Written by: Chastity Beene, A Cowboy’s Life @cowboyslifeblog
A weekend getaway in Plano, Texas is filled with museums, outdoor adventures and lots of great food. It’s a wonderful getaway with plenty of things to see, eat and do around town. Check out this list of everything to do and eat in Plano, Texas!
For those not familiar, Plano is a suburb north of Dallas and only a 45 minutes drive from downtown Fort Worth.
Plano has it all! Everything from shopping, amazing food, hiking, outdoor adventures, artwork throughout the city and fun activities for kids. It’s the perfect destination for a day trip or weekend getaway with the family.
I’ve partnered with Visit Plano to bring you a list of all the fun things to do, see and eat in the city.
A WEEKEND GETAWAY IN PLANO, TEXAS
Here are my favorite activities on how to spend a weekend getaway in Plano, Texas with the family! Be sure to check out my Instagram Stories for more videos and photos of our time in Plano.
WHERE TO STAY
We stayed at the HILTON GRANITE PARK and it was the perfect place to relax after a day of exploring the city. It’s also within walking distance to Granite Park boardwalk that offers seven restaurants. They have a beautiful pool that my son enjoyed after our hiking adventures.
WHAT TO EAT
Oh my goodness! Plano has so many amazing restaurants, it was hard for us to choose where to eat because we wanted to try them all. Here are a few favorites that we enjoyed while in town.
Legacy Food Hall – This 3 story food court has over 20 specialty restaurants and bars. This is a great option when your family can’t decide where to eat. We chose Dock Local and it did not disappoint. I highly recommend the lobster Mac and cheese.
Legacy Food Hall is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They have a huge courtyard with picnic tables and stage. On weekends they have live music in the courtyard. I recommend purchasing tickets for the live music in order to reserve a table. It can get busy and seating is limited.
Urban Crust – Located in the adorable downtown Plano, this 3 story pizza restaurant is a must try. This wood-fired pizzeria has everything from specialty pizza to basic kid friendly choices that the entire family will enjoy. We started off with the fried calamari and went with a meat lover pizza. My son is already asking when we go back to his new favorite pizza restaurant.
Chips Old Fashioned Hamburger – Located at the Boardwalk at Granite Park, I recommend eating on the patio with views of the waterfront for a laid back lunch. They have a huge selection of burgers and salads. My son went with a bison burger and I had the fajita salad. The food is delicious and the restaurant has a great atmosphere.
WOW! Donuts & Drips – This is the ultimate donut store, known for it’s cronuts and specialty donuts. This is not the place to worry about calorie count. Our favorites are the maple bacon donut, Oreo donut and croissant pig-in-a-blanket. Then top it off with a coffee or not chocolate. It’s definitely a place to go big or go home.
Original Pancake House – A great place for breakfast or brunch! This is a causal restaurant and a great place for breakfast with kids. The pancakes are fluffy and great spot to start the morning.
The Biscuit Bar – Another great restaurant located at the Boardwalk at Granite Park. They serve breakfast all day and obviously they are know for their biscuits. You can get all your favorite served on biscuits. The B-Bar Burger is one of our favorites and don’t forget to order a side of tater tots!
SWEET TREATS
Plano has numerous places to get dessert for those with a sweet tooth. Here are our favorite recommendations:
Mallow Box at Legacy West
Armorino
The Gelato Cone
Ha Paleteria
ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS
Plano has a lot of activities to keep kids engaged and entertained. Here a few places you’ll want to visit.
One of things that I really enjoy about Plano is that it’s a big city, but also has amazing parks to hike and explore.
Crayola Experience Plano – This was our first time to the Crayola Experience Plano and it did not disappoint. You want to make sure to plan for at least 2 hours so you have time for each exhibit.
Once you enter the park, each guest receives a goody bag filled with a box of crayons, two tokes and coupon for a free prize. The tokens can be used for creating a costume crayon label.
While most exhibits such as creating your own coloring page, wax mold, spin art, chalk art, movie, etc are included in admission, there are a few exhibits that cost extra.
Those include a wax mold of your hand, arcade games, mining gems and souvenirs.
Arbor Hills Nature Preserve – This park is a great place to lace up your tennis shoes and get outside to explore. Arbor Hills covers 200 acres and has several hiking and mountain biking trails. I recommend hiking up to the observation tower for gorgeous views of the nature preserve.
Southfork Ranch Trail Rides – Located on the famed Southfork Ranch where the TV show DALLAS was filmed. The hour trail ride includes a quick briefing of riding safety and then a ride around the gorgeous 300 acre ranch.
Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve – Plano’s largest park that spans over 800 acres with 8 miles of paved trails and 5 miles of dirt trails. This is a great place to bring your bike and explore the entire nature preserve. Our favorite trails to ride is around the lake and on the board. The lake trail does not offer much shade, but the boardwalk and trails around that area are heavily shaded.
Mural Photos – Plano has a large number of really fun and beautifully designed murals spread out all over the city. Taking photos and enjoying the creative artwork is a fun and free activity everyone in the family will enjoy.
