School’s out and the fun is on. Lots of venues in North Texas are family-friendly, and getting there by DART is part of the adventure!
Explore the arts. Bring the kids and enjoy free admission and fun family programming at
Target First Saturdays at the Nasher Sculpture Center, held on the first Saturday of every month. The sculpture center is a few blocks from St. Paul Station.
www.nashersculpturecenter.org
Have a seaside experience … in Dallas. Pet the stingrays at
Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park. Hands-on Stingray Bay is one of six interactive exhibits. Other enthralling marine life ranges from albino alligators to 11 species of sharks, and it’s all steps from Fair Park Station.
www.childrensaquariumfairpark.com
Immerse yourself in history. Irving Heritage Park is packed with memorabilia such as a settler’s cabin and an antique caboose. While you’re in the heart of Old Irving, grab a bite at
Irving’s Big State Fountain Grill, a drugstore/soda fountain that serves up nostalgia along with great burgers and breakfasts. The trip down memory lane starts at Downtown Irving/Heritage Crossing Station.
http://cityofirving.org/Facilities/Facility/Details/Heritage-Park-40www.bigstatefountaingrill.com
Feast family-style. Babe’s Chicken Dinner House makes legendary fried chicken and family-style sides in Carrollton. It’s located in a quaint downtown area with shops, boutiques and even a kid-friendly rock-climbing gym. The district is served by Downtown Carrollton Station.
www.babeschicken.com
Go wild. Kids love animals -- and trains. So, it’s a doubly fun excursion to take the Red Line to the front entrance of the
Dallas Zoo, where 8,000 animals await. The zoo gives visitors a journey through several distinct wildlife habitats, which offer interactive experiences such as feeding birds, lorikeets and even giraffes – and it also offers discounts to children. It even has its own DART stop – Dallas Zoo Station.
www.dallaszoo.com
Be a square. Get the whole family in on the fun at Garland’s
Plaza Theatre, located on the historic square near Downtown Garland Station. The fully restored 1941 theater hosts stage productions, concerts and – here’s the kicker – free, family-friendly movies. The surrounding square is worth exploring, too, with plentiful shops, casual eateries and a brewpub. It’s all directly south of Downtown Garland Station.
http://www.garlandtx.gov/gov/eg/arts/plaza/