Dallas Guide and Texas Travel Destinations
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Looking for outdoor activities in Dallas? We got you covered!
Dallas offers amazing open air attractions and places to visit, and finding cool outdoor things to do in the city is not a hard task if you know where to look for them.
In this post you will find 52 ideas on how to enjoy the outdoors in Dallas and surroundings. Safe and sound ideas to enjoy life a lot while keeping safe (and sane).
Choose your favorites and go explore!
And what about the excruciating hot Texas summer months, when being outdoors becomes virtually unbearable?
When the heat hits beat it in style! 
Explore our summer-themed posts and discover amazing state parks with swimming areas near Dallas and fun staycation ideas in DFW to cool off without even hitting the road.
1. Visit the Dallas Zoo.
2. Cycle the 10ish-mile paved trail around beautiful White Rock Lake and then paddle through the lake right in the middle of the city!
3. Visit the gorgeous Dallas Arboretum and its seasonal displays – the spring, fall and Christmas-themed events are not to be missed.
4. Grab a bite at one of the food-trucks at Klyde Warren Park and have a picnic on the grass.
5. Go mountain biking at top rated Big Cedar Wilderness DORBA Trail.
6. Take a walk along the Nasher Sculpture Center‘s gardens.
7. Jog, walk or cycle along Katy Trail, and then recharge at Katy Trail Ice House‘s outdoor patio.
8. Go bird watching at the Trinity River Audubon Center
9. Walk on the top of the trees at the Trinity Forest Adventure Park.
10. Listen to live music at one of Dallas most popular Beer Gardens, the Truck Yard and The Rustic.
11. Take your four-legged friend to socialize at Dallas coolest pub for dog owners, Mutts Canine Cantina – it is an off-leash dog park too!
12. Experience a rooftop drive-in theater at Dallas’ Rooftop Cinema Club.
13. Get your adrenaline going at the Six Flags Over Texas.
14. Feed the giraffes at one of the best zoos in the US, the Fort Worth Zoo.
15. Explore the Fort Worth Water Gardens.
16. Stroll through the beautiful Fort Worth Botanic Gardens.
17. Watch a movie from your car’s trunk at old fashioned Coyote Drive Inn.
18. Watch bison roaming free at the Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge.
19. Rent a kayak or SUP at Panther Island Pavilion and paddle the Trinity River with your furry friend in tow!
20. Visit Airfield Falls Conservation Park, home to the largest natural waterfall in DFW.
21. Hike along the lake shore at Eagle Mountain Park.
22. Stroll through the Fort Worth Stockyards and watch the daily cattle drive (11:30 am and 4:00 pm).
23. See life-size Animatronic Dinosaurs on a nature walk through beautiful Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary, in McKinney.
24. Zipline at Go Ape in Oak Point Park, in Plano, then explore the beautiful trails.
25. Take an eccentric and unforgettable nature walk with a llama at Shangrillama, in Royse City.
26. Visit Southfork Ranch, film location of worldwide famous TV series “Dallas”, in Parker.
27. Head to Cedar Ridge Preserve, in Cedar Hill, to hike top-rated Cedar Brake Trail.
28. Camp under the stars only 25 minutes driving from Downtown Dallas, at beautiful Cedar Hill State Park nature preserve in Cedar Hill.
29. Go horseback riding in Rockwall.
30. Take a nature walk through Prairie Creek Park, in Richardson, and discover its hidden waterfall.
31. Have lunch or dinner at one of the lively and fun outdoor patios at The Boardwalk at Granite Park, in Plano.
32. Hike the North Shore Trail at Rockledge Park, by beautiful Grapevine Lake shores, in Grapevine.
33. See rescue exotic cats at In-Sync Exotics, in Wylie.
34. Spring through fall, take a cruise on Lake Ray Hubbard to watch the sunset, in Rockwall.
35. Look for real dinosaur footprints along the Paluxy River riverbed, at Dinosaur Valley State Park.
36. Dig for fossils at Mineral Wells Fossil Park.
37. Step on a Mammoth excavation site, in Waco, and see firsthand real Colombian Mammoth fossils.
38. Take a drive-thru safari at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center and feed the animals from your car.
39. Visit the famous Magnolia Market, from former fixer upper couple Joanna and Chip Gaines, in Waco.
40. Hike challenging Cross Timbers 14-mile trail, along Lake Texoma, and take in the gorgeous panoramic vistas.
41. Tour Tiger Creek Animal Sanctuary, in Tyler.
42. Explore one of the 14 Texas State Parks in the Dallas surroundings, up to 1h30 driving from the city.
43. Take a self-guided wine tour through the 19 wineries part of the Piney Woods Wine Trail, with locations as close as one hour driving from Dallas…
44. …. or head West and explore Cross Timbers Wine Trail‘s top-rated wineries such as Blue Ostrich and 4R Ranch.
45. Kayak at Tyler State Park surrounded by tall tress in the gorgeous Piney Woods region of East Texas.
46. Rock-climb unique Penitentiary Hollow, at beautiful Mineral Wells State Park.
47. Visit Hagerman Wildlife Refuge, in Sherman.
48. Camp under the stars at Eisenhower State Park, with gorgeous panoramic views of Lake Texoma.
49. Be cowboy for a day at Beaumont Ranch, 1h15 from Dallas.
50. Feed and pet rescue animals at Sharkarosa Wildlife Center, in Pilot Point
51. Hike at nearby Ray Roberts Lake State Park afterwards.
52. Shop and eat at Canton’s First Monday Trade Days, the largest outdoor flea market in the world.
Dallas and its surroundings offer tons of cool outdoor things to do! In this post you’ve found 52 safe and sound ideas on how to enjoy the outdoors in the city and surroundings.
A fine curation of 12 outdoor things to do in Dallas, 9 outstanding outdoor places to visit in Fort Worth, 11 outdoor activities to try in the Dallas suburbs, 17 destinations up to 1h30 driving from Dallas perfect for a day trip, and a handful of fun activities to try at home and enjoy every single weekend of your year.
I truly hope this outdoor fun guide helps to keep you active, full of energy and inspired through the year.
Choose your favorite activities and places to visit, create your own outdoor wish list and start having fun. Now!
What are your favorite outdoor things to do in Dallas? Do you know of any other amazing place to enjoy the outdoors in DFW and surroundings, not mentioned in this post?
Share your wisdom in the comments!
