Whether you’re planning a family staycation or looking for something to do during the daytime with the kids, the Gaylord Texan Resort is an exceptional choice for a family-friendly escape. The Gaylord promises to enchant visitors of all ages with its 10-acre waterpark during the summer, a diversity of dining options year-round, a plethora of kids’ activities, and its overall conveniences and comforts.
Plus, you don’t need to be a guest to experience its grandeur. Daytime visitors are welcome to explore the stunning atrium, savor meals at its restaurants, and revel in the seasonal decorations. The Gaylord really shines during the Christmas season (more on that below), but first, let’s talk accommodations.
WHERE YOU’LL STAY
Located on the shores of Lake Grapevine and not far from historic downtown Grapevine, the Gaylord Texan Resort offers an ideal retreat for families.
To skip the hassle of check-in, download the Marriott Bonvoy app. (This also eliminates the need for a physical room key.) Grab a property map at the door because it’s easy to get turned around in the nearly 500,000-square-foot resort. Upon arrival, you’ll be wowed as they enter the multi-level atrium that features live greenery, a fish pond, several bridges leading to restaurants and shops, and a model train winding through an imagined Texas town.
There are more than 1,800 guest rooms at the Gaylord Texan, with either one king or two queen beds, a coffee maker, and a mini refrigerator. Suites have a separate living area, which is great for parents with multiple children. There are also connecting rooms for larger families, and for those traveling with infants and toddlers, cribs are available upon request.
When making your reservation, take the room location into consideration. An atrium view grants an overlook of the decorative main floor and makes for fun people watching, but these rooms can be noisy during peak times, so request a room away from the atrium if you’ve got kids who are prone to waking up. On the plus side, you won’t hear any barking dogs, as pets aren’t allowed.
While you’re looking for future dates to book, keep an eye on the resort’s Facebook page for early season discounts and flash sales. They’ll also have discounts available for teachers, seniors, military personnel and first responders.
With your booking, you’ll notice a $28 nightly resort fee. This covers amenities including:
• Two bike rentals
• Access to Glass Cactus Nightclub (21 and up only)
• Cowboys Golf Club practice facilities (Fridays and Saturdays only)
• Spa discount
For access to these amenities, you’ll get a wristband. Each hotel room includes four wristbands, while suites come with six. Visitors can buy up to two additional wristbands ($35 each) per day at the lobby.
A few things to note: There’s no on-site childcare at the resort, and standard rooms do not have microwaves, which may limit options for snacking on anything that needs to be heated up, but luckily there are a ton of food options at the resort.
WHERE TO EAT AT GAYLORD TEXAN
There are multiple sit-down restaurants and grab-and-go eateries, with diverse options from Texas barbecue and Italian to Tex-Mex and black angus steaks. Kids menus are offered at all dining establishments, and most have activities to keep little ones occupied while waiting for food to arrive. At the time of this writing, the Old Hickory Steakhouse is temporarily closed.
Texan Eats: If you and the fam are feeling lazy, order room service. Texan Eats offers breakfast, lunch and dinner items—things like wings, pizza and burgers under $20—available for delivery for a $5 fee.
Zeppole: The Gaylord’s Italian eatery is definitely on the fine-dining end of the spectrum but without the stuffiness. It sits in the resort’s courtyard, so there’s a great view. Influenced by the coastal cuisine of Italy, menu range from hand-cut pasta and brick-oven pizzas to elaborate charcuteries, and all with gluten-free options too. Call or go online to book your reservations.
Riverwalk Cantina: Also in the atrium, this Tex-Mex spot is reminiscent of restaurants you’d find along San Antonio’s Riverwalk. It’s the go-to destination for a hearty breakfast of huevos rancheros, chilaquiles, or churro waffles. Kids under 12 can dine for $12. The Riverwalk Cantina is also open for lunch and dinner, featuring tacos, asados, enchiladas and tortas. The dress code is casual, and walk-ins are welcome.
Texan Station Sports Bar & Grill: To sit back and watch some sports, you’ll appreciate the Texan Station’s 52-foot flat-panel TV. Families can enjoy American classics while cheering on the Texas Rangers or the Dallas Cowboys, and kids 12 and under have the choice of $10 meals like chicken nuggets, an all-beef hot dog, or grilled chicken tacos. Desserts are made in-house, with stand-out sweets like the End of the Rainbow featuring ingredients kids will love like Pop Rocks and cotton candy.
