Hidden Gems of Dallas: Best Places for Families

You can likely name several popular places to visit in Dallas, Texas. From the South Fork Ranch where Sue Ellen and J.R. Ewing famously lived on the television show, Dallas, to the book depository where the bullet that killed President Kennedy was fired.

Tourists might understandably bee-line straight for these and other widely known tourist destinations. But, as with any getaway to an unfamiliar city, some of the best places to visit aren’t necessarily on the travel agent’s brochure, and who’s to say if the stops will be kid-friendly?

Here we highlight the top places for families to play, explore, eat, cool off, people watch, and have fun in Dallas, Texas.

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1.  Klyde Warren Park

Dallas’s urban setting is broken up by numerous parks and grassy areas to enjoy a picnic and playtime. Dallas area teacher, and mom of three, Brandy Batista likes to send visitors to her favorite spot. “Klyde Warren Park is so fun…lots of fun park things for kids and food trucks galore!” Events vary from day to day at the park. Upon your visit to the 5.2 acre pocket of nature, you may encounter yoga or Zumba in the park or perhaps live music. There are always unlimited people watching too!

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2.  Peppa Pig World of Play

Your kids will laugh, learn and play at this Dallas hidden gem. This is the first Peppa Pig World of Play built in the United States. Bring the world of your child’s favorite television family to life with more than a dozen themed play areas modeling scenes from the world of Peppa and George. Peppa’s treehouse, Grand Dad Dog’s garage, and even Madame Gazelle’s school bus are all part of the fun along with plenty of muddy puddles.

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3. Perot Museum in Dallas

Before they even venture inside, your kids will fall in love with the Perot Museum. Located in the heart of Dallas, the 14 stories tall Perot Museum of Nature and Science may very well BE the heart of Dallas. An outdoor play area greets visitors in need of a climb, swing, or balancing act. Designers of this masterpiece museum appear to know a great deal about children.

Its interactive 3D exhibits and displays engage kids of any age who are sponges for discovery. Breathtaking gem exhibits and fascinating dinosaur displays appeal to wide-eyed youngsters. Parents will love the security and cleanliness of the entire operation. The expansive indoor and outdoor play spaces are fabulous for those with shorter attention spans.

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4. Texas State Fair

If you’re lucky enough to visit Dallas in early fall, the state fair is not to be missed. The iconic 500 foot Ferris wheel (The Texas Star) lights up the Dallas skyline and resembles, you guessed it…an enormous star! Free concerts throughout the Texas State Fair’s 24-day duration are an unbeatable value. Yes, it’s a state fair, like every other state has, but come on! It’s Texas!

Everything is done on a larger scale! Grab your “Big Tex” refillable souvenir cup, top it off at one of the fair’s many refill stations, and hit the monstrous midway. Don’t let the kiddos miss the carnival or cast a pole to catch an actual fish in a Texas-sized fish tank. Your kids will laugh out loud at the hilarious ostrich races too!

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5. Hat Creek Burger Company, Dallas

It doesn’t get much more kid-friendly than Hat Creek Burger Company. Sometimes, it isn’t a fancy meal you’re after, but a quick bite and a quick wiggle release. Dallas’ Hat Creek, like all of its locations, includes a pretty epic playground. Moms and Dads can even enjoy an adult beverage, because, traveling with kids can be all about the kids, let’s be honest. Hat Creek’s friendly staff will make it about you for a bit. A juicy made-to-order burger, sweet potato fries, and a variety of tasty dipping sauces will make it feel like a date night, even though the kiddos are just meters away on the tube slide.

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6. Splash Pad

Lauren Armbrust, a Dallas mama of an adorable toddler says, “Dallas, Texas is the best place to live. My 19-month-old thinks so too.” For those who can only visit, Lauren offers her knowledge of Dallas hot spots for families. The nutrition coach, along with her family frequents the Double Tree Ranch Splash Pad in Highland Village. When it’s hot in Texas, Texans get wet! The Splash pad is desirable even for the smallest of kiddos that aren’t of swimming age yet. Open to the public through the local parks and recreation, the Splash Pad will keep everyone cool.

The fun destination is designed to resemble a flowing creek and has water features at every turn. There are a dozen spray features in addition to a waterfall. What kid doesn’t love a chance to soak mom or dad? The splash pad is open during the hottest Texas months from May through September. A lighted soccer complex rests next door offering additional room to race and play.

