Feeling like a dunce...what would you show a guest to your city (DFW area)

[Halftime Hope]

Our almost 14 yo exchange student arrived on Monday. She is cute and smart and spends way too much time on the internet when there is nothing else to do...probably the way she spends time at home. Her family told me they don't do crafts, live in an apt so no yard or gardening; music is her big deal. I'm thinking of seeing if she can continue to take voice with a local teacher.

 

Anyhow....I've lived here so long we've seen and done everything many times. What would you show a visitor to DFW? (Spain has lots of waterparks and Six Flags is too hot; I'm thinking "real" Texas, not amusement/entertainment, although we may go to the FW zoo.

 

TIA for suggestions (free or inexpensive would be good as well.)

[Aggie]

Have you been to the Kimball Art Museum? It's under some kind of construction, so call ahead.

 

The Will Rogers Coliseum hostsa variety of equestrian events. Check their website.

 

Dallas has a Heritage Museum downtown (outside, also) that has a ton of Texas history.

 

The Mesquite Rodeo is on Fri and Sat nights! :) And there are several rodeos in smaller towns all around north Texas this time of year.

 

She might enjoy the Science Museum in Fair Park. Our 13yo dd had a great time there. I think there's also a natural history museum there.

 

This is a small exhibit, but worth it, imo. We went from here to the Log Cabin Village in FT Worth.

http://www.uta.edu/events/main.php?view=event&eventid=1241645594866

 

What about Glen Rose? It's a nice day trip...take swimming gear!

 

I'll see if I can dig up some more to do around here. I've often told people that Dallas is a great place to live, but don't go there on vacation. :)

[KidsHappen]

The Book Depository. Not fun or exciting but definitely a learning experience that really helps you visualize the events and remember them so much better than reading a book and only available in DFW.

 

Also in the dead of the summer, you want to do as much as possible indoors. The aquarium is good and there is a good children's museum. The Kimball as someone else mentioned. The FW zoo is really good and would be great if you can plan it on a cloudy, overcast, somewhat cooler day. Later in the evening would be better if at all possible. Also the Dallas Shakespeare in the Park is one of the best in the nation and is a great experience especially if you can go on a somewhat cooler day. The Botanical gardens are supposed to be good but I have never been there. There is a good water park in Arlington if you want a refreshing water day. That's about all I can think of right now.

[Happy]

The Stockyards!!!!!!!!!! Get there for the cattle drive each morning. Poke around in the shops (buy a hat or turquoise earrings), visit the museum there, have fajitas or barbeque at a restaurant. Go to the rodeo that night!

 

The Stockyards are in Ft. Worth 1-35W to the 28th street exit. Go west until you reach Main, then turn south toward Exchange street.

 

The Botanic gardens are free, except for the Japanese garden. They host Concerts in the Gardens on weekends.

 

Bass Hall OR a local community theater.

 

Grapevine downtown has a wonderful selection of shops to browse.

 

One more thought, just because her family doesn't do crafts and stuff, doesn't mean she can't do them at YOUR house. Have some fun.

[HeatherLynn]

The Stockyards!!!!!!!!!! Get there for the cattle drive each morning. Poke around in the shops (buy a hat or turquoise earrings), visit the museum there, have fajitas or barbeque at a restaurant. Go to the rodeo that night!

 

The Stockyards are in Ft. Worth 1-35W to the 28th street exit. Go west until you reach Main, then turn south toward Exchange street.

 

The Botanic gardens are free, except for the Japanese garden. They host Concerts in the Gardens on weekends.

 

Bass Hall OR a local community theater.

 

Grapevine downtown has a wonderful selection of shops to browse.

 

One more thought, just because her family doesn't do crafts and stuff, doesn't mean she can't do them at YOUR house. Have some fun.

 

 

YES! This!

[Riverfront Headmistress]

I've never been to TX but I have hosted 4 students. All of my students have loved going to the beach, the grocery store (yes, I know....), botanical gardens, etc. In addition I try to take them to D.C. because it is only a 4 hour drive from my home. Restaurants are another big thing - they love American dining and "doggie bags".

[Chris in VA]

How about Las Colinas? Do they still have the watertaxi rides and can you still tour the movie studio? We took preschoolers there when I lived in Dallas--been about 10 years, tho.

[Ferdie]

We take our out of town guests to the Bureau of Engraving:

 

http://www.bep.treas.gov/locations/index.cfm/3

 

This one of the two location where they print US currency. They have a free tour and some hands on exhibits. Fun, informative and air conditioned.

[mcconnellboys]

How far is Austin? I'd take her for the music scene there, or to various musical things that might be going on in DFW over the summer. I know Corpus Christi is far, but they used to have tons of summer festivals that featured classical guitarists who were absolutely terrific. Surely DFW has some of those, too?

[LizzyBee]

The horse sculpture in Las Colinas, the stockyards in Ft Worth. There is a good science museum that my sister took us to - I think it was in Ft Worth. And if you still have The Magic Time Machine, take her there - I loved it!

