If you’re spending the holidays locally this season, you might be interested in knowing what are the best family events in Dallas this weekend, or perhaps one closer to the New Year. Luckily, there are several fun spots all over Texas during this time of year, so much that you’ll probably have a hard time choosing only one.
The following activities are fun, wintery, and stay within the spirit of the season, so keep reading and have a fantastic time in Texas for the festivities.
1. Six Flags Over Texas
A true homegrown attraction, Six Flags Over Texas’ Holiday in the Park features numerous live shows themed around the holiday season, a snowy racing hill, a Christmas train, reindeer dance parties, and of course, all the roller coaster action that a thrill seeker could ask for, including the world’s tallest steel-hybrid ride. While the most adventurous family members get their adrenaline rush, the mellower ones can enjoy light shows, holiday karaoke, s’mores around a campfire and much more. Truly, one of the best things to do in Dallas with family.
2. Grapevine, Christmas Capital of Texas
The Dallas suburb of Grapevine, better known around this time of the year as “Christmas Capital of Texas”, is truly a sight to behold. Starting around Thanksgiving, the downtown area becomes home to over 1,400 holiday-themed events daily. From the classics, such as carolers, parades, wagon rides, and live street performances, to the local attractions such as the Gaylord Texan Hotel’s ICE! exhibition, with ice sculptures and ice skating, and all the boutiques and wine tasting rooms from around Historic Downtown Grapevine for the adults in the family.
3. Christmas in Frisco Square
All through December, the Frisco Square in Dallas transforms every night into one big Christmas-themed party with hundreds of thousands of lights set to music, and activities include carriage rides, an outdoor ice rink, a maze made out of Christmas trees and the stellar appearance of a parachuting Santa onto the scene. This also includes different performers offering live shows all through the month, so be sure to check out their daily schedule to know who you can see and when to take the family and have a great time.
4. “Home for the Holidays” Concert by the PSO
If you’re a music lover, then the Plano Symphony’s holiday classics-filled “Home for the Holidays” traditional concert on December 17 at the St Andrew United Methodist Church will be a treat. Led by Conductor Hector Guzman and accompanied by organist Dr. Jonathan Gregoire, as well as the Plano Civic Chorus led by Director Ralf Stannard, over 150 musicians will fill the room with Christmas cheer playing all your favorite pieces and a popular sing-along part for the audience.
5. Dallas Zoo Lights
A nighttime holiday experience for the whole family, the Dallas Zoo fills up with wild animal light sculptures, setting up the mood for nightly musical live performances and light shows. Every weekend up until January 1st, 2019, the ZooNorth area of the park will be home to countless holiday activities such as train rides, scavenger hunts, Santa Claus meet and greets, and even wild animal encounters with the Zoo’s very own stars. You can arrive before 4 PM to enjoy the regular zoo hours and then stay for the party afterward.
6. A Christmas Carol, Dallas Theater Center – Wyly Theatre
Few stories are as ubiquitous to the holiday season as Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”. This year, you can ride along old man Scrooge’s self-discovery journey with the Dallas Theater Center’s stage performance. This is not, however, just another run of the mill adaptation of the Dickens classic, with the addition of grand special effects, songs, comedy and much more. While this is a performance for the whole family, the play is best suited for elementary school-aged children and up. The show will run through December up to to the 30th, at the Wyly Theatre.
So there you have them. These are all fantastic things to do in Dallas with family. Just remember to check the schedules for each one you plan to attend so that you won’t run into unexpected complications. And while the family is enjoying themselves, that’s the perfect chance to get ahead of spring cleaning with a professional house-cleaning crew. Two birds with one stone.