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• Houston Travel Guide for Families: Things to Do, Where to Go & What to Eat!
• Rent Baby Gear on Your Next Family Getaway

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7. Gaylord Texan

Lauren’s got your summer, and your winter covered. Another local favorite according to Lauren is, “The North Pole of Texas in downtown Grapevine.” A visit with Santa is even more special than the journey itself aboard the North Pole Express. Although Dallas only averages one inch of snow per year, guests can leave their footprints in real snow at the North Pole snowy forest. Your steps lead to Santa’s workshop and a photo-op with the big man himself. Indoor snow tubes will keep families laughing all the way, Ha! Ha! Ha!

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8. Great Wolf Lodge Dallas

A family favorite across the US, GWL is unique to each city. Great Wolf Lodge is the only indoor water park in North Texas. The 80,000 square foot water park is only part of the attraction. Great Wolf Lodge characters mingle with your little cubs and pups during storytime and a pajama party. As fun as swimming and water sliding is, everyone needs a break. There are plenty of dry clothes activities to break up the day. Leave the swim fins in your room for face painting, drawing, and crafts.

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9. Dallas Zoo

The Dallas Zoo is no exception to the “Things are bigger in Texas” cliche. Not only can you see the animals in their simulated natural habitat. Giraffes, zebras, elephants, and others mingle together in the zoo’s recent addition, the Savanna Habitat. Many rare and endangered species call the sprawling 106 acres their home. Penguin Cove and the reptile house draw visitors from all over. Staff and volunteers who are passionate about nature and animal conservation offer their expert knowledge freely to guests at every corner of the zoo.

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10. Texas Tulips

Roses are red, and tulips are…a rainbow of colors! Prepare yourself for miles of tulips when you arrive at Texas Tulips. Picking tulips is an art, and at Texas Tulips north of Dallas, you can pick a masterpiece, all the while, supporting a local farm. Select a basket full of budding tulips as you basque in the Texas sun under the wide brim of your sun hat. The photo opportunities at the tulip field are a souvenir worth a little mud on your boots. This working tulip farm is open to the public and so welcoming to children. For the best experience of sights and smells, visit from mid-March to the end of April.

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11. Bonton Farms

Wrapping its arms around the community in South Dallas is a magical spread called Bonton Farms. Cultivating soil, and souls in a once-forgotten neighborhood, Bonton Farms has grown from a simple garden plot to two working farms and a market and continues to expand. Bonton Farms offers fresh, healthy, organic food, and meals to a community that was once a food desert with no access to such treasure. Free-range chickens, goats, rabbits, turkeys, and pigs greet guests while hives of honey bees nearby work their magic on Bonton Farms’ fresh honey sold at the Bonton Market.

A farm-to-table meal may be unlike any meal you’ve ever experienced. With bleating goats providing background vocals nearby, you’ll know exactly where your breakfast or lunch came from. Reasonably priced, and well-tended, you’ll want to sign up to volunteer at this non-profit farm before you leave.

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12. Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park

Perfect for small people with small hands, a.k.a. children, this compact but the ever-popular aquarium is located in the Texas Centennial Exposition. Created in 1936 Children’s Aquarium was given a modern makeover in 2009.

There are six main exhibits at the Children’s Aquarium for the ultimate in hands-on learning: Freshwater Zone, with red-bellied piranhas and Australian rainbows; Intertidal Zone, for sea stars and sea urchins; Shore Zone, inhabited by seahorses, batfish, and home to a Caribbean reef; Near Shore Zone, which has Moray eels, clownfish, and porcupine fish, and the Offshore Zone, where you’ll see the ominous-looking Queensland groupers and zebra sharks.

Finally, the outdoor Stingray Bay is most people’s favorite part, where you can touch and feed cow-nose rays and watch blacktip reef sharks in an ample outdoor tank.

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13. Dallas Farmers Market

You can kill an entire day at the vast Dallas Farmers Market. Open 7 days a week, year-round, Dallas Farmers Market features vendors stationed indoors and outdoors delightfully displaying their offerings throughout the year. The vendors change seasonably and offer local produce, crafts, food, drink jewelry, and other fares. Live, local music is often showcased to add a little soundtrack to your shopping experience. Break from browsing for a meal no matter your culinary culture preference. Bring the kids, and bring your appetite.

If renting baby gear at your destination sounds like a packing lifesaver, check out our nine Quality Providers who service Dallas and the surrounding areas. They’ll deliver all the baby gear you need. Stroller anyone?!

Go big, or go home, but by all means, go to Dallas, Texas!