When Someone Says, “There’s nothing to do in Dallas” we say, check this out! There is a ton of great things to do in Dallas Texas.
If you love these, you’ll also love these free or cheap things to do with kids.
More: 10 Day Trips within a 2 hour drive from Dallas
Things to do for the Thrill-Seeker
GoApe Plano
Location: Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve, 5901 Los Rios Blvd, Plano, TX 75074
Zip lines, a ropes course, Tarzan swings and more! Ages 10 and older.
Six Flags Over Texas
Location: 2201 E Road to Six Flags St, Arlington, TX 76011
Heart-stopping fun right in Arlington. Rollercoasters and more. A full day of entertainment, with rides for all ages.
** NEW ** PrairieLand in Trader’s Village
Location: 2602 Mayfield Road, Grand Prairie, Texas 75052
Let your kids get their kicks for a low price close to home! Wristbands are $13.99 and include the Vortex, Flea Fall, Wipeout, and lots of other crazy rides.
iFly
Location: 8380 TX-121, Frisco, TX 75034.
Indoor skydiving at iFLY Dallas is as close as you will get to actual skydiving without jumping out of an airplane. The first indoor skydiving wind tunnel in Dallas. Delivering the dream of flight to everyone!
Yesterland Farms in Canton
Location: 15410 Interstate 20, Canton, TX 75103
A fun amusement park for all ages, with lots of fair rides and activities like apple cannons.
Things to do for the Animal lover
Benbrook Stables
Location: 10001 Benbrook Blvd, Fort Worth, TX 76126
Head to Fort Worth for horseback riding, guided trail rides, shows and private lessons
Bonton Farms
Location: 6915 Bexar St, Dallas 75215
Head to Dallas to this urban farmland with goats you can pet, shopping, farm-to-table restaurant, and classes.
Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park
Location: 1462 1st Ave, Dallas, TX 75210
Two words: Doctor. Fish. Seriously, if your kids are like mine, they will love sticking their hands in the tank while the “doctor fish” peck at them! Feed the stingrays, see sharks and so much more.
The Dallas Zoo or Fort Worth Zoo
Dinosaur Safari at the Dallas Zoo: Hop on a shuttle-guided Dino Safari with your “research assistant” at this fun, prehistoric party. Then stay and play at the zoo’s children’s area.
We look at which is better: the Dallas Zoo or the Fort Worth Zoo?
SeaLife
Location: Mills Mall, 3000 Grapevine Mills Pkwy, Grapevine, TX 76051
This Grapevine Mills spot is home to Texas’ only 360-degree ocean tunnel. See sharks, sting rays and more up close!
You can save over $6 with these discounted tickets available. Sea Life Grapevine is an interactive aquarium located at Grapevine Mills in Grapevine, Texas. The aquarium contains thousands of aquatic creatures, plus interactive touch pools and a 360° ocean tunnel.
SeaQuest
Location: 1974 Green Oaks Rd, Fort Worth, TX 76116
Hang out with sloths, birds, sea creatures and more at this interactive aquarium located inside Ridgmar Mall in Fort Worth. You can swim with sting rays and feed animals.
Dallas World Aquarium
Location: 1801 N Griffin St, Dallas, TX 75202
You’ll feel as if you’ve stepped into the rainforest when you set foot in the Dallas World Aquarium. Make your way through a number of exciting exhibits, including Mundo Maya, Ornico, Borneo, and more.
Fossil Rim Drive-Thru Safari
Location: 2299 Co Rd 2008, Glen Rose, TX 76043
Located in Glen Rose, Texas, about an hour from Arlington, Fossil Rim is a fun experience for guests of all ages. Drive through the wide spaces where animals roam- and feed the animals from your car. Stop halfway through for snacks and to visit the kid’s area.
Things to do for the Video-Game lover
National Video Game Museum
Location: 8004 Dallas Pkwy, Frisco, TX 75034
Get ready for the ultimate throwback with a visit to this Frisco museum. Show your kids the computers and video game systems you grew up with and then have fun in the retro arcade at the end.
Main Event
Location: 3941 Central Expy, Plano, TX 75023
Get your game on! Spend the day playing video games, bowling, eating good food, doing the ropes course and more.
Alley Cats
Location: 2008 W Pleasant Ridge Rd, Arlington, TX 76015
Play mini-golf, go bowling, play video games and laser tag, and more. This local spot is lots of fun. Or head up to the Hurst location because it has outdoor rides, too!
There are some great Laser tag places near Plano
Dreamscape Immersive Dallas
Location: 8687 N Central Expy Suite 2232, Dallas, TX 75225
Embark on a virtual adventure at Northpark Mall. Ages 10 and over.
Things to do for the Indoor Playground lover
We love the Crayola Experience in Plano. Check out our Top Tips and big Savings for the Crayola Experience Plano
PlayStudio Fort Worth
Location: 3005 E Belknap St, Fort Worth, TX 76111
This Montessori-based play space in Fort Worth offers tons of fun for the younger set. Kids ages 8 and younger will enjoy playing both inside and outside, exploring, creating, and more.
We need to add this to our list of 30 Indoor Playgrounds around Plano for kids to play!
Peppa Pig World
Location: 3000 Grapevine Mills Pkwy Suite 302A, Grapevine, TX 76051
Immerse yourself in the world of this adorable British cartoon pig and her fun family. Lots of creative play is available at this Grapevine Mills space, which is great for kids ages 7 and younger.
Andretti’s Indoor Karting and Games
Location: 5752 Grandscape Blvd Suite 100, The Colony, TX 75056
Go carts, laser tag, duck pin bowling, arcades and a ropes course with a zip line all under one roof in the Grandscape, The Colony.
