Situated on the Trinity River in North Central Texas, Dallas is a fun-filled destination for all visitors, and caters particularly well for families.
The Reunion Tower looms large over Dallas (Photo: Daxis via Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0)
Dallas was once a major industrial heartland that attracted huge numbers of cotton, cattle and later oil workers from across the south and midwest. That mercantile spirt has endured to this day, but is instead evidenced in more contemporary professions and trades, with Dallas’s central district now dotted with glass skyscrapers. At the same time, the city’s cultural scene has burgeoned with it, and is now up there with the very best in the region. Here are some of the best family-friendly things to see and do in Dallas.
Hit the heights at one of Dallas’s largest towers
Located in the heart of downtown Dallas, the Reunion Tower has been an iconic feature of the city skyline since 1978. Known by locals as “The Ball”, the 470-foot tower offers breath-taking panoramic views across the whole city. Staff are on hand to snap a family photo in front of a green screen, which visitors can then download for free. If you’re up there long enough to need refreshments, Cloud 9 cafe is an affordable family-friendly dining option located in the ball of the tower.
300 Reunion Boulevard East, Dallas / Sun-Fri 1pm-8.30pm Sat 12pm-9.30pm
Hop on a bus tour
If you’re keen to see plenty of Dallas in a short space of time, then one of the best and most time-efficient ways to do so is by booking onto a hop-on hop-off bus tour. With designated stops across the city, you can board your trolley bus at your leisure. While onboard, you can also listen to commentary from your entertaining guide who will offer fascinating insights and stories about the city and its long history as you pass a total of 14 places of interest. Tours last for around 1 hour and 20 minutes.
You can book a hop-on hop-off Dallas bus tour at Viator
A Dallas hop-on hop-off bus (Photo: Big D Fun Tours / Courtesy Viator)
Spend a day at the zoo
Always a safe bet for a fun family day out, Dallas Zoo has been attracting visitors since the last quarter of the 19th century, making it the oldest (not to mention largest) zoological park anywhere in Texas. Spread across some 106 acres on a site a few miles south of downtown Dallas, the zoo houses an impressive 2,000 animals, along with a dedicated children’s area and special African habitat that can be viewed from a monorail. There are also daily zoo keeper talks, as well as hands-on experiences such as the chance to feed giraffes.
650 South R L Thornton Freeway, Dallas / Mon-Sun 9am-4pm
A Koala stretched on a branch at Dallas Zoo (Photo: Eric Kilby via Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0)
Test your mettle on some fearsome theme park rides
Located in the city of Arlington, about a 20-minute drive east of Dallas, Six Flags Over Texas theme park has been drawing thrill-seekers for decades. Divided into nine themed sections – each inspired by one of the six nations that have ruled over the Dallas area down the years – the park features a variety of adrenaline-fuelling rides, all of which come with their own “thrill” rating. Highlights include the Titan, said to be the tallest and fastest roller coaster in Texas, while there are also plenty of rides suitable for younger kids.
2201 East Road to Six Flags Street, Arlington / Fri 6pm-11pm Sat 12pm-11pm Sun 12pm-9pm
Take a look around a top-class museum
Earth, dinosaurs, sports, crazy science experiments – there’s plenty to excite the kiddies at the acclaimed Perot Museum of Nature and Science, situated in the heart of Dallas. Spread over five floors, the venue’s assortment of exhibits and displays have been designed to spark the imaginations of children in an educational, informative and entertaining way. As well as the exhibits, there’s also a theatre, an outdoor play space, and a café, while the museum also hosts regular kids’ sleepovers.
2201 North Field Street, Dallas / Weds-Mon 10am-5pm Closed Tues
A dinosaur skeleton exhibit at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science (Photo: Jonathan Cutrer via Flickr / CC BY 2.0)
With the clamour for African American history to play more of a central role in the education of our children gaining pace, there has never been a better time to take your kids to the African American Museum of Dallas. Designed to provide a powerful insight into the rich heritage of black art and history, the museum features a theatre, studio arts area and classrooms where visitors are invited to explore and learn more about one of America’s panoply of hot-button issues.
3536 Grand Avenue, Dallas / Tues-Fri 11am-5pm Sat 10am-5pm Closed Sun-Mon
Dive headfirst into the history of aviation – from the 1920s through to the modern day – at the sprawling 100,000 square-foot Frontiers of Flight Museum. Located right next to the Dallas Love Field Airport, the museum is a veritable love story to flight. As well as an exhibition space, there are 25 air carriers, 20 interactive displays and regular presentations from space shuttle astronauts that are guaranteed to inspire a lifelong fascination with aviation among little ones. Kids love putting the two flight trainers to the test too.
6911 Lemmon Avenue, Dallas / Mon-Sat 10am-5pm Sun 1pm-5pm
Aircrafts on display at the Frontiers of Flight Museum (Photo: Neuwieser via Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0)
Immerse yourselves in living history
Head out to the suburbs of Dallas for a taste of what life was like for the Blackland Prairie Pioneers and the early settlers at the Heritage Farmstead Museum, a living history attraction located on 4.5-acres of farmland. Visitors can tour the 19th-century mansion, which includes a full scale replica of an old school-house. In the Blacksmith Shed, kids love learning about how rural farmers handled their metal and machine work, while in the Carriage Garage they can hop aboard a vintage Ford Model T. The museum also hosts regular revolving exhibits highlighting different aspects of life in Plano and North Texas.
