Choose your own adventure just beyond East Dallas

You are the star of these super-awesome summer daycations

It’s summer, and it seems all your friends and acquaintances are enjoying lavish vacations. You can’t click on your favorite social media site without images of their surfing and seaside lounging slapping you in the eyes. You wonder: “Am I the only person with a job and a budget in this world?” For starters, you are not alone. Furthermore, you don’t have to travel far for relaxation, entertainment and excitement.

For the landlocked East Dallas dweller, follow our story for four tailored-to-your-taste itineraries, each less than 30 minutes from home.

WEST: A throwback kind of day

Head slightly west of our neighborhood for a day of nostalgia and whimsy with a dash of spice and action.

IT IS AN OVERCAST, BREEZY MORNING. The heat, at this early hour, is not yet oppressive. It’s your day off, and you are feeling sentimental and venturesome. “Let’s do something meaningful,” you think. Now, before you get going, are you one of those wake-up-hungry types?

Yes, I must feed. [Go to #1]        No, I prefer to work up an appetite. [Go to #2]

ONE

You take the Royal exit off Central Expressway and find a comfy booth at Cindi’s NY Deli, a tried-and-true institution featuring fluffy flapjacks and hearty omelets plus Jewish staples such as Challah breads and Matzo ball soup. You praise the staff for the all-day breakfast offerings and generosity with the coffee refills. Man, those pancakes hit the spot! Now, do you jump right into physical activity or ease into your day with a quiet shopping excursion?

Let’s get physical. [Go to #5]

Shopping sounds like adequate exercise for now. [Go to #2]

TWO

You travel back in time — that is, to Forest Lane at Inwood — arriving at Forestwood Antique Mall, which specializes in sports memorabilia, folk art, collectables and rare jewelry. After scoring a Battle Armor Skeletor Evil Lord of Destruction action figure for your vintage toy collection (fist pump!), you enjoy lunch at the mall’s Garden Tea Room — it opens at 11 a.m. and serves classic comfort foods including casseroles, soups and chicken fried steak until 2:30 p.m. Maybe Forestwood merely whet your shopper’s appetite, or perhaps you met your antiquing quota for the week — which is it?

I could shop some more. [Go to #3]

I am one parcel away from Hoarders Buried Alive; let’s just look at some cool old things.
[Go to #4]

THREE

You cruise along Forest until you arrive at the North Dallas Antique Mall, nestled in a shopping park at Marsh. You feel giddy and proud, discovering treasure after treasure including mid-century modern, Mad Men-era knick-knacks, old records and eight-tracks. Nothing can stop you now that Linda Rhonstadt’s Greatest Hits is in your possession. Your reusable shopping bags are full, but is your tummy?

No, let’s eat. [Go to #6]

I’m stuffed and ready to continue my daylong escape from reality. [Go to #4] 

FOUR

You go back. Way way back. Like 2,000 years back. The Museum of Biblical Art, located at Park Lane and Boedeker, has all the adventure you can stomach — births, death, war, gore, peace, passion … One kindly docent explains that in 2005, a fire destroyed the museum and some 2,500 works inside, but that from the ashes rose a more magnificent venue of 30,000 square feet featuring biblically themed art that, be you devoutly religious or not at all, fuels the soul. Your soul might be filled, but is your gut?

That loaves and fishes story made me hungry. [Go to #6]

I’m not hungry, but I am inspired. Let’s carpe this diem!  [Go to #5]

FIVE

As you enter the cardiovascular exercise paradise known as Jump Street, off Central Expressway at Royal, you immediately revert to childhood. You are 10 again as you bounce and test your trampoline-dodge ball (yes, that is all one thing) and arcade game skills, or ride the mechanical bull. Now you’ve worked up an appetite. Are you down for a quick margarita and pulled-pork fajitas or do you prefer something a little less heartburn inducing?

Bring on jalapeno flavored everything. [Go to #6]

But my ulcer is acting up. [Go to # 7]

SIX

Tupinamba restaurant is new to Preston Hollow Village, at Walnut Hill just west
of Central Expressway, but this institution has been serving up tacos, fajitas, rice, beans, margaritas and the gamut of Tex-Mex staples for almost 70 years. In other words, the staff here knows its stuff, and that serves you well. Yum!  You are pumped full of tacos and Jose Cuervo. As the psychiatrist would ask, “how does that make you feel?”

