Family Friendly Dallas
25 Ideas for Family Fun During Your Stay in Dallas
Hilton Anatole Hotel
2201 N Stemmons Fwy, Dallas, TX 75207
- The following options are available to hotel guests:
- Anatole Art Collection (throughout the property)
- Jadewaters Water Park (open weekends; weather permitting)
- Atrium Indoor Pool
- TopGolf Swing Suite
- Jade Arcade
Medieval Times – .4 miles
2021 N Stemmons Fwy, Dallas, TX 75207
A family dinner theater featuring rousing medieval-style games, impressive horsemanship, sword fighting and jousting, along with a four-course meal fit for a king.
141 Glass St, Dallas, TX 75207
Movement Design District is 45,000+ square-feet of expansive bouldering, lead and top rope terrain with walls topping out at 56 feet!
2777 Irving Blvd #200, Dallas, TX 75207
If you feel like your kids spend too much time playing video games, it’s time to get competitive and show them the grown-ups know a thing or two about gaming! Head to the Bishop Cidercade to challenge your family to see who’s really the biggest competitor! School your youngest in a round of skeeball or see who of the group can rank the highest in Guitar Hero. There are classic soft drinks for the kids and countless kinds of Dallas’ local Bishop Cider on tap for those over 21.
Escapology (Escape Room) – 1.7 miles
2375 Victory Park Lane #110, Dallas, TX 75202
The perfect way to test your mind and see how well your family communicates and works as a team under pressure. This one has all types of levels to keep you thinking, and it’s great for older kids and teens who love puzzles. While the puzzles are designed for adult minds, teens will be more than fine with the challenges but children under 14 years old will need to be with an adult.
3153 Oak Grove Ave, Dallas, TX 75204
Ditch the car and hop on the McKinney Avenue Trolley which loops from the Dallas Arts District through Downtown before heading to Dallas’ vibrant Uptown neighborhood. The kids can check out the old-school, reversible benches and maybe even ring the bell. The best part? It’s free!
Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza National Historic Landmark District – 2.4 miles
411 Elm St, Dallas, TX 75202
The site includes the former Texas School Book Depository and Dealey Plaza, two of the sights forever associated with the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
Dallas World Aquarium – 2.7 miles
1801 N Griffin St, Dallas, TX 75202
One the highlights of the Dallas World Aquarium is that this place isn’t just about the sea life. While kids will love aquarium displays featuring sharks, rays and jellyfish – this place also has an impressive rainforest exhibit full of exotic birds, sloths, endangered animals like Orinoco crocodiles, Antillean manatees and so much more. Kids can touch and feel some of the animals and learn about conservation projects so kids can be more aware of the environment and ocean and rainforest conservation projects.
Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum – 2.9 miles
300 N Houston St, Dallas, TX, 75202
For the kids that are old enough to have had world history assignments that cover World War II, the Holocaust and Human Rights Museum will tie in what they’ve learned in school while creating unforgettable memories of experiencing this breathtaking museum for the first time. If your teens or tweens are mature enough to ask thoughtful questions, they shouldn’t leave the museum without having a conversation with a hologram of a holocaust survivor with the Dimensions in Testimony technology from the USC Shoah Foundation. This groundbreaking tech allows your family to interact with virtual Survivors in a specially designed space where these incredible people respond to questions from the audience.
Perot Museum of Nature & Science – 2.8 miles
2201 N FIeld St, Dallas, TX 75201
Want to see if you could keep up with a cheetah? Head to the Perot Museum of Nature & Science where you can race one of the wild cats, or challenge an Olympic runner! Don’t miss the popular earthquake simulator or towering skeleton of Alamosaurus, a plant-eater who lived in Texas and towered over the T-Rex.
Reunion Tower (GeoDeck) – 2.9 miles
300 Reunion Blvd E, Dallas, TX 75207
Head downtown and get a glimpse of Dallas’ brilliantly illuminated skyline from the GeoDeck at Reunion Tower. Look out across the city from over 500 feet high, and interact with Halo, the deck’s digital information system, to learn about Dallas, its landmarks, Reunion Tower’s light shows, milestone events in the city, and more.
701 Ross Ave, Dallas, TX 75202
A place where nothing is as it seems, where the unbelievable truly becomes reality. The Museum of Illusions, as the pioneer of the “edutainment concept,” fuses fun and entertainment with education and learning. Whether you’re up for an adventure, a family excursion, or simply looking to broaden your knowledge and perspective the Museum of Illusions, has something to please everyone.
1717 N Harwood St, Dallas, TX 75201
Besides being a place to admire the wonders of global art, the DMA has a wide range of programs for younger kids and teenagers. Be sure to check out the DMA Teen program to connect and inspire teens with art. There are also art classes for babies and toddlers at various times, so check out opportunities in the art studio.
