Family Fun Guide To The Village At Fairview
Shopping centers aren't just for shopping these days. If you're looking for a great outdoor destination this summer that provides a way to cool off, entertainment, food and fun for the whole family, The Village at Fairview (yes, an outdoor shopping mall) is where it's at! With plenty of free attractions and activities, no budget is too small.
Getting There
329 Town Place , Fairview, Texas
(972) 678-4939
http://www.thevillageshopping.com/index.html
The Village at Fairview is located just north of The Village at Allen. Stacy Rd separates the two shopping centers. The Village at Allen has a lot to offer, too, but we'll be focusing on The Village at Fairview in this family guide. From US75, take Stacy Rd. east. You'll immediately see The Village at Fairview on your left. Take a left on Fairview Station Pkwy. You can take this road all the way to the back of the shopping center to park near Village Beach, or you can take a right on Town Place and a left on Fountain Court and test your luck at finding a spot immediately in front of the fountain. These spots go fast!
Village Beach
Free Admission
http://thevillageatallen.com/attractions/The_Village_Beach
Located at the back of the shopping center, this is a great place to start your fun. The kids can dig in the sand and you can even form impromptu sand volleyball teams. If you're competitive and would like to be sure a volleyball court will be open for you, there are two that you can reserve. Want to bring the family dog? No problem. Take her to Sandy Paws Beach, a dog park located within Village Beach. There's also a playscape, horseshoe and cornhole games. Equipment is available for free rental from Guest Services.
Village Fountain
Free Admission
http://thevillageatallen.com/attractions/The_Village_Fountain
When you're ready to wash the sand off and cool down, walk across the parking lot to the centrally located Village Fountain. Just look for those giant streams of water shooting out of the ground. It's hard to miss. Don't worry if you forgot your towel. There is a giant bin of clean towels near the stage (be warned, though, sometimes they run out). There are a few shaded tables scattered around the perimeter. If they're all taken, you can still find shade and a place to spread out a blanket and sit up on the stage.
Eat
To keep your outing to The Village at Fairview completely cost free, pack a picnic. There's plenty of space to spread out and eat. If you would rather leave the cooking up to someone else, The Purple Cow is located directly next to Village Fountain, with its patio overlooking the water. The Purple Cow serves burgers, shakes and other classic diner fare.
Events
http://thevillageatallen.com/featured_events.html
The Village at Fairview also offers several free events throughout the year. This summer, take advantage of free movies the first Saturday of each month through September. They will be shown over The Grand Commons Stage at Village Fountain, starting at dusk.
http://thevillageatallen.com/events/Movie_Night
Jill Krause is a blogger, product ambassador and mother to 2 young children. You can find her humorous take on life as a parent at www.BabyRabies.com.
