Best Spots For A Picnic In DFW
Big city eating should never be limited to the four walls of a restaurant. Picnicking in Dallas enhances the flavor of any meal that can be packed into a basket. With everything from airplanes to lake shores to flowers and skyscrapers, these Dallas Fort Worth picnics come with a style all their own.
Dallas Arboretum
8525 Garland Rd.
Dallas, Texas 75218
(214) 515-6500
www.dallasarboretum.org
Price: $15 for each adult/$12 for senior citizens 65 and older/$9 for children 3 to 12/$10 per car parking/free members children 3 and younger
The arboretum opens its doors to anyone seeking to eat alfresco amongst the blooms throughout the year. Numerous gardens allow for new scenery and a fresh visual experience each time, including the sweet smell of 2,000 azaleas and the regal feel of the gazebo near the Boswell Family Garden. Don't forget to take a few minutes to contemplate while chewing near the reflecting pool of A Woman's Garden. For a special treat plan a picnic around one of the concerts at the arboretum and listen from the grass while you snack.
Farmers Branch Historical Park
2540 Farmers Branch Ln.
Farmers Branch, TX 75234
(972) 406-0184
www.ci.farmers-branch.tx.us/
Price: free/donations welcome
For a change of pace pack a picnic from the past. At the Farmers Branch Historical Park, dining scenery can include the lawn of the Gilbert House from 1856, 1885 Queen Anne Victorian Cottage, 1900s schoolhouse and even a group of log cabins. The rose garden will add a special elegant hint to the air while lovers, families or friends snack under the same skies that illuminated Farmers Branch long ago.
Lynn Creek Park
5700 Lake Ridge Pkwy.
Grand Prairie, TX
(817) 467-2104
www.grandfungp.org/
Price: $10 per car up to six people/free for Grand Prairie residents
Dozens of picnic tables adorn the shore of Lynn Creek Park at Joe Pool Lake. While munching on cool and juicy summer favorites, wave at the boaters, water skiers and jet skiers as they bring the waves and the breezes your way. Tender waves splashing nearby provide an audile ambience that is both soothing and invigorating.
Founders Plaza Observation Area (DFW Airport)
Texan Trail and N. Airfield Dr.
Grapevine, TX 76051
(248) 246-3725
www.dfwairport.com/
Price: free
At the north end of the DFW airport lies a picnic spot with a unique twist for those who enjoy some excitement with their checkered blanket. At Founders Plaza Observation Area, picnickers may watch planes take off and land, and listen to the air traffic controllers direct and guide pilots, all while enjoying the open air. Families with young children who can handle the noise fare well at this picnic area with it's exciting takeoffs flying overhead.
Related: Scenic Drives Within 60 Miles of DFW
White Rock Lake
8300 E. Lawther Dr.
Dallas, TX 75214
(214) 670-8740
www.whiterockdallas.org
Price: free
White Rock Lake facilities were built with picnics in mind. Stone tables and comfy nooks in the shade of pecan and cottonwood trees keep the summer sun at bay. With a nearby playground, kids can run off their energy and those yummy picnic meals as parents enjoy the sparkling waters of the lake, the slew of the runners passing by, and one of Dallas' most popular and refreshing lakes.
Main Street Garden
1902 Main St.
Dallas, TX 75201
www.mainstreetgarden.org
Price: free
Downtown Dallas may be an unconventional choice for a picnic, but Main Street Garden might change that. Its water fountains, enviably green lawn, digital art, and play and tot lot compliment the cityscape surrounding the garden. Tall buildings line the area providing texture to the view. Perfect for a picnic lunch date on a workday, the fresh air will rejuvenate and prepare its patrons to return to their day.
Related: Best Parks in Dallas
Kena Sosa is a freelance writer in Dallas. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.
