Carlisle - Lubbock, TX Area Guide

The neighborhood of Carlisle reflects and continues the history and culture that shaped Lubbock. Farms, silos, and agriculture-related businesses dominate the area. While Lubbock boasts well over 200,000 people, the sizeable neighborhood of Carlisle claims only over 1,000 or so, retaining an identity closer to the open countryside it borders. Carlisle's close proximity to Lubbock Christian University and Texas Tech University means that its restaurants and businesses are often filled with students, injecting a bit of energy into the neighborhood, and downtown Lubbock has several world-class museums and annual art events, all of which are a stone's throw away from Carlisle.

The dining and entertainment scene in Carlisle is quieter than in much of the rest of Lubbock, but there are still some treasures tucked away along the freeway. Most restaurants are clustered around 19th Street, including Linda's Cafe, a charming little Filipino restaurant unlike anything else in town. Housed in a tiny unassuming building beneath a hand-painted orange sign, Linda's menu is a mix of Chinese and Filipino classics. Don't be scared off by the names if you're unfamiliar with this cuisine: the proprietors are happy to help you find the perfect dish. A customer favorite is pancit, a noodle-based Filipino dish. A little further west is Chef Lin's To Go, one of Lubbock's better Chinese Restaurants. Despite the name, delivery is not their forte. Better to just stop by and eat in house. The soups are excellent, and the combination meals are large and budget friendly. At the western edge of Carlisle, Powell's Country Bar-B-Q serves up some of the best ribs in town. A couple of decent sports bars - including Cujo's - sit just northeast of Carlisle on the edge of the 289 Loop, but Carlisle proper tends to get pretty quiet in the evening. The Buffalo Wild Wings sports bar on 19th Street will do in a pinch, but with downtown only a short drive away, no one in this neighborhood is hurting for entertainment: live music, and a greater variety of nightlife is easily accessible a few miles east.

Automobiles are the standard mode of transportation here: Visitors and residents find it easy to navigate the numbered streets of Carlisle that lead to Lubbock’s major highways. 19th Street runs east-west all the way through the middle of town, and the 289 Loop borders Carlisle's east, proving the fastest route to anywhere you might want to go. Cabs and Uber are available, and the Lubbock city bus has routes in the neighborhood. There are no bike lanes, and both cycling and walking are recommended only in the quieter residential parts of the neighborhood. Free and vast public parking is everywhere in these wide-open spaces.

Those needing a break from the occasional monotony of the North Texas Plains can scoot over to Barbara Hinajosa Park, which is definitely the closest thing to a wooded area in the vicinity. Trees and covered picnic areas provide shade for outings, and there's a small playground for kids. Dogs are welcome in parks all around Lubbock as long as they're leashed. Hinajosa Park is a modest public space without exercise equipment or special qualities to rival downtown’s more diverse options, but it still manages to provide a comfortable setting for relaxing barbecues and family get-togethers. The smaller Dr. Armando Duran Park and Alex and Verna Cooke Park are also free to the public, and both contain most of the same amenities as Hinajosa Park, as well as basketball courts. The Shallow Hills Golf Course at the northeastern edge of Carlisle provides manicured greens and contoured waterways for a reasonable fee. There are no annual events in Carlisle to speak of, but nearby downtown has a full slate of year round concerts, art openings and festivals to take part in.

Residents of Carlisle enjoy a significantly lower cost of living than the Lubbock average. Expect to pay $600 on average for a one-bedroom apartment. A one-way bus fare to the center of town will still cost you $1.75, just like it does everywhere else in the city, but rents are significantly lower. If you choose to drive, you'll only pay 17 percent less than the national average for a tank of gas. There are few places to buy a beer, but when you find one, it should only set you back $3 or so.

Like most other nonindustrial businesses, the shopping district of Carlisle sits squarely on 19th Street, leading to the 289 Loop. Auto dealers, Western wear chains and dollar stores are ubiquitous, with no high-end exceptions or specialty stores to speak of. The Antique Mall of Lubbock is by far the most unique business around, offering an array of housewares, memorabilia, artwork, jewelry, tobacco and consigned store stock. Any visitor could waste an entire day here, and bargain hunters are sure to be back for more. Carmen's Thrift Barn, just a bit further down the road out of town, has a less extensive collection of second-hand furniture and housewares. Carlisle can't claim any grocery stores of its own, but a well-stocked supermarket can be found just minutes away inside the loop off 19th Street. A greater range of options — including a Market Street, Sprouts Farmers Market, and Natural Grocers — are all 15 minutes or less away by car, and the nearby Lubbock Downtown Farmers Market is open on Saturdays from the summer through the fall.