Tequila makes me sleepy. I’m calling it a night —
[Thank your designated driver, and go to bed.] [END]

The night is young — what else is there? [Go to #8]

SEVEN

Enter familiar territory —  NorthPark Center. Tucked inside Neiman Marcus department store, you discover the fabled Mermaid Bar, which opened at the same time as the mall in 1965. You admire whimsical murals by Danish artist Bjorn Wiinblad — Stanley Marcus commissioned them in the 1960s. Reliably good food, service and the “nostalgia effect” has kept customers coming back throughout the years, general manager Chad Boyle tells you. “This is the destination of ladies’ lunches in Dallas — grandmothers brought the mothers, and the mothers brought the daughters, and that’s how it’s been for 50 years,” he says. You smile and try The Mermaid Sampler, which includes a cup of soup, fruit and half a chicken salad sandwich. Now that you’ve had a light meal, do you feel like socializing or sitting in a dark theater where someone else provides the entertainment?

I enjoy live music and potent potables, and I don’t have any children with me. [Go to #9]

I’m feeling antisocial, yet oddly in the mood for an old, feel-good movie. [Go to #8]

EIGHT

Every third Wednesday of the month, Studio Movie Grill (at Central Expressway and Royal) takes audiences back in time with its Family Rewind series, featuring favorite childhood movies at retro prices — $3 a ticket. It is July, so you grab a soda and settle in for a screening of “The Neverending Story.” You leave with thoughts of luckdragons and childlike empresses dancing in your head, not to mention that catchy theme song. “Dream a dream, and what you dream will be … eee ah eee eee …” Speaking of dream, are you ready to hit the pillow or up for more activity?

Neverending Story? More like the neverending day. I’m done. [END]

I could do more — how about live music and adult beverages? [Go to #9]

NINE

Velvet Elvis, the deliciously divey lounge you discover at 3720 Walnut Hill (near Marsh) draws a mixed crowd, and you feel totally cozy inside its walls. You like to lounge, play pool and have eclectic, but not persnickety, musical taste, which makes this place, which offers live mainstream rock music from just about every decade, perfect. Oh, and cheap, strong drinks — you appreciate those too. It’s the ideal way to wind down your pleasant and fulfilling day.
[END]

EAST: [Insert your name here]’s Day Off day

Travel 10-20 minutes east of our neighborhood, give or take, to the Garland area, for a day of out and indoor adventure, and tantalizing tourism with splashes of refreshment along the way.

AS SUNLIGHT PEEKS THROUGH YOUR BEDROOM BLINDS, you hear the TV weatherman report it’s going to be clear and hot today — but not 105 hot. More like 90 hot. Not too bad! You guzzle your coffee and think, “I am ready to take on the world! I am going to get so much work done today!” But then you remember you have the day off. Even better. Today, you are going to make Ferris Bueller look like a hack. Is your stomach growling or should you knock out your al fresco exercise before the mercury rises?

I am famished. [Go to #1]

Let’s start with a scenic walk. [Go to #2]

ONE

Head east of Lake Highlands to downtown Garland, where at the corner of Main and 9th you find Hubbard’s Cubbard, a country diner that serves up gargantuan gravy-drenched biscuits. You opt for a pancake sampler. The breakfast menu, with its dense starches, fluffy eggs, crispy bacon and endless stream of stout coffee has drawn diners from far and near for more than 35 years. Now, are you ready to work off some of those calories, or do you need some quiet, indoor time to digest?

Let’s get physical! [Go to #2]

I could walk, but prefer to do so indoors. [Go to #5]

TWO

Head just a few miles east/northeast of our neighborhood and downtown Garland to the Rowlett Creek Preserve, at 2525 Castle near Centerville. This wooded single-track trail system offers more than 16 miles of path-pounding options for adventurers on foot or bike, plus scenic picnic areas and open greenbelt spaces. Before heading in, you check the Dallas Off Road Bicycle Association’s trail guidelines, posted near the trailhead. This helps you determine the proper trail — flat or bumpy, long-distance or short loop — for your skill level and intentions. This trail has something for everyone. Bet you are hot and thirsty now, huh?

