America’s Dream City is as kid-centric as it gets. Start with the thrill rides and water slides at our famous amusement parks, then venture out to other playgrounds certain to become Junior’s very favorite thing, ever. From mini golf and laser tag to ice skating and a trip to the moon, find family-friendly attractions throughout the area.
Splish Splash - Big and little kids zoom down huge slides and splash in million-gallon pools at Hurricane Harbor. At Hook’s Lagoon Treehouse, shooting water cannons is the norm. Jump into an inner tube and hurtle down Raging Rapids, a lazy river with pools of bumpy water. Surf’s up, dude...test your hang-10 skills on the Surf Rider.
Fun Zones - A duo of kid favorites starts at Alley Cats, where bowling lanes are brightly colored and an arcade, rock climbing and laser tag amp up the excitement. Next door, 54 holes of mini golf await at Putt-Putt Fun Center. Set up a friendly family competition—winner gets a double scoop from the ice cream bar before moving on to the arcade and batting cages.
Go For the Gold - Pull out your best Olympic skater impression at ICE at The Parks, a regulation NHL-size ice-skating rink where the public spins and swirls. Admission is less than $10 per person, and children 5 and under are free. The last Friday of each month brings themed parties, and skaters can hop on the ice for just $5.
Fast Lane - The giant bowling pin outside the International Bowling Museum & Hall of Fame shines like a beacon for bowling enthusiasts. Learn the stories of the game’s greatest legends in the Hall of Fame, or go further back in history—did you know the game can be traced back to ancient Egypt? Get pointers on how to improve your game and test your skills with a round at the museum’s alleys.
Need For Speed - Get behind the wheel at K1 Speed, where an indoor kart track, high-performance go-karts and an advanced lap timing system await. Kids rev their engines in the junior kart racing program, which teaches the fundamentals: throttle, apexes, brake points, drafting, overtaking and more.
Out of This World - The Planetarium at UT Arlington takes kids to infinity and beyond using state-of-the-art technology and a 60-foot dome screen. Catch a show, including an amazing stargazing show and an astronaut program that shows what it takes to become a space traveler and the effect space has on the human body.
DAY TRIPS
Make Arlington your home base for fun family excursions throughout the area. Try these family faves:
• Hang out with Fossil Rim Wildlife Center’s exotic residents: cheetahs, Mexican gray wolves, American bison, zebras, giraffes, rhinoceros, oh my! Go on a behind-the-scenes tour, or hop on the Discovery After Dark tour and see how animals behave when the sun sets.
• Take the LEGO Factory Tour at LEGOLAND to see how the iconic toys are built. Then set the kids loose. At Pirate Beach, buccaneers play in thousands of gallons of water. Or come to the rescue of the captured on Kingdom Quest Laser Ride, zapping bad guys from your chariot.
• At Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, see shrunken heads, two-headed animals and more in the Odditorium. Get lost in the Enchanted Mirror Maze, and take a selfie next to waxen celebrities at Louis Tussaud’s Palace of Wax to show your friends you met someone famous on your trip to Arlington.
