Audubon Nature Center
Day 1 You'll See:
Day 2 You'll See:
This is the perfect 2-day itinerary for your senior student group, a quick and easy tour of all the most fun Dallas attractions. Tour Highland Park's upscale shopping center, check out the local House of Blues, and spend an evening flying high in Dallas' Zero Gravity Amusement Park!
1
Highland Park Village - Welcome to Dallas, and welcome to Highland Park Village, the upscale shopping plaza in the southwest corner of Mockingbird Lane and Preston Road in Dallas that serves as one of the most visited shopping areas in the city. Highland Park Village is considered to be the ‘first self-contained shopping center in America’, first built in 1931. HP Village, the prototype for shopping centers all over the country, holds a unique Mediterranean-Spanish style, one admired by shoppers and architecture lovers alike. Inside you can spend your time doing some seriously high-quality shopping, with options such as concierges and personal shoppers there for your leisure, or you can save your pocketbook some trouble and window shop. The stores here are mostly designers, with options such as Fendi, Jimmy Choo, Ralph Lauren, Tom Ford, and CHANEL. You can shop eyewear, entertainment, beauty, fitness, floral, fine jewelry, fashion, or even whole foods! There are several onsite eateries here as well to grab a bite before your next stop.
Fair Park - Of course, you’ve heard the term ‘everything is bigger in Texas’, as a matter of fact, you’ve probably heard it about one hundred times just during this trip. Well, this stop is literally the perfect embodiment of that phrase, the Texas Fair Park being the breathtakingly massive spot that hosts the biggest state fair in the country each year! This 277-acre recreation and education complex sits just southeast of Downtown Dallas, not only a true city landmark but also an official National Historic Landmark. This is the most visited attraction in Texas, with over 5.3 million guests passing through annually. This place is huge, and by huge we mean it holds five museums, ten performance halls and sporting venