Looking for a new and exciting family trip to make memories and enjoy thrilling adventures together? You don’t have to go far from Oklahoma City. Plan a getaway to Frisco, Texas. Just a 3-hour drive down I-35 from OKC, Frisco is the ultimate destination for your next family play-cation. Discover a vibrant North Texas city filled with captivating sports experiences, gorgeous parks, fabulous food and fascinating museums and entertainment. The best part? There’s no need to wrangle the kids onto an airplane. Frisco is 25 minutes north of Dallas, so you can also avoid the traffic of the DFW Metroplex.
Check out this 3-day family itinerary to The City That Plays: Frisco, Texas!
Getting to Frisco
Frisco is almost a straight 3-hour journey south down I-35. When it comes to accommodations, there are plenty of family-friendly hotels in Frisco, including several where your family can make a splash! Omni Frisco Hotel at The Star features an elevated pool that overlooks the outdoor field in front of The Star, the 91-acre campus of the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and practice facility. You’re also steps away from year-round entertainment, including tours of The Star and other can’t-miss fan experiences. If you’re looking to combine your family trip with a golf weekend, check out The Westin Stonebriar Golf Resort & Spa. Sitting on 400 acres of gorgeous North Texas scenery, it offers a getaway right in the heart of all Frisco’s top attractions. This is a hotel that has family entertainment in mind, with the Westin Family Kids Club and a 200-foot lagoon-style pool with a waterslide.
Day 1: Play Together in The City That Plays
Frisco is nicknamed “The City That Plays,” and not just because it’s home to the headquarters, practice facilities and stadiums for teams in several major sports, from the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys to Major League Soccer’s FC Dallas, but also because families who visit find plenty of opportunities to play together. Plus, children of all ages will find engaging activities to get moving and make things memorable.
You’ll need fuel to tackle your first big day in Frisco, so start with a “breaky” at the Aussie Grind, an Australian breakfast and lunch cafe that brings delicious coffee and family-friendly breakfast items to the heart of north Texas. Their “Kiddos” menu features breakfast favorites like hotcakes, fairy bread and more. Plus, they offer a diverse selection of coffees and all-day breakfast so parents can get their fix for a day of adventure.
After your Down Under-style breakfast, head to an attraction that’s guaranteed to keep kids occupied: KidZania. This interactive city allows kids to explore the world of work, earn their own (pretend) money and try more than 100 different careers.
KidZania has everything you’d see in a real-life city, including a fire department, dentist office, hair salon, television studio and an aviation academy. Kids can explore each of these exciting workplaces and feel like real grown-ups as they get “paid” for doing their jobs. Once their workday is through, they can take their hard-earned “kidZos” to the gift shop to purchase fun treats and toys. KidZania has activities for all ages, from toddlers to preteens, so the whole family can find a fun and rewarding experience that will teach them the value of work and keep them smiling for hours.
When you’re ready for lunch, head to nearby Tupelo Honey Southern Kitchen & Bar, just a short drive from KidZania. This welcoming restaurant offers a selection of made-from-scratch Southern specialties. Think fried chicken and waffles, mac-n-cheese, shrimp and grits and country-fried cauliflower. Their kids menu offers choices for even the pickiest eaters and they donate 50 cents from every kid’s meal to local communities through their Kid’s Meal Charity Fund.
For a perfect end to an energetic day in Frisco, take in a Frisco RoughRiders baseball game at Riders Field. The RoughRiders are a Double-A minor league affiliate of the Texas Rangers, which means you may see some future MLB stars. Kids love to enjoy classic ballpark treats like popcorn and peanuts and watch the open-air baseball action and entertaining mascots in this scenic and spacious diamond.
Riders Field also includes one of the most unique stadium experiences in all of sports: a lazy river above the right-field wall where fans can take in the action from the refreshing comfort of the pool. Get ready to belt out “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” as the RoughRiders belt homers out of the park.
Day 2: Museums, Model Trains & More
Start your day with a hearty breakfast at an award-winning restaurant that specializes in the most important meal of the day: Barney’s Brunch House. This lively brunch spot offers favorites like pancakes and eggs Benedict and was named the Best Brunch in DFW by The Dallas Morning News Readers’ Choice Awards. Kids under 12 will love their cute-as-can-be teddy bear pancakes, delicious waffle meals and grilled cheese sandwiches, while the grownups can enjoy a diverse selection of hearty or healthy fare – and maybe a mimosa or two.
