What things can we do and fun Christmas events happen in Winter around Dallas, Texas?
It’s Winter! That time of the year when there are such unique Winter-themed and Christmas events and Christmas activities nearby.
We go straight in after the State Fair of Texas and Halloween is over.
One of the things that we love this time of Year is a chance to enjoy the Christmas Lights in Dallas and a Visit with Santa!
The Weather in Texas in Winter can be unpredictable most of the time, but we can enjoy this season of the year with tons of things to do– our coldest season with mulled wine in our hands if you are.
It’s the best time to celebrate the Holidays and Christmas Things to do in Dallas, Texas this Winter. Holiday events and Dallas Christmas activities in Dallas are plentiful this year. You could even plan a date night idea around this time to enjoy the lights!
We have 31 Really Fun Things to Do with Kids in the Winter and Christmas Events in Plano and Dallas
We have also worked hard to bring you our incredible easy to follow Christmas Lights Tour around Plano, which you can download with our partner at Builtstory app for just $10!
Start as soon as Dusk falls as you’ll need as much time as possible to enjoy the first stop at Deerfield, before moving to the rest of the stops on the tour – all within the City of Plano.
Allow 90 minutes to fully enjoy the Deerfield Stop.
Pack your hot chocolate in flasks, blankets, a wagon or stroller as needed and your warm clothing along with a fully charged phone for taking photos and videos.
Download your Christmas Lights Tour now!
1. Take a Holiday Lights Tour & a Drive-Thru
One of our favorite Christmas activities in Dallas: Grab some hot cocoas and drive around to see the most beautiful Christmas lights at Deerfield in Plano or Highland Park in Dallas.
You can even reserve a carriage ride to experience an extraordinary display of holiday lights. Homeowners and tenants around Highland Park go all out with home decorations every Christmas holiday.
We do recommend booking ahead for carriage rides in all cases, as availability is limited. This really is one of our favorite things to do and one of the best Christmas events near me.
Locations:
The Deerfield neighborhood in Plano 75024. Enter on a street at the far north part of Deerfield, off Quincy Lane. Tweedsgate Drive is a good option.
Highland Park – For Brazos Carriages, the Transwestern Building, 3811 Turtle Creek blvd. Dallas TX 75219. Park in the parking garage in the visitors area. For Highland Park Carriages, you’ll pick up at 4200 Oak Lawn Ave, Highland Park TX
2. Walk through the Dallas Zoo Lights – a staple of Dallas Christmas events, it transforms into a winter wonderland with over one million lights after the animals head in for the evening. Your favorite holiday tradition returns this year as a walk through event.
Nov. 17 – Jan. 1, 5.30 pm – 10 pm, tickets must be reserved in advance
It’s truly magical, featuring one million twinkling lights, elaborate displays, dazzling 3-D lighted sculptures, larger-than-life animal lanterns, and more – all to enjoy from the comfort of your vehicle.
3. Drive through Prairie Lights at Grand Prairie.
This a unique experience where you get to drive and walk.
You will be dazzled with 4 million lights set along 2 miles of the path. You will find the Holiday Magic Lighted Drive-Through Forest.
Your drive ends with an animated light tunnel – the perfect finale that you will never forget. Open Thanksgiving through New Years Eve at 6 pm.
4. Drive through Radiance and Frozen Frisco
Open until January 1. Tickets for the ALL-NEW Radiance! Frozen in Frisco and Radiance! at the Ranch 2022 will be on sale soon!
It’s updated each year, and now includes Frozen, a huge favorite for our young kids. Without heading far, this is a huge favorite on our list of things to do in Dallas in December.
5. Explore Oak Point Nature Preserve and try the Plano Moms Scavenger Hunt.
If you’re wanting to explore Arbor Hills or Russell Creek Park, we have Scavenger Hunts for them too!
Find the Best Photo Ops!
6. Get your Santa Photos!
7. Visit Snowday at the Galleria
Head to Santaland at the same time from Friday, Nov. 19, and they will welcome guests from his Santaland Express on Level I near Banana Republic.
Do not miss a few pics of the country’s Tallest Indoor Christmas Tree inside the Ice Rink: this is a quintessential Christmas Dallas thing to do!
One of our favorite Christmas events in DFW and Dallas, Snowday is right next to Santaland inside the Galleria Dallas and offers an immersive exhibit, that has more than a dozen all new vignettes and visuals with state-of-the-art touch-free technology and Hollywood-grade sets and styling. Great for pics and a fun outing full of things to do!
8. Enjoy the Trains at Northpark! Starting November 12, it runs for 12 weeks, until January 6. $10 for adults and $5 for kids and seniors. Your visit will also do good – proceeds benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas.
9. Head to the Shops at Legacy for their Holiday Lights event – with such a great backdrop, they are beautiful to see while you walk around this shopping street.
Date: November 20, 2022 from 4 pm – 7 pm.
See Santa and Mrs. Claus, live reindeer, life-sized gingerbread men.
Location: 7101 Libby Rd, Plano, TX 75024.
We recommend parking around Bishop Park (use the address given). There may be spots on the road as well as in underground parking lots nearby.
During the holiday season, the tree-lined streets will light up and makes this place a winter wonderland! It is a perfect place for a stroll with friends and family, and you can shop and dine too and Visit with Santa!
10. North Pole Texas, A notable Christmas events in Dallas, Hilton Anatole brings back their celebration of the season, North Pole Texas, with fun for the whole family, featuring Breakfast with Santa and North Pole Texas Room Experience.
Experience an outdoor Christmas adventure at North Pole Texas this holiday season.
