BEYOND BIG D
If you want to venture beyond the boundaries of Dallas, the area has dozens of options — Fort Worth and Denton form the so-called “golden triangle” with Dallas, and both offer tons of fun things to do, as do some other great suburbs: Arlington (smack-dab between Dallas and Fort Worth), Grand Prairie (just east of Arlington), Grapevine (northeast of Fort Worth) and Frisco (north of Dallas). Here’s just a sampling of mini getaway choices for each. Unless otherwise noted, you’ll find information on these attractions (and many more) at the websites listed under each city.
NORTH TEXAS HIGHLIGHTS
ARLINGTON We’d suggest starting with AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, which offers fascinating tours and holds a world-class art collection (yes, you’re reading that correctly). Globe Life Park in Arlington, which is within hiking distance of AT&T Stadium, is the Texas Rangers’ ballpark, and guided tours are offered for visitors who want to see the team’s dugout, the press box and batting cages (subject to availability). Other attractions include sprawling amusement park Six Flags Over Texas and the International Bowling Museum & Hall of Fame. 1-800-342-4305. arlington.org. DENTON This energetic city boasts a thriving music s cene, in good part because of the talents coming out of the University of North Texas, which has one of the best music programs in the country (music.unt.edu). You’ll find dozens of music venues both on- and off-campus, as well as college and community theater, art shows and more around town. If you’re into history, check out the19th-century Bayless-Selby House Museum or the majestic Denton County Courthouse-on-the-Square Museum, which features Indian pottery, weaponry and early American artifacts. 940-382-7895. discoverdenton.com.
FORTWORTH Some of our favorite “only in Fort Worth” attractions include the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame and Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame; the gorgeous Philip Johnson-designed Fort Worth Water Gardens; the Cultural District with its amazing collection of world-class museums; Sundance Square’s beloved angel-bedecked Bass Performance Hall (basshall.com), where you’ll find music, theater, comedy and more; and of course, the historic Stockyards, where you can watch cowboys, horses and bovine beauties in regularly scheduled cattle drives, or take in country music at Billy Bob’s Texas. 1-800-433-5747. fortworth.com. FRISCO This bustling town has boomed from mostly wide-open prairie to a residential, commercial and entertainment hub in the last couple of decades. A notable recent arrival in Frisco is the Dallas Cowboys’ new world headquarters (dallascowboys.com/thestar). Sports venues include Toyota Stadium, where FC Dallas plays; Dr Pepper Arena, the home of the NBAD-League’s Texas Legends and the home practice facilty for the NHL’s Dallas Stars; and the sweetly old-fashioned Dr Pepper Ballpark, where you can root for the Frisco RoughRiders double-A baseball team. If you’re looking for a fab photo op, check out the bronze cattle drive at 8400 Gaylord Parkway; it’s the longest continuous-themed bronze sculpture collection in the U.S. and features Longhorns, cowboys and a chuck wagon depicting life along the Shawnee Trail. The Texas Sculpture Garden at Hall Office Park is the largest private collection of Texas sculptures on free public display. If you want adventure, check out iFly Dallas, which offers indoor sky diving for ages 3 and older, or Main Event, a 43,000-square-foot entertainment center with bowling, laser tag, video games and more. 1-877-463-7472. visitfrisco.com. GRAND PRAIRIE Tucked between Dallas and Arlington, Grand Prairie has become a huge entertainment center in the last few years, with the Lone Star Park thoroughbred horse-racing
track; the 6,350-seat Verizon Theatre performance hall, offering music, comedy and more; and other venues. If you're in the mood for vintage and thrift shopping, explore Traders Village; the giant flea market draws more than 3.5 million visitors annually to its 161-acre site, which also has rides, arcade games and State Fair-style foods. The kids (and let’s admit it, adults too) will get a kick out of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and Louis Tussaud’s Palace of Wax in the can’t-miss-it onion-domed structure along Interstate 30 (with metal dinosaurs grazing outside!); and there are great Eastern-style shopping, food and services to be had at Asia Times Square and Hong Kong Market. 1-800-288-8386. gptexas.com.
GRAPEVINE This lovely historic city pays homage to its transportation heritage with the ultrafun Grapevine Vintage Railroad, which makes nostalgic trips featuring “Puffy,” an 1896 steam locomotive, and “Vinny,” a 1953 GP-7 diesel locomotive. The 21-mile route goes from charming downtown Grapevine to the Fort Worth Stockyards and back, traveling through the historic Cotton Belt Route. There are also a lot of wine-related activities held in conjunction with the railroad and throughout Grapevine, as one might imagine. Little ones and teens can build to their heart’s content at Legoland Discovery Center, and the whole family will enjoy the adjacent Sea Life Grapevine Aquarium; both are at the Grapevine Mills mall. 1-800-457-6338. grapevinetexasusa.com.
SHOPPING HIGHLIGHTS
ALLEN PREMIUM OUTLETS: Hunt for bargains at this outlet center, home to 100 stores, including Kate Spade, Michael Kors, Nike Factory Store, Under Armour and Polo Ralph Lauren Factory Store. 820 W. Stacy Road, Allen (about 28 miles north of downtown Dallas). premiumoutlets.com. GRAPEVINE MILLS: You’ll find about 180 stores at this mall, which is also home to Legoland Discovery Center and Sea Life Grapevine Aquarium. 3000 Grapevine Mills Parkway, Grapevine. www.simon.com/mall/grapevine-mills.
FRISCO: Stonebriar Centre (shopstonebriar.com) is Frisco’s mall, and one of the biggest shopping highlights is the North Texas location of furniture and home accessories store Ikea (ikea.com). The big Sam Moon store (sammoon.com) is a prime spot to search for inexpensive jewelry and accessories.