Yes — bring on icy cold refreshment. [Go to #3]

Yes — but I could use something with a little punch. [Go to #4]

THREE

You swing into TC Shaved Ice for the smoothest, sweetest, snowiest cones around. You are familiar with the White Rock Lake area location and are happy to learn there is one perfectly situated on today’s route, at 503 S. Garland, across the street from Garland High School. The only inconvenience is the mind-blowing plethora of flavors — do you order the bubble gum, amaretto or wedding cake? Or something more traditional, like pina colada or peach? Heck, you are feeling adventurous — make it a Tiger’s Blood and Tutti-Fruiti knockout (that is, shaved ice with creamy vanilla ice cream on top and bottom). Now let’s take advantage of that sugar rush — you have energy to burn. Up for some low-impact exercise, want to geek out at a hat-making factory, or would you like some adrenaline with that energy blitz?

A relaxed game of golf sounds nice. [Go to #7]

I’d like to tour the country’s biggest hat-making factory. [Go to #5]

Want to get high, in the most legal way possible. [Go to #6]

FOUR

White Rock area resident Wim Bens founded Lakewood Brewing years before he finally, recently opened the Lakewood Brewing Company taproom, which happens to be located smack dab in the middle of your Garland day-cation, at 2302 Executive, near Jupiter and Miller. “It’s fate,” you think, as you hunker down with an award-winning lager such as Temptress or the American style wheat beer Rock Ryder. If your tummy is rumbling, one of the food trucks frequently parked outside the venue shuts it up in no time. You check out the merchandise booth where you pick up a cool LBC trucker hat and a keychain that opens bottles, and spot a sign promoting taproom tours. You like tours, so you have a look around. At this point, you are totally chill. Do you want to stay that way?

Sure, got any more tours? [Go to #5]

I am ready for some heart-pumping action — bring on the water slides! [Go to #9]

My heart wants to pump, but I forgot my bathing suit. [Go to #6]

FIVE

Garland — it’s so close, yet it sometimes feels like a different state (of mind, if nothing else). Garland, in many ways, is that Texas of the movies — the one in which characters don steel-toed boots, bulky silver belt buckles and 10-gallon hats. Fully embracing your day as a tourist in your own backyard, you partake in this truly Texan excursion — a tour of the Resistol and Stetson factory, the largest manufacturer of hats in the country, at 721 Marion near Forest and Garland. You might not own a cowboy hat, but you still find the process of making one fascinating — collecting and felting the fur of beavers, rabbits and minks; pressure rolling; dyeing and customizing — and are surprised at the number of craftsmen and women who touch one hat from start to finish. You are so impressed that you visit the Resistol Outlet Store, which flanks the factory. Now hang on to that new cowboy hat, because it’s time for some real action and adventure. The only question is, can you handle heights?

I get a kick out of high places, what do you have in mind? [Go to #6]

I am a bit of a daredevil, within limits. [Go to #9]

I prefer to stay grounded. [Go to #7]

SIX

A Lake Highlands couple was following their passion when they opened Sky Helicopters in the early ’90s, and you are psyched that they did, because now you are reaping the benefits. Connie and Ken Pyatt operate the heliport, at 2559 S. Jupiter. A large portion of their business comes from photographing news footage for local broadcasts, but that, while a groovy side note, does not concern you today. The skyline tour — which flies passengers over landmarks such as White Rock Lake, Cowboys stadium and the Rangers’ ballpark — is a little out of your price range at $375 for a half hour (you’ll come back in the winter for the holiday lights tour, you promise yourself), but the flight simulator lesson/flight combo is right up your alley. For $159, you receive 30 minutes of instruction followed by 30 minutes in-the-air practice in a controlled environment. You believed you could fly, and now you have. This is the best day ever. Are you hungry or too hyped for food?

Starving. [Go to #8]

I spotted some intense-looking waterslides from the air, and I am interested. [Go to #9]

SEVEN

While you are no Jordan Spieth, you can hold your own on the green. Heck, even a novice or new student of the game can have a blast at the Firewheel Golf Park, which is where you find yourself on this summer day (fortunately, you called ahead to book your tee time: 972.205.2795). The park includes three regulation courses; Avid Golfer magazine rated one of them number two in the highly competitive “mid-priced courses ($50-$59)” class. Green and cart fees are even lower after 1 p.m. If you worked up an appetite on the course, stop by the Branding Iron, a full service restaurant overlooking the rolling topography. If you’d rather ditch the fancy and get down and dirty with some barbecue, that’s also an option.

