Have the day off and looking for things to do in Dallas Texas? Last minute no weekend plans? Plan a last-minute family fun day!
Here are 15 of our favorite family day trips ideas and things to do in Dallas, Texas that would make for great memories and fun for the whole family.
This post contains affiliate links.
More: 10 day trips within 2 hours of Dallas
Things to do in Dallas Texas: Day Trips for the family
Be at one with the animals at the Dallas Zoo
Address: 650 South R.L. Thornton Freeway (I-35E), Dallas TX 75203
Open Daily: 9am – 4pm from October to February and 9am – 5pm from March to September (check opening times with the Dallas Zoo)
Entry Pricing: Adults 16-64 are $20 per day. Kids 3-11 are $16
Pricing varies seasonally and is available online.
How to save money on Dallas Zoo Entry
During January and February they have Penguin Days, with $8 admission for everyone.
Memberships are available to save you money if you expect to visit multiple times in a year.
It’s also free with admittance with a CityPass !
Getting there and what to do during your Visit to the Dallas Zoo
You can easily take the DART train to the Dallas Zoo! If you do, show your ticket at the entrance to get a $2 discount (not valid with other special pricing).
Bring a picnic (but leave your glass, alcohol and disposable straws at home) and some comfy walking shoes. Water fountains are available and various restaurants and convenience stores are open for you to get a meal during your visit.
The Dallas Zoo is renowned as one of the jewels in Dallas’ crown. Enjoy time with the giraffes, birds from around the world and get close up to reptiles and other animals at the Wild Encounters Stage.
Don’t miss the Keeper Chats about specific animals and how zoologists take care of them.
The Dallas Zoo also has a miniature train, a carousel, and a nursing room along with baby-changing stations and family restrooms.
More: Which is better: the Dallas Zoo or Fort Worth Zoo?
Learn and get inspired at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science
Address: 2201 N Field St, Dallas, TX 75201
Opening Hours: Wednesday – Monday, 10am – 5pm. Closed on Tuesdays.
Entry Pricing: General Admission $15-$25 for non-members but they offer a variety of packages with extra exhibit and film access too. Memberships are available and provide significant cost savings.
Located in Downtown Dallas, this museum offers fun for all ages. The perfect way to spend hours as a family, and see dinosaurs and animals from the past in 11 world-class interactive exhibit halls.
More: We have 10 Top tips for families to visit to Perot Museum.
Explore some other great Museums in Downtown Dallas
While you’re Downtown looking for things to do in Dallas Texas, you can also check out the Sixth Floor Museum to explore the story of the assassination of JFK and the role that Lee Harvey Oswald played in it, and check out the grassy knoll.
Address: 411 Elm St, Dallas, TX 75202
Other great museum options in Downtown Dallas are the African American Museum of Dallas and the Dallas Museum of Art.
African American Museum Address: 3536 Grand Ave, Dallas, TX 75210
Dallas Museum of Art Address: 1717 N Harwood St, Dallas, TX 75201
If you head closer to Dallas Love Field airport, be sure to plan a visit to the Frontiers of Flight Museum, which is great for little kids. It has a ton of interactive exhibits and real plane interiors you can climb into and explore.
It’s open daily and priced at $10 for adults, and $7 for children. Ages 2 and under are free.
Address: 6911 Lemmon Avenue, Dallas TX 75209
More: 10 of the best free Museums near Dallas and Fort Worth
Get out of the hustle and bustle of Downtown at the Klyde Warren Park
Address: 2012 Woodall Rodgers Fwy, Dallas, TX 75201
A visit to the iconic Klyde Warren Park is a must-see on the list of things to do in Dallas, Texas, and is even better due to a recent renovation!
Take a break from the hustle and bustle and bring your kids to play at this park that goes across the Stemmons Freeway in Dallas.
Bring your swimsuit and a towel, if you and your kids want to enjoy the splash pad there too. If you go at night, enjoy the Nancy Best Fountain lit up and shooting water up to 100 feet in the air.
Enjoy the tasty food trucks and soak up some sun with a great view of the city. They also host some really fun events throughout the year too.
Get aquatic at the Dallas World Aquarium
Address: 1801 North Griffin St. Dallas, TX 75202
Opening Hours: 7 days a week, 8.30am with last entry at 4.30pm
Pricing: Adults are $29.95, Kids 3-12 $19.95, 2 and under are free. Discounts for Seniors and Military. Memberships are available.
Parking is available next to the aquarium for $8-$10. Dart is also a great way to travel. The closest stations are Akard and West End Station.
You can make a day of it, enjoying the cloud forest trek for exotic wildlife, sloths and koalas, the South Africa exhibit where you’ll see endangered tortoises, frogs and vibrant birds and a wide variety of fish.
