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Fun Things to do in Arlington
Texas
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city guide
It is the 5th highest-income county in the U.S. by median family income, and is the 11th most densely populated county in the United States. Arlington is home to the Pentagon, Reagan National Airport, and Arlington National Cemetery.
Best time to go
The best time to visit Texas is in early spring, between late March and April. Winter's chill is gone throughout much of the state, the wildflowers are in bloom, and summer's scorching temperatures haven't arrived yet.
Fun city facts and activities
- Located right between Dallas and Fort Worth and featuring a unique blend of urban amenities and suburban benefits, Arlington is frequently recognized as one of the best places to live in DFW and Texas overall.
Neighborhoods to explore
- Aurora Highlands
Ballston-Virginia Square
Bluemont
Clarendon-Courthouse
Radnor-Ft Myer Heights
Restaurants
Food Specialties
- When dreaming up a list of the must-try foods in the Big D, there are the iconic dishes you'd expect to findbarbecue, chili, tacos, and fried chickenand they're all well-worth mentioning.
Arlington Offbeat activities
Free or cheap things to do
1. Take a Segway tour of the District.
2. Catch a movie at the Arlington Cinema & Drafthouse.
3. Explore the hidden gems of the Rosslyn-Ballston Corridor.
4. Take part in a scavenger hunt of the Arlington National Cemetery.
5. Visit the Artisphere, Arlingtons premier art and entertainment venue.
6. Take a twilight kayak tour of the Potomac River.
7. Visit the Iwo Jima Memorial for a unique perspective of the nations capital.
8. Go on a ghost tour at the Arlington Ghost Tour.
9. Try a game of ax-throwing at Bullseye Axe Throwing.
10. Take a guided tour of the Pentagon.
Fun things to do in with kids
Free or cheap things to do
1- Six Flags Over Texas
When it comes to making lifetime memories with your kids, theres not much in these parts that competes with the electrifying adventure that is Six Flags Over Texas, a tradition for Arlington tourists and locals alike for more than 50 years.
2-The UTA Planetarium [Under $10]
With tickets that are only $3-$6 a pop (and children under three get in for free), The Planetarium at UT Arlington is one of the most affordable things to do in Arlington with kidsand its also one of the coolest.
3- Hurricane Harbor
In the mood to chill on Boogie Beach or take on a few high-velocity adventures on the Wahoo Racer? Either way, Hurricane Harbor has a little something for everyone, and a few million gallons of cool blue water to do it in. If youre playing with younger kids, be sure and check out Hooks Ship, featuring four small slides, shallow water and sprayers.
4- Free Play Arcade
Get your fingers warmed up for Pac-Man, Mario Bros, Donkey Kong, Space Invaders, and tons more. Free Play, located in downtown Arlington, is so dang fun that you just might find an excuse to visit even when the kids are staying with Grandma. The concept is simple: Pay $10 a head to play as many games as you want for as long as you want. And they serve food, too!
5- K1 Speed
Vroom, vroom! Enjoy high-speed racing in first-class style at this indoor karting paradise that features top-performance electric karts and a lobby thats part motoring museum and part arcade. K1 is suitable for all ages and experience levels. Open daily and late. Find out more about K1 Speed.
6- Breakout Games
If youre looking for something different, Breakout Games is likely one of your best options. This ultra-exciting, choose-your-own-storyline gaming adventure challenges you to unravel real-time mysteries by cracking codes, solving puzzles and following clues. All ages welcome.
7- Living Science Center [Under $10]
Explore the hidden world of the critters who share our urban environment at one of the Dallas-Fort Worth areas most unusual museum destinations. Afterwards, you can check out the wonders of River Legacy Park, a 1,300 urban oasis thats home to more than 400 species of wildlife, hike and bike trails, picnic areas, and tons more.
8- Alley Cats Entertainment
All the fun you could ask for, and its all under one roof. Head to Alley Cats to enjoy Putt-Putt golf, bowling, billiards, rock climbing and laser tagand a full-service bar for Mom and Dad. Open daily and open late. Be sure and check out their website for special offers for fun-seekers.
