Staycation / Vacation Destinations in the Dallas, Texas Area

The new buzzword for vacation right now is staycation because of the economic decline our nation is facing. Having to spend more and more of our hard earned money to put overpriced gasoline in our cars and keeping food on the table for our family has made traveling long distances for vacations a luxury many can no longer afford. A growing number of Americans no longer have disposable income to spend on exotic vacations, so day trips or weekend getaways are taking the place of extended vacations.

My family is no exception to the lack of extra money for a vacation, and we will be staying closer to home this year, substituting a staycation for a vacation. Fortunately, we live in an area where there are a lot cheap fun family friendly destinations within just a few hours drive from our home. We have narrowed our staycation choices for this year down to the following destinations in the Dallas, Texas vicinity.

Staycation / Vacation Destination #1 - Arlington, Texas

Arlington, Texas is located about 25 miles east of Dallas, Texas and is home to a wide selection of family fun entertainment such as theme parks, planetariums, museums, the Texas Rangers baseball park, the Dallas Cowboys football stadium, and much more. Our family favorites are Six Flags Over Texas and Hurricane Harbor.

Six Flags Over Texas is the biggest theme park in the Southwest and Central States. There are about 50 rides for you and your family to enjoy at this time and they are always adding new ones. They also have a wide variety of shows and entertainment going on all the time such as a nightly parade, street bands, jugglers, performers. Some of the shows are free with price of admission to the park but some cost extra so be sure to plan ahead. There are plenty of places to eat at the park as well, and you'll find something that suits the taste buds of everyone in the family. The entry fee to the park is $29.99 per person right now, but this is a special promotional price. So you should call ahead before you go to check the price of entrance because they have special pricing promotions during different times of the year. The park is open mainly on the weekends during spring, every day during summer, and mainly weekends during fall and early winter. Be sure the check their calendar on their website at http://www.sixflags.com/overTexas/index.aspx for a complete list of hours and days of operation. Six Flags Over Texas is located at the intersection of Interstate 30 and Highway 360. The physical address is 2201 Road to Six Flags in Arlington, Texas. Their phone number is 817-530-6000 or 817-607-6150.

Hurricane Harbor is the largest water park in the area and is located about 20 miles east of Dallas, Texas. The price of admission for adults is $24.99, kid's price is $19.99, and children under 2 are admitted free. Hurricane Harbor offers 3 rides especially for the young children, 11 rides created for the entire family to enjoy, and 10 rides for those who are thrill seekers looking for the tallest, fastest, wettest, craziest water rides in the country. You'll find plenty of places to eat, whether you want a full sit down meal or a quick snack. The park offers special pricing events throughout the season, so be sure to call ahead for pricing details. Hurricane Harbor is open weekends May 17 - Sept 28 and daily Jun 6 - Aug 24. 1800 E. Lamar Blvd. in Arlington, Texas. Their phone number is 817-530-6000 and the website is http://www.sixflags.com/hurricaneHarborTexas/index.aspx.

Staycation / Vacation Destination #2 - Glen Rose, Texas

Glen Rose, Texas is located about 75 miles south of Dallas, Texas. Our favorite tourist attractions for family fun are Dinosaur Valley State Park and Fossil Rim Wildlife Center.

Dinosaur Valley State Park is home to some of the best preserved dinosaur tracks in the world. The park covers 1,500 acres and features rock formations along an ancient sea more than 100 million years old. One of the most exciting attractions for visitors to see are the dinosaur tracks left by a Tyrannosaurus Rex and an Apatosaurus. After viewing the dinosaur tracks, you can have a picnic, do some hiking or mountain biking, go swimming or fishing in the river, or simply relax and watch some wildlife in their natural habitat. Admission to the park is $5.00. The park is open 7 days a week year-round from 8 am - 10 pm. The park is located 4 miles west of Glen Rose. Take US Highway 67 to FM 205 for 4 miles to Park Road 59; then it's about one more mile to the main headquarters. For more information, call 512-389-8900.

Fossil Rim Wildlife Center offers a chance for you to get up close and personal with a wide variety of animals. You drive your car along the 9-1/2 mile park road and see free roaming animals such as giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, rhinos, antelope, and deer. The facility is home to over 1000 animals, 50 species of native and non-native animals covering 1800-acres. The price of admission to the park varies by the time of year you go, but the average price per person for adults is around $15.00 and the cost for kids under 11 is around $7.00. They also offer different level of guided tours, which cost extra. You can feed the animals, but you have to buy the food at the wildlife center. The cost for animal feed is $7.95 per bag, and the there is a limit of one bag per car. Fossil Rim Wildlife Center is located 75 miles southwest of Dallas, Texas. The physical address is 2155 CR 2008 in Glen Rose, Texas. For more information, call 254-897-2960 or visit their website at www.fossilrim.org.

Sources:
www.traveltexas.com
www.tpwd.state.tx.us