Winter and holiday time is meant for family, but when most of us are at least several hours away from home, we can spend time with the family we choose- our friends. And Dallas is full of fun things to do with your friends. You can bundle up and hang outside, grab some good food, or get that Christmas shopping done before finals hit.
1. If you enjoy hanging out outside, The Dallas Arboretum has a 12 Days of Christmas outdoor exhibit with a giant Christmas tree, 500,000 lights and more. They also have the traditional gardens that make celebrating the holidays a walk through the park.
2. If you enjoy the feeling of snow and the cold, but outdoors isn’t for you, stop at the Gaylord Texan Resort- ICE! Exhibition with ice sculptures and slides, as well as learn the story of Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town. This is a perfect opportunity to get cute pictures in the giant jackets, and de-stress from all the finals.
3. Now that you’re already in Grapevine, you can stop in on the North Pole Express! You can get pictures with Santa, drink Frosty Chocolate Snow Milk, and imagine you’re in the movie when you’re traveling on the Victorian-era train.
4. If you want to view the lights, start at SMU’s Celebration of Lights, and then make a detour through Highland Park, starting at Armstrong and Preston and then follow the road to some of the best decorated houses. Make a stop at Highland Park Village and finally, if you haven’t had enough, stop at Christmas in the Square in Frisco. These places have some of the best views and the best lights.
5. One display of lights that you can enjoy from the warmth of your car is Texas Motor Speedway’s Gift of Lights. You can drive through all the light exhibits and stop at the end in Santa’s Village. Keep an eye on their calendar, because they have special events throughout the season.
6. For something a little more active but still in the holiday spirit, stop at the Galleria. There are shows periodically through the end of November and December. If there’s not a show on, or that’s not your thing, you can just ice skate around the beautiful tree for less than $15.
7. For Christmas treats (or delicious treats in general), stop at Carlo’s Bakery. If you’ve ever seen “Cake Boss,” you know what’s in store. They have cupcakes, cookies, and everything you could ever want to satisfy the Christmas sweet cravings.
8. If you want to see the traditional Christmas shows, Bass Performance Hall is putting on “The Nutcracker,” and the Dallas Theater Center is putting on “A Christmas Carol.” Both are classic plays that I feel like no holiday season can truly go without, so you might as well experience them with your best friends!
9. If the fear that it’s already November and you haven’t started shopping yet has hit, it’s time to make a stop at the Texas Christkindl Market at Globe Life Park. It’s one of the largest open air markets in the Southwest, and you can pick up on some German cuisine and culture while knocking out the shopping.
10. Nearby is Six Flags Over Texas, and during the holiday season they have Holiday in the Park. They have fire-pits, a sledding hill, and Santa’s Workshop. Plus, they still have all their regular rides, so if you’re getting tired of all the holiday spirit, you can escape it, at least for a little while as you ride on the SkyScream or Tower-of-Power.
I know that the holiday season is just around the corner, so get pumped for all the great things Dallas offers. Enjoy the time you spend with your friends- it’ll be more than a month before you get to see them again!