1900 West 15th Street, Plano / Thurs-Sat 10am-2pm Closed Sun-Weds
Let the little ones loose in a vast park
Located in the heart of the city, the vast green expanse of the 5-acre open air Klyde Warren Park will keep kids occupied for hours, if not days, on end. But it offers more than an abundance of public space too; it’s also jam-packed with popular games and activities for families to enjoy, including chess, ping pong, corn hole and croquet, as well as putting greens and games rooms. Adding to the entertainment, live music events also take place throughout the year, while for hungry tums, there’s a range of food trucks surrounding the park.
2012 Woodall Rodgers Freeway, Dallas / Mon-Sun 6am-11pm
Discover a kaleidoscope of floral beauty
One of the city’s most beautiful outdoor attractions, Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden may challenge the attention of younger childen, but if you’ve got slightly older kids who have acquired an interest in horticulture, then there’s plenty to draw them in. Situated on the banks of White Rock Lake, there are spectacular display gardens showcasing stunning seasonal flowers, ornamental shrubs, trees and plant collections, as well as a charming dining terrace and family gift shop.
8525 Garland Road, Dallas / Mon-Sun 8am-5pm
A girl sits on a giant pumpkin at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden (Photo: Sharon Hahn Darlin via Flickr / CC BY 2.0)
Visit an area of natural beauty
Nestled just north of Dallas city centre, the 1,015-acre White Rock Lake Park is one of the region’s most renowned natural beauty spots. Visitors flock here in their droves to enjoy the serene atmosphere and scenic views, but for more active-minded folk – and children are often of this ilk – there’s also no end of recreational activities to enjoy, from kayaking and canoeing to bird watching, biking and hiking. For the latter, one of the most popular routes takes you directly around the park’s picture-postcard lake.
8300 East Lawther Drive, Dallas / Mon-Sun 5am-11pm
Take a tour of a sporting temple
If you can’t make it to a live game, then the next best thing is an immersive tour of the iconic AT&T Stadium, the fabled arena that plays host to the Dallas Cowboys, one of the NFL’s most successful football franchises. Lasting for around 3 hours, stadium tours take you into the inner sanctum of this legendary arena, including the radio and press boxes, the sumptuous private suites, the locker room, the post-match interview room and the offices where all of the hard but unglamorous graft behind the scenes takes place. There’s also a chance to stand on the hallowed turf itself role-play being a quarter back by throwing a football as far as you can. Guests can listen to commentary on the stadium and its history throughout the tour from an expert guide.
You can book a Dallas Cowboys stadium tour at GetYourGuide
Step back in time at an evocative festival
Running for 40 years in the city of Waxahachie, a 40-minute drive south of Dallas, the Scarborough Renaissance Festival is packed full of interactive fun for the whole family, 16th-century style, with full combat jousting, birds of prey exhibitions and 25+ stages of unique entertainment. Plus, incredible artisan demonstrations and 200 shoppes and food and drink fit for a king. The kids will love the special children’s entertainment, games of skill, Renaissance Rides, Knighting ceremonies, Amazing Maze, Petting Zoo, Grande Parade, and the Mermaid Lagoon with live mermaids. Get all the details at www.SRFestival.com.
2511 FM 66, Waxahachie / April-May each year
A Children’s Knighting Ceremony at Scarborough Renaissance Festival (Photo: Scott Fisher)
Join a ghostly food tour
If you’ve got older kids who aren’t fussy eaters, you may want to consider signing up for one of Dallas’s most renowned tour experiences, the Haunted Food Tour. Hosted by an acclaimed local company called Nightly Spirits, the tour takes visitors on a spine-tingling journey through what’s said to be the most haunted route in Dallas. Handily, given the tour runs for up to 3 hours, among the stop-offs are several foodie hot-spots, all selected for their supposedly haunted heritage. So as well as getting a taste of the city’s dark and ghoulish side, you’ll also get to sample Dallas’s thriving culinary scene while you’re regaled with ghostly stories by your entertaining host.
A ghost tour host regales a tour group (Photo: Nightlyspirits.com)
Catch a live show
Dallas has a vibrant and cutting-edge performing arts scene and at its vanguard are the Dallas Summer Musicals who run a busy programme of Broadway theatre shows, events and classes at venues across the city all year round – in summer and beyond, despite the misleading name. Local families are placed at the heart of the organisation’s aims, with dozens of kid-friendly plays on offer, as well as community outreach programmes and subsidised classes and workshops for young, aspiring thespians.
The Music Hall at Fair Park
For more than three hugely successful decades, Dallas Children’s Theater has been providing world-class family-friendly shows to eager audiences. Programming features familiar stories, literary works, histories and biographies that are thoughtfully produced to capture the imagination of little ones. Engaging, enriching and educational, the theatre is also affordably priced. There are ten main stage productions each season, plus a national touring company and an arts-in-education program.
5938 Skillman Street, Dallas
Challenge yourselves in an Escape Room
An ideal indoor option for one of Dallas’s infrequent bad weather days, there are a number of Escape Rooms dotted across Dallas, all inviting visitors to test their skills in a high-pressure but fun environment. Games vary by theme, but the premise remains the same: you have to complete a set number of tasks in a limited time in order to escape your respective room. For families with slightly older kids, it makes for a great way to pass the time in an amusing and challenging setting, and you can be certain you won’t be able to talk about anything else for the rest of the day.
You can book a Dallas Escape Room at Viator