FAQs: Dallas Region

What are the top five activities for your teen near/in Dallas?

Dallas bursts with energy — it’s a great playground for teens seeking adventure, culture, and fun. Whether you’re local or visiting, you’ll find thrills, culture, nature, urban experiences, and interactive entertainment. 

1. Rainbow Vomit: This immersive art exhibit invites visitors into a fantastical world filled with color. Designed with photography in mind, you’ll have plenty of “Instagram-worthy” opportunities among the LEDs, balloons, ribbons, and more in Rainbow Vomit’s themed rooms.
2. Dallas Glass Art: Get involved in Dallas’s glass art scene with a class at Dallas Glass Art. Take a public or private class for a hands-on experience creating your glass art under the tutelage of an experienced glassblower.
3. Klyde Warren Park: This 5.4-acre park is a town square, providing space to gather and create traditions. The nonprofit organization offers free programming and educational opportunities, showcasing the city’s diverse cultures and talents. Take a yoga class, watch a movie in the park, or grab a snack from one of the food trucks.
4. Studio Movie Grill: If you love watching movies on the big screen, check out this dine-in movie theater where you can catch a flick and enjoy a meal in your car. In addition to current movies, Studio Movie Grill hosts screenings featuring anime, live concerts, horror films, and cult classics.
5. Texas Discovery Gardens: This 7 ½-acre botanical garden features several areas, including a Texas native butterfly habitat and insectarium, tropical conservatory, garden trains, and many plant collections. Events and exhibits change throughout the year to support its mission of celebrating and supporting the natural world.
   

What are the top cultural activities for teens in Dallas?

Learning about culture helps us understand the world. It’s seeing how others live, what they value, and what they do differently. The Latino Cultural Center allows you to understand different perspectives and celebrate Latino heritage. Spend time in Deep Ellum listening to live music, enjoying street art and murals, and browsing the shops and restaurants. 

1. Dallas Museum of Art (DMA): Housing a collection of more than 25,000 works spanning 5,000 years of human creativity, the DMA is known for its holdings in American, European, and pre-Columbian art and its growing collection of contemporary art. The museum also hosts many temporary exhibitions, educational programs, and events.
2. House of Blues Dallas: This venue hosts a wide variety of events and concerts, from pop and jazz to comedy and country and, of course, the blues. 
3. Bishop Arts District: This walkable neighborhood has over 60 boutiques, restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and art galleries. It’s known for its charming, small-town feel and unique, trolley-era architecture.
4. Dallas Heritage Village: Also known as Old City Park, this living history museum offers a glimpse into 19th-century Texas life. You can explore preserved buildings—including one of the state’s most extensive collections of pioneer and Victorian homes and commercial buildings—and learn about the state’s rich heritage.
5. The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza: Dedicated to the life, death, and legacy of President John F. Kennedy, this museum is housed on the sixth floor of the former Texas School Book Depository building overlooking Dealey Plaza, the site of JFK’s assassination. The museum features exhibits that explore the historical context of the era, Kennedy’s presidency, the events surrounding the assassination, and its aftermath.
6. Nasher Sculpture Gallery: This museum houses the collection of Raymond and Patsy Nasher and features works of some of the most influential sculptors of the 19th- 21st centuries, including Rodin, Calder, Matisse, Picasso, and Serra. Wander through its outdoor sculpture garden and indoor galleries to see permanent and temporary exhibits.
   

What are the best Dallas outdoor activities for teens?

Dallas has many outdoor opportunities, from sprawling urban parks to scenic trails winding through the city and its outskirts. There are more than 23,000 acres of parkland for escaping the indoors and soaking up the Texas sunshine.

1. Trinity Forest Adventure Park: This outdoor adventure park features a variety of aerial activities, including zip lines, obstacle courses, and climbing challenges.
2. White Rock Lake Park: A scenic 1,015-acre city park, White Rock Lake Park is a popular destination for outdoor activities. Hike or bike along its 9+ mile trail, go kayaking, take your dog for a run in the dog park, or enjoy a picnic. You can also visit the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden on the southeastern shore.
3. Northaven Trail: A 9-mile commuter and recreation trail in North Dallas connects the White Rock Creek and Cottonwood Creek trails. The 12-foot-wide concrete path leaves plenty of room for pedestrians and cyclists. Amble over the pedestrian bridge crossing US 75, connecting Northaven Trail to the White Rock Creek, Cottonwood Creek, and SoPac Trails.
4. Go Ape!: An outdoor adventure park with zipline and ropes courses, you can wander across suspended bridges, navigate swinging obstacles, and zip through the forest canopy. Prefer to have your feet on the ground? Try the unique outdoor escape room or axe-throwing challenges.
5. Hawaiian Waters: This waterpark features 15 waterslides and attractions in The Colony, TX. It also hosts dive-in movies throughout the season.
   