Barbecue sounds good. [Go to #8]

I’m not hungry, but I am also not ready to call it a day. [Go to #10]

EIGHT

No Texas daycation is complete without some real barbecue on your plate. You happen upon Meshack’s Bar-B-Que, at 240 E. Avenue B, and you just aren’t sure — “This place is a shack,” you think. You observe the weeds overtaking the parking lot, the few stumps ostensibly for sitting, the rudimentary pictures of meats and sandwiches and almost bolt, but something stops you in your tracks — the aroma of pecan smoke. As you eat your ribs — dark, tangy sauce adhering to your fingers and the corners of your mouth — you realize that it is all about the meat and nothing else matters. You are utterly satiated, but there is still fun to be had. You could do something active, adventurous — a thing that also will wash away all traces of barbecue sauce on your body — or you could watch someone else enact an adventure.

If you mean a waterpark, bring it on. [Go to #9]

I’m all for action, as long as I don’t have to do the acting. [Go to #10]

NINE

Inside Hawaiian Falls waterpark, you enjoy water-soaked adventures — streak down towering slides with names like The Torpedo, shoot along winding tunnels, pseudo surf the Hawaiian Halfpipe, swim among the waves and splash your way around gushing play areas (with or without your kiddos). Or just soak up some rays on Breaker Beach or relax on a float as you attempt to drown-out the noise of the ecstatic children who surround you. An adult ticket costs just $23. (Kids and seniors are $16). What a deal! By now you are likely pretty pooped, right?

Yes, I think I am … snores. [END]

I could watch somebody else do something. [Go to #10]

TEN

Do you feel pretty? You sure do after your night at the Garland Summer Musicals inside the fabulous Patty Granville Arts Center at 300 N. 5th in Downtown Garland. It’s June, which means West Side Story runs the 12th-24th of the month. (Secure tickets in advance by calling 972.205.2790). Rumbles, romance and regret softened with singing and choreographed dance numbers — what a way to polish off a great day! [END]

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DAYTRIP EXTRA:

In Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue and Education Center

This big cat sanctuary, while outside the 10-20 minute daycation parameters, is worth a trip in its own right. Located at 3430 Skyview, in Wylie, just east of Garland, In Sync is home to tigers, lions, cheetahs, cougars, bobcats, ocelots and one coati (an “honorary cat”) in need of rescue and veterinary care. In Sync doesn’t buy, sell or breed animals. They do offer educational tours of the facility and allow self-guided tours daily from 11 a.m.-6 p.m. For more information, give them a roar at 972.442.6888.

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SOUTH: Is it one of those beautiful, get-outside kind of days?

THEN PUT ON YOUR FANNY PACK — they still sell those, right? — and head south to kick start a day full of adventures. Kayak the Trinity River, hang out at Fair Park or hit some Deep Ellum hotspots. Before we get started, breakfast first?

No adventures until I have food in my stomach. Go to #1

Um, what is breakfast? Let’s get this show on the road. Go to #2

ONE

It’s all about farm fresh eggs at All Good Café (2934 Main) in Deep Ellum. Try one of the classic options that revolve around eggs such as omelets or huevos rancheros. And if that’s not enough, you can even add extra eggs. Once you’ve had your fill, stretch your legs with a walk down Main. Are you an art observer?

I’d love to check out some local art. [Go to #2]

No way, I’m hyped up and ready for an adventure. [Go to #7]

TWO

Kettle Art Gallery (2650 B Main) is within easy walking distance of just about anything in Deep Ellum. East Dallas neighbor Frank Campagna owns and operates the gallery. He’s also the creative mind behind most of the giant murals you’ll see in Deep Ellum. You’re right across the street from Lula B’s Antique Mall. Want to drop by?

Bargain hunting is my weakness. [Go to #3]

Old stuff is gross. What else can I do? [Go to #4]

THREE

At Lula B’s Antique Mall peruse the stands of local venders, selling everything from vintage apparel and books to furniture and home décor. Time for lunch?

