The holidays can be crazy, so it’s important to take a break and enjoy a little magic with family and friends. These are a snapshot of fun activities that North Texas offers – and best of all, you won’t have to drive, because DART’s got you covered.   Enjoy holiday lights Spanning 33 select nights from Nov. 17 through Jan. 2, the Dallas Zoo will be transformed into a winter wonderland with nearly one million twinkling lights that illuminate the night sky throughout the holiday season. Presented by Reliant, Dallas Zoo Lights features holiday music performances, a special light show, mini-train rides and more. Take DART’s Red Line to the Dallas Zoo Station. Most communities across North Texas are offering some type of holiday event, including Richardson’s Santa’s Village. Free to the public, Santa’s Village is open on select Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in December. Visitors meander through more than a dozen holiday dwellings, and each colorful building offers children a fun activity, as well as a visit with Santa Claus. There also is live performances and holiday photo ops. Santa’s Village is set up on the north side of Richardson City Hall and visitors can take Bus Route 361 from Arapaho Center Station. Try your hand at arts and crafts The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is offering an Elves Workshop Wednesday-Sunday, Nov. 8-Jan. 7, from 5-8 p.m. Join the elves while they take a break from making toys, and create special holiday crafts. The rest of the Holiday at the Arboretum is great, too – including the return of the 12 Days of Christmas, with a nutcracker exhibit, holiday lights, decorated gazebos and more. The arboretum is on DART Bus Route 60. Pipe & Palette is a hands-on art studio in a century-old building located in the Downtown Plano Arts District. Grab some friends and get creative. Classes range from acrylics and watercolors to mixed media and illustration. While you’re there, check out the cool hand-crafted gifts – and take some time to explore nearby boutiques, art galleries, chocolatiers and dining options. The studio is near Downtown Plano Station. Take in a performance/show The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory is a state-of-the-art venue that opened this fall in Las Colinas. The venue is attracting big-name artists and comedians like Tori Amos, Chris Rock, Ringo Starr, the Moody Blues, Tom Jones and others. Concertgoers will be able to make an evening of it – taking DART Rail to the venue and then dine at Bar Louie, the first of 25 restaurants slated to open in the 250,000-square-foot entertainment destination. And it’s all an easy walk from Irving Convention Center Station. The Nutcracker is a holiday favorite, full of spectacle, scenery and fantastical creations and you can’t beat the Dallas Ballet Company’s annual production. The story has become a Christmas tradition, and the show is playing Dec. 1-10 at the Granville Arts Center, adjacent to Downtown Garland Station. Check the Granville’s events calendar for other upcoming musicals, plays and concerts. And while in Downtown Garland, be sure and check out the specialty shops, locally owned eateries and even a craft brewery. For other ideas, visit DART.org/DARTable.

The holidays can be crazy, so it’s important to take a break and enjoy a little magic with family and friends. These are a snapshot of fun activities that North Texas offers – and best of all, you won’t have to drive, because DART’s got you covered.   Enjoy holiday lights Spanning 33 select nights from Nov. 17 through Jan. 2, the Dallas Zoo will be transformed into a winter wonderland with nearly one million twinkling lights that illuminate the night sky throughout the holiday season. Presented by Reliant, Dallas Zoo Lights features holiday music performances, a special light show, mini-train rides and more. Take DART’s Red Line to the Dallas Zoo Station. Most communities across North Texas are offering some type of holiday event, including Richardson’s Santa’s Village. Free to the public, Santa’s Village is open on select Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in December. Visitors meander through more than a dozen holiday dwellings, and each colorful building offers children a fun activity, as well as a visit with Santa Claus. There also is live performances and holiday photo ops. Santa’s Village is set up on the north side of Richardson City Hall and visitors can take Bus Route 361 from Arapaho Center Station. Try your hand at arts and crafts The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is offering an Elves Workshop Wednesday-Sunday, Nov. 8-Jan. 7, from 5-8 p.m. Join the elves while they take a break from making toys, and create special holiday crafts. The rest of the Holiday at the Arboretum is great, too – including the return of the 12 Days of Christmas, with a nutcracker