Category Archives: Travel

Free Holiday Events in Dallas / Fort Worth

DFW, Dallas, Fort Worth, Texas, DFW Holiday Events

It’s hard to believe the holiday season is upon us! Attending holiday events doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, there’s a lot of activities that are free in the area to attend with the entire family. Here is a short list to get you started! Enjoy!

Single Events:

Southlake Annual Tree Lighting
Southlake Town Square
Nov. 22, 2014
Events include tree lighting, photos with Santa, snow tubing, carriage rides, a Frozen Wonderland, letters with Santa, live entertainment and more!

Fort Worth Parade of Lights
Sundance Square
Nov. 28th, 2014
Fort Worth’s annual holiday lights parade.

Parade of Lights
Grapevine, Texas
Dec. 4, 2014
Grapevine’s annual parade of lights and a visit from Santa. This is a great event to visit the Christmas Capital of Texas!

Arlington Parade of Lights
Downtown / University District
Dec. 6, 2014
Arlington’s annual parade of lights.

Christmas in the Stockyards
Stockyard Station, Fort Worth
Dec. 6, 2014
Free family event centered around western heritage activities. Activities include the Fort Worth Herd and cattle drive, pictures with Santa, Stockyard Christmas Parade, pony rides and armadillo races, music, face painting, Stockyards tree lighting and much more!

Holiday Concert – Maxwell Hall Jazz Band
Sundance Square, Fort Worth
Dec. 12, 2014

Holiday Concert – Kids Who Care
Sundance Square, Forth Worth
Dec. 19, 2014

Fort Worth Symphony Brass Ensemble – Deck the Halls
Rose Marine Theatre, Fort Worth
Dec. 21, 2014

Reoccurring Events:

ICE! & Lone Star Christmas
Gaylord Texan Resort
Nov. 13, 2014 – Jan. 3, 2015
ICE! is a ticketed event however exploring the atrium is free of charge. Over 2 million lights, 15,000 ornaments, 54-foot tall Christmas tree, snow tubing, Santa and Mrs. Claus and ICE! featuring Frosty the Snowman.

Santa’s Wonderland
Bass Pro Shops
Nov. 15 – Dec. 24, 2014
Visit Bass Pro for their annual Santa’s Wonderland. Free crafts, activity tables, moving trains and free photo’s with Santa.

12 Days and Nights of Christmas
Dallas Arboreteum
Nov. 16, 2014 – Jan 4, 2015 (see Calendar for specific night dates)
Explore the gardens which are filled with holiday characters, decoration, carolers and lights. (Although this is a ticketed event, be sure to review the discounts for great reduced rates or even free admission.)

Thanksgiving Weekend in the Stockyards
Stockyard Station, Fort Worth
Nov. 28-30, 2014
Free face painting, the famous Stockyards gun fights and pictures with Santa (bring your own camera).

Christmas on Main
Main Street, Grapevine
Nov. 28 – Dec. 21, 2014 (Friday-Sunday Only)
Twinkling lights, horse drawn carriage rides, live entertainment, A Christmas Carol performance and more!

4th Annual Texas ChristKindle Market
Globe Life Park
Nov. 28 – Dec. 21, 2014
Stroll the market celebrating authentic German tradition, food and beer, petting zoo and more. Free admission.
Previous Post: 2nd Annual Christkindl Market

Sparkle! Christmas at the Anatole
Hilton Anatole, Dallas
Nov. 28th, 2014 – Jan. 4, 2015
Millions of lights, ice skating, Santa, storytelling, live entertainment, hilltop slice, food trucks and more!

Granbury, Texas
December 2014
Granbury is booming with decorations and shops to be explored. Great for photo opportunities and a little shopping on the side.

Santa In Sundance
Sundance Square
Dec. 5 – Dec. 21, 2014
Visit with Santa and Fort Worth’s own 58-foot Christmas tree!

Interlochen Christmas Lights
Interlochen Neighborhood, Arlington, TX
Dec. 13-25, 2014
Travel thru the Interlochen neighborhood for a festive display of lights. Be sure to get there early as this is a popular annual event.

For more events and information visit the Dallas Holiday Events Calendar, Grapevine Events Calendar and Fort Worth Events Calendar.

Happy Holiday’s Everyone!

15+ Holiday Events in Dallas-Fort Worth

DFW, Dallas, Fort Worth, Texas, DFW Holiday Events

It’s hard to believe the holiday season is upon us! It’s time to grab a pair of mittens, a cup of hot chocolate and be ready to create new memories and traditions with friends and family! Many of these events a free. Be sure to get out there and enjoy some upcoming events this holiday season! Enjoy!

Single Events:

Fort Worth Parade of Lights
Sundance Square
Nov. 28th, 2014
Fort Worth’s annual holiday lights parade.

Parade of Lights
Grapevine, Texas
Dec. 4, 2014
Grapevine’s annual parade of lights and a visit from Santa. This is a great event to visit the Christmas Capital of Texas!

Arlington Parade of Lights
Downtown / University District
Dec. 6, 2014
Arlington’s annual parade of lights.

