Best Holiday Light Displays in Dallas/Fort Worth

Holiday Lights are mesmerizing at any age - our family loves taking a night to drive around to see them. And with so many here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, it is difficult to see them all.  That's why we have created a list of the Best Holiday Light Displays in Dallas/Fort Worth.   Some of the listed displays cost a fee to see them, but many are free and are collecting for charities, so please help out where you can.

Here you go, the Best Holiday Light Displays in Dallas/Fort Worth:

1. The Gift of Lights 2012 (3545 Lone Star Circle, Ft. Worth, TX): More than two million LED lights shine at the Texas Motor Speedway at this drive-thru event.  Nightly 5:30 pm - 9:00 pm (10:00 pm on weekends) thru January 6. $15-20/car

 2. Interlochen Lights Display (Randol Mill Rd & Westwood Dr, Arlington): More than 200 homeowners dress up their homes in lights & animated displays.  Nightly December 14-25, 2012 from 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm.

3. Pharr's Christmas Extravaganza (14535 Southern Pines Cove, Farmers Branch, TX): Over 200,000 lights adorn this Farmers Branch home set to fun Christmas music.  A train runs nightly from 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm and Santa visits on the weekends. This home collects food & toys for Metro Crest Social Services. Nightly starting at 5:45 pm -10:00 pm (11:00 pm on weekends) thru January 1.

4. Prairie Lights Holiday Display (5700 Lake Ridge Parkway, Grand Prairie, TX): Each year, this light show located on the shores of Joe Pool Lake (Lynn Creek Park) grows - this year up to 4 Million lights! Walk-thru displays and pictures with Santa.  Nightly 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm (10 :00 pm weekends) through December 31. $15/20/car

5. McKinney Lights (7805 White Stallion Trail, McKinney, TX): Over 80,000 lights all set to 6 different songs, this McKinney light display has been grower bigger each year.  This home is collecting new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots.  Nightly 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm (12:00 am weekends) thru December 31.

6. Highland Park (Armstrong Parkway/Preston Road): Driving through the lights of Highland Park was always a tradition for us, so we love to go through them with our kids.  Many homes light up brilliantly for the holidays, also a fun neighborhood to ride through in carriage.  Nightly thru December 31.

7. Gordon Lights (4665 Quincy Lane, Plano, TX): One family's home that lights up each night with 125,000 lights.  It is timed to music that can be picked up on your car radio. This home is collecting money, gift cards, and other donations for Operation Homefront.   Nightly from 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm (11 pm weekends) thru January 6.

8.  Frisco Christmas (4015 Bryson Drive, Frisco, TX): This Christmas Display consists of over 85,000 lights synchronized to music.  This home is collecting canned goods for Frisco Food Bank/ Frisco Family Services Center.  Nightly from 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm through December 29.  

9. Grayson County 10th Annual Holiday Light Show (Sherman, TX):  Just a quick drive north up to Sherman to drive through this fantastic holiday light trail.  Located in Loy Lake Park, you can see the entrance from I-75.  Free drive-thru light trail.  Nightly 5:30 pm - 10:00 pm thru December 31.

10. Farmers Branch Holiday Tour of Lights (13000 William Dodson Parkway, Dallas, TX): Starting at the Farmers Branch City Hall and winding around the parking area, over 300,000 lights bring this display to life with pirate ships, trains, and even Santa.  This tour accepts donations new, unwrapped toy donations.  Nightly 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm through December 31.

North Pole Express at Grapevine, Texas

A timeless tradition (well, one that has become popular in the last ten years...) is taking a steam train ride during the Christmas Holidays.  Ever since The Polar Express was published (and the movie didn't hurt either),  kids of all ages have been dying to recreate the experience on a real, old-fashioned steam train.  Trains all across the country put together Christmas events, and lucky for us, we have one right down the road.

