The Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex has so many fun ways to spend the summer! Whether you are searching for ideas to keep the kiddos entertained... or you are looking for an entertaining and exciting recreational venue for date night or a girls' day or evening with friends-- SAVE THIS LIST!! We update it every year for you with new businesses and excursions in the area. Enjoy!
MOVIES, ARTS, SHOPPING
- Broadway Dallas, formerly called "Dallas Summer Musicals," has two wonderful shows this summer, Oklahoma! and Frozen.
- Crow Museum of Asian Art: free admission!
- Dallas Arboretum: Summer Camps, Bubble Picnics, Frozen Fridays, and more!
- Dallas Farmer’s Market: grab some fresh fruit and veggies and cook a meal together
- Dallas Museum of Art: free admission!
- Dallas Public Library Summer Reading Program: Win prizes!!
- Drive-in Movies: Make sure to plan in advance to get tickets-- it's such a fun evening out! We have two drive-in theaters that are drivable from the Dallas area: Galaxy in Ennis and Coyote in Fort Worth.
- Lakewood Conservatory (Camps and classes in art, cooking, dance, music, and theater)
- Painting with a Twist Offers classes for kids or adults
- Slimeland Plano: take a fun day trip to Willow Bend Mall and make some slime
- Stranger Things Pop-Up Store at Grapevine Mills Mall: open for a limited time! Answer the yellow phone at Joyce’s house, play games at the Palace Arcade, and take a stroll through the Russian Lab. Reservations are required to enter the store.
image from www.attractionsmagazine.com
- Studio Movie Grill offers their Children's Summer Series specials: every weekday from May through August, receive $6 tickets (includes one free popcorn and kid's beverage)
- Summer Movies in the Theater- Jurassic World Dominion (opens 6/10); Lightyear (opens 6/17); Minions: The Rise of Gru (opens 7/1); Thor: Love and Thunder (7/8); The Sea Beast (watch on Netflix starting 7/8); Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank (7/15); DC League of Super-Pets (7/29)
- Sur la Table- offers kids and teens cooking classes, but they fill up early, so book quickly if you are interested!
- Vintage & Flea Market Shopping {Vintage Martini, Dolly Python, Lula B’s, Zsa-Zsa's, Retro Madness Vintage Video Game Shop}
GAMES
- Axe Throwing (Class Axe, Grab Your Axe, Stumpy’s Hatchet House)
- Bowling (Bowl & Barrell, Bowlero-- formerly AMF Bowling Garland, Bowlski's, Bowlounge, Scout)
- Celebration Station: go-karts, bumper boats, miniature golf, train ride, batting cages, eurobungy, paintball, laser tag, and a two-story arcade
- Cidercade: games for only $10 admission, 21+ starting at 8 pm
- Cinemark 17 IMAX: when was the last time you saw an IMAX movie?
- Dave & Buster’s
- Dreamscape: interactive virtual reality shows
- Electric Gamebox: Enjoy an immersive team adventure in an interactive digital room featuring projection mapping, touch screens, and motion tracking. Enjoy a hyper-immersive adventure. Suitable for all over eight years of age & for groups of 2-6.... fun fact: a second DFW location is coming to Deep Ellum this fall!
- Escape Rooms {Escapology, Xcape Adventures, Ultimate Escape Game, Project Panic, Great Room Escape}
- Free Play Richardson: opens at 1:00 pm on weekdays and 11:00 am on weekends
- Gat Splat: axe throwing, paintball, and Nerf parties
- Go Karts- {Andretti-- 2-level race track!!, K1 Speed and Adventure Landing}
- Kid Mania Plano: 2-story children's play space
- Labyrinth Reality Games: located in Lewisville, it's like a combination of an escape room + an obstacle course merged together to create an entirely new, video-game-like experience
- Main Event: check out their summer season pass
- Monster Mini Glow in the Dark Golf, Laser Tag, Bowling, & more!
- Nerfies in Plano: Glow in the Dark Nerf wars
- Nickelmania: play arcade games with real nickels
- Paintball {Cousin's, Madddogz, Official Paintball Games}
- Punch Bowl Social: 21+ starting at 10pm
- Scheel’s (ferris wheel, arcade, candy shop, aquarium)
- Shenaniganz: Check out their Summer Pass
- Top Golf: check out their Summer Pass for $249, which includes unlimited gameplay weekdays until 4 PM from June 1 - August 31 and up to 6 players
WATER PLAY
- Dallas Spraygrounds- {open 5/30 - 9/5}
- Epic Waters- indoor water park
- Great Wolf Lodge
- Hawaiian Falls North Garland
- Heights Family Aquatic Center: A decision on whether to open the Heights Family Aquatic Center for the 2022 summer swim season will be made on June 15 and is dependent on the availability of adequate staffing to allow for it to open safely.
