If you’ve ever been to New York City’s Central Park, then you know a big park when you see one. It’s expansive, has tons of people strolling around, and has a relaxing vibe. Well Dallas, Texas has one similar! Just northeast of the city is a large park called the Dallas Arboretum and it is splendid. Unlike Central Park, there is an entry fee but it’s well worth it. This 66 acre place is immaculate and stunning. Today we want to share our favorite things about the Dallas Arboretum.
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The Best of the Dallas Arboretum
When you enter the park and follow the circular trail counterclockwise you’ll begin at the Trial Gardens where there are many different flowers to see up close that they’re experimenting with. We got some up close shots of the tiny, colorful creations.
Next up, don’t miss out on a photo op in front of the Crape Myrtle trees. They so perfectly perform an arch for you to grace them with a model strut underneath them.
If you continue down the walking path, you’ll pass by benches to relax on and grassy areas to take a nap if you please. It’s prime time people watching time! Another area has gorgeous waterfalls and koi ponds where you can see huge koi fish too!
If you have children, you can visit the Children’s Adventure Garden which is a separate section of the gardens geared toward the young ones.
Then you’ll come upon the Alex Camp House Lawn with breathtaking views of the Whiterock Lake and the city. This open lawn space is sometimes used for concerts when the weather is nice.
Past the creek, there’s a woman’s garden with beautiful sculptures. We fell in love with the mosaic tiles in the water fountain here. Don’t they catch your eye?
Towards the end of the trail is the tasty part: The Tasteful Place! This is a newer area of the park where they have tastings of appetizers that use the fresh ingredients straight from their 3.5 acre gardens! We had some fresh salsa and ranch dip with crackers that were mouth watering.
In the Autumn, the Dallas Arboretum has their famous Pumpkin Festival. In 2017 they had a Wizard of Oz theme which was adorable. Plus, the Pumpkin patch had a yellow brick road! We saw 90,000 kinds of pumpkins, gourds, and squash. Did you have any idea that many types existed? They are all shapes and sizes. Our favorite was probably the ghost pumpkin which is all white. This is a great area to bring kids because they will be astonished by this pumpkin heaven and will love walking into the pumpkin houses
Another special event occurs In the Fall. They have live concerts on Thursday nights from 7-9pm (usually April-June and Sept-Oct). They cost $20 for members and $30 for nonmembers.
In the Winter, visit “Holiday at the Arboretum” and see their 12 Days of Christmas Exhibits during the day or at night with 500,000 lights!
Get an Airbnb while you’re in Dallas! We love em!
Details About the Dallas Arboretum
Admission is $15 for adults and on Wednesdays it’s BOGO.
Hours are: 9am-5pm
All-in-all we enjoyed the Dallas Arboretum. The highlights were the pumpkin patch, the koi ponds, and the unique plants and flowers we saw! Definitely go here if you’re in Dallas for a few days and be sure to checkout our Dallas Itinerary for ideas on where to go. It’s also a great spot to practice your photography skills!