Yes, I need sustenance. [Go to #5]

Eh, I’m not hungry yet. [Go to #4]

FOUR

Take a tour through Noble Coyote Coffee Roasters’ brand new space at 819 Exposition. Lakewood neighbors Marta and Kevin Sprague, who own the popular coffee roasting company, will debut new products and offering coffee samples for passersby. You can take a tour to learn about the roasting process or stock up on coffee or new equipment. If you plan to drop by, make an appointment at marta@noblecoyotecoffee.com. Feeling those hunger pangs yet?

My stomach is only eating itself. No big deal. [Go to #5]

I can grab food at my next destination. [Go to #6]

FIVE

Get in line at Pecan Lodge (2702 Main) and find out what all the fuss is about. Sometimes, it’s all about the journey, but know what you’re going order: The brisket, the hand-made smoked sausage or, mix things up with the “hot mess,” which combines barbacoa, chipotle cream cheese, sea salt-crusted sweet potatoes, butter and green onions. Enjoy it with a cold beer on the spacious patio before you decide you’re next move. Which adventure will you choose?
I’m looking for something outside but also easy and family-friendly. [Go to #6]

A day in the great outdoors sounds perfect. [Go to #7]

SIX

Spend an afternoon at Fair Park. Although there are no amusement rides during the summer (sorry folks, Summer Adventures in Fair Park is no longer happening), there are plenty of other things to do. During June and July, take a ride on the swan paddle boats. Cart the kiddos to the children’s aquarium in the Art Deco building, which is home to thousands of aquatic animals, including sharks, stingrays, eels, turtles and others. Drop by the Texas Discovery Gardens and say hello to the butterflies in the Rosine Smith Sammons Butterfly House, or try to spot wildlife in the pond and gardens. Have a country-style meal at the Old Mill Inn Restaurant. If you stick around, catch a Broadway show in Music Hall, or watch a concert on the lawn of the Gexa Energy Pavilion. It’s free to enter Fair Park, unless a special event is taking place. Visit fairpark.org for pricing on individual attractions. Most exhibits close around 5 p.m. It has been a full day, and don’t you love that feeling? Not ready to call it quits yet? Head back to the East Dallas area.

OK seriously? I’m wiped. Get me off this crazy train. [END]

I’m still having fun. What else you got? [Go to #8]

SEVEN

Explore the Trinity River in South Dallas via kayak or canoe. Just call Charles Allen, owner and operator of Trinity River Expedition, at 214.941.1757 at least a day before the trip, and he’ll handle the rest. “The only thing people need are some old tennis shoes, water and maybe some sunscreen,” he says. Trinity River Expedition bases out of South Dallas, although Allen says he can meet you wherever you want along the Trinity River to set you up with rentals. He suggests the Santa Fe River access point, which is also a good place to hike around. You can start as early as 8 a.m. For a short trip, start between noon and 2 p.m. Find pricing and other details at canoedallas.com. After a satisfying but exhausting day, let’s find somewhere to unwind and refuel.

The only place I want to go right now is home. [END]

I’m not ready to turn in yet. [Go to #8]

EIGHT

On the way back up to East Dallas, eat your fill on Kalachandji’s covered patio, which is one of the most interesting dining spots in Dallas and has been for more than 30 years. The menu changes every day, and you don’t have to be vegetarian to enjoy the deliciously healthy Indian food served up in the all-you-can-eat buffet. Kalachandji’s is tucked away at the edge of our neighborhood at Gurley and Graham.

I’m full and ready to relax. [END]

The night is still young! [Go to #9]

NINE

Dallas Comedy House (3025 Main) in Deep Ellum hosts shows every night of the week. Check the schedule at dallascomedyhouse.com to catch a good laugh at one of its open mic, improv or family-friendly shows. After the show, you’re once again within easy walking distance of several Deep Ellum bars.

You know what to do. [END]

NORTH: Looking for some family-friendly activities?

Or perhaps you’re a big kid yourself who wants to relive your years of innocence.

HEAD NORTH OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD FOR FOOD, sports and outdoor adventures. Breakfast first?