Reoccurring Events:

ICE! & Lone Star Christmas
Gaylord Texan Resort
Nov. 13, 2014 – Jan. 3, 2015
Over 2 million lights, 15,000 ornaments, 54-foot tall Christmas tree, snow tubing, Santa and Mrs. Claus and ICE! featuring Frosty the Snowman. Great for the entire family. Highly recommend buying tickets in advance and bringing hats and mittens.
Previous Post: ICE! 2011 Shrek the Halls

12 Days and Nights of Christmas
Dallas Arboreteum
Nov. 16, 2014 – Jan 4, 2015 (see Calendar for specific night dates)
Explore the gardens which are filled with holiday characters, decoration, carolers and lights.

Panther Island Ice
Panther Island Pavilion
Nov. 21 – Jan. 19, 2015
Public ice skating, holiday music and fun for all ages!

A Christmas Carol
AT&T Performing Arts Center
Nov. 25 – Dec. 27, 2014
This holiday Dicken’s classic comes to life for the entire family. Be sure to get your tickets early as tickets are apt to sell out.

Gift of Lights
Texas Motor Speedway
Nov. 26, 2014 – Jan. 1, 2015
Drive thru over 600 LED light displays in the park followed by a visit in Santa’s Village. A portion of the sales is donated to local charities including the Ronald McDonald House, Boy Scouts of America and Speedways Children’s Charities.

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra – Home for the Holidays
Bass Hall
Nov. 27-28, 2014
What better way than to begin the holiday season with favorite holiday carols and guaranteed snow flurries!

Christmas on Main
Main Street, Grapevine
Nov. 28 – Dec. 21, 2014 (Friday-Sunday Only)
Twinkling lights, horse drawn carriage rides, live entertainment, A Christmas Carol performance, boutiques, wine tastings and more!

4th Annual Texas ChristKindle Market
Globe Life Park
Nov. 28 – Dec. 21, 2014
Stroll the market celebrating authentic German tradition, food and beer, petting zoo and more. Free admission.
Previous Post: 2nd Annual Christkindl Market

North Pole Express
Grapevine Cotton Belt Depot
Nov. 28 – Dec. 23, 2014 (Friday – Sunday Only)
Take your child(ren) on a magical ride to the North Pole. Visitors include Mrs. Claus providing each child a “We Believe” bell, Santa and Frosty Chocolate Snow Milk. This will leave memories for years!

Sparkle! Christmas at the Anatole
Hilton Anatole, Dallas
Nov. 28th, 2014 – Jan. 4, 2015
Millions of lights, ice skating, Santa, storytelling, live entertainment, hilltop slice, food trucks and more!

Santa In Sundance
Sundance Square
Dec. 5 – Dec. 21, 2014
Visit with Santa and Fort Worth’s own 58-foot Christmas tree!

Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer, The Musical
Bass Hall
Dec. 5-7, 2014
AT&T Performing Arts Center
Dec. 16-21, 2014
All of our favorites from the TV classic come off-screen to a stage near us! This is great for every age and will sure to be a family tradition for years to come.

Christmas Wine Train
Grapevine Depot
Dec. 11th and 18th, 2014
The annual holiday event featuring local wineries and hor d’ouveres. Buy your tickets early, this event sells out! Must be 21+ to attend.
Previous Post: Christmas Wine Train

Texas Ballet Theatre – The Nutcracker
Bass Hall
Dec. 12 – 21, 2014
A classic holiday tradition and journey to The Land of Snow and the Kingdom of Sweets for all ages.

For more events and information visit the Dallas Holiday Events Calendar, Grapevine Events Calendar and Fort Worth Events Calendar.

Happy Holiday’s Everyone!

River Legacy Park

River Legacy, Arlington, Texas, DFW Hiking, DFW Parks

Spending time outside is my ultimate escape from the busyness of the everyday world. It’s a huge part of my life and some days I can’t get enough. Whether it’s running, hiking or biking, one of my favorite locations in the DFW area is River Legacy Park in Arlington, Texas.

Took a break and went for a hike today. The weather couldn’t have been better! #LiveLifeOutside

A photo posted by Diana Bockus (@downhometraveler) on

This past weekend, I took a little break from all the things that need to be done for a little me time. I hit the dirt and went for a little hike. The weather was perfect, the sounds of the trees and animals relaxing and it was just what this country girl needed.

River Legacy encompasses every aspect of what one may be looking for in a park. Situated next to the Trinity River and Lake Viridian, River Legacy spans 1,300 acres. The options are endless and there’s something for everyone. Parks, grilling, a playground, athletics, paved and unpaved running trails, mountain biking trails, hiking paths, canoe and kayak launches, an educational center and so much more! That’s just recreation.

River Legacy, Arlington, Texas, DFW Hiking, DFW Parks

River Legacy, Arlington, Texas, DFW Hiking, DFW Parks

Nature has so much to do with this. How lucky are we to have an escape from the everyday hustle and bustle of the city life into a place that makes everyone feel as if they’re a thousand miles away from all of that. And you never know what you’ll see. Birds, armadillo’s, snakes, I’ve even seen a couple bobcats sunbathing. (Visit my Instagram page for some pictures of creatures I’ve seen along the way.)

River Legacy, Arlington, Texas, DFW Hiking, DFW Parks

The people are friendly, the trails are lengthy and you get options of whether you want to hit the paved trail or get off the grid a little bit more and hit the dirt! If anything, it seems as if there’s something new to check out or see on each trip.

River Legacy, Arlington, Texas, DFW Hiking, DFW Parks

Have you been to River Legacy? Where’s your favorite place to hike in the North Texas?

River Legacy Park / 701 N. Green Oaks Drive, Arlington, TX 76006