- Jade Waters
- Klyde Warren Park- Spray ground and Picnic
- Lake Day Rentals: boat rentals for July-October
- LH Aquatics Center- {open from 6/4 - 8/14}
- Paradise Springs Waterpark at the Gaylord Texan
- Six Flags Hurricane Harbor
- Surf & Swim
- Waco Surf: surf lagoon and wakeboard cable park with the longest lazy river in the world and gigantic water slide with ramps called The Wedge that catapults you through the air and into the water (formerly BCR Cable Park)
- WhoaZone Grapevine: make sure to reserve your spot online
image from www.10best.com
SPORTING EVENTS
- FC Dallas Soccer game at Toyota Stadium in Frisco
- Lone Star Park Horse Races
- Medieval Times
- Mesquite Rodeo: season runs 6/4-8/27
- Frisco Rough Riders Game
- Texas Rangers game
SCIENCE & EDUCATIONAL
- Dallas Children's Aquarium: eye-level, interactive exhibits
- Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum
- Dallas World Aquarium
- Dallas Zoo
- Nasher Sculpture Center
- Perot Museum: visit the summer exhibit: "Becoming Jane: The Evolution of Dr. Jane Goodall” from May 20 – September 5
- Play Street Museum Lake Highlands
- Spark- open to the public on Saturdays from 10 am-4 pm and Sundays from 12 pm-5 pm
OUTDOORS & ACTIVE
- Altitude Trampoline Park
- Arbor Hills Nature Preserve- hiking, picnicking, off-road biking, and a creek to explore
- Cedar Hill State Park- hike, bike, picnic, camp, explore
- Dallas Continental Bridge + Trinity Skyline Trail
- Disc Golf Courses
- DORBA Mountain Biking Trails
- Elm Fork Nature Preserve in Carrollton- hiking
- Ice Skating- {Dallas Galleria or Dallas Stars Center}
- Katy Trail- walking, biking, lunch nearby
- Lake Grapevine- boat rentals
- Lake Grapevine- hiking/biking/off-road biking. Some trails are paved, and others are dirt paths.
- Lakeland Hills Skate Park- free skate park with down ramps, rails, and quarterpipes
- Lonestar Adventure Sports- biking, kayaking, and SUP rentals on Lake Grapevine
- Marshall Creek Ranch- horseback riding
- McKinney Avenue Trolley + Klyde Warren Park
- Obstacle Warrior Kids (Garland)
- Pick Your Own Farm: Pure Land Farm, Swanzy's Backyard Gardens, Mars Hill Farm, Sunnyvale Pecan Orchard, etc.)
- Six Flags
- Summit- Indoor Rock Climbing
- Movement at The Hill - Indoor bouldering
- Trinity River Audubon Center- hiking & kayaking
- Zip Line: Trinity Tree Tops; Go Ape; Go Zip Texas
FUN FIELD TRIPS
- Canton First Mondays
- Dallas Cowboys “The Star” in Frisco
- Day Trip Shopping and Lunch at IKEA
- Day Trip Waco- {Dr. Pepper Museum, Magnolia Trail, Magnolia Table}
- Fort Worth Botanical Gardens
- Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge
- Fort Worth Stockyards
- Fort Worth Water Gardens
- Fort Worth Zoo
- Fossil Rim + Dinosaur Valley State Park (bring your sand toys for the littles!)
- Geo Deck Reunion Tower
- iFly in Frisco
- Kimbell Art Museum
- Louis Tussaud's Palace of Wax & Ripley's Believe It or Not!
- National Video Game Museum
- Sharkarosa- {open Fri-Sun from 9 am-4 pm}
- Texas Discovery Gardens
- Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center {TFFC} in Athens, TX
- The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza & Dealey Plaza
SWEET TREATS
- Andy’s Frozen Custard
- Bahama Bucks
- Baldo’s Scoop Shop
- Cake Bar Vending Machine
- Candy Shack Daiquiris {they have non-alcoholic options}
- Creamistry or Cauldron Ice Cream: nitrogen-frozen ice cream
- Dolly Llama Waffle Cones- just opened end of May
image from www.restaurant-hospitality.com
- Emporium Pies
- Great American Cookie Shop Lake Highlands
- Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream
- Milky Treats in Plano
- Pop Factory at The Hill
- Sprinkles ATM Machine
- Squishies Bubble Tea
- Sugar Factory American Brasserie
- Swig Fairview Dirty Sodas
- Yogurtland
- Van Leeuwen- opened May 7
Local Resident Realty is your LOCAL expert in the DFW area. We hope you enjoy exploring this exciting metroplex we live in! If you’re interested in buying or selling a home in the DFW area, think about reaching out to one of the trusted agents at The B.A.R. Group. These agents know the area well and can help you with your real estate needs.