Kids of all ages will love this. You can eat in the West End area or bring a picnic lunch and head to the park afterward!
Get out on the water on the White Rock Lake and smell the flowers at Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens
The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens is consistently in the Top 10 list of things to do in Dallas, Texas.
You can easily spend the whole day wandering around the 66 acres of botanical gardens and enjoying the interactive exhibits in the Rory Meyer Children’s Adventure Garden in the heart of Dallas, off the serene White Rock Lake. The lake has a 9.3 mile hike and bike trail. It’s a great option along with 23 of the Best Nature Trails and Hikes in DFW
At various times of the year, you’ll see specific exhibits related to the season, like Halloween Pumpkin displays and the Holiday Lights exhibit which is wildly popular, with locals as well as tourists.
Spring and Fall are great times to go to view the flowers and see the amazing displays.
More: 15 Outdoor Spots to explore close to DFW
Get your adrenalin flowing at Six Flags over Texas
Address: 2201 Road to Six Flags, Arlington, TX 76011
Opening Hours: Open at weekends year-round (12 pm – 7 pm) and mid-week (11 am – 9 pm) during school breaks. Check their calendar for exact information.
Pricing: $39.99 for a day pass but gold and platinum passes are available and worthwhile for multiple visits.
Spend a full day at Six Flags over Texas. Be sure to prepare, it’s a big park. Wear comfortable footwear!
More: Six Flags Over Texas – A Guide for All Ages
Build, explore and enjoy the Legoland Discovery Center
Address: 3000 Grapevine Mills Parkway, Grapevine, TX 76051. Located at the Grapevine Mills Mall.
Opening Hours: Open daily 10 am – 5 pm
Pricing: Starting at $37.99
Come and spend the day or half day here, with a fun 4D Cinema and games, Legoland Dallas has something for everyone. You can also tour Miniland, the Dallas area created entirely in Lego bricks and also build and test your own lego racers.
More: Save $10 on tickets for Legoland here (affiliate link)
Go shop, eat and have fun at Traders Village
Address: 2602 Mayfield Road, Grand Prairie, Texas 75052
Opening Hours: Open Year Around every Saturday and Sunday 10am – 5pm.
Pricing: It’s free to enter and just $4 per car for parking.
Spend a Weekend Day at Traders Village in Grand Prairie!
It’s an open air (flea) market with (endless) rows and rows of shops filled with handmade items, jewelry, clothing for adults and kids, toys, garage sale bargains, auto accessories, plants, home decor items which are sourced from all over the world and furniture.
Be prepared to stock up, as the items on sale are bargain prices!
With over 3000 vendors, you never know what you’ll find. Chat with the owners and you’ll likely find generations of families working within the Village as they have done for many years.
You’ll also enjoy live music and dancing, eat some tasty food options, including street fare and it’s the best place for kids with great amusement park rides. There is really something for everyone.
Ways to Save Money on Things to Do in Dallas
One of the best ways is to purchase a CityPass, which you can use during a set period of time, for access to 4 entertainment venues around Dallas.
You’ll need one CityPass per person. Child and Adult prices differ.
Visit each attraction below.
- Perot Museum of Nature and Science
- Reunion Tower GeO-Deck
Plus get admission to 2 more attractions of your choice. No need to choose now—decide later.
- Dallas Zoo
- George W. Bush Presidential Museum
- Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum
Top 3 Picks for Things to Do in Dallas
#1 TOP PICK
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SEA LIFE Aquarium Grapevine
✔️ Great for Younger Kids!
✔️ More than 5,000 sea creatures
#2 PICK
Dallas Reunion Tower
✔️ Book a timed visit for fewer crowds
✔️ The Best Views of Dallas
#3 PICK
LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Dallas
✔️ Great for all ages
✔️ 15 attractions: rides, games & movies
Get your sports dreams fulfilled at the AT&T Stadium
Visit the home of the Dallas Cowboys and take a tour! Perfect if you’re a Cowboys fan – but be sure to book ahead.
The tour reveals so many behind-the-scenes opportunities and stories which you’ll get to share with your friends and family. You can combine your visit with an art gallery exhibiting the Dallas Cowboys art collection.
Get the best view of Dallas from the Reunion Tower
Address: 300 Reunion Blvd East, Dallas, TX 75207
The Reunion Tower is a must-see for a visit to Dallas! You need to head up to 470 feet in the elevator to the GeO-Deck for 360-degree panoramic views from an indoor/outdoor observation deck.
For kids, there is a 360-degree video experience and if you time your visit well, you’ll be able to take part in one of their special events for families.
Be sure to take home your free digital photo!
More: To get one free visit to the Reunion Tower, be sure to invest in a Pogo Pass membership which gets you into a long list of other fun places around Dallas Fort Worth.