Days are shorter, but still warm as we head into fall. There is no shortage of unique festivals, events, and outdoor activities in the Dallas/Fort Worth region. It’s a great time to get out and go!
Local Adventures
You’ll surely enjoy visiting the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden set on 66 acres at White Rock Lake. Right now autumn at the Arboretum features Pumpkin Village with lots of fun activities for families. There are thousands of fall flowers and colorful fall trees. It’s a great place to picnic and enjoy a walk, or take photos. There are outdoor concerts by the lake on Thursday evenings too!
Another great place to get outside is along the Trinity River in Fort Worth. There are over 40 miles of trails where you can walk, run, cycle or go horseback riding. If you want to get out on the water you can kayak, canoe, or paddleboard. The river flows calmly in this area and offers great boating for all ages and ability levels. You’ll get a beautiful, new perspective of Fort Worth as you travel along the river.
A new local event this year is at Traders Village flea market in Grand Prairie off highway 360. Traders Village is hosting the Craft Beer and Barbecue Festival on October 10th and 11th. You can purchase delicious barbecue brisket and ribs, and a variety of craft beers. Also at Traders Village on Saturday, October 24th is the Fiesta Mexicana de Otoño. This is an event for the entire family with live music, Ballet Folkloric, and a face painting clown! Admission to Traders Village is free and parking is only $4.00.
Easy Road Trips
If you want to get away for the weekend or a day trip there are lots of great places to visit within less than 100 miles of the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
About 50 miles west of Fort Worth on highway 180 is Mineral Wells State Park and Trails. You can enjoy hiking and camping in a beautiful, scenic area that’s less than an hour’s drive from the city! At the heart of the park is a manmade lake surrounded by trees. There are thirty one miles of trails, 25 miles of which are open to horseback riding and bicycling. Penetentiary Hollow is an interesting sandstone rock formation in the park with 20 to 40 foot walls that are a favorite of local rock climbers and geocachers.
Forty miles drive south from Dallas on 35E will take you to Waxahachie which has lots of historic Victorian homes and buildings. It’s also the home of Screams Halloween Theme Park which has special events all through the month of October. Waxahachie boasts a few haunted houses outside the theme park, too. If you want a “spirited” dinner, visit the Catfish Plantation Restaurant at 814 Water Street.
As long as you’re heading south on 35E you might want to continue down to West which is 75 miles south of Dallas. West is known for its Czech bakeries, gift shops, and antique stores. Cleverly named destinations are the Czech Stop and Czech Inn!
If you drive 75 miles north from Dallas/Fort Worth you can visit Dennison at Lake Texoma. The lake is big and beautiful, and there’s plenty of fishing and boating too. You can enjoy camping, a lakeside cabin, or a deluxe hotel. Dennison has a lively downtown with antique shops, boutiques, and a variety of restaurants. Saturday, October 3rd is the Main Street Fall Festival which features vintage cars, a motorcycle show, live music, carnival rides, arts and craft booths, and more! Dennison is also the birthplace of President Eisenhower and you can help celebrate his 125th birthday October 9th and 10th with a fun run, World War ll re-enactments, free tours of his childhood home, and cake.
If you love roses, a trek to Tyler is just under 100 miles southeast from Dallas. There are events every weekend in October as Tyler celebrates its annual rose festival. You can visit the municipal park with its enormous rose garden, watch the rose parade, or have tea with the rose queen! You can also attend a Native American harvest celebration, a Lego Block party, and Oktoberfest. Check out the visittyler.com website and click on the rose season icon near the bottom of the page to get a complete listing of all the dates and events.
We’d love to hear about your fall adventures as you get out and go!
Before you take a road trip, make sure you’re properly covered. If you’re paying too much for auto insurance and would like a free quote, call one of the friendly agents at Baja Auto Insurance today: 800-401-6870.
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