Thrifty Travel Fun: Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, TX

Thrifty Travel Fun: Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, TX Read Post

Texas

Thrifty Travel Fun: Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, TX

The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is bursting with fun, affordable, family-friendly activities; read on for some ideas! 

All aboard the Forest Park Miniature Railroad!

1. Who says you can only get your art fix inside a museum? The Public ArtWalk Dallas resulted from a completely awesome initiative to get people moving and enjoying art out in the fresh air. This free, 3.3 mile route highlights thirty pieces of art and architecture in downtown Dallas - what a great way to get a feel for the city! Check it all out here.

2. It's the little engine that could, and has, since 1959. The Forest Park Miniature Railroad is a dream come true for train lovers big and small; the five-mile, 45-minute ride departs from Forest Park Depot and takes passengers on a scenic loop. You'll see the Dick Pond in Trinity Park and pass over six bridges, and might even catch sight of the Grapevine Vintage Railway if you're lucky. Adults ride for $4 and kids for $3.50.

3. Saturday mornings at 10, the Artisan Center Theater transforms into Artie's Playhouse: Artie happens to be a monkey, and it's all about the kids! Bring the family over to take in some fun, interactive theater performances by local children and youth. Programs typically run about an hour, and are appropriate for all ages. Check for performance schedules and ticket prices here (sometimes non-Saturday performances are added).

Accommodation Tip: The Best Western PLUS Hotel and Conference Center puts you right in the center of it all - but when the kids need some free time, there's a biiiig outdoor pool for plenty of splashing around.  

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Thrifty Travel Fun: Austin, TX

Thrifty Travel Fun: Austin, TX Read Post

Texas

Thrifty Travel Fun: Austin, TX

From its fantastic live music to its burgeoning restaurant scene to its very own culture, Austin is a wonderful place to take the family. Read on for three ways to have some extra-Austin fun, without breaking the bank.

photo by alamosbasement / Flickr

1. Here are three words you don't often hear together: Cathedral of Junk. Intrigued? Then imagine how entranced the kids will be by the towering tangle of cast-offs that fill Austinite Vince's backyard. One local mother described it as an "I-Spy museum of recycled "treasures"" (click through for her take on Vince's recent switch-over to an up-to-code, city-approved attraction), and it's the perfect place for some urban exploring! Sometimes Vince has to run out on some errands, so call 512-299-7413 before showing up.

2. We parents know that keeping our little voyagers well-fed is one of the keys to avoiding travel overload meltdowns - but it gets pricey to eat on the road! Enter this brilliant guide to Austin area restaurants that offer kids-eat-free deals. Thanks a million to the parents who must be behind this!

3. Forget the old "wish you were here" postcards; snap a family portrait or three in front of the colorful "Greetings From Austin" mural at Annie and South First Street, and let everyone know you're alive and well and having a blast! (Note: please don't really forget the postcards - Grandma and Grandpa deserve some snail mail, too!)

Here's Austin blogger RWeThereYet's family in front of the mural - she's the same mom who gave the thumbs up to the Catherdral of Junk, and you can find many more kid-friendly Austin fun ideas on her blog! 

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Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, Texas

Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, Texas Read Post

Road Trips Route 66

Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo, Texas

We stopped by Cadillac Ranch on a hot, windy day. As we walked up to the 10 Cadillacs buried hood-first into the ground, their tail-fins silhouetted against the Panhandle sky, Paris asked, "Why are those cars stuck into the ground like that? It looks weird."

"It's art," I explained.

"No, that's not art," she countered.

I went into a long explanation on how art can be many things. "It isn't always a picture you draw on a piece of paper," I said. And then I told her about Texas millionaire Stanley Marsh 3, and how he hired the Ant Farm, a San Francisco-based design firm, to create something that's expressive of the American automobile. I told her that the cars are from different time periods and represent the evolution of the American automobile, mainly the rise and fall of the tail fin. Of course she quickly lost interest and started to chase her brother around one of the cars.

But she must have grasped the concept. When we were back in the car, Paris shredded a piece of paper and threw it over the back of my seat onto my head. "Mommy, this is art." she said. "I'm expressing how tired I am of being in the car."

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