Inside: Best things to do in Dallas with teens
So you are planning a trip to Dallas. I am so jealous! I love Dallas with my whole heart. I spent a lot of time there in my teens, so I wanted to share some of the best things to do in Dallas with Teens. It made me so happy to walk down memory lane!
Each of these is unique in its own way, and they are all affordable. The most important part about any family vacation is that you are having fun. By choosing a few of the places listed below, you are guaranteed to have a good time.
These may be places that teens will love, but I promise that you will enjoy them too.
So what are you waiting for? Let’s dive into Dallas!
Top Things To Do in Dallas with Teens
Are you excited? You should be! This list has the top TEN things to do in Dallas with teens. They are going to go nuts for these. Every single one is a great time, so enjoy!
1. Six Flags Over Texas
Six Flags Over Texas is one of my all-time favorite theme parks. This is the perfect destination if the teens in your life are daredevils at heart. You can truly never go wrong with an amusement park, especially one this cool. Depending on the time of year you go, the park will have different themes.
My all-time favorite time to go is during Halloween because they go all out for it. They have people in costume and all these decorations…it’s a must-see. Tickets range in price from $100-$70 dollars depending on sales, so watch for those!
2. Dallas World Aquarium
The Dallas World Aquarium is loads of fun for all ages. They have special events that happen throughout the whole year, so you are bound to have a great time. They have a wide variety of marine lines and an awesome underwater tunnel that your teens will absolutely love.
Adults and teens are just under $30 a ticket. Meanwhile, for anyone 12 and under, the price goes down to just under $20. It’s a great deal for the experience, so I highly recommend it!
3. Dallas Zoo
The Dallas Zoo is 106 Acres of awesomeness. If you have animal lovers in your midst, this is a must-see. There are over 2,000 different animals here, and you will fall in love with each and every one of them. This attraction is also very affordable. Adults and Teens are $15-$17 per person.
Make sure to get there early to get good parking and enjoy some of the delicious zoo snacks!
4. Nasher Sculpture Center
The Nasher Sculpture Center is one of my all-time favorite ways to spend an afternoon, and I think that your teens will agree. This place is filled with amazing modern and contemporary sculptures. When you are done walking around inside, plan for a cute outdoor picnic afterward to end the perfect day.
Admission for this is very affordable: Adults are $10, Students with ID are $5, and Kids under 12 are FREE! How awesome is that?
5. Reunion Tower
Reunion Tower is a super good place to get unique views of the whole city, and it is even prettier at night. It stretches Over 560 ft into the air, and if you are in Dallas for your first time…you have to see it. Though it is not the tallest building in the city, it is one of the coolest to look at. It’s a part of the Hyatt Regency, and you can book tickets to ride to the top!
Prices will vary from $40-$20 per ticket, but there are better deals for larger groups.
For equally stellar views stay and swim at the Canvas Hotel like we did. My teens loved the views and style of the rooftop pool.
6. Epic Waters Indoor Water Park
Now, Texas is known for its heat, so I think it’s a great idea to cool off by going to epic waters’ indoor water park. There are some pretty amazing water slides here that the whole family will enjoy, but especially the teens in your life. I have been here a handful of times, and it never stops being fun. So I say it is a must-do!
If you are over 48″ tall, then your ticket will cost $39 dollars.
7. Dallas Farmers Market
This one is one of my favorites. The Dallas Farmers Market is this huge market that has all sorts of vendors with so many goods and services that I cannot even count. This place is open seven days a week and is completely sustainable. How awesome is that? You can easily spend hours looking from booth to booth.
My favorite thing to do is to go to the soap makers and just take in all of the amazing scents. Plus lots of the bakers have free samples; it can be pretty magical. There’s tons of food, so have lunch there and make it a whole afternoon of shopping, laughs, and fun.
8. Texas Discovery Gardens
You can find the Texas Discovery Gardens in Fair Park. According to their site, “The garden is the first public garden in the state of Texas to be certified 100% organic by the Texas Organic Research Center. The gardens are maintained using sustainable methods that conserve water and help to protect the environment.”
How awesome is that?
Regarding price, “Family festivals, free admission days, and our extensive (and growing) EarthKeepers student education program introduce children and adults to natural outdoor learning experiences.
Ages 2 & Under – Free | Ages 3-11 – $5 | Ages 12-59 – $10 | Ages 60 & Over – $8 Final admission is sold at 4:45 pm.”
So at most, you will be paying $10 per person.
9. Trinity Forest Adventure Park
Now this one I am so excited for. This is an outdoor adventure course that has zip lines and fun obstacle courses, all outdoors amongst trees.
According to their site, “Similar to ski runs, the Trinity Forest Adventure Park features color-coded levels with varying degrees of difficulty and features three different levels of elevation. The courses become higher and gradually more difficult and include 8-12 elements (obstacles) each. The park has over 70 elements and over 20 zip lines!”
Kids from 10-15 are $55 Dollars and change for admission, and anyone 16+ is $59 Dollars, which sounds so worth it!
10. Ripley’s Believe It or Not
Ripley’s is known for their out-of-the-world good time, so It’s worth the short 15-minute drive to Grand Prairie from Dallas. There is everything from Wax Sculptures to games to fun things to see. I think this is a must-do when you are coming to Texas. I don’t care how many times you go through it; it never gets old.
For a party of 3, your cost will come out to just over $104 dollars. So it’s not terrible in terms of price (about $36 per ticket).
11. Ride A Bull
No matter your age, staying on a bull until it bucks you off is always a memorable experience. Head to the Stockyards for a fun lunch, see the real bulls and ride a mechanical one to see who can stay on the longest.
12. Eat The Best BBQ
Stop into one of the best restaurants for BBQ your whole family will love, or better yet take this e-bike & BBQ food tour downtown! It’s a memorable experience your teens will talk about for years to come.
13. Go Line Dancing
Obviously every teen will want to learn a line dance while in Dallas. Most of places to do this are 21+ night clubs, however we found this famous and fun club that is family friendly and would be a great activity to do alongside your kids.
14. Buy Boots To Bring Home
A souvenir that your teen will adore – a legit teen will be thrilled to show off after your Texas trip is through. Here’s a guide for the best place to find a great deal and authentically gorgeous boots.
15. Take A Taco Tour
If you didn’t get enough of the food tour vibes with BBQ above, then take a taco tour for a fun lunch with the family. Just be sure to hit up Torchy’s if for some reason they leave it off the list.
Top Trip Ideas For Dallas with Teens
So there you have it, the top things to do in Dallas with teens. I hope you loved learning about all of these awesome attractions as much as I loved writing them. I love Dallas with all my heart, so it makes me so happy to be able to share that with you.
Going with teenagers is even more fun because you get to experience everything through their eyes(hopefully not their screen). Traveling together can have great impacts on your family, and it’s a great way to connect. So I hope you have fun on your trip, how could you not?
If you love these traveling ideas, you are going to go nuts for some of our other travel tips. Check them out here and keep that adventure bug fed.
I am Natalie, the eldest sister of two teens. I hope to bring not only a fresh outer perspective but an internal one as well when writing here.