Dallas is known for its big-city attractions, but you won’t have to go far if you’re searching for a place to get outdoors. Located just northeast of the big city, Garland is close enough that you could swing by for lunch, yet far enough away to feel completely different. The Cowboy Hat Capital of Texas has a revitalized Downtown Square with a giant cowboy hat, food trails that cover Vietnamese, Latin, and Tex-Med kitchens, a craft drink scene that's grown beyond beer, and more outdoor space than you can reasonably cover in a weekend. Read on for some of the top things to do in Garland.
Downtown Garland Square has the bones of small-town Texas—brick storefronts, diagonal parking, a walkable grid—but what fills them is anything but sleepy. Boutiques, rare vinyl at Dead Wax, vintage guitars at Jimmy Wallace, Barstool Sports-approved pizza at Fortunate Son, and a cowboy hat sculpture at Main and Fifth that glows after dark. Three themed food trails turn the city's global restaurant scene into a self-guided tour. After sundown, the Square stays busy with Music Made Here, a free first-Friday concert series that runs year-round. And you don't want to miss the live shows and film screenings at the legendary Plaza Theatre, built in 1941 and an ode to art deco.
Garland residents are fortunate enough to live near one of the largest lakes in North Texas, Lake Ray Hubbard. It covers 22,000 acres just east of Garland, making it one of the largest recreational lakes in North Texas and a premiere spot for all your boating, skiing, tubing, and fishing needs.
Speaking of fishing, you’ll have the best luck targeting catfish and white or hybrid bass, although crappie is also abundant in the lake. Before you put the throttle down on your boat, or find a quiet spot along the lake, swing the boat by Garland’s own Bass Pro Shops. The store has all the baits, line, rods and reels, and accessories you need to make it a successful outing. When you’ve caught your limit, head for one of the lake’s parks like Windsurf Bay Park on the western shore, where you can fire up your catch on one of the public grills while the kids play on the playgrounds.
Garland has 63 parks across 2,800 acres—if that sounds like a lot, it is. Spring Creek Forest Preserve is the headliner with 100 acres of oak forest and native prairie, 650-plus species of plants and animals, and one of only two sites in Texas recognized by the national Old-Growth Forest Network. Rowlett Creek Preserve takes a different approach: 97 acres and over 16 miles of unpaved trails built for mountain biking,
Jon Comer Skatepark rounds things out at 46,500 square feet, making it the second-largest skatepark in Texas. It was named for the first professional skateboarder with a prosthetic limb. In fact, Tony Hawk lobbied for the name change, which tells you something about the skatepark's pedigree. Shaded areas, walking trails, and nearby food trucks make it worth a visit even if you haven't touched a board since middle school, or ever.
If you’ve been meaning to get some more arts and culture in your life, Garland is a great place to start. The Granville Arts Center is the heart and soul of arts here, with three theaters and a ballroom under its auspices. Perhaps the most iconic landmark in all of Garland, the 350-seat Plaza Theatre has hosted countless stage productions, concerts, and other special events since opening in the 1940s. Now completely refurbished with state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment and elegant furnishings, it is a fantastic place to see a great show or a free movie downtown.
The Arts Center houses two theatres, the 700 seat Brownlee Auditorium and the 200-seat Small Theatre, so-named for its intimate configuration. Together the theaters serve as home venues for many local performing groups, like the professional Garland Symphony Orchestra, which presents eight concerts in a season. Theatrical groups include Garland Summer Musicals, a theater education-oriented, semi-professional production company; and Garland Civic Theatre, the oldest community theater group in Dallas County. Tickets to productions by all three performing arts groups are available on their respective websites.
Shopping, dining, entertainment...Firewheel Town Center has it all. The Main Street-style, open-air mall offers convenient shopping for many of the top brands in clothing, electronics, health and beauty, and more. You’ll also find a broad spectrum of cuisine here, from juicy burgers and spicy Cajun food to pretzels and ice cream. Looking for ways to entertain everybody in the family? The kids can spend an entire afternoon at Side Quest Arcade while mom catches a movie at the AMC Theatre and Dad heads just up the road to Firewheel Golf Park. The beautiful–and challenging–public course offers 63 holes across three sections of play with varying degrees of difficulty, from the easier Bridges course to the more challenging Lakes and Old Courses.
Garland's drink scene has grown past the point where "breweries" covers it. Lakewood Brewing Co. anchors the beer side with their Temptress Imperial Milk Stout—the #1 rated craft stout in Texas—plus a full kitchen and free weekend tours. Intrinsic Smokehouse and Brewery pairs house-made beer with slow-smoked barbecue, rooftop seating, and live music most weekends. And Lockwood Distilling Co., comfortably at home in Downtown Garland Square, brings its one-of-a-kind take on Texas-made spirits and handcrafted cocktails.
Strike and Reel is 90,000 square feet of pure fun! This state-of-the-art entertainment venue has 22 bowling lanes, a private bowling area, and lane-side food and beverage service. If you’ve ever dreamed of climbing a mountain you can challenge your determination and stamina as you conquer a LED-lit, 24-foot high indoor rock climbing wall. Kids and adults will love the modern take on bumper cars where you can bump and bounce throughout the arena. Eat and drink from the restaurant’s diverse menu that features modern American cuisine. Or recline and dine at the best luxury Dine-In Movie Experience in the area. Oh, and how could we not mention the laser tag and full arcade? Asking what's not possible at Strike + Reel might be easier.
Garland has been producing cowboy hats since the 1930s, when Resistol set up shop and Stetson followed. Millions of hats later, The Big Hat sculpture on Downtown Garland Square makes the legacy impossible to miss. The massive hat glows at night like a true Texas beacon and few can resist the urge to take a photo.
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