Best Spots For Summer Playdates In DFW
Hawaiian Falls Waterpark
490 Heritage Parkway South
Mansfield, TX 76063
(817) 853-0050
www.hfalls.com
Price: $24.99 persons 48 inches and taller/$19.99 children shorter than 48 inches/free kids 2 and younger/$19.99 seniors or military with a valid ID
Meet your friends and their kids at the waterpark for a sun-soaked day of fun with the whole playgroup. For an additional $10 you may load up the ice cooler and pack lunch, drinks, and snacks. No fast food is allowed, but the food court offers pizza, hot dogs, burgers and nachos. Hawaiian Falls in Mansfield sits at the intersection of Highway 360 and Heritage Parkway. The park has plenty of parking in front of the park for free. Public transportation is not available to this location.
Harry Myers Park
815 E. Washington St.
Rockwall, TX 75087
(972) 771-7740
planetrockwall.com
Price: free
Pack a lunch for the kids and head the spray park in Harry Myers Sports Park. It does get a little crowded, so the best time to go is early in the day right when it starts to warm up. The park also offers swimming, playgrounds, trails and a skate park. The spray park is approximately 60 feet walking distance to the parking lot, making it an easy haul with that picnic cooler. Public transportation is not available from Dallas to Rockwall.
Fort Worth Children's Museum
1600 Gendy St.
Fort Worth, TX 76107
(817)255-9300
www.fwmuseum.org
Price: $16 adults and children/free for children younger than age 1/$12 seniors/free for members
This awesome area museum offers both permanent and traveling exhibits. The children's museum caters to everyone from babies to those about 8 years old. Older kids may tour the planetarium or watch a film at the Omni Theatre. Photography is not permitted in some parts of the museum, so burn your shutterbug out beforehand at the other fun playdate locales. The museum offers a dining room with plenty of seating and serves a variety of fare including American, Italian and Tex-Mex. Free parking is limited, so you may want to get there early. Public transportation is available as bus route 7/University will take you right to the museum. Related: Best Waterparks and Pools in DFW
Tom Muehlenbeck Center
5801 W. Parker Road
Plano, TX 75074
(972) 769-4404
www.plano.gov
Price: $6 adults, ages 16 and older/$3 children, ages 3 to 15/free younger than age 2
This fun rec center offers basketball courts, table tennis, badminton, volleyball, swimming, a weight room, game room and an indoor track. It provides a limited amount of life jackets, so bring your own for those little ones who aren't quite ready to splash around on their own. If the outdoor pool is open, count on nachos and hotdogs to munch while the kids play. Plenty of parking is available, but public transportation is not available to this center.
Pump It Up
1120 Eden Road, Suite 102
Arlington, TX 76001
(817) 845-9869
www.pumpitupparty.com
Price: $6 children
Pump It Up is a great place for a party or a group gathering. A parent or guardian must stay with the kids at all times, and don't forget socks for the kiddos. Feed everyone beforehand — food is not allowed on site — and give it a little time as they'll get a heck of a work out here. Expect to take home a car full of sweaty kids with options including obstacle courses, bounce houses and huge, inflatable slides. Related: Best Mini Golf Courses in North Texas
