Cool and unusual kid-friendly places in Dallas to earn you major parent brownie points.
If you’re planning a trip to Dallas, there are fantastic parks, world-class museums and plenty of big attractions to keep the kids busy.
However, if you want to find the best local gems and some of the less touristy places that locals love, head off to some of these lesser-known hidden gems of Dallas to enjoy with your family this summer.
Best to cool off
Klyde Warren Park
While not technically hidden, Klyde Warren Park is a Dallas gem. The children’s area recently underwent a renovation with new play pieces and water features. Additionally, an impressive new fountain – that lights up at night – opened on the east end of the park. A splash of cold H2O after lunch and lawn games will be just what you need before heading to the Dallas Museum of Art or the Nasher Sculpture Center. Pack a towel and change of clothes; the kiddos will definitely get wet.
Bahama Beach
Bahama Beach is Dallas’s family waterpark and is more affordable and less crowded than the big parks. Get refreshed while standing under the park’s 1,000-gallon dumping bucket or zipping down the Riptide Slide. The park’s water playground, Coconut Cove, offers tons of activities to keep your kids busy (and tire them out)! It’s open Memorial Day through mid-August annually.
Best off the beaten path museums
Frontiers of Flight Museum
Aerospace enthusiasts will love the Frontiers of Flight Museum, where kids can explore and learn about cool aircraft and spacecrafts. There’s an area for kids to play in and an actual Southwest Airlines plane that kids can explore the inside of!
Dallas Firefighters Museum – South Dallas
Little firefighters in the making can explore the exhibits, engines, facts and faces of Dallas fire fighters and learn about the history of firetrucks at the Dallas Firefighters Museum. Touring the museum allows you to explore authentic firefighting equipment through the ages. It opens the door to opportunities for fire prevention and safety education, especially for children. Open Wednesday through Saturday.
The Ann & Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Museum: The Samurai Collection
One for the older kids and lovers of weapons and swordcraft, the Samurai Collection offers centuries of Samurai masterpieces, including suits of armor, helmets, masks, horse armor and weaponry. The private collection is one of the largest collections of Samurai armor outside of Japan. Best part? Admission to the museum is always free!
Best Grounds
Fair Park
While Fair Park is hardly a secret spot, it gets more attention as the site for the annual State Fair of Texas and football games at Cotton Bowl Stadium. However, Fair Park also offers excellent attractions and museums all year to keep the family entertained. Located on lush grounds perfect for a picnic, Texas Discovery Gardens has an axolotl tank for your Minecraft-loving kiddos and a beautiful butterfly house. Hand feed stingrays at the small but interactive Dallas Children’s Aquarium, and then take in culture and history at the African American Museum. Fair Park is the largest collection of Art Deco architecture in the world, so there’s plenty to learn by just walking the grounds and admiring the art and buildings.
Best free programming
Dallas Cultural Centers
Dallas offers an abundance of culture, and you can explore it all through our city’s cultural centers. The Latino Cultural Center, Oak Cliff Cultural Center and South Dallas Cultural Center all offer a range of excellent exhibitions, workshops, and art for all ages. Take the family to the Juanita J. Craft Civil Rights House to learn about an important piece of Dallas history. It’s the preserved home of and iconic African-American woman who helped define the modern Civil Rights Movement. Currently open by appointment only.
Dallas Public Library
The J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, located Downtown, is an interesting stop for history buffs. An original copy of the Declaration of Independence is on permanent display on the seventh floor. Sometimes referred to as the “Lost Copy,” it was re-discovered in 1968 during the closing of Leary’s Book Store in Philadelphia, where it languished in storage for more than 100 years. It is the only copy located west of the Mississippi and is considered one of the finer examples available to the public to view because of its condition.
Best venue with games
Bishop Cidercade
The Cidercade brings out the nostalgic kid in everyone. With vintage arcade games for the kids and local cider on tap, it’s a win-win for everyone. Children are welcome until 8 p.m., and the $10 cover charge provides unlimited play and eliminates squabbling over quarters.
The Grove
Parents love taking their families to places where they can eat and drink while the kids can be entertained with games and activities. The Grove at Harwood is a spacious outdoor destination with sand volleyball courts, bocce, and giant Jenga and Connect Four. There are cocktails for the parents, snow cones for the kids, and happiness for the whole family.
Best Photo Op
Teddy Bear Park
Located at Lakeside Park, across a footbridge, are a collection of giant granite teddy bears. Once you discover them tucked away across the small lake, you’ll find that this whimsical area is perfect for a sweet photo moment. Beautiful Lakeside Park sits on over 14 acres of exceptionally landscaped grounds along Turtle Creek, located between Beverly Drive and Armstrong Parkway.