10 Things to do in Dallas at Christmas

Christmas is usually a magical time full of traditions. Every country and every city has its own customs. If you travel to Dallas, a great city in Texas, you will have the opportunity to get to know all the typical activities of the locals.

Children usually enjoy a lot the Christmas activities and attractions. So this time of the year can be a good plan to travel with your family. Explore the city, the most popular sites and celebrate the arrival of the new year in Dallas.

Christmas lights are one of the most eye-catching things to see in any city during the Christmas season. Dallas is no exception, as in and around the city you can choose different destinations to appreciate this Christmas decoration. If you want to have a better memory of your visit to North Texas, I recommend you to book a professional photo session next to the lights and other Christmas decorations.

One of the places you can visit is the historic center of Grapevine. In addition to its decorations, you can find multiple activities for the whole family to enjoy. This is an ideal place if you want to take pictures because you will find Christmas trees and benches to sit on while sipping a hot chocolate.

If you don't feel like walking and prefer to drive your car, I recommend you to go to the Prairie Lights. Without getting out of your vehicle you can pass under more than 5 million Christmas lights. You will feel like you are traveling in a tunnel to another dimension. Please note that you must purchase a ticket to enter.

You can also visit Enchant Christmas at The Esplanade in Fair Park. This outdoor light alternative offers a giant maze of Christmas lights. You can also enjoy a family-friendly market of crafts, food and beverages. Please note that you must get tickets for this light show in advance.

The Dallas Botanical Garden is one of the places you must visit when you pass through this city. At Christmas time, taking a tour of the botanical garden is one of the best plans since every year you can enjoy a Christmas exhibition. When you enter you will feel like you are in a magical Christmas village.

The Dallas Botanical Garden or Arboretum has 22 hectares of extension and 11 gardens. During November and December you can enjoy millions of Christmas lights, hundreds of decorated trees, a European-style village and themed kiosks.

In the Christmas Village, located in the garden area called Pecan Grove, you'll find a pyramid of lights that twinkle to the rhythm of the music. Around the village you will see 20 quaint little houses that you can go inside to take some pictures. The houses have different themes such as Santa's house, a toy store, a bookstore, among others.

You can also buy food and hot drinks. Children can talk to Santa and enjoy shows that vary from year to year. Schedules may vary but usually at this time you can visit the park even during the night.

Details of interest

• Price: the cost of admission per person averages €15 during the day or €20 at night.
• When to go: normally the Christmas attractions are available from the second week of November until December 31.
• Hours: from 10 am to 8 pm. Hours may vary.
• Location: 8525 Garland Road, Dallas, Texas 75218.

One of Dallas' most beloved Christmas traditions is visiting the North Park Train Show. This activity has brought families of locals and tourists together year after year. When you go you will find a display of picturesque trains that span about 400 meters.

Visiting this great train show is one of the things you can do with kids in Dallas. They are the main audience, as many tend to be fans of this type of vehicle. In addition, they will be able to watch as the little trains make a tour of different sceneries of the United States.

Among the decorations are the fall weather on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. You can also see New York City, Washington DC, Dallas and even the desert southwest. In this part you can see the Grand Canyon.

For this activity you don't need to book a ticket, you just need to buy it on the North Park Trains website. You can go any day of the week and with no time limit. Its average cost is about 10 € for adults and tickets for the youngest of the house have a cost of approximately 5 €.

Details of interest

• Price: between 10 € and 5 €.
• When to go: you can go from mid-November to early January.
• Hours: from 10 am to 6 pm.
• Location: NorthPark Center, 8687 N. Central Expressway, Dallas

Zoos are usually an interesting place to visit no matter what time of year. However, during the Christmas season the Dallas Zoo is filled with beautiful Christmas lights and decorations that you can't miss. I recommend going after dark so you can appreciate all the decorations.

As you stroll through the zoo you will see beautiful illuminated sculptures of giant animals. You will also be able to walk through fully illuminated paths and have an immersive experience. In some areas there are even screens that project different videos that will make you feel in a fairy tale.

It is worth mentioning that this visit must be done in a vehicle, since it is a road specially made to celebrate these dates. The tour lasts about half an hour and to enjoy it you must buy a ticket for about 20 €.

Another recommendation I can give you is to buy your tickets in advance. This is usually a traditional activity for many families, so it can be very crowded. I also recommend that you check which days the zoo is open, as this can change. Tour hours are from 6pm to 9:30pm.

Details of interest

• Price: around 20 €.
• When to go: you can go from mid-November to the end of December.
• Hours: from 6 pm to 9:30 pm.
• Location: Dallas Zoo, 650 S. R. L. Thornton Freeway, Dallas.

Another of Dallas' most beloved traditions in December is the Christmas parade. Held on the first Saturday of December, it is one of the largest outdoor events in the city. You will see hundreds of people celebrating in costume with balloons, floats and marching bands.

The Christmas parade usually starts at the corner of Commerce and Houston Streets at 8:00 am. This event is totally free if you want to watch it from the streets. However, if you want to watch it from comfortable seats in bleachers located in various areas of the city, I recommend buying your ticket in advance.

This parade usually takes place on the first of December or the first Saturday of this month. The parade also passes through Commerce Street, passes in front of the Adolphus Hotel and continues until it reaches Harwood Street. The entire route culminates at Young Street. This event is televised on the same day and is usually repeated on December 25.

