and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.; tours are also available by appointment. Call ahead because private events may close the museum.

Can you visit the Odessa Meteor Crater on a Monday?

The park is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., but the museum is closed Mondays. The park gate locks at 5:00 p.m.

What should you know before attending a show at the Ector Theatre?

The venue accepts cards only. Show times vary, and performances typically end between 11:00 p.m. and midnight.