The Grapevine Vintage Railroad is hosting rides on the North Pole Express.  Running each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in December, the North Pole Express is another one of those "can't-miss" Christmas events. When our kiddos were younger, we rode on the North Pole Express several years in a row and never tired of it's wonder.  I highly recommend it for anyone with young kiddos, for it truly is a memorable experience.

The Grapevine Vintage Railroad dresses up it's steam engine holiday style and takes families on a one-hour adventure from the downtown Grapevine Depot on Main Street.  The event begins with pre-boarding holiday fun, we sang carols and made Christmas crafts.  And as you make your way to board the train, you wind yourself through a maze of Christmas trees.  Seats are on a first-come, first-serve basis, so get there early.  We recommend purchasing tickets in advance online.

Everything is very official on the North Pole Express, down to the conductor punching your tickets.  It always ends up being my favorite picture pose of the event.   And as the conductor calls "All-Aboard", the excitement builds as we are taken to far-away North Pole.

Stories are told, joyful Christmas Songs are played and Santa's elves even jingle their bells, adding to the merriment of the ride.  And before you know it, Santa Claus has arrived in your car to visit with all the children.

Santa poses for pictures and asks what they would like for Christmas - always spending a good deal of time with each one. What a fun setting to meet the Big Guy in!

As a mom of 2 boys who love trains, this is a special event for them.  The excitement of being on a train ride combined with meeting Santa is almost too much!  It is a great opportunity to get some terrific photos as well,  but mostly you will be there creating some incredible family memories.

Tickets for the North Pole Express are $18/person.  Children under 24 months are free and can sit on an adult's lap.  Don't forget to wear your favorite Christmas PJs!

The Trains at NorthPark Center

Our family just loves to see elaborate miniature trains and the BEST one by far has to be The Trains at NorthPark. We started going when my kids were little, and it has become a tradition in our family to see the set-up each season.

It's the 25th Anniversary of The Trains at NorthPark and the 14th year at the NorthPark Center.  Benefitting the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas, it is the most elaborate miniature train display in North Texas.  Each year, we literally spend hours looking at all the fine details.  Who doesn't love seeing the miniature Dallas all dressed up for the holidays?  And they have included the new Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge this year as well.

The trains' journey across America passing New York City to Chicago to San Francisco.  They weave their way through farmland, national parks, and more.  Make sure to check out the White House, the Grand Canyon, and the new hot air balloons over Albuquerque.  The exhibit is over 4,000 square feet of train environment. Take your time and look at every tiny detail.

Bank of Texas presents this fun event which helps to raise more than one-third of the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas' annual budget.  RMHD is the only organization that provides a temporary home for families whose children are receiving treatment for a serious injury or illness at a Dallas area hospital.  This
organization takes the burden off of parent's struggle to find housing, allowing them to focus on what's most important - healing their child.

We always enjoy looking for the many hand-painted railcars adorned with names, businesses, or messages that line the walls of the display and are sometime making their way around the tracks. Local families and businesses can purchase a personalized railcar. Each year, over 500 railcars are purchased and they range in price from $175 - $325.  Might make a really fun Christmas gift for the train-lover in your house.

2012 Trains at NorthPark:

Dates: November 17, 2012 -- January 6, 2013
Location: Northpark Center, Level Two near Barneys New York
Cost: $6.00 for adults; $3.00 for children (ages 2 - 12) and senior citizens (age 65 and older) Children under 2 admitted free.
Hours:Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday, Noon to 6 p.m.
Early Closings:
November 21, Thanksgiving Eve, at 6 p.m.
December 24, Christmas Eve, at 4 p.m.
December 31, New Year’s Eve, at 6 p.m.
Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day; Open New Year’s Day

You can purchase tickets at the door of the exhibit at NorthPark Center or buy them at a local Tom Thumb and receive a $1 off admission.

Dallas Children's Medical Center Holiday Parade

One of our favorite traditions each season is to attend the Dallas Children's Medical Center Holiday Parade!  Marching through downtown Dallas this Saturday, December 1, 2012 at 10 am, the parade is a fun family event that everyone should see at least once.

