Attractions
● BUREAU OF ENGRAVING & PRINTING WESTERN CURRENCY FACILITY
moneyfactory.gov
Fort Worth | 817/231-4000
For three weeks each year (in March, June and July), the employees of this government facility (only two of its kind in the U.S.) demonstrate the ins and outs of the literal money-making process and invite kids to design their own currency.
● COYOTE DRIVE-IN
coyotedrive-in.com/fortworth
Fort Worth | 817/717-7767
Pop open your truck’s tailgate or your lawn chairs to settle in for a double feature at this old-fashioned outdoor movie theater with a concession pavilion, playground and themed family activities to accompany some releases.
● FORT WORTH BOTANIC GARDEN
fwbg.org
Fort Worth | 817/392-5510
Stroll through the Japanese Garden or Native Texas Boardwalk (educational stations along the way) at your leisure, and come back for children’s programming held in the Backyard Vegetable Garden and other areas in partnership with the Botanical Research Institute of Texas.
● FORT WORTH NATURE CENTER & REFUGE
fwnaturecenter.org
Fort Worth | 817/392-7410
Explore more than 20 miles of trails, sign up for a guided hike or kayak trip, and attend family programs about local wildlife at one of the country’s largest city-owned nature centers. Don’t forget to visit the bison herd.
● FORT WORTH STOCKYARDS
fortworthstockyards.com
Fort Worth | 817/624-4741
Here’s how Cowtown stays true to its reputation: with the world’s only twice-daily cattle drive of Texas longhorns, the Cattlepen Maze, weekend rodeos and more family-friendly entertainment such as goat yoga.
● GRAPEVINE VINTAGE RAILROAD
gvrr.com
Grapevine | 817/410-3123
Take a one-hour excursion or a round trip to the Fort Worth Stockyards on board a vintage locomotive. Each spring Thomas the Tank Engine stops in Grapevine for themed rides and extra family fun, and start planning in fall for holiday rides on the North Pole Express.
● LEGOLAND DISCOVERY CENTER
dallasfw.legolanddiscoverycenter.com
Grapevine | 469/444-3050
Experience those tiny blocks on a grand scale inside Legoland, open daily with 12 family attractions including a 4D theater and the summertime Pirate Beach splash pad, plus frequent special events starring master model builders.
● PANTHER ISLAND PAVILION
pantherislandpavilion.com
Fort Worth | 817/698-0700
Only here can you listen to live tunes from a riverfront stage while floating the river in an inner tube. Rent kayaks and water sports equipment during special events or wade in from the sandy beach that’s open daily.
● THE PLANETARIUM AT UT ARLINGTON
uta.edu/planetarium
Arlington | 817/272-1183
Venture onto the UTA campus for screenings of Big Bird’s One World, One Sky, the trippy Pink Floyd show and a variety of rotating planetarium films inside the dome theater.
● SIX FLAGS OVER TEXAS
sixflags.com/overtexas
Arlington | 817/640-8900
Claim your place in line on board the new, extra-evil thrill rides in the Gotham City section of the park. If your brood’s not tall enough yet, head to Bugs Bunny Boomtown for thrills on a small scale.
● SUNDANCE SQUARE PLAZA
sundancesquare.com
Fort Worth | 817/255-5700
Come for the summer movies series, live music or special events throughout the year and on regular days to let the kids splash in the spray fountain while you relax under the shade canopies.
● THE TRAILHEAD AT CLEARFORK
trailhead1848.com
Fort Worth | 817/731-7396
Come for a family bike ride along the riverfront trails or fitness classes, and hang around the trailhead for the Saturday morning farmers market, brunch at the Press Cafe and varying kids activities such as Kindermusik classes and the outdoor reading cart on select weekdays.
Aquariums
● SEA LIFE GRAPEVINE AQUARIUM
visitsealife.com/grapevine
Grapevine | 469/444-3050
In May 2018, this world-class aquarium inside Grapevine Mills debuted its all-new center for sea turtle rescue and rehabilitation, accessible as a permanent exhibit that allows kids to role-play as rescuers.
● SEAQUEST INTERACTIVE AQUARIUM
fortworth.visitseaquest.com
Fort Worth | 682/235-5752
Snorkel with stingrays inside this new aquarium in Ridgmar Mall. Overnights and behind-the-scenes tours available for even more interaction with exotic creatures from the rainforest, desert and sea.
Museums
● AMON CARTER MUSEUM OF AMERICAN ART
cartermuseum.org
Fort Worth | 817/738-1933
Admission is always free for children’s programming, special events outside on the lawn, and access to the permanent collection and special exhibits.
● FORT WORTH MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY
fwmsh.org
Fort Worth | 817/255-9300
General admission covers access to nearly every attraction including special exhibits, the children’s museum and the new DinoGlow, where kids can create their own dinosaur on a 3D canvas using touch-screen controls.
● KIMBELL ART MUSEUM
kimbellart.org
Fort Worth | 817/332-8451
Marvel at masterpieces (including the museum’s architecture) on your next visit to see special exhibits or during the kids’ workshops inside the Piano Pavilion Education Studios.
● MILITARY MUSEUM OF FORT WORTH
militarymuseumfortworth.org
Fort Worth | 817/945-2680
See relics from World Wars I and II and walk through a WWI trench at this military museum, which reopened in a new and larger space west of the Stockyards’ indoor rodeo arena on Memorial Day 2018.
● THE MODERN ART MUSEUM OF FORT WORTH
themodern.org
Fort Worth | 817/738-9215
Expand your mind with all sorts of art forms on display at this uber-modern art venue. Free Sunday admission and half-price Wednesdays resume in September 2018 after the closing of Takashi Murakami – The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg.
