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 fun things to do nearby.
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 hope 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 celebrating the Holidays and Christmas Things to do in Dallas, Texas this Winter.
We have 31 Really Fun Things to Do with Kids in the Winter and with friends around 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
Grab 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.
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. Drive through the Dallas Zoo Lights – it transforms into a winter wonderland with over one million lights after the animals head in for the evening.
Nov. 19 – Jan. 2
Cruise the mile-long route through the Dallas Zoo and enjoy the magical holiday moments of the Dallas Zoo Lights with family and friends.
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.
This year, the light show debuts an immersive video projection that transforms the path. After driving through, park and enjoy Reliant Holiday village to take photos with Santa and sing along to musical performances. For our youngest kiddos, this is one of the most truly magical things to do this Winter.
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 . And your drive ends with an animated light tunnel – the perfect finale that you will never forget.
4. Drive through Radiance and Frozen Frisco – an all-new Holiday Light Spectacular edition for 2021 in Riders Field. Open until January 1.
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.
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 at the Shops at Willow Bend
7. Visit Snowday at the Galleria and head to Santaland at the same time from Friday, Nov. 19, and 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!
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. Make a visit to the Elf on the Shelf Magical Holiday Journey experience, new to Choctaw Stadium in Arlington (formerly Globe Life Park) with a one-of-a-kind, open-air experience to spread a Texas-sized serving of Christmas cheer!
Open until January 2, 2022.
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.
See Santa and Mrs. Claus, live reindeer, life-sized gingerbread men, and more on November 21st.
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, Nov. 26 – Dec. 24. Hilton Anatole brings back their celebration of the season, North Pole Texas, with fun for the whole family, featuring a train ride through the Anatole Sculpture Park Light Display, a giant snowman bounce house.
The kids will love cookie decorating with Mrs. Claus, opportunities to write letters to Santa and attend Elf Academy with plenty more excitement to be had and things to do.
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. 9 – Dec. 31 Holiday at the Arboretum opens with a Christmas Village full of charming shops, Biergarten and a 23-foot-tall German-built Christmas Pyramid that includes festive animation and more. Santa Claus even has his own picture-perfect house and a sleigh!
Don’t miss the nativity scene at the historic DeGolyer House and the 25-foot-tall Victorian-style gazebos that tell the story of the 12 days of Christmas. A classic on our list of things to do!
There will also be a new 50-foot-tall Dazzling Musical Tree, animated with more than 42,000 lights and merry holiday tunes. This year, they’ll have floral arrangement classes and the Chef-Tastic Cooking Series being offered through the end of the year.
13. Enchant at Esplanade at Fair Park
Sending guests on a quest to save Christmas, from November 26 to January 2nd, Enchant invites you to take part in The Great Search where they’ll adventure through millions of twinkling lights and wondrous art installations.
The journey includes a trip down the Ice Skating Trail, opportunity to sample gourmet treats from around the world, a visit to the artisan Christmas market, and a meet and greet with Santa – all before stepping into the most magical Christmas light maze the world has ever seen.
14. Visit the Gaylord Texan for their 2021 Holiday Event – So.much.Christmas
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 4 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.
16. Ride the North Pole Express in Grapevine (although we think the slots might all be full, look out for cancellations)
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
19. Catch a Holiday Concert with Dallas Symphony Orchestra. They have a series in early December.
20. Head to Allen for the Holly Jolly Celebration & Virtual 5K & Fun Run on December 4 and 5.
21. Visit the Heritage Farmstead Museum’s Lights on the Farm! This is the first year right here in Plano and excitement is high!
22. See a performance of the Nutcracker at Richardson’s Eisemann Center. There are two runs of the Nutcracker in November, so don’t miss your show.
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 4 – 18 – 8:00 am – 11:00 am
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
26. Enjoy carolers, dancers, bands and more in the Holiday Performance Showcase from November 30- December 23, at Fairview Town Center!
27. Visit Dinosaurs Live! Life-size Animatronic Dinosaurs at the Heard Museum
28. Visit Santa’s Winter Woods at Fairview Town Center from November 20 to December 24, for one of Collin County’s premier Santa photo experiences. All visits are by appointment only, which means no long lines!
Location: 102 Fairview Station Parkway, Fairview, TX, 75069
29. Attend the Fredericksburg Hot Air Balloon Festival on November 27.
Location: Bankersmith, Texas, 7905 Old San Antonio Rd, Fredericksburg, TX
30. Stop by the Mistletoe Market in Downtown Plano on December 11 and 12.
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! A day out to pick a real Christmas tree and cut it down to take home cannot be beat. We have picks for all the best places to find a real Christmas Tree around DFW
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