Spread across 66 sprawling acres, this arboretum and botanical garden allows you to walk through blooming gardens and get up close to pecan trees, magnolias, crape myrtles, cherry trees and azaleas. Here you’ll find a multitude of different gardens, each with their own distinct appeal. A Woman’s Garden features a reflective infinity pool and outdoor art installations, while the Margaret Elizabeth Jonsson Color Garden shows off vibrant blooms, and the Nancy Rutchik Red Maple Rill is home to over 90 varieties of Japanese Maple. The Arboretum also includes multiple cafes and picnic areas, in addition to a grilled cheese kiosk. Visit their website for a full list of gardens and pavilions, as well as a calendar of special events like an autumn festival and concert series.

As it has grown over the years, The Dallas World Aquarium has expanded to include numerous thrilling tropical and underwater exhibits that offer something for both kids and adults. Visit Mundo Maya for a glimpse of flamingos, ocelots, and tree frogs, go under the sea in the aquarium to witness creatues likes jellyfish and electric eels in their natural habitat, and trek through a recreation of a Cloud Forest, including everyone’s favorite sleepy sloths. Three restaurants make it easy to grab lunch during a full day of exploring.

If you have science-obsessed kids on your hands, the Perot Museum is sure to be a hit. Obvious favorites include the massive dino skeletons in the Life Then and Now exhibit and sparkly stuff at the Gems and Minerals Hall, but the space also includes a sports section, engineering wing, and children’s area with a built-in scavenger hunt for little ones to explore. If you’re in town for a while, take note of special events like a Night at the Museum, kid camps, and movie screenings.

Experience a beautiful oasis park in the center of Dallas, bridging Uptown and Downtown. A 5.2-acre public park in Downtown Dallas, the park is just a few blocks away and has daily, and yearly events. Enjoy food trucks, a children’s play area, and daily free programming for the public ranging from yoga to lecture series to outdoor concerts and films.

Nestled among the skyscrapers and the hustle of the city is a place where farmers become friends. In the middle of everything but away from it all, since 1941, the Dallas Farmers Market has been filled with wholesome produce and the collective fruits of our labor. Once a humble horse-and-wagon wholesale business, the market has grown with the city and turned into a hub for farm-fresh vegetables, dairy, and more.

NorthPark Center, sometimes referred to as simply NorthPark, is an enclosed shopping mall in Dallas, Texas. It is at the intersection of Loop 12 and US 75. Opened in 1965, it now has over 235 stores and restaurants and annual sales of over $1 billion. It is the 20th-largest shopping mall in the US.