exhibit, holiday lights, decorated gazebos and more. The arboretum is on DART Bus Route 60. Pipe & Palette is a hands-on art studio in a century-old building located in the Downtown Plano Arts District. Grab some friends and get creative. Classes range from acrylics and watercolors to mixed media and illustration. While you’re there, check out the cool hand-crafted gifts – and take some time to explore nearby boutiques, art galleries, chocolatiers and dining options. The studio is near Downtown Plano Station. Take in a performance/show The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory is a state-of-the-art venue that opened this fall in Las Colinas. The venue is attracting big-name artists and comedians like Tori Amos, Chris Rock, Ringo Starr, the Moody Blues, Tom Jones and others. Concertgoers will be able to make an evening of it – taking DART Rail to the venue and then dine at Bar Louie, the first of 25 restaurants slated to open in the 250,000-square-foot entertainment destination. And it’s all an easy walk from Irving Convention Center Station. The Nutcracker is a holiday favorite, full of spectacle, scenery and fantastical creations and you can’t beat the Dallas Ballet Company’s annual production. The story has become a Christmas tradition, and the show is playing Dec. 1-10 at the Granville Arts Center, adjacent to Downtown Garland Station. Check the Granville’s events calendar for other upcoming musicals, plays and concerts. And while in Downtown Garland, be sure and check out the specialty shops, locally owned eateries and even a craft brewery. For other ideas, visit DART.org/DARTable.

The holidays can be crazy, so it’s important to take a break and enjoy a little magic with family and friends. These are a snapshot of fun activities that North Texas offers – and best of all, you won’t have to drive, because DART’s got you covered.   Enjoy holiday lights Spanning 33 select nights from Nov. 17 through Jan. 2, the Dallas Zoo will be transformed into a winter wonderland with nearly one million twinkling lights that illuminate the night sky throughout the holiday season. Presented by Reliant, Dallas Zoo Lights features holiday music performances, a special light show, mini-train rides and more. Take DART’s Red Line to the Dallas Zoo Station. Most communities across North Texas are offering some type of holiday event, including Richardson’s Santa’s Village. Free to the public, Santa’s Village is open on select Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in December. Visitors meander through more than a dozen holiday dwellings, and each colorful building offers children a fun activity, as well as a visit with Santa Claus. There also is live performances and holiday photo ops. Santa’s Village is set up on the north side of Richardson City Hall and visitors can take Bus Route 361 from Arapaho Center Station. Try your hand at arts and crafts The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is offering an Elves Workshop Wednesday-Sunday, Nov. 8-Jan. 7, from 5-8 p.m. Join the elves while they take a break from making toys, and create special holiday crafts. The rest of the Holiday at the Arboretum is great, too – including the return of the 12 Days of Christmas, with a nutcracker exhibit, holiday lights, decorated gazebos and more. The arboretum is on DART Bus Route 60. Pipe & Palette is a hands-on art studio in a century-old building located in the Downtown Plano Arts District. Grab some friends and get creative. Classes range from acrylics and watercolors to mixed media and illustration. While you’re there, check out the cool hand-crafted gifts – and take some time to explore nearby boutiques, art galleries, chocolatiers and dining options. The studio is near Downtown Plano Station. Take in a performance/show The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory is a state-of-the-art venue that opened this fall in Las Colinas. The venue is attracting big-name artists and comedians like Tori Amos, Chris Rock, Ringo Starr, the Moody Blues, Tom Jones and others. Concertgoers will be able to make an evening of it – taking DART Rail to the venue and then dine at Bar Louie, the first of 25 restaurants slated to open in the 250,000-square-foot entertainment destination. And it’s all an easy walk from Irving Convention Center Station. The Nutcracker is a holiday favorite, full of spectacle, scenery and fantastical creations and you can’t beat the Dallas Ballet Company’s annual production. The story has become a Christmas tradition, and the show is playing Dec. 1-10 at the Granville Arts Center, adjacent to Downtown Garland Station. Check the Granville’s events calendar for other upcoming musicals, plays and concerts. And while in Downtown Garland, be sure and check out the specialty shops, locally owned eateries and even a craft brewery. For other ideas, visit DART.org/DARTable.