The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is a smooth four hour drive north of The Woodlands and offers plenty of options for family fun, perfect for an extended weekend getaway.
One of my absolute favorite attractions is contained within the grounds of the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden. The expansive Rory Meyers Children's Adventure Garden is a beautifully designed garden with interactive exhibits for kids.
When we last visited, we started our day at the Children's Adventure Gardens until around lunchtime and finished with the pumpkin patch (part of Autumn in the Arboretum which runs September through November). The grounds are immense, so keep this in mind with kids that wear out easily as they may need a stroller or wagon.
Other family-friendly attractions in Dallas include Dallas Zoo, Dallas World Aquarium, and the Moody Family Children's Museum at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science (check out Keri's review here!). Fair Park is home to permanent attractions for kids - Children's Aquarium at Fair Park is a small aquarium that has all exhibits at child level, while next door is Texas Discover Gardens at Fair Park, featuring a butterfly house, snake house and beautiful grounds. The main highlight of the park is the annual State Fair of Texas which features food, festivities and fun (late September through October).
Looking for an exciting way to end the day? Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament will have your family eating like kings and queens while cheering on your favorite knight during a medieval jousting tournament. Dallas is also home to amazing BBQ and for lunch we loved Pecan Lodge (expect a line!) and Lockheart Smokehouse. Go early before they sell out!
Outside of Dallas, but not too far of a drive, there are plenty of kid-friendly activities to please all ages. Grapevine Mills is home to LEGOLAND Discovery Center (check out Keri's review here!), Sea Life Aquarium and Rainforest Café. Crayola Experience opened in 2018 in Plano (check out Karen's review here!). Sci-Tech Discovery Center is located in Frisco and features hands-on STEM exhibits. Six Flags over Texas in Arlington has thrills for all ages. Fort Worth Stockyards has a twice daily cattle drive with a huge covered market and restaurants. Also in Fort Worth is the Fort Worth Children's Museum at the Fort Worth Museum Science and History.