Can’t think. Must food. [Go to #1]    

No thanks, we already filled up on cereal. [Go to #2]

ONE

You can’t go wrong with breakfast at Crossroads Diner in Lake Highlands at Walnut Hill and Manderville, especially once your little ones lay eyes on the giant, cinnamon-slathered sticky buns. [Warning: beware of sugar-high inducing powers.] Or bite into a stack of fresh pancakes or a traditional breakfast of grits, bacon and eggs. Now that your stomach is full, how do you want to spend the rest of your morning?

Let’s do something outside. [Go to #2]

An indoor activity sounds ideal. [Go to #3]

TWO

Practice your golf swing at Topgolf at Abrams and Park Lane. If you have kids in tow, play a round at the miniature golf course. When you finish there, move on to the batting cages. If you’re getting hungry, grab some lunch at the café before climbing back into your car for some travel.
What do you want to do, check out old-school planes or splash around at a public pool?

Sign me up for learning about history! [Go to #6]

Sunshine and swimming sounds like the perfect afternoon. [Go to #4]

 

THREE

It doesn’t have to be someone’s birthday party for kids to enjoy rocketing around the rink at White Rock Skate Center off Northwest Highway. The rink is open to children and adults of all ages, although the crowd varies depending on the time you’re there — usually parents with kids during the afternoon and preteens and teens during the evening. You can bring your own inline or regular skates, or rent them there. Prices are $7-$12. When you’re hungry, grab lunch across the street at JJ’s Café or Tony’s Pizza and Pasta. Now what do you want to do, check out some old-school planes or splash around at a public pool?

Sign me up for learning about history! [Go to #6]

Sunshine and swimming sounds like the perfect afternoon. [Go to #4]

FOUR

Hop on Central and head north to the Heights Family Aquatic Center off Arapaho in Richardson. The public pool, which opened in 2013, is a fabulous way to spend time in the sun. Aside from a lap pool (which is only available from 8-9 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays), a leisure pool features a current channel, vortex and splash playground. There is a tot pool for the young kids and slides for the older ones.

Swimming is a lot of work. We need something sweet before dinner. [Go to #5]

Ice cream isn’t enough. We need real food, pronto. [Go to #8]

FIVE

Just a six-minute drive away from the aquatic center is Sweet Firefly (2701 Custer), where you and your munchkins can choose between shaved ice, ice cream and candy. How sweet!

That was tasty, but now we’re ready for something more solid. [Go to #8]

We’re not ready to slow down. What’s the next activity? [Go to #9]

SIX

Take the family to Cavanaugh Flight Museum at the Addison Airport for a self-guided tour of aircraft that span the ages. For a guided tour, call ahead to schedule an appointment: 972.380.8800 ext. 100. If you happen to have a couple hundred dollars on you (because why wouldn’t you?), you can even buy a Warbird ride. Once you’ve crammed your brain with history, head back toward East Dallas. Want to see some local artwork along the way?

Sure, I love art! [Go to #7]

An art gallery? Eh, I don’t really “get” art. [Go to #8]

SEVEN

Stop by the Valley House Gallery in North Dallas (6616 Spring Valley) to check out the latest exhibit. Don’t miss the sculpture garden.

All that art made us hungry! [Go to #8]

We’re not ready to slow down just yet.  What’s the next activity? [Go to #9]

EIGHT

Grab a bite at Buca di Beppo on Park Lane, which serves entrees “family style” with dishes meant to be shared. You can get the Buca Small, which serves two, or the Buca Large, which serves four. Choose from Buca’s pasta, seafood or pizza options. Once you’ve eaten your fill, do you want another family-friendly event or are you looking for something for adults only?

My kids have been angels all day. [Go to #9]

I love my kids, but … [Go to #10]

NINE

Catch a show at Dallas Children’s Theater at Skillman and Northwest Highway. From June 19 to July 12, the theater is showing “The Musical Adventures of Flat Stanley” for kids ages five and up. If that doesn’t interest you, DCT always has something going on. Check out its website, dct.org, to find out what’s happening. Tickets usually range from $17-$28. [End.]

TEN

On Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, the popular Backdoor Comedy Club hosts stand-up comedy shows or open mic nights inside the Double Tree Hotel off Upper Greenville. For more information, go to backdoorcomedy.com or call 214.328.4444. Ticket prices range from $7-$14.  [End]