Klyde Warren Park – 3.0 miles
2012 Woodall Rodgers Fwy, Dallas, TX 75201
Grab a table and catch up on your reading or a board game from the kiosks at Dallas’ living room, Klyde Warren Park. The urban park is perched above an eight-lane highway, though you’d never guess it wandering through the playground or enjoying live music or yoga classes offered regularly.
Wild Bill’s Western Store – 3.0 miles
311 N Market St #101, Dallas, TX 75202
With so many choices regarding style, types of leather, and color choice, you’ll want to shop at an establishment that can accommodate all the sizes in your family with a broad range of options and with specialty fitters. Check out Wild Bill’s Western Store for the full western shopping experience that will have you looking western chic in no time.
1428 Young St, Dallas, TX 75202
Stop for a selfie at Pioneer Plaza as you stand amongst the massive bronze longhorn cattle sculptures and site of the famous 1850s Shawnee Trail.
Dallas Arts District – 3.3 miles
Multiple Venues
The largest contiguous urban arts district in the nation, spanning 118 acres since 1984.
Spread over 20 square blocks and encompassing 68 acres, the walkable downtown hub of creativity features art for all the senses with award-winning museums, performing arts venues, restaurants and bars, while an arts magnet high school, Booker T. Washington, inspires tomorrow’s brilliant artists.
920 S Harwood St, Dallas, TX, 75201
Nestled among the skyscrapers and the hustle of the city is a place where farmers become friends. In the middle of everything but away from it all, since 1941, the Dallas Farmers Market has been filled with wholesome produce and the collective fruits of our labor. Once a humble horse-and-wagon wholesale business, the market has grown with the city and turned into a hub for farm-fresh vegetables, dairy, and more. – Don’t miss the trip to the Dallas Farmers Market where a children’s playground provides plenty of space for the little ones to burn off some energy.
Another Round Indoor Mini Golf – 4.3 miles
660 Fort Worth Ave, Suite 100, Dallas, TX 75208
Help the kids burn off some energy with a game of concentration as they make their way through 12 holes of indoor mini-golf. Some are easier than others – one of the holes has you fighting your way through curiously placed traffic cones, while another has you aiming in the dark. The grown-ups can take advantage of golf-themed cocktails at the bar, while the little ones will appreciate finger foods and snacks. Tee time reservations are required.
Old City Park – 4.5 miles
1515 S Harwood St, Dallas, TX 75215
A visit to Old City Park is possibly one of the best ways to dive into history and learn about the pioneer western life in Dallas during the 1800-1900s era. The historical society has transformed and restored original buildings to create a representation of village life when Dallas was first founded, complete with a school, bank, doctor’s office, blacksmith store, and farmstead.
Frontiers of Flight Museum – 4.6 miles
6911 Lemmon Ave, Dallas, TX 75209
Your young pilots, astronauts, and engineers will enjoy a day at the Frontier of Flight Museum to explore the history of aviation and space flight, STEM activities, and hands-on exhibits. The museum also offers family programming and guided tours.
Dallas Zoo – 5.1 miles
650 S R.L. Thornton Fwy, Dallas, TX 75203
Recognized as one of the country’s top 10 zoos by USA Today, the Dallas Zoo is the largest zoological experience in Texas, with a 106-acre park, thousands of animals, and an education department that offers programs for all ages. Visit the Giants of the Savanna, an 11-acre safari exhibit where you can feed the giraffes and see for yourself how fast a cheetah can run. Don’t miss the Lacerte Family Children’s Zoo and Travis & Zach’s Birds Landing where the kids can hand-feed colorful cockatiels.
Dallas Firefighter Museum – 5.8 miles
3801 Parry Ave, Dallas, TX 75226
Home to the city’s oldest remaining fire station, Fair Park Fire Station (1907), this site, now The Dallas Firefighter Museum, offers a glimpse at the important history of fire rescue. See how horse-drawn steam pumps used to battle blazes in the 19th century have evolved into the equipment used today.
Texas Discovery Gardens & Butterfly House – 6.4 miles
3601 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Dallas, TX 75210
Located inside Fair Park, Texas Discovery Gardens is a 7.5-acre botanic garden featuring native and adapted plants. Witness nature’s intricate web of life through guided walking tours that allow visitors to see birds, frogs and other native wildlife. They also have an incredible inside two-story butterfly house where kids can get up close and personal with hundreds of free-flying butterflies.
King Spa & Waterpark – 9.5 miles
2154 Royal Ln, Dallas, TX 75229
Unlike any waterpark you have been to before, King Spa focuses on family-oriented wellness. Kids will enjoy the play pool with water slide and games, but be sure to bring another adult with you because chances are you’ll want to sneak away to the bade pool that offers a wine and cocktail lounge with Jacuzzis and massaging jets! King Spa also provides full spa and massage packages, sauna, and acupressure. There is also a food court that offers a variety of options to satisfy the entire family.