Fury’s Fun Center
Location: 303 Main St, Frisco, TX 75036
An entertainment center featuring axe-throwing lanes, as well as an indoor paintball arena with various obstacles. Low-impact “gellyball” and a splatter paint room are also fun options!
Legoland
Location: 3000 Grapevine Mills Pkwy, Grapevine, TX 76051.
Save over $6 on tickets! Legoland Discovery Center Dallas Fort Worth is an indoor family entertainment center located at Grapevine Mills mall in Grapevine. The attraction includes Lego-theme rides, a soft play area, a 4D cinema and a gift shop. In warmer weather, there is also an outdoor splash pad.
Fun for kids of all ages.
KidZania
Location: 2601 Preston Rd #3011, Frisco, TX 75034
Let your kids imagine what the world would be like if they ran it! At Kidzania, kids can create a news show, learn about dentistry, try their hand at fire-fighting, and lots more. Kids ages 8 and older can be dropped off and play while you shop at Stonebriar Centre. This spot is fun for kids ages 4 and up.
KidMania
Location: 7252 Chase Oaks Blvd, Plano, TX 75025
If your kids have energy for days (mine do!), this is the spot for all of you! You can sit on the second level in the parent’s room and work, read, or simply scroll on your phone while your kids climb and play for hours.
** NEW ** Nerfies
Location: 3045 W 15th St, Plano, TX 75075
Get together in an obstacle course and fire upon your friends with nerf guns. Open Play time Friday – Sunday.
Nickelrama
Location: 1238 Belt Line Rd #300, Garland, TX 75040
Head to Garland to a superfun family arcade that operates on nickels. Go back in time to find some old-school arcade machines that use real money.
Strike and Reel
Location: 5902 N President George Bush Hwy, Garland, TX 75044
Combining a movie theater, bowling alley, bumper cars, wall climbing, arcade, bar, restaurant and an ice cream parlor – a full day’s worth of entertainment.
Discounted Price for Local Entertainment Pogo Pass
Many of these entertainment venues are all accessible for free with an annual Pogo Pass membership! It’s also listed as one of our top 10 family memberships in DFW
Things to do for the Museum lover
Perot Museum
Location: 2201 N Field St, Dallas, TX 75201
This Dallas Museum has a fun kid’s area on the lower level that will enable your kids to learn and explore. Spring Break Week offers lots of unique programs that deal with STEM activities so your kids can learn while they play.
International Bowling Museum
Location: 621 Six Flags Dr, Arlington, TX 76011
Learn about the fascinating history of bowling at this Arlington museum. Your kids will love playing all the interactive games as well as bowling with mini balls and pins before exiting to the gift shop.
Fort Worth Museum of Science and History
Location: 1600 Gendy St, Fort Worth, TX 76107
You could spend a huge number of hours at this museum with little kids, watching them stuff their grocery carts in the mini grocery store. The children’s museum is geared toward kids in second grade and younger but there are lots of other awesome exhibits older kids will find exciting, too. Their Omni Theater is also great!
Museum of illusions in Dallas – a great place to have a fun photo shoot
Ripley’s Believe It Or Not
Location: 601 E Palace Pkwy, Grand Prairie, TX 75050
Get ready to get weird! Check out all the celebrities in the wax museum, try your hand at the mirror maze and learn cool and yes, weird, facts inside the Ripley’s Museum.
Reunion Tower
Location: 300 Reunion Blvd E, Dallas, TX 75207
Spend Spring Break at the top of this observation tower! There is tons of fun programming for the week, including storytime, local sports teams’ mascots, and more. All of that is included with your admission ticket!
Things to do for the Water lover
Epic Waters
Location: 2970 Epic Place, Grand Prairie, TX 75052
Rain or shine, you and the kids can have a splashing good time! Try out the crazy water slides, relax in the lazy river, try your hand at the Flow Rider and more.
** NEW ** The Cove at the Lakefront
Location: 417 Lakefront Dr, Little Elm, TX 75068
This indoor waterpark in Little Elm is fun for all ages. With fun slides, a rope challenge, lazy river and more, everyone will have fun here. Plus, there is a seating area with TVs for you- and you can bring your own food in. Score!
Both of these Water Parks are in our full guide!
While you’re in Little Elm, head to the Little Elm Beach and enjoy Lake Lewisville.
Do not miss the Historic Texas Pool in Plano!
Be sure to bookmark the best list of local Splash Pad parks for kids around Plano and Collin County
Kayaking and Paddle Boarding at Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve – The pond at Oak Point Park & Nature Preserve is open for kayaking, canoeing and stand up paddle boarding from dawn to dusk. You can use your own watercraft (canoe, kayak, stand up paddle board) or rent for $10 per hour or take a class. Check hours directly with Plano Parks and Recreation
Do not forget to take one or more of our fun Scavenger Hunts around Parks in Plano
Things to do outdoors with Kids
Head outdoors, including Heard Museum, Limestone Quarry Park and Hope Park, Frisco and so many more outdoor playgrounds for kids
A visit to the Klyde Warren Park is a great part of a day trip in Dallas.
The Dallas Arboretum
Location:
Including the Children’s Adventure Garden, is a beautiful and peaceful spot around White Rock Lake.
Be sure to check out this guide to 23 of the best Nature Trails and Hikes and great “You Pick” Farms in the area.
All the rest… other fun activities with Kids around DFW
For your Kids of different ages
- Things to do with Babies and Toddlers
- Fun places to take younger kids to play in Collin County
- Fun places to take older kids to play in Collin County
- 18 things to do for Tweens and Teens in DFW in the Summer
We also 101 things to do in DFW This Summer and Day Trips and Fun things to do when kids are on a break from school