Now that you have the lay of the land in Frisco, spend some time at the Museum of the American Railroad, which boasts artifacts and archival material from the railroad industry dating back to the 1930s. Take a walking tour to learn about the train industry from experts who can elaborate on the importance of the industry to the history of the United States. Enjoy wandering the rail yard, which contains some of the oldest trains and some seriously cool technology from throughout history.
Steps away from the Museum of the American Railroad you’ll find a real gem for kiddos: TrainTopia, a mind-blowing miniature world of model trains within a landscape that took over $1 million and 20,000 hours to build. TrainTopia provides an extraordinary miniature tour of the American Southwest that is sure to captivate kids while teaching them about this important part of American industrial history.
Next, head over to the fascinating and fun National Videogame Museum. Learn the enthralling history of the video game industry and encourage your kids’ interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. The National Videogame Museum is the only museum in America dedicated to the history of the video game industry and houses more than 100,000 pieces of hardware, software and memorabilia. Try out the games of yesterday, today and tomorrow at this interactive experience offering great opportunities to play together as a family while enjoying a hands-on journey through history.
By now you’ve probably worked up a hunger, so take a quick 4-minute drive to Babe’s Chicken Dinner House and tuck into fried chicken, chicken fried steak and fried catfish. The kids’ menu features tenders, catfish filets, chicken legs, biscuits and more. And it’s not just the food that’s fun. Out front, you’ll find a 6,100-pound 1920s tractor and 1940 Simms Ford Fire Truck – artifacts that are sure to excite young gearheads and car enthusiasts.
If any members of the family have a sweet tooth, save room for dessert at The Cow Tipping Creamery. This indulgent ice cream experience is located in The Star Entertainment District. Try their incredible spin on traditional sundaes, called “Stackers.” These soft serve concoctions are piled high with toppings and guaranteed to satisfy any sweet tooth. Traditional cups, cones and shakes are also available in a variety of flavors and toppings.
Day 3: Play Together in the Parks
Take a family stroll, snap some precious memories or run around to your heart’s content in Frisco’s gorgeous green spaces. But first, start with a meal at The Nest Cafe, a cute coffee and breakfast spot just a short walk from Frisco Central Park. Enjoy waffles, Benedicts, wraps and pancakes along with specialty coffees and teas. The kids’ menu features pancakes and other kid-friendly breakfasts. You can even add a scoop of ice cream to their pancake stack for the ultimate breakfast treat!
Next, head to Frisco Central Park to admire the pond and running brook or take a family walk along the many trails. Don’t miss Cattle Drive, a public art installation by artist Anita Pauwels that features larger-than-life bronze sculptures depicting the historic cattle drive along the Shawnee Trail.
Then, head to Frisco Commons, named the Metroplex’s Best Family Park. This massive 63-acre greenspace is dedicated to family fun, with pavilions, an amphitheater, splash pads, bike trails and more. Hope Park, located within Frisco Commons, is a playground designed for children of all abilities and inclusive of families with special needs. Hope Park is wheelchair-accessible and offers adaptive playground equipment so every member of the family can enjoy a great day in the park.
Once you’ve enjoyed a pleasant day among Frisco’s greenspaces, head to nearby Didi’s Downtown for a welcoming meal on a beautiful patio. Didi’s describes itself as “family-friendly and Frisco-centric” with a “small-town feel.” Texas specialties and burgers are big on this menu, along with a variety of hearty and healthy mains. Their “Little Didi’s” menu for kids 12 and under features plenty of options for picky eaters: chicken tenders, hamburgers, hot dogs, corn dogs and more – all served with a choice of salad, seasonal veggies, fruit or French fries.
Find Family Fun in Frisco, Texas
Believe it or not, even after three jam-packed days of family fun, you’ve still barely scratched the surface of all the exciting family activities available in The City That Plays. The options in Frisco, Texas are practically endless. With such an easy drive down I-35, you’ll be planning your trip back in no time!