Say goodbye to Austin, San Antonio and Houston and hello to Grand Prairie. Located in the heart of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, the top-ranked destination for family travel offers the complete Texas experience.
Just imagine: the wonders of Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! to the splashing good times at Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark, and a food scene filled with family-friendly restaurants everyone will enjoy. Get your family ready for pickleball competitions at Chicken N Pickle, tranquil cabins ready to host crews of any size at Lloyd Park, and outdoor events boasting live music and collections of local goods.
There’s no better place to have an effortlessly awesome getaway, so make your next family vacation grand in Grand Prairie!
Texas-Sized Play
Texas’ famous adage, “Everything is bigger in Texas,” rings true when visiting Grand Prairie’s local attractions. Enjoy a days’ worth of thrills and splashes at Epic Waters Indoor Waterpark, an 80,000 square-foot water park that features a retractable roof, 11 massive water slides and an outdoor wave pool.
Try your hand at pickleball (badminton, tennis and ping-pong all combined into one sport) at the indoor/outdoor entertainment complex Chicken N Pickle. Don’t leave without trying their wood-fired rotisserie chicken dishes that’ll have you craving it for weeks to come.
World-Class Shopping
Step aside New York City, Grand Prairie’s Asia Times Square is where it’s at. As one of the largest Asian markets in the state and ranked number one for best food court in Dallas by the Dallas Observer, the shopping center is a hub for eastern dishes and goods.
For shopping that’ll give 5th Avenue competition, head to the Grand Prairie Premium Outlets and have access to over 100 different premium stores. We recommend the open-air market, Traders Village. As America’s number one marketplace, it features more than 3,500 vendors on a 161-acre site. Come for the aisles upon aisles of shopping but stay for its exhilarating amusement park, Prairie Playland.
Wow-Worthy Gastronomy
Nothing is more synonymous with the Lone Star State than BBQ–and a trip to Grand Prairie without a pit stop at Zavala’s Barbeque should be considered a crime. Listed as one of the top 50 Best BBQ joints by Texas Monthly, Zavala’s is slinging brisket, boudin, burgers, tacos and more.
To continue eating your way through town, add these mouth-watering showstoppers to your list: The Pearl, a Dim Sum Restaurant at Asia Times Square, Firehouse Gastro Park located in the town’s original #1 Fire Station and the newly rebranded Blue Sunshine Patio Bar & Grill at Joe Pool Lake.
Sports, Sports and More Sports
From football, baseball and basketball to soccer, hockey and boxing, there’s no denying that Texans love their sports…and sports complexes. For an action-packed horse-racing experience coupled with lively entertainment, schedule an outing at the Lone Star Park from April through July during the annual Triple Crown season.
Early this year, Grand Prairie will also become home to the state’s newly-formed franchise of Major League Cricket and serve as a base for the USA Cricket National team. Keep an eye out for an epic and monumental debut.
Unforgettable Shows and Live Music
For electrifying concerts and performances that the whole family will enjoy, add the Epic Theater, Uptown Theater and Texas Trust CU Theatre to your itinerary and revel in its seasonal lineup. Looking to show your kiddos what real music is all about? Stop into Forever Young Records, Texas’ largest music store. The storefront’s jukebox-designed exterior is a sight to see and serves as a wonderful photo op to commemorate your family vacation.
Speaking of photo ops, don’t leave town without stopping by Ripley’s Believe It Or Not! This unique venue features five attractions all under one roof. Come face to face with lifelike figures from Hollywood, the old west, history, childhood fantasy and more. Selfies are encouraged!
Get started on booking your trip to Grand Prairie. For more information about restaurants, lodging, activities and more, head to visitgrandprairietx.com.
Need some fresh ideas?
Related reads
