This weekend’s NCAA Final Four is in Arlington, and this major sporting event will bring some national focus and many visitors to the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Since many of these fans and members of the media may be from colder climates, and since spring has officially sprung here in Dallas, we wanted to suggest some outside destinations to consider in between games, or in case (heaven forbid!) their team loses early. Hopefully the weather will provide some opportunity to sneak out.
For these suggestions, we sought out the talented staff at Harold Leidner Landscape Architects and asked them to provide a list of places they would suggest or that they might take their friends in family when they visit. Here are a few of the sites they suggested:
- Dallas Arboretum – This has become one of the go-to places for almost any visitor to the Dallas area. Now that their annual showstopper event, Dallas Blooms, is ramping up to full color, it is a great place to get outside for a nice walk and a meal. Certainly a must-do for the kids as well, with the recently opened Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden.
- Klyde Warren Park – One of the trendy new places to visit, this space has been reclaimed by downtown and the converted into a deck park above the busy freeway below. Although, not an expansive piece of property, they are able to pack a bunch of activities and features into this park. It will almost certainly be buzzing with people and events this weekend. You may also consider some nearby dining destinations of Lark on the Park, Meso Maya and Stampede 66 as well as the many food trucks that are certainly to be present.
- Art District – The Arts District in Dallas also packs in several sites that are woth a visit and make us a nice little walking tour of Dallas. Sites such as Fountain Place, the building and the gardens of the Nasher Scultpure Center, the Dallas Museum of Art, the reflecting fountain in front of the Winspear Opera House, and the grand fountain at the First Baptist Dallas campus.
- Dealy Plaza – To mix in a little historical aspect, Dealy Plaza is also a common site to visit for those first timers and the JFM Memorial nearby as well.
- For those more active visitors who want to get out for more than a stroll, we might suggest a jog on the Katy Trail, a bike ride around White Rock Lake or maybe a round of golf at a couple of the underrated city golf courses like Steven Park Golf Course or Tenison Highlands Golf Course.
For those of you based in Arlington or on the Fort Worth side of town, they we would offer these suggestions:
- Fort Worth Water Gardens – This dramatic park and collection of fountains is landmark in Fort Worth.
- Sundance Square Plaza – Another public plaza that is sure to be busy this weekend with it’s illuminated, LED lighted fountains and many restaurants.
- Fort Worth Zoo – An obvious but must see destination when visiting Ft. Worth, especially for the kids.
Just a few destinations to consider this weekend in between basketball games. Enjoy the spring weather, folks!
