Favorite Places in the DFW Area to Take Out-of-town Guests

If you are going in the Spring I would definately take them to the Dallas Arboretuem. It is great year around but Spring and Fall are my favorites. In the summer, have the kids bring the swim suits because they can play in frog water garden.

I also like the Dallas World Aquarium in downtown Dallas. I have never been to the Kennedy museum downtown but I heard it was interesting. Victory Park is also neat to eat and walk around.

For shopping I would take them to Sam Moon shopping center at 635 and 35. They have so many great deals People are blown away!!

I agree with the Gaylord Texan and I hope to visit the Lone Wolf over Spring Break. The Stockyards are one of a kind.

Have fun!!

Hi-
You have received great options. Just wanted to throw in two more- and they are so cheap.
Depending on the ages of the kids- an educational choice, which is FREE, is the Bureau of Engraving and Printing in North West Ft. Worth. This is only one of two places in the entire US where the government prints paper money. There is a movie and a tour, as well as, exhibits and a money store. http://www.moneyfactory.gov/locations/section.cfm/25/493
It is good, clean, and cheap fun and very educational (I used to be a tour guide there and loved it).

The other thing is the Forest Park mini-train ride. You can board the train either at Forest Park or at the train depot which is just a hair before (west side) the Ft. Worth Zoo entrance. You do need to check times out for that, though. It is so cheap and fun and half way through, the train stops and you can get popcorn and drinks. Just another fun, family friendly thing to do.
Have fun.
R. B.
www.MakeYourOwnStuffedAnimal.com

A trip to the Stockyards and Billy Bobs is always good to give the flavor of Texas.
The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History has a lot of hands-on stuff for kids, and the Cowgirl Museum next door is pretty neat. They have dress up clothes and a play campfire area, a blue screen area when the kids can ride a bull and a little theater.
Grapevine Mills mall is good for shopping and the Gaylord Texan is a fun place to walk around. Like the other person, we have not been to Great Wolf, but it sounds like fun.
A visit to Reunion Tower is good, too, since it is such a prominent feature in the Dallas Skyline.

Here's the restaurants we love:
The Italian Inn- romantic kind of place, music, singers, piano, dancing- it is our favorite!
La Madeline-is great too, chain restaurant
McKinley's Bakery/Restaurant- excellent on University

Things to do:
Cowgirl Museum or Fort Worth Museum and Science and History are both great. Also, the Amon Carter is neat museum or the Modern Art Museum, if you like Modern Art.
Fort Worth Zoo is an awesome zoo and ranked in the 10 ten zoos in the U.S.
We like Trinity Park, they have a small train for kids that is inexpensive and it is beautiful with the ducks, trees,etc...
Something free is the Water Gardens, which are really unique to Fort Worth, so I would definitely take them there. It is especially neat at night, when the lights are on.
If they like shopping the Bass Pro Shop in Grapevine is neat and Cabela's is cool too. Grapevine Outlet Mall is a neat place to shop. Grapevine (downtown part) is unique, they have cute shops, Tarantula train and nice restaurants also.
Granbury is a neat town also. They have a square with the courthouse in the middle of the square and the shops are all the square. They have some restaurants and there are plays and music, it has a lot to offer.

Hope this helps, C.

Hello L.,

depending when they're coming thomas is coming to grapevine
http://www.ticketweb.com/thomas.html
Grapevine
› March 28-30, 2008
› April 4-6, 2008

go have dinner at the Riverwalk Cafe in the Gaylord. :) It's always a nice place....

The Great Wolf Lodge across from them that just recently opened as well I hear is a good family place (though I've never been)

are you looking for family places or just adult-ish places?

Go to Reunion Tower in Dallas. It's free to the top if you eat at the restaurant. The food has really improved recently, and the view is gorgeous. I recommend lunch because it's cheaper then. My husband and I took our niece and nephew (13 & 10) there when they came for a visit in July. If you're coming from Ft. Worth, take the TRE train. It stops right at Reunion tower. You can even take the light rail to other stops in Dallas, like the zoo, Dallas World Aquarium, etc. The Omni Theater in Ft. Worth is fun, depending on what they are showing. Depending on the age of the kids and your budget, Medieval Times is fun too.

I second downtown Grapevine! I have taken all our out of towners there to visit the shops and go to some wine tastings. It is inexpensive and a fun afternoon. Also depending on if they are from a city or more rural area, they may enjoy a plain old visit to the Galleria or other mall. My shopper friends always love to hit the malls when they are in town. Dallas has some great shopping! Other than that, maybe the Arboretum? Even Southfork Ranch is popular with those old enough to remember the TV show Dallas.