Each weekend between November 18 and December 24, 2022, Hilton Anatole transforms into a winter wonderland – perfect for the whole family.
Fun Events and Things to do in Dallas with Kids
11. Walk the Holiday lights at Vitruvian Park Addison or Christmas in the Square in Frisco
12. From Nov. 10 – Dec. 31 Holiday at the Arboretum opens with a Christmas Village full of charming shops at the Dallas Arboretum.
Holiday at the Arboretum returns with a garden transformed for the magic of the season including the return of the beloved Christmas Village, the 12 Days of Christmas and the Dazzling Musical Tree!
This is one of our favorite annual Christmas activities nearby.
13. Enchant at Esplanade at Fair Park
Sending guests on a quest to save Christmas, from November 25 to January 1 at Fair Park, Enchant invites you to take part in The Great Search where they’ll adventure through millions of twinkling lights and wondrous art installations.
Featuring an immersive walk-thru light maze created with over 4 million sparkling lights, Enchant also includes an impressive 100-foot-tall holiday tree, a unique ice-skating trail, live entertainment, Santa visits, and a holiday shopping marketplace with crafts, gifts, and culinary treats including festive holiday beverages and cocktails.
14. Visit the Gaylord Texan for their 2022 Holiday Event
ICE returns this year!
With various exhibits and lights everywhere they also have Snow Tubing, Ice Skating, the Snow Throw, a Christmas Carousel, Gingerbread Decorating, a Christmas Craft Studio and a Build-a-Bear workshop
15. Watch the Dallas Holiday Parade on Saturday, Dec 3 at 10 am.
This year, they’ll have bleachers to make the parade more enjoyable for those who would rather sit. For these, you need to buy tickets. Such a fun Dallas event for December 2022.
16. Ride the North Pole Express in Grapevine (the Christmas Capital of Texas!) (buy tickets early, this sells out FAST!)
17. Ice Skate at the Galleria Dallas and see the iconic Christmas tree showcase almost a half-million lights, over 10,000 ornaments, and a 100-pound, 10-foot-tall LED star.
And, it performs several times a day, as it lit up with choreography and holiday music.
18. Visit Neath the Wreath Holiday Gift Market – November 10-13. The four-day holiday gift market hosts over 13,000 shoppers and over 125 merchants each year from throughout Texas and beyond. The market features the best in unique holiday and home décor, ladies clothing, accessories, gifts, jewelry, children’s items, gourmet food, and more.
19. Catch a Holiday Concert with Dallas Symphony Orchestra. December 2-11.
20. Head to Allen for the Holly Jolly Celebration & Virtual 5K & Fun Run – dates for 2022 tba.
21. Visit the Heritage Farmstead Museum’s Lights on the Farm! November 25 – December 31. 6 pm – 9 pm.
The historic farmstead is transformed into a delightful winter wonderland with more than one million lights and numerous animated holiday displays.
The all-outdoor event features a quarter-mile trail through the property showcasing stunning holiday light creations and animated displays crafted by First Choice Lights. This is the perfect event to enjoy a new family tradition and experience holiday cheer. Guests will enjoy a 20-foot Christmas tree, tasty treats such as hot cocoa, kettle corn and make your own s’mores. There’s even a chance to visit with Santa and take a photo in Santa’s Farmshop.
Buy tickets online for a discount.
22. See a performance of the Nutcracker at Richardson’s Eisemann Center. Stay tuned for details on the Nutcracker.
Enjoy these Tasty and Festive Food and Drink Options
23. Enjoy Breakfast with Santa at the Four Seasons Las Colinas. Book ahead with them for a Saturday from December 3 – 17 – 8:00 am – 11:00 am at LAW restaurant.
24. Join a Christmas Lights, Chocolate & Sips Tour with Dallas by Chocolate Food Tours
25. Eat Breakfast with Santa at The Grove at Frisco Commons. December 3. Get in early, this one sells out FAST.
26. A fun DFW Christmas event, enjoy carolers, dancers, bands, and more in the Holiday Event Series from November 12- December 17, at Fairview Town Center!
27. Visit Dinosaurs Live! Life-size Animatronic Dinosaurs at the Heard Museum through February 20, 2023.
28. Visit Santa at Fairview Town Center from November 12 to December 17. All visits are by appointment only, which means no long lines!
Location: 102 Fairview Station Parkway, Fairview, TX, 75069
Appointments are available on the following Saturdays: 11/12, 11/19, 11/26, 12/3, 12/10 and 12/17 between 3 PM and 6:55 PM. Your $10 booking fee includes a dedicated time slot for your family with Santa, a gift for each child, and a Santa’s Helper who will be happy to use your personal camera to snap photos of your family. One hundred percent of the booking fee will be donated to Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County.
29. Attend the Fredericksburg Hot Air Balloon Festival on November 26.
Location: Bankersmith, Texas, 7905 Old San Antonio Rd, Fredericksburg, TX
30. Stop by the Plano Holiday Market. 9 am to 5 pm on Saturday, Nov. 19 and 11 am to 4 pm on Sunday, Nov. 20. Plano Holiday Market is held at Carpenter Park Recreation Center.
Find ways to Give Back this Winter
31. Make cards for your nearest Senior Living Facility
32. Buy a gift for the Salvation Army Angel Tree
33. This deserves an extra special mention as one of the best things to do in Dallas for Christmas. Be sure to find a day out to pick a real Christmas tree and cut it down to take home.
We have picks for all the best places to find a real Christmas Tree around DFW
FREE DOWNLOAD TO ENJOY!