What are the best Dallas indoor activities for teens?

When heat or a rainy day strikes, there are plenty of indoor activities to keep you entertained. Besides the popular spots listed below, Reunion Tower has excellent panoramic city views. See if you can figure out whodunit with the Murder Mystery Co. dinner theater. Or try some of our favorites below.

1. Galleria Dallas: This large, upscale shopping mall has something for everyone, from high-end and popular retail stores to many restaurants — and an indoor ice skating rink! The mall also hosts many events throughout the year, including holiday celebrations, fashion shows, and other community gatherings.
2. Nerfies: Enjoy a party-like atmosphere while battling against your friends in a glow-in-the-dark Nerf war. Nerfies’ custom-designed, sci-fi-themed arena pits combatants against each other for fast-paced Nerf blaster fun under the blacklights.
3. K1 Speed: Race along an indoor track in your high-performance electric go-kart. In addition to open race times, K1 Speed hosts racing leagues and events for individuals and groups of all skill levels. You can also relax and socialize between races in the arcade and lounge.
4. Bolder Adventure Park: Too rainy? Too dry? Too hot? No worries! This indoor adventure family entertainment center has a ton of options in its 66,000 square feet of space. Activities include climbing walls and routes, zip lines, tubing slides, ropes courses, synthetic ice skating, adventure nets, and an arcade.
5. Top Golf: This fun venue combines technology, sports, and social fun. Players hit microchipped golf balls into darboard-like targets on a large outfield. The technology tracks each shot’s accuracy and distance, awarding points accordingly. Top Golf has 70+ all-weather hitting bays, three 18-hole mini golf courses, batting cages, and a restaurant.
   

What are the best Dallas restaurants for teens?

Dallas has many choices for foodies. Our top picks highlight our faves, but don’t miss exploring areas like the neighborhoods around Northwest Highway for hidden culinary gems. Take a tasting tour of DFW’s rich ethnic cuisines like Desta (Ethiopian), El Ranchito (Mexican), Goji Cafe (Korean), and Cidercade (combining arcade games with tasty bites). 

1. Pizzeria Testa: Grab a slice of the traditional Neapolitan-style pizza Pizzeria Testa is known for. The restaurant uses ingredients imported from Italy and high-temperature wood-fired ovens to achieve the characteristic thin crust and quick cooking time.
2. Breadwinners Cafe: Breadwinners Cafe offers cafe-style dining and a bakery for breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. Enjoy your favorite comfort food, sandwiches, salads, and Tex-Mex dishes.
3. Simply Fondue: Cook your own meal throughout this interactive multi-course fondue dining experience, where you dip your options in melted cheese (appetizers), broth or oil (main meal), and chocolate (dessert). 
4. Yardbird: Love chicken? Don’t miss Yardbird, a restaurant specializing in chicken dishes for brunch, lunch, and dinner. Recipes focus on embodying the South’s rich flavors and traditions, from fried chicken to chicken and waffles and more.
5. Magic Time Machine: A themed, immersive restaurant popular for its theatrical dining experience, each area has a different theme: a Thatched Hut, Sweethearts Table, or old Refrigerator. The servers dress as various people, ranging from pop icons to fictional figures, and interact with guests while in character.
   

What are the best Dallas museums for families?

Dallas has many fascinating museums. From interactive science exhibits to art installations and historical displays, these museums offer something for everyone in the family to enjoy. 

1. The Dallas World Aquarium: Housed in an old warehouse built in 1924, the aquarium invites you to explore exhibits like Cloud Forest Trek, Mundo Maya, Orinoco, South Africa, and Borneo. The aquarium, which features freshwater and saltwater ecosystems, is involved in South and Central America conservation efforts.
2. Meow Wolf: The “real unreal” is an immersive art experience overflowing with vibrant, mind-bending art that invites visitors to interact with its exhibits. Explore art installations with hidden doors, glowing tunnels, and surreal spaces.
3. Perot Museum of Nature and Science: This science museum has five floors of interactive exhibits covering a range of scientific disciplines, including paleontology, geology, engineering, technology, and space exploration. It invites you to actively participate via displays, simulations, and educational programs to understand the natural world and wonders of science.
4. Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden: This sprawling 66-acre garden on the shores of White Rock Lake features floral displays in the spring (think tulips, daffodils, and azaleas) and an epic pumpkin patch in the fall. Explore different gardens throughout the year or participate in one of its events, whether a festival, concert, or workshop.
5. Dallas Zoo: Learn about the mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians living in this 106-acre wildlife park. The zoo participates in breeding programs, research projects, and educational outreach to raise awareness about wildlife conservation. Dallas Zoo offers different programming throughout the year, like safari nights with music and a wildlife adventure camp.