No doubt about it, the only downside to spring breaking in and around Arlington is the struggle to decide what to do among all of the hundreds of great options.

In part one of our Spring Break 2019 series we covered a wildlife preserve, DFW’s weirdest museum, and two classic Arlington destinations; in part two we highlighted stadium tours, Texas Live!, a vintage railroad, and a money factory. But we’re not done yet – before you finalize your spring break bucket list, check out these additional suggestions for fun and creative things to do in Arlington and beyond:

International Bowling Museum & Hall of Fame
621 Six Flags Drive
Arlington, TX

Don’t you just love “hidden gem” destinations? I’ll bet you didn’t even know that there is a Bowling Hall of Fame, much less that it’s located in Arlington. It’s all true, and it’s also true that it’s a surprisingly fun and memorable destination even if you’re a non-bowler like me—and if you are a bowler, you’re going to enjoy it even more. You’ll learn a lot of interesting facts about the history and future of bowling during your visit, plus you can bowl a few frames and pick up cool stuff (including personalized bowling gear) in the museum’s gift shop. Tip: The Bowling Museum is very close to the Arlington Sculpture Trail located in Richard Greene Linear Park, another intriguing destination that features about 40 spectacular sculptures as well as beautiful views of Globe Life Park and AT&T Stadium (and it’s free!).

Alley Cats Entertainment
2008 West Pleasant Ridge Road
Arlington, TX

What I like about Alley Cats is that it offers an entire morning, afternoon or evening of indoor and outdoor fun, all in one location: Putt-Putt golf, arcade games, billiards, laser tag, rock climbing, batting cages, and more. It’s fun for both kids and adults, which why I recommend it for families, double daters, and groups of friends looking to do something different.  When I take my nieces and nephew I’ll usually set up a little friendly competition by challenging the kids to beat me or each other in skeeball or golf—it adds an extra layer of excitement to the outing. By the way, there’s one more thing that’s great about Alley Cats, and that’s the restaurant and full-service bar that’s always ready for when you’re ready for a break. Tip: Be sure and check out the Alley Cats website to find out more about spring break promotions and hours.

Medieval Times bills itself as the “top dinner attraction” in North America, so I was expecting a quality experience the first time I visited—but I didn’t know that I was going to be blown away by the excitement and pageantry of the production. Knights, horses, sword fighting, and eating “castle food” with your hands—if you have kids, they’re gonna love it. Tip: The Medieval Times production features a dramatic musical score and a light show. They’re both impressive, but if you have younger or sensory-sensitive kids I suggest you do a little homework before you spring for the tickets. BUY DISCOUNTED TICKETS

LEGOLAND Discovery Center/Sea Life Grapevine Aquarium  
Grapevine Mills Mall
3000 Grapevine Mills Parkway
Grapevine, TX

I’m not a fan of hauling myself from one location to the next several times a day, especially if I have kids in tow, so one of the main things I like about visiting Legoland and Sea Life is that you can combine multiple destinations into one fun outing. Not only are the two venues directly across from each other, they’re also both located at Grapevine Mills Mall, where you do tons of shopping, catch a movie, or dine at the Rainforest Café. But before I get ahead of myself let’s go back and talk about Legoland. My favorite attraction is Miniland, which is an interactive city built with more than 1.5 million Lego bricks that is definitely something to see. Legoland also has a 4-D movie theater and attractions where you can build cool stuff with Lego products or learn how they’re made. Sea Life is a fun place, too, but it’s more of a learning kind of fun where you can get up-close looks at rays, jellyfish, seahorses, eels, and other fascinating sea creatures, plus visit a sea turtle rescue center. Tip: Check out the Legoland and Sea Life websites for information about combo packages that give you discounted access to both venues. BUY DISCOUNTED TICKETS

The Dallas Zoo
650 S. RL Thornton Freeway
Dallas, TX

When I was a teenager, the Dallas Zoo opened up for business with a couple of deer and some mountain lions. Today, the zoo is home to more than 2,000 animals, and you can hang with all of them during the zoo’s “Swing Break”, which runs through March 22. While you’re there, be sure and check out the zoo’s special exhibits, including Wonders of the Wild, an interactive wildlife show featuring birds and mammals from all over the world, and the Hippo Outpost, an immersive African waterhole habitat. Tip: The zoo is just minutes away from one of my favorite neighborhoods in DFW, the Oak Cliff/Bishop Arts area that is home to dozens of eclectic shops, restaurants, bars, and historical destinations.

 

Read previous editions - Four Great DFW Spring Break Staycation Ideas – Part One,  Four Great DFW Spring Break Staycation Ideas – Part Two

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