This parade is big y'all!  It will remind you of the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade with seven giant inflatable balloons, eight marching bands, and tons of celebrities that both you & your kids will love.  It lasts over an hour and there are 3 performance plazas.

Kids of every age will be amazed at this parade.  It's fun to watch the balloons start to spin as the handlers run in circles and try desperately to not get tangled.  Expect some major chills bumps as your little ones scream in delight as they see their favorite cartoon character - Bob the Builder riding in the 'dozer was HUGE for my then-3 year old! The parade ends with Santa "coming to town" - the kids go nuts over that one!

As the giant marching bands go by, playing your favorite Christmas tunes, you can't help but sing along.  Our favorite is the Hardin-Simmons University Cowboy Band - they always bring a smile to your face! You leave the parade in such a great mood - the crowds don't seem to bother you a bit - we all need that kind of cheer this time of year.

The parade is a wonderful way to start the season off right and make some fun memories.  We always pack a breakfast of mini donuts and hot cocoa (no one says it has to be healthy!), take lots of blankets and arrive early.  It is best to buy a ticket in the bleachers for a guaranteed seat, but there are plenty of places to sit on the street, as long as you arrive early.  There are typically clowns and street performers before the parade, so don't worry about getting there too early.

The Dallas Children's Medical Center Holiday Parade is presented by Pizza Hut to raise money for the Child LIfe department at Children's. The Child Life department provides age-appropraite therapies to help children cope with their hospital stays. The parade is a great way to show your family how to give back while enjoying themselves in such a fun way.

As of this morning, tickets are still available for bleacher seats.  Hopefully these 5 reasons are enough to get you to the parade. Start a new family tradition and create some memories! See you there!

Christmas Capitol of Texas ~ Grapevine, TX

One of my favorite cities here in North Texas turns into a Christmas fairytale each season. Hosting over 1400 Christmas events in 40 days, Grapevine turns into the Christmas Capitol of Texas. Starting back on November 8 and lasting until December 31st, there are so many fun events taking place!

Just look at some of the fun they have planned this season:

Ride the Rails on the North Pole Express® – Take a ride on the Grapevine Vintage Railroad with your family aboard the North Pole Express!  This classic Grapevine event has been entertaining families for years.  We have gone at least 3 times in the last 5 years. This one hour event includes a ride on a historic train, pre-boarding holiday fun, Santa, journey through the Christmas tree maze, ornament making, caroling and more. Don’t forget to wear your special Christmas pajamas! Tickets are $18 per person and are on sale now. Children 2 and under can sit on an adult’s lap, but must have a complimentary ticket to board. The North Pole Express runs November 23, 24, 25 and 30 and December 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23. Grapevine Vintage Railroad, 705 S. Main St. Grapevine, TX

Chill Out at ICE! featuring DreamWorks’ “Merry Madagascar” during Lone Star Christmas at the Gaylord Texan Resort – The ICE! winter holiday attraction returns with an all-new, hilarious theme: ICE! featuring DreamWorks’ “Merry Madagascar." From November 8 to January 1, see all your favorite characters including Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria carved from more than two million pounds of ice. You’ll be delighted as these colorful creations set the perfect holiday mood. And while at the Gaylord Texan Resort, don’t miss Kung Fu Panda Awesome Snow Tubing. Open daily November 8 to January 1, experience an extreme eight-lane tubing hill that’s covered in real snow. Watch your children smile and sparkle at Lone Star Christmas at the Gaylord Texan Resort. This winter wonderland includes 1.5 million holiday lights, a 52-foot rotating Christmas tree, a life-sized Gingerbread House, 12,000 ornaments and Santa Claus. Christmas hotel packages are available. Visit www.gaylordtexan.com for ticket prices and times.

Happy Howl-idays at Great Wolf Lodge – Take a visit to the North Woods in Grapevine at the Great Wolf Lodge’s Snowland! And don’t miss visits from Santa, North Pole University for Elves in Cub Club, holiday carol sing-alongs, the life-size Gingerbread House, Santa's workshop, writing depot, wrapping depot, toy creation station, Polar Wolf Walk, Great Clock Tower holiday snow show, nightly story time, Rowdy the Reindeer and a Polar Bear Race inside the 84-degree indoor water park. December 1 – 25.