● NATIONAL COWGIRL MUSEUM & HALL OF FAME
cowgirl.net
Fort Worth | 817/336-4475
The new Kit Moncrief Galleries are set to open in spring 2019 after a $5.5 million renovation, with the museum’s popular bronc ride anchoring one end of the gallery.
Rodeos
● COWTOWN COLISEUM
stockyardsrodeo.com
Fort Worth | 817/625-1025
Inside the world’s first indoor rodeo arena, brave kids take on mutton bustin’, and diehard cowboys and cowgirls compete every weekend in the Stockyards Championship Rodeo and put on historic reenactments of Pawnee Bill’s Wild West Show.
● FORT WORTH STOCK SHOW & RODEO
fwssr.com
Fort Worth | 817/877-2400
The three-week rodeo festival returns every January and February to the Will Rogers Memorial Center as Cowtown’s biggest attraction, including the All-Western Parade through downtown Fort Worth, Kids Gone Wild Day and endless family fun.
Sports
● AT&T STADIUM
stadium.dallascowboys.com
Arlington | 817/892-5000
Cheer on the Dallas Cowboys from the stands inside this world-class NFL stadium with a glass retractable roof and mega screen over the field. Look forward soon to a new entertainment venue opening later in 2018 between AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Park called Texas Live!
● GLOBE LIFE PARK
rangers.com/ballpark
Arlington | 817/273-5222
A family trip to the Texas Rangers’ ballpark is incomplete without a stop at the kids zone playground. Stay tuned for the $1.1 billion Globe Life Field (sporting a retractable roof!) coming in 2021.
● LONE STAR PARK
lonestarpark.com
Grand Prairie | 972/263-7223
Whether you come to play the ponies or purely to admire their speed and agility, kids are welcome at the racetrack, offering bounce houses and a petting zoo during the thoroughbred racing season April–July. Special events include exotic animal races with camels, ostriches and zebras, and a July Fourth fireworks show.
● TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
texasmotorspeedway.com
Fort Worth | 817/215-8500
Feel the stands shake from the vibrations of pro NASCAR drivers speeding around the 1.5-mile oval. Download the mobile app for schedules, maps and news about driver appearances and autograph sessions prior to the race.
Children’s Theaters
● ARTISAN CENTER THEATER
artisanct.com
Hurst | 817/284-1200
There’s never a dull moment at the Artisan with near-constant productions on the Main Stage, Second Stage and Children’s Theater, often on the same day. Join by auditioning for a role or registering for a summer camp.
● BASS PERFORMANCE HALL
basshall.com
Fort Worth | 817/212-4280
Two trumpeting angels on the building, exterior usher in concertgoers to this most beautiful downtown venue where the Fort Worth Opera, Fort Worth Symphony and Texas Ballet Theater perform primarily.
● CASA MAÑANA
casamanana.org
Fort Worth | 817/332-2272
A fresh season of main stage Broadway shows begins in August, and children’s shows begin in October.
● FORT WORTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
fwsymphony.org
Fort Worth | 817/665-6000
The professional musicians of the FWSO perform all manner of shows, from summer concerts in the botanic garden and accompaniment for the Texas Ballet Theater to pops concerts (including a collaboration with Hanson in 2019) at Bass Hall. The FWSO also puts on a three-concert family series, beginning in September.
● KIDS WHO CARE MUSICAL THEATRE
kidswhocare.org
Fort Worth | 817/737-5437
The young actors and adults who run Kids Who Care really do. You’ll find inspiring messages in each of their summer original musicals (recent titles: Choices and Earth and Soul) and more uplifting productions performed throughout the year at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center.
● THEATRE ARLINGTON
theatrearlington.org
Arlington | 817/275-7661
The season typically offers an all-youth play and another all-youth musical and more shows for all age ranges, from family-friendly to adult. Want to join the casts? Acting and musical classes at the theater school are open to adults and children alike.
Water Parks
● EPIC WATERS INDOOR WATERPARK
epicwatersgp.com
Grand Prairie | 972/337-3131
Swim year-round at the world’s largest indoor water park under a single curved retractable roof. The aptly named Epic Waters, which debuted in December 2017, features 11 slides, a two-lane FlowRider surfing simulator, a lazy river and the Rascal’s Round-Up children’s splash area.
● HAWAIIAN FALLS
hfalls.com
Mansfield | 817/853-0050
Roanoke | 817/853-0099
Adrenaline junkies welcome on Hawaiian Falls’ epic water slides, like the four-story-high Torpedo and the Hawaiian Halfpipe. For all-ages thrills closer to the ground, splash around the geysers, pulleys and water buckets at Keiki Kove.
● NRH2O FAMILY WATER PARK
nrh2o.com
North Richland Hills | 817/427-6500
In additional to mega thrill rides (and more serene scenes like the pool’s sand beach), NRH2O hosts special events all summer, from fireworks and zoo animal visits to movies over the wave pool.
● SIX FLAGS HURRICANE HARBOR
sixflags.com/hurricaneharbortexas
Arlington | 817/640-8900
As of May 2018, the largest water park in North Texas stretches even bigger with the new Splashwater Beach, a tropical oasis with nearly 40 interactive water features for young children and an additional lounge space for families.
Zoos
● FORT WORTH ZOO
fortworthzoo.org
Fort Worth | 817/759-7555
Visit the Safari Splash park (open all summer) and the Fort Worth Zoo’s new 10-acre African Savanna exhibit, featuring over- and underwater viewing of the hippos’ lazy river, an elevated deck for giraffe feeding, southern black rhinos and exotic bird aviaries.
