Live Like A Local
Story by Kim Nussbaum | Photos courtesy of Tera Gibson
Tera and Chris Gibson, along with their great niece, London, Age 6 ½ at The Cliffs Resort. The Gibson’s have experienced numerous “Gibson Adventures” at Possum Kingdom Lake and have enjoyed introducing their great niece to the lake.
Chris and Tera Gibson may reside in Abilene, Texas, but they’re at Possum Kingdom so often that one could be forgiven thinking they at least have a second home here.
They’ve stayed at just about every place on Possum Kingdom Lake, and they don’t have a bad thing to say about any of them – or their own unique perks, either.
They schedule plenty of “Gibson PK Adventures” into their calendar and make the most of each adventure, including water activities, special events and visiting nearby communities around the lake.
The Gibsons listed their favorite experiences and destinations, beginning with the southeastern side of the lake, to share with those who plan to visit Possum Kingdom Lake.
For starters, The Cliffs Resort is the couple’s primary location to stay at the lake. They enjoy the resort-like pools, the sandy beach, the Cliffs Ship Store & Marina and The Chaparral Grill. The Inn at The Cliffs was where they said they first really experienced what the lake had to offer, but once it burned they had to expand their options. Now that the inn has re-opened, they are looking forward to adding that site back into their rotation.
When looking for a little faster pace, the Gibsons said they enjoy the many options on The Peninsula. They said they enjoy staying at Lush Resort, where they said it feels like they’ve escaped to a Caribbean resort with the stunning water views from the restaurant and the many pools, one being lakeside. They said they love the upbeat vacation vibes from the waterfront suites and bungalows, as well as the live music.
Chris Gibson enjoying one of the many hiking trails Possum Kingdom has to offer.
For a more cost-effective option, the couple recently stayed at Motorboat Inn. They said they found it to be not only budget-friendly, but also well-organized and very clean. The location is also a plus, with access to Redbird Trail from the back of the property.
Chris and Tera Gibson aboard “Harmony”, at Bonita Shores RV & Marina. Out of all the places the pair have stayed at Possum Kingdom Lake, Chris claims his favorite place to stay was on Ray and Vickie Tucker’s boat “Harmony.” They loved the nautical feel it provided and found it to be peaceful, relaxing and entertaining.
The two of them have also stayed at a tiny house at Bonita Shores that they said they found very family-friendly. It was more of a camping/outdoor experience, they said, but with all the amenities of a nice hotel. Deer were everywhere, they said, as well as other various wildlife that made the location fun.
For Chris Gibson, his favorite place to stay was on Ray and Vickie Tucker’s boat “Harmony,” which is docked at Bonita Shores RV & Marina. He said the boat was wonderful and provided a nautical feel to the couple’s visit. Sitting on the bridge in the morning having coffee and watching the marina traffic was peaceful, relaxing and entertaining, he said, adding that the best part of this adventure was meeting the Tuckers, who he described as fun and interesting. He said he and his wife could have talked to them for hours about their adventures.
When looking for a laid-back weekend with friends, the Gibsons liked staying on the west side of the lake at Fox Hollow. Chris Gibson said he felt transported back to his childhood, adding that the vibe on that side of the lake is much more like what he remembered growing up.
The two of them said they enjoy eating at Hungry Fox Restaurant, and they also enjoy dropping by Foxy’s Cantina for fun live music overlooking the lake. They said they always find managers Gina and Gary Latimer to be hard at work, but also friendly, accommodating and appreciative of the Gibsons being there.
The couple also enjoys eating at Possum Hollow, also located on the west side of the lake. The Gibsons said the food there never disappoints, and added that they feel like they’re treated like family there.
The couple also enjoys various community events at PK and the surrounding area, such as the Possum Kingdom Chamber of Commerce’s annual Possum Fest. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Possum Fest Great Outdoors BBQ & Chili Cook-Off, which takes place Oct. 4-5.
Mardis Gras is another favorite for the Gibsons. The couple starts out at 2 Old Crows for lunch, then moves on to the parade route before ending up at Lush Resort for the after-party festivities.
Other events the Gibsons enjoy include the Muscle Boat Races, the Crazy Water Festival in Mineral Wells and Graham’s Downtown Square.
The couple’s myriad adventures are never complete without a stop at The Trading Post on the eastern side of the lake, or Best Side Mercantile on the west side. The Gibsons said they find both stores unique.
So what are you waiting for? Come live like a PK local!
Tera and Chris Gibson, along with their great niece, London enjoy the hiking trails, water adventures, various events and local hot spots Possum Kingdom Lake has to offer.