Details of interest

• Price: free event. The price of tickets to the stands can be from 10 € and up.
• When to go: first of December or the first Saturday of this month.
• Hours: from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
• Location: Downtown Dallas.

It's hard for you not to know the story of The Polar Express, that famous children's story where children travel by train to the North Pole. If you want to live that experience or at least simulate it, a ride aboard The Polar Express is your best option for Christmas in Dallas.

This themed train departs from the Palestine Depot where the Texas State Railroad is located. On the way you can listen to the soundtrack of the animated movie inspired by this tale. In addition to appreciating the scenery along the way, the chefs on board will serve cookies and hot chocolate.

As the train moves along, you can read the story along with the other passengers. It is a good idea to give the book to the children as a gift right after boarding. This way they can have a magical experience.

Keep in mind that you can buy different types of tickets. First class tickets offer seating for groups of two or four. You will also receive Polar Express mugs as souvenirs, in addition to chocolate and cookies. In the rest of the classes, this gift mug is not included. In economy class there are Pullman style seats where two people can be seated. At the end of the tour passengers will be able to see Santa and his elves.

Details of interest

• Price: from 30 € for adults and 50 € for children.
• When to go: first of December or the first Saturday of this month.
• Hours: from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
• Location: 789 Park Rd 70, Palestine, TX 75801, United States.

A unique display in 20 rooms with extravagant Christmas decorations can be enjoyed at Snowday. Here, the little ones can take unique photos with Santa Claus as a souvenir. These are taken with professional cameras and sent instantly to the phone for posting on social networks. Without a doubt, an experience to show off on your Instagram.

Snowday is an immersive experience created by the BAYMO team and is based in Dallas. When you visit this attraction's facility, you'll see that all the walls and ceilings are filled with Christmas images. It's the ideal place for you to take all the pictures you want.

Please note that the pictures are taken by professionals. These photos are then sent to your cell phone. In addition to the themed decorations, you will find about 20 enchanted rooms that have interactive, immersive and even nostalgic spaces. In one of them you'll run into colorful characters like Santa's helper elves.

You only need an hour to tour the entire site. Tickets have an average price of 25 €. Keep in mind that some days Snowday can be very crowded, so you will have to arrive early.

Details of interest

• Price: around 25 €.
• Hours: from 11 am to 7:30 pm.
• Location: 13350 Dallas Pkwy. Suite #1020. Dallas, TX 75240

The Texas Christkindl Market is a traditional European-style Christmas market. You can take advantage of your vacations to visit it and buy whatever you want. It is open to the public from the end of November until December 23rd.

The entrance to this market is free, you only have to pay for what you consume or the attractions you want to use. Some years the market has a large skating rink, but to use it you must pay an entrance fee of approximately 20 €. All activities are accompanied by Christmas music.

As it is a site inspired by the traditional German Christmas markets, you will find food, drink, crafts and many more things from that country. It can be a relaxed and entertaining visit for the whole family.

Details of interest

• Price: free admission.
• When to go: from the end of November until December 23.
• Hours: from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm.
• Location: North Plaza at Globe Life Field.

New Year's Eve fireworks are a worldwide tradition. When you are in Dallas you can experience this moment in many ways. One of them is to stroll around different clubs and restaurants, or visit downtown Dallas.

One of the most popular options is to go to the Reunion Tower Over the Top event. From this iconic observation deck you can see the most dazzling 360-degree panoramic fireworks display in Texas. The show starts a few minutes before midnight. You can also see them if they are at City Hall Plaza.

However, if you go to Reunion Tower you will also have the opportunity to visit its restaurants and have dinner before the show. You can also visit Sundance Square, located in downtown Fort Worth. This square usually has a midnight countdown, food, drinks and more.

If you don't feel like taking a walking tour of Dallas to see the Christmas decorations, I recommend taking a carriage tour. Highland Park is an exclusive area of Dallas where mansions and spectacular homes are located. During the Christmas season the decorations are beautiful and you can take a carriage ride to admire them.

Throughout this neighborhood there are always millions of Christmas lights installed, not only on the houses, but also on the road. When you get on the carriage you can live an experience out of a fairy tale. The carriage is pulled by docile horses and you can choose different types of these vehicles according to their capacity.

If you are traveling as a couple this can be a romantic December plan. During the trip you can enjoy a hot chocolate. Keep in mind that this tour should be done at night so you can enjoy the lights to the fullest.

The weather in Dallas during December is usually cold, but not too cold. Temperatures range from 7° C to 14°C (45° F to 57° F). On the other hand, the days tend to be shorter so as you walk around the city it will get dark quickly. However, there are Christmas activities that you can enjoy regardless of the time.

For this weather I recommend wearing sweaters that keep you a little warm but not too much. Comfortable and warm shoes, as well as comfortable pants. As rain is common during the last days of the month, it is best to bring an umbrella.

The tourist flow during December in Dallas is usually quite low, especially during the Christmas season. Because of this, it can be an ideal time to stroll around and get to know the city. If you like to know different traditions, this date is ideal for you.

On the other hand, the prices of attractions and even flights are not usually too low. However, they are cheaper than the most frequented months are July and August.