We love Texas and traveling all around it to find awesome kid-friendly vacation spots! Ever wonder what’s better than an awesome kid-friendly vacation spot? Yep you guessed it, a kid-friendly vacation spot right in your own backyard! Arlington TX is directly between Fort Worth and Dallas and is considered to be part of what’s called the DFW Metroplex. We live east of Dallas so Arlington is a great “staycation” for and is one of our favorite awesome kid friendly vacation spots!
Most people probably think about Six Flags, the Cowboys and the Rangers when they think of Arlington but it is so much more, especially if you have kids! There are hidden gems all over the city making it a perfect place to travel with your family. Arlington is fun, quirky and full of surprises so I was more than thrilled to be able to spend a couple days there with my family!
My kids really wanted to go to Six Flags, do some swimming at a hotel and see some ducks! I know, Ducks? Don’t ask me! I wanted to take in some of the awesome restaurants and get some much needed rest time!
Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau
Their duck wish came true at the Arlington CVB where all the magic takes place in Arlington. We picked up our Six Flags tickets and all kinds of brochures with info on things to do in Arlington here! There is a beautiful pond outside, overlooking Globe Life Park stadium, with ducks! Arlington is actually full of parks and outdoor scenery like River Legacy Park and Vandergriff Park just to name a few. We enjoyed the beauty and scenery outside the CVB and had a look at the ball park where the Texas Rangers baseball team play. We could of set up a tour of the park but decided to save it for next time but it is a really classy looking ball park and we have been there before several times for games. You can get a glimpse of it in the picture below in the background!
The staff at the CVB was awesome and very informative and there are so many neat things inside that you will want to stay a bit and explore! I am all about clean bathrooms and friendly staff so I felt right at home!
Life size mannequins dressed in Ranger and Cowboys uniforms, a fun Looney Tunes photo opp and a huge bowling ball are some of the many things you will find here at the Visitors Bureau.
Make sure you pick up their official Arlington TX Visitors Guide if go by. Next stop- Six Flags!
Our day at the good ole amusement park was so much fun! We picked a day where they offered their season pass holders some special deals so it was a little bit busy but still was not a problem as the lines for the family- friendly and kids rides were not bad and there were lots to choose from! Mom tip- make sure you always check the schedule on the days you are wanting to go so you can avoid certain events or specials that might make the park more crowded!
We were able to walk around and ride several rides like the tea cups, mini mine train, kid swing, antique cars and several others. We were a bit bummed that the train was not working correctly and was closed a bit that day so we could not ride it but it circles the whole park and is a great way to get around!
We ate cotton candy and even took in a wild wild west show all while enjoying the beautiful Texas March day! They even have a Looney Tunes show for kids but the times didn’t work out and we were bummed we had to miss it! Six Flags is a must do for people looking for kid friendly vacation spots and don’t forget to check out Hurricane Harbor water park right across the way as well!
Next stop on the agenda, lunch! Our hotel was not very far from Six Flags, which was awesome, so we headed that way and stopped at Steak and Shake but no one would help us (literally) so we headed to The Rock next door.
Imagine pizza joint and a rock band collide with a rock-inspired menu. They are known for their wood fired gourmet pizza, special microbrews, and Rocktails. Give them a try if you are ever in the area! We had a fried Calamari to die for and the atmosphere and food is totally worth it! Kids meals with drink included! You can’t go wrong with that!
We were ready for a swim by this time and headed over to the hotel! We selected the Hilton because they are known for their service and this location had an indoor and outdoor climate-controlled pool! We got lucky and it was almost 90 degrees so it was very pleasant outside and lots of people at the pool.
The pool was large and the kids had a blast playing water games and meeting new friends. No hot tub at this location which would of been nice but I think the indoor and outdoor pool made up for it.
They were having problems with their elevators while we were there which was kind of scary as we had another guest tell us that their elevator free fell a few stories and the lights flashed on and off. Oh NO! I would of had a heart attack! We had to use the service elevator some while we were there when they were working on the guest elevators so I must admit I was a bit freaked out about the whole elevator thing. We were offered a Junior Suite for a $5 upgrade so that made up for it a little bit! The room on the 14th floor was awesome with 2 rooms, 2 TV’s, 2 beautiful window views and a comfy king size bed! The kids loved having their own little area and Dad and I enjoyed our privacy as well!
Working up an appetite by swimming we decided to have a late dinner and head over to the R Bar and Grill because it was super easy and convenient being inside the Hilton.
A casual-chic bar & grill serving steak, seafood, sandwiches, wood-fired pizzas & cocktails but known for their Texas inspired cuisine. It was great food but a bit pricey for a “bar and grill” but priced what you would think inside a Hilton. We hung out outside for a bit on their patio and just enjoyed the atmosphere and watched people come and go!
It was not crowded yet and there were other kids there and even had a kids menu for the kids to pick from. It was great to just hangout, relax and enjoy the great weather Arlington has to offer at the R Bar.
We ran out of time and had to head back home and get ready for the work week but there are so many things on my list to do when we go back to Arlington! Some of them include:
- Arlington Museum of Art
- Arlington Music Hall
- AT&T Stadium
- Globe Life Park
- Ice Skating at Parks Mall
- Louis Tussaud’s Palace of Wax
- Shopping at Lincoln Square
- Hurricane Harbor Water Park
If you are looking for a fun and awesome kid friendly vacation spot then you have to check out Arlington TX! There is something for everyone and no shortage of yummy food and family adventures to be had! Have you ever been to Arlington or planning on going? Let us know in the comments!
I’ve never been to Texas!! Looks like you had a super fun stay- cation!
So much Texas fun! Our nephews are visiting from TX currently and my husband was born there and still has tons of family there. We need to get on out there to share in those good times!
My family and I live in Austin so this isn’t far at all! I can’t wait for my son to get older to enjoy fin activities like this!
This looks like so much fun!!!
Looks like a fantastic trip with WARM weather (missing that in Missouri right now). I appreciate the great ideas that are family friendly!
I’m an East coast girl…born in Maine, lived most of growing up years in Maryland and Pennsylvania…now living in Budapest, Hungary! BUT, I SO WANT TO VISIT TEXAS!! One day I will make it there, and not just the airport like that one time!
Looks like me and my son need to vacation to Texas!