Sitting where we do — South Dallas, near where I-35 meets I-20 — means most of Dallas–Fort Worth is inside a forty-minute drive. That is useful. It is also the problem, because a group of twelve will generate twelve different ideas about what to do with a Tuesday.
Here is the shortlist we actually give guests.
The Dallas Zoo is ten minutes away. That is the whole drive, which is why it ends up on most itineraries. Giants of the Savanna puts elephants and giraffes on shared ground, and the giraffe feeding deck is worth the few dollars. Go at opening. By noon in August, everyone involved has had enough.
Fair Park is about twenty minutes east and solves the disagreement problem neatly. It is 277 acres of 1936 art deco holding several museums, a butterfly house and the Cotton Bowl. Your group can split up and still be in the same place.
Bishop Arts District, fifteen minutes into Oak Cliff, is where to go when the adults want an afternoon that is not aimed at children. Independent shops, proper coffee, and barbecue worth the queue.
Trinity River Audubon Center is the closest real outdoors, fifteen minutes south. Flat boardwalk over wetland rather than rough trail, which matters if your group includes someone who cannot manage a hike.
And on the days nobody wants to drive anywhere — which happens on every trip around day four — there is the game room, an open field across the street and a BBQ in a fenced yard. Not every day needs an outing.
One honest note. Dallas is spread out and public transport will not get you between these places efficiently. Plan on driving, and plan on one outing a day rather than three. Groups that try to do the zoo, Fair Park and downtown in a single day arrive back exhausted and short-tempered. Groups that do one thing and come home to a pool tournament have a better time.
Tell us what your group is into before you arrive and we will point you at the right things — including the ones that are not on this list.
Ready to plan the trip? Check availability at Game Room Oasis, or browse our properties to see what else is coming.