Christmas parades on land and water – Bring the entire family to the Parade of Lights in Historic Downtown Grapevine December 6 at 7 p.m. The largest lighted Christmas parade in North Texas, this Grapevine tradition features more than 100 lighted floats and marching bands. Look for Santa Claus on the last float! Free. And if you’re looking for a different sort of Christmas parade to float your boat, make your way to Lake Grapevine. The Twinkle Light Boat Parade is one of the most unique Christmas parades you will ever see. See watercrafts decorated in all of the finest sparkling lights to celebrate the season. This floating festival begins at Twin Coves Marina and picks up entries at each marina, Scott’s Landing and Silver Lake. The parade is visible from the shores of Lake Grapevine. December 1, 6-9 p.m. Free.

Sparkling Nights and Twinkling Lights – Twinkling lights abound at the Light Show Spectacular in the heart of Historic Downtown Grapevine. This brilliantly-colored show runs continuously from 6 p.m. – 11 p.m. nightly starting November 20. Sing along with the city’s Christmas tree, enjoy the lights and see the joy on the faces of everyone in the family as you watch this show at the Town Square Gazebo. Free.

Musicals, Movies and Magical Moments at the Palace Theatre – From country to classic Christmas, Grapevine is the place to be for all your holiday entertainment. Set in the beautiful setting of the restored Palace Theatre in Historic Downtown Grapevine, you’ll delight at all of the spectacular Christmas music and movie offerings.

• Texas Tenors –December 13, 14, 16, 20, 21 and 22 at 7:30 p.m.


• An Elvis Kind of Christmas with Kraig Parker –December 2 at 4 p.m.


• Classic Christmas Movies – See such classic Christmas movies for $5 - Die Hard, Christmas Vacation, White Christmas, A Christmas Story, It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, A Charlie Brown Christmas/How the Grinch Stole Christmas
• 
  
• Grapevine Opry – Several Christmas shows

Fort Worth Zoo

Have  a free Saturday or Sunday coming up this fall?  We have a great idea for you!  We are blessed to have 2 fantastic zoos in our area.  Just a short drive away, the Fort Worth Zoo has so many activities going on this fall, it's a fantastic place to spend the day with the family!

The Ft. Worth Zoo is the oldest zoo in Texas, opening in 1909 with less than 10 animals.  Since then, it has grown into a nationally-ranking zoo with over 7,000 native and exotic animals.  Currently, the Ft. Worth Zoo has 12 permanent exhibit areas (The World of Primates, Meerkat Mounds and Texas Wild! being some of our favorites).

What we love best about the Fort Worth Zoo is the all the trees.  Located South of downtown Fort Worth, there are tons of pathways that are shaded and cool, making this a great place to go anytime of the year.

This fall, the Fort Worth Zoo has added a few new additions.  Be sure to meet Asha, a baby rhino who was born in August.  This was the first rhino birth at the Fort Worth Zoo and the first in Texas!  Also, make sure you meet Tatu, the Zoo's 6-foot tall baby giraffe, born in July.

There are a ton of hands on activities for all ages too.  Every half-hour a "Creature Feature" is scheduled at the zoo, providing you with the opportunity to meet these animals up close.  Click here for details. The Texas Wild! Petting Corral, the Tasmanian Tower rock climbing wall, and the Texas Rose Express Train are a few other fun activities to try.

The Museum of Living Art (MOLA) opened in 2010 and was a fantastic exhibit for my 9 year old son who is obsessed with reptiles.  The MOLA houses more than 100 amphibian and reptile species, including North America's largest saltwater crocodile, a 15.5 foot Burmese python, and a Komodo Dragon.  You can get up close and personal with many of them - we particularly enjoyed having lunch and watching the turtles and crocodiles swim right by us in their natural "ocean".