9- Knapp Heritage Park [Under $10]
Take a time machine back to the early days of Arlington, TX at Knapp Heritage Park, where you can explore an old schoolhouse, pioneer cabins, and a blacksmith barntheres even a free blacksmith presentation the last Friday of each month.
10- Flight Deck Trampoline Park
The family fun flies sky high at Flight Deck Trampoline Park, featuring 90 wall-to-wall trampolines and special jumping events like Neon Night and Toddler Tumble, as well as plenty of open jump time slots where you can just come in and do your bouncy thing. Open late on weekends.
City data and FAQ
What is Arlington famous for?
It has AT&T stadium where the Dallas Cowboys play and Globe Life Park where the Rangers play and 6 flags.
Vaunie Foster - Lives in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX (1959present)
Arlington, Texas is a mid-tier city that lies exactly between Dallas and Fort Worth cities in Texas, part of a large metropolitan and suburban area also collectively called the DFW (Dallas-Fort Worth) Metroplex. Other than University of Texas at Arlington, it also is the home to the AT & T Stadium - home ground of Dallas Cowboys Football Team; Globe Life Field - home ground of the Texas Rangers Baseball Team; Six Flags Amusement Park and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Water Park. Tucked away near these landmarks, you will also be able to discover The International Bowling Museum and the eSports Stadium. Essentially, I call Arlington the Sportainment Hub. Some of the beautiful natural environs in Arlington can be found at River Legacy Park, Crystal Canyon Natural Area, and Randol Mill Park. In addition to all these unique landmarks, Arlington also has several regular entertainment hubs, malls and eateries.
Tusher Shah - Ph.D. from The University of Texas at Arlington
Do you need car to visit Arlington?
Arlington, Texas has grown considerably in recent years its now quite a bit more populous than the other and is known as the home of both the Texas Rangers and Dallas Cowboys.
Luckily for you I used to live in Dallas as well as Virginia & know both pretty well. The D.C. area has a very good public transit system, plus adjacent Arlington is quite compact (and I know it has at least three or four Metro stops), so its at least possible to visit Arlington without a car. It depends on where, specifically, youre going, and whether its near a transit stop. Finally, Im not sure if you meant need a rental car to visit because its the easiest way to get around or were wondering if you can literally avoid cars to visit Arlington including rideshares, taxis, or use of anything aside from the bus, subway, e-bike or your own two feet but Uber & Lyft (and taxis) are always an option if you dont have a rental. Still, using them involves using a car. Does that count?
As for the one in Texas: oh yeah, you need a car there. Dallas has one of the largest light-rail systems in the country (DART), and yet the entire Dallas area (including Arlington) is still all but impossible to get around without owning a car, unless you want to spend $1,000 or more a month on Uber rides. Unless you happen to live in one of the first three DART stops out of downtown all of which have transit-oriented development and almost never leave the surrounding area, not having a car would be extremely difficult. Its entirely routine there to have a 25-mile commute to work or even double that. The Dallas area definitely has far better expressways than the D.C. vicinity, however I think I still have PTSD from getting stuck on the Beltway or 64 so many times including three huge toll roads that actually succeed in improving rush-hour traffic, but rush hour will most likely suck regardless.
Jeff Kirk - Been to 50+ countries on every continent, incl. Antarctica
Not necessarily. I lived in the DC area for ten years. Very, very congested. Lots of foreign visitors in the city that have a hard time negotiating the traffic and tend to drive on the wrong side of the road .If you get on the 395 beltway, bring a lunch. Better to take public transportation
Jim Buttitta - Studied at Cleveland State University
Is Arlington worth visiting?
Yes, there is a lot to do in & around Arlington. We have Major League Baseball, Texas Rangers, NFL football, Dallas Cowboys, Six Flags over Texas, Hurricane Harbor, Lots of good restaurants. The you have Dallas to the east & Ft Worth to the west. There are other things to do besides these things, just depends on what you like to do.
Debbie Dalen Lives in Arlington
Are two days enough to visit Arlington?
Im sure can squeeze a lot into 2 days.
Debbie Dalen Lives in Arlington