Paradise Springs Pool Bar & Grill: This full-service poolside restaurant serving burgers, wraps and sandwiches is open seasonally during the waterpark’s operating months. Moms and dads can order frozen cocktails, and a limited kids menu includes meals that come with a rubber duckie swimming buddy.
Silver Bar: Open for peak hours on weekends, the Silver Bar is not for the littles in the group. Giving off saloon vibes, the Silver Bar is located in the resort’s atrium and has an assortment of beers on tap, cocktails and wine.
Cocoa Bean: For parents wanting to get their caffeine fix to help them through the day’s activities, the Cocoa Bean offers Starbucks coffee and grab-and-go snacks.
Mission Plaza Marketplace: This pitstop for a tasty takeaway serves coffee, salads, sandwiches, and enormous cookies.
BEST TIME TO VISIT GAYLORD TEXAN
Celebrating holidays in a bigger-and-better fashion, the Gaylord Texan puts on annual signature events that are worth making your new family tradition.
Spring: On Saturdays in mid-March, visitors can attend an Easter Bunny Meet & Greet, as well as hunt the resort’s gardens for Easter eggs filled with candy.
RELATED: Spring Break Staycations in DFW
Summer: Exclusive to resort guests, the 10-acre Paradise Springs Water Park is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day and offers three waterslides, a play lagoon, an aquatic zipline, a 600-foot-long lazy river, hot tubs, and private cabanas. Easing the worries of parents with those under the age of 2, a baby zone is off limits to bigger kids.
Life vests are available at no charge, and a team of lifeguards is always on duty. For some of the waterpark features, you much be at least 48 inches to ride. No need to bring a towel from the room, they are provided poolside. In the off-season, guests can take advantage of the Gaylord Texan’s heated indoor pool (salt, not chlorine) that’s open all year round in the spa.
Fall: To celebrate Halloween, the Gaylord Texan holds an Adventure Kids Spook-tacular Scavenger Hunt from Sept. 20 – Oct. 27, 2024. In this interactive search, guest will explore the atrium to find hidden pumpkins that reveal fun facts. The resort also holds family movie nights featuring Spookley the Square Pumpkin on Saturdays from Sept. 20 – Oct. 26, 2024.
Thanksgiving: Family cooks can take a break from the kitchen by attending Thanksgiving Brunch at Zeppole or the Riverwalk Cantina, featuring a traditional brunch. It’s packed with seafood and carving stations, a liquid nitrogen gelato bar (the kids will get a kick out of the mist) and complimentary mimosas for moms and dad, as well as live music.
Christmas: The biggest holiday attraction by far is Christmas at Gaylord Texan, always featuring the ICE! exhibit made from 2 million pounds of colorful, larger-than-life ice sculptures. You’ll need to put on a provided blue parka over your clothes to stay warm in the 9-degree walk-through exhibit (yes, that’s 9 degrees Fahrenheit), and parents will want to pack extra mittens and hats for the kids. Strollers are not allowed inside, but there is stroller parking outside the entrance.
Families can join more winter fun ice slides (yes, real slides made from ice, too!), snow tubing and an ice rink. The 2024–2025 season features scenes from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in its ICE! exhibit, so more Rudolph fun includes a holiday breakfast with Rudolph and decorating gingerbread houses.
YEAR-ROUND ACTIVITIES AT GAYLORD TEXAN
Year-round activities at the Gaylord Texan are designed with family bonding in mind. Parents and kids are encouraged to enjoy the resort’s adventures together. Some of the experiences are included in the resort fee and can be done on your own time, but many are scheduled and require booking ahead.
Seek Hidden Treasures on a Scavenger Hunt: For kids up to 13, fun-filled scavenger hunts with ever-evolving seasonal themes allow young guests to explore the resort’s atriums for hidden treasures. Pricing: $12.99.
Make a Great Escape: Depending on the time of year, your escape room experience may differ: recovering stolen artifacts or helping an actress locate her missing tiara before time runs out. Best for children older than 5. Pricing: $110 per group of four.
View the Dazzling Atrium Light Show: After the sun sets, the Gaylord Texan’s atrium comes alive with a kaleidoscope of color set to music. Light shows occur nightly at 8pm and 9pm, so come out to see the twinkling stars, fireflies, lightning storms and fireworks. Pricing: Free.
Interact With the Wild During the Ahoy, Matey! Animal Encounters Experience: On select Saturdays throughout the year, kids will get an up-close look at incredible wildlife in the main atrium. Pricing: Free.
Take a Virtual Safari: Download a free app to find the 12 endangered animals hidden throughout the resort. Parents can help kids search for tracking markers to find the hidden safari animals, learn facts about them, and see them come to life through the magic of augmented reality. Pricing: Free.
Create Crafts at Adventure Kids’ Clubhouse: Little artists ages 3–12 will create seasonally inspired, self-guided crafts, such as custom-painted flowerpots and Christmas tree ornaments. The best part is that kids get to take their crafts home as a souvenir. Purchase these tickets in advance. Pricing: $19.99.
Get Pampered at Relâche Spa & Salon: The Relâche Spa offers body treatments, massages, facials, manicures, and pedicures. All services include the use of the spa’s steam room and sauna. Robes, sandals, and complimentary beverages and fruit are provided. Most treatments are only available for those over the age of 18, but there are children’s services for guests 4–8 years old. At a discounted rate, kids can get a shampoo, haircut, style, and Princess Manicure or Pedicure. Book your services before arriving. Pricing varies.
Bake Culinary Masterpieces: Typically held in summer months, a Gaylord executive chef leads day camps for kids aged 8–12. Each child receives an apron and a chef’s hat, and at the end of the camp, junior chefs will serve their creations to their family members. Reserve your spots in advance. Pricing: $130.
Walk or Jog on the Gaylord Texan Trail: For guests looking for some fresh air and cardio, the Gaylord Texan Trail runs just adjacent to the resort and around the southern tip of Grapevine Lake. There you’ll take in the woodland views and spot waterfowl like blue herons or great egrets. Because the trail is paved, it’s accommodating for families with strollers. Pricing: Free.
HOW TO GET AROUND THE RESORT
For those coming from out of town, the Gaylord Texan Resort is a short 10-minute drive from DFW Airport and less than 30 minutes from Dallas Love Field. The resort does not provide a shuttle to the airport, but private car service is available from the airport by reservation if you call 817/778-2400.
If you are visiting from within the DFW Metroplex, the local commuter TEXRail is another option. The station that is closest to the Gaylord Texan Resort is the Grapevine Main Street Station.
Upon arrival at the station, families can jump on the complimentary Grapevine Visitors Shuttle and disembark outside the doors of the resort. The shuttle does not run on Mondays and has limited availability during festivals like GrapeFest and Main Street Fest.
Outside of that, the Grapevine shuttle has three routes that can take riders to Legoland Discovery Center and SEA Life Grapevine Aquarium at the Grapevine Mills mall, and to the Historic Main Street District.
During the summer, you’ll want to take the complimentary shuttle to the Gaylord’s Paradise Springs Aquatic Park, which is a half-mile walk from the lobby. That shuttle departs every 10 or 15 minutes.
WHERE TO SHOP AT GAYLORD TEXAN
Did you love the sheets in your room? Visit the Gaylord Hotels Store to purchase the linens, comforters, microfiber robes, hair care sets and more of the same amenities offered in the rooms.
There is a wide array of shopping options available without having to leave the resort. Whether you’re in the market for Western wear, jewelry, or children’s toys or if you simply forgot to pack a necessity for your stay, these are the retail shops in the resort’s atrium:
• Lone Star Sundry: Toiletries, snacks, health and beauty items, books, and gifts
• Kids Korral: Children’s apparel and toys
• Willow Creek Western Wear: Men and women’s Western wear
• Amelia’s Boutique: Ladies apparel and accessories
Just a short ride aboard the Grapevine Visitors Shuttle takes resort guests to Grapevine Mills Mall, which is unique for its many family-friendly experiences including Legoland and Sea Life as well as Peppa Pig World of Play, the dine-in AMC movie theatre, Round 1 Bowling, and The Escape Room.
For unique local treasures, take the shuttle to Grapevine’s Historic Main Street District with specialty food stores, boutiques, and antique shops.
Photos courtesy of Gaylord Texan Resort