Another favorite Exhibit of ours at the Fort Worth Zoo is Texas Wild! Texas is home to more species of animals than any other state in the nation!!  And the Texas Wild! exhibit houses most of these, providing visitors a glimpse into every area of Texas - the dusty desert of West Texas to the piney woods and swamps of East Texas.  You can see the WHOLE state in one exhibit - foliage and animals included.

Know Before You Go:

Location: 1989 Colonial Parkway Ft. Worth, TX

Hours: Hours vary depending on season, typically it is 10 am -5 pm daily (check here to be sure!)

Admission: Adults $12.00 Children (3-12) $9.00 Toddlers (2 & under) Free ** Wednesdays are half-priced!

Parking: $5.00 per vehicle

Recommended Time: 4-6 hours

Good to know: Weekends tend to be busier; many educational programs with school children are in the weekday mornings, so afternoons tend to be quieter; strollers are fine (available to rent); ice chests are discouraged, but we brought in our own lunch

Website:http://www.fortworthzoo.org

Grapevine Vintage Train

A true treasure lies in the heart of Grapevine, Texas.  The Grapevine Vintage Railroad takes passengers back in time each weekend. Everyone loves a gentle ride on a vintage train - from the little boys who are slightly obsessed with trains, to the Daddy's and Grandpas who love them too!

The Grapevine Vintage Railroad has 2 historic locomotives, Puffy (a 1896 steam engine) and Vinny (a 1953 diesel engine) and 6 beautifully restored Victorian coaches.  During the summer, the GVRR offers the Trinity River Run on Fridays, along with their regular Saturday & Sunday runs to the Fort Worth Stockyards.  The Friday trips are only one hour long, perfectly timed for those little ones.  During the rest of the year, you can enjoy a longer day ride - a perfect way to spend a fall day!

Seating was first come, so get there early to get sets together - especially if you are with a big party.  After the train leaves the station, the conductor comes around to punch your ticket.  I loved that they will stop to take pictures and visit with your little ones.

The beginning of the ride is through Grapevine.  We found it charming that folks were so friendly.  At every crossing everyone in their cars waved at the adorable little hands waving at them. Honestly, how could you not wave at these kiddos having a ball?

You have two options on most rides - The open air coaches, one of which includes a snack bar that features popcorn, candy, and bottled drinks.  Or you can choose to sit in the air conditioned coach.  This one is much cooler, but you loose the sounds and smells of the train ride (maybe you want that?).

The hour long ride was perfect for my crew - we enjoyed a quick ride though what looks to be country, as the majority of the ride is through tree-hidden neighborhoods and suburbs.  I just assumed we would be looking at roads, stores, and homes the whole ride. Not so. And that added to the charm.

But my favorite part of the ride?  This sight - my guy, even though he is 10, is still fascinated with the train.

The Grapevine Vintage Railroad offers fun all year round.  Each month, fun events are planned from the Halloween Scream Train in October to the North Pole Express around the Holidays to Easter Bunny Fun Run in April.  And I even hear that Thomas the Tank Engine visits each April too.  During the summer, the weekend runs are filled with a Train Robbery!  All of these events are extremely family friendly and very affordable.

Texas Travel Facts for Grapevine Vintage Railroad:

Location: Grapevine Mills, 3000 Grapevine Mills Parkway, Grapevine, TX 76051

Days: September - November / February-May (Saturday & Sunday only)

             June-August - (friday, Saturday & Sunday)

Admission:
Round Trip Prices : Adults (13 & up): $28(first class) $20 (touring class)

Children (4-12): $18.00 (first class) $10 (touring class)

Recommended Time: 4.5-6 hours

Good to know: Prices & times above based on all day trip down to the Ft. Worth Stockyards; Expect 1 1/2 hours each way with a 1 1/2 hour layover; Snack bar is available

Website: https://www.grapevinetexasusa.com/ThingsToDo/GrapevineVintageRailroad/tabid/267/Default.aspx