[Halftime Hope]

I appreciate the ideas and would love more.

 

We haven't been to the bureau of engraving, and it's on our list. I had forgotten that, but dh wants to go, too, so we'll have to see...

 

Hadn't thought about the Mesquite rodeo.

 

We definitely want to go to tube the Comal (previous thread) and eat at The Gristmill. (Yumm, chicken fried steak as big as a frisbee!!)

 

One of the earlier posters mentioned doing crafts anyway...I'm right there with ya'! We went to WallyWorld and got fleece today (in the summer!!) so she can make a tied blanket for use on the airplane home. (She nearly froze on the way over here.) I have some other similar things planned, and we're doing yard work--a bit each day--and planting flowers.

 

She is so funny: today in WM she bought American flag/US map t-shirts for a friend who wanted one and for her little sister. ($3 each!) I was looking at little flags for the lawn, and she said with a twinkle in her eye, "If I come back to Spain with an American flag, they'll throw rocks at me; that's why I bought a t-shirt for my sister." :lol:

 

Thanks for the ideas, and I hope you keep them coming!

[elfinbaby]

I lived in DFW for almost 10 yrs. and am now in Austin. If you can make it happen, definitely come down to Austin! Austin is unlike any other city in TX and there is ALWAYS something going on - seriously. It's beautiful here, too.

 

That said, I would definitely do the Book Depository (it's history!), the Kimball, FW Zoo, FW Science Museum, Dallas and/or FW Shakespeare and the Stockyards. Oh! Dallas World Aquarium is good, too, but pricey. Check on museums in Dallas - I've never been overly impressed but we did see King Tut back in January so you never know.

 

I also have some favorite restaurants. Kuby's in Snider Plaza across from SMU - go for breakfast and order German pancakes (not on Sunday though). It's a very small family run restaurant. I also love Breadwinners. There's a location near the Inwood Theatre. The Inwood itself is historical and, while you may not get the state of the art movie experience, they show art films and it's just a neat place.

 

It seems like there should be more... But I'm not a huge fan of DFW. I'm much better suited to Austin:)

[jensway]

These would be my top places to recommend: Ft. Worth Zoo (on a cool day), Dallas Aquarium, Science Museum at Fair Park, the new Dallas Cowboys stadium in Arlington, a Texas Rangers baseball game, Mesquite rodeo, reunion tower--expensive so eat lunch before going and eat a dessert while revolving.

 

For fun how about a night at Main Event, they have specials during the week.

[Sebastian (a lady)]

I was an exchange student in Europe many years ago. My host mom made sure that I saw some great stuff (actually I'm amazed at all the places she sent us off to), but I also remember fondly the days spent at the pool with other young people from our town, trips to go shopping (either at department stores for stuff for me or just the various food stores), cooking German food, even riding around on the tractor with my host brother and helping to feed the cows (especially the look on host mom's face when I came into the barn in my western riding boots - she really hadn't believed that I was anything but a city kid, even though we lived on the edge of the countryside and had a horse and a steer).

 

So take her to the cool touristy places, but don't neglect the normal parts of life. Take her to the grocery store and anywhere else you can think of. The post office, riding a bus, riding a DART train. Go ahead and let her learn a craft from you if you have some you're good at. It might be something she remembers fondly as learning from you even years later.

 

What about local choirs or barber shop quartets or local music?

 

What about tubing down the Brazos or a big high school or college football game? I'd say that gardening would be a great thing if that is something your family does (I picked cucumbers from my host mom's patch that she sold for pickling. I don't like picking cucumbers but it is an incredibly vivid memory of their farm.) Even things like cookies and cakes are rather different (for example, in Germany cookies tend to be crisper and baked on parchment paper, while cakes tend toward pound cake style without fluffy frosting. Both chocolate chip cookies and brownies were very popular with our friends in Germany.)

 

I would also take her to Half Priced Books a couple times. Books in Europe are expensive, especially imports like books in English. She might want to stock up on English versions of books she has enjoyed in translation. Or to go through the CD racks.

 

Exchange students aren't looking for what is just like home. They are looking for things that are both reassuringly similar and refreshingly unique. Some memories are made visiting cultural highlights. Other memories are from the family dinner table.

 

Oh, you might think about a trip down somewhere with a significant Spanish tie like San Antonio. She might find it amusing to see the blending of cultures.

[Melinda TX]

Someone mentioned the Texas Rangers for a baseball game - we actually prefer the Frisco Roughriders. Very family atmosphere park, a lot less expensive than the Rangers. I think the Roughriders occasionally win, as well.:D

Hawaiian Falls is a nice waterpark in addition to Hurricane Harbor in Arlington.

 

Bass Hall in Fort Worth is beautiful, even just to tour. And if you are in that area, there is a western art museum within walking distance in Sundance Square. The museum is free, other than parking.