Family Staycation Ideas Around Dallas

Stephanie W. said:  What better way to take advantage of a day off than to spend it at a state park? Swim, boat and fish at Joe Pool Lake, explore bike and foot trails, even tour an old Texas farm. Geocaching is another popular activity at the park, and a great adventure for families. If you'd like to try an overnight retreat, check out one of the park's 350 campsites!

Lisa R said:  UTA Planetarium offers a 60-foot dome projection surface, fully digital projection system, and advanced software. UTA Planetarium offers a variety of shows for the general public.

Vanessa M. said:  Klyde Warren Park is a hub of activity in the heart of the Dallas Arts District. With a dedicated children's park & play area, botanical & butterfly gardens, game carts with board games and daily special activities for children (i.e., water gun fights, STEM activities, concerts, storytimes), this is one of the best parks in Dallas! Food trucks are on site for when the family gets hungry.

christadiserio said:  The Perot Museum of Nature and Science takes the word "interactive" to a whole other level. This museum boasts 11 exhibit halls, which will appeal to dinosaur lovers, universe fanatics, engineering enthusiasts and literally everyone else. The museum also has its very own children's museum for the little ones 5 and under. Parents are guaranteed to enjoy this museum as much as the kids.

Closed Tuesdays

Vanessa M. said:  Ziplining through the trees with the wind whipping across your face is a thrill like none other. Experience this and more with a 2-3 hour treetop adventure at Go Ape. The aerial journey takes climbers across suspended bridges, height-defying swings, ziplines, and many other suspended obstacles.

christadiserio said:  Take a trip back to the 11th century at Medieval Times! At this family (or date night) dinner theater, you'll enjoy a "hands-on" delicious feast from this time and enjoy watching knights on horses, staged medieval games, sword-fighting, jousting and much more. This whole experience will leave you wondering whether this is real life or a fairy tale!

Sarah D. said:  The Dallas Arboretum is home to the Rory Meyers Children's Adventure Garden - an absolute treasure for children of all ages. Connecting children with nature is central to the Children's Adventure Garden. They do this by inviting children to enjoy a variety of nature walks, daily educational programs and exhibits, puppet theatre, playgrounds integrated into the nature-scapes and so much more. The Children's Adventure Garden is a world-class botanic adventure!

Stephanie W. said:  The Vintage Railroad is a one-of-a-kind experience that your train-loving kids will go crazy for! Take a step back in time on these authentic Victorian trains (named Puffy and Vinny) from the 1920s which rides along the historic Cotton Belt Route. Along with regular train rides, there are special events such as a Mother's Day or Father's Day ride, a Day Out with Thomas, and in the holiday season the train transforms in to the North Pole Express and rides through the Christmas Capital of Texas

Cost: Tickets start at $10/person. See more scheduling and pricing, plus special event info here.

March-May & August-October open Saturday-Sunday, June-July open Friday-Sunday. Closed January/February.

Vanessa M. said:  The water park at Great Wolf Lodge is impressive! The waterslides include the massive Howlin' Tornado, the heart-stopping Coyote Canyon which has a four story drop, Crooked Creek lazy river, mini waterslides and play structure for young children, a wave pool, and many more fun attractions. Dining and shopping are also on site.

Shila said:  Among 60,000 square feet of space, a colorful 2-story climber playground awaits, as well as a larger creative and coloring adventure. Other attractions include an activity studio, drip art, melted molds, and a crayon factory show where kids learn how crayons are made! There is enough to fill an entire day.

Stephanie W. said:  OK. Drop everything and get yourself to this pool! This pool is the epitome of Texas pride! This historic saltwater pool is gigantic. It has an island in the deep end located "in" Dallas-Forth Worth, and South Texas is a wade area for smaller children. There are two water slides and a diving board. Water volleyball is encouraged, as is grilling your own BBQ on their grills. They even welcome mermaid fins and offer special mermaid meetups!

Stephanie W. said:  This dinosaur park near Fort Worth has preserved Sauropod and Theropod tracks at multiple sites along the Paluxy riverbed. In addition to the dinosaur experience, families can hike, bike, camp, and swim or fish in the river.

Stephanie W. said:  Texas' largest and oldest zoo is as fun as a barrel of monkeys! They are home to several different habitats, animal feedings, wildlife shows, and animal encounters! The possibilities seem truly endless for entertainment, education and exploration at the Dallas Zoo!

Vanessa M. said:  This whole 1000+ acre park is a playground for people of all ages to explore, with miles of kid-friendly hiking and biking trails, picnic areas, a stunning lake offering boating and fishing, dog park, and historical markers. Of course, five actual playgrounds are dotted across the grounds for children to play on as well - even 1 dog park!

Stephanie W. said:  The McKinney Avenue Trolley is a fun, historic way to travel around Dallas for free! These vintage trolley cars were all built between 1909 and 1926 and were all in service through the 1950s. The lines reopened in 1989 as a tribute to the old transit system, and they are now in service 365 days a year throughout Uptown! Your family can even book a trolley for a special occasion if you'd like to have a car all to yourselves.

Cost: Free