Free Things To Do in Dallas with Your Teen
Dallas is a big city full of people who like to do things big in the biggest state in the continental US. In a culture so infatuated with going big or going home, it’s a treat to know that there are still a lot of attractions accessible to travelers who don’t want to spend big as well. In fact, here are some options for totally free activities to enjoy, with an eye toward those families who travel with a teenager. Granted, entire worlds and universes and realities can be created on a microchip the size of a mitten, but while on vacation with your teen, you might entice him to pull his nose away from his smart phone and appreciate the fun, interesting, and outright weird free options Dallas offers the family with teenage travelers.
The Dallas Museum of Natural History sounds stuffy and staid. Not a lot of teens’ socks roll up and down over the prospect of hitting a museum for the day. Couple that fact with the cost of admission and you’re risking a wasted day and wasted cash if the trip is a bust for your teen. However, right out in front of the museum are the magnificent and awesome (totally) statues of dinosaurs made entirely of chrome. The Chromosaurs are big and shiny and neat, the sort of majesty that can’t be replicated via Playstation. (Note: The Chromosaurs have been sold! You can still see them for free, but now you’ll need to go to the Ripley’s Believe It Or Not Museum. Believe it.)
Speaking of fun outdoor statues, the Pioneer Plaza Cattle Drive claims to be the largest bronze statue of its kind. You’ll find Pioneer Plaza beside the Dallas Convention Center, and according to the folks there, the Plaza is the second-most visited landmark in Dallas’ downtown area. If your teen is a history buff, or wants to earn a little extra school credit, go ahead and wander through the Civil War Memorial in the nearby Pioneer Cemetery and learn more about Stonewall Jackson, Robert E. Lee and Jefferson Davis, erstwhile president of the Confederacy. He may learn about the proper use of the word "erstwhile," as well.
While you’re downtown, trot over to Thanksgiving Square. A monument to gratitude in general, and the national holiday specifically, the operators of the monument host Inter-faith meetings and events, as well as perform outreach to local high schools, planning many events for teens.
With nine miles of trails and over 1000 acres at its disposal, your teen can let the wild rumpus start, proceed, and conclude at White Rock Lake Park. Getting fresh air will be the least of any teenager’s problems. If he is interested in fishing the piers are available, and there is a very strong chance that you and the kids will be there while there is an event going on. White Rock hosts a marathon, the White Rock Lake Trash Bash, and frequent organized runs. If your teen had to leave a beloved pet behind for your vacation, visit Dallas’ Dog Park at White Rock Lake. There’s nothing like a little love from a dog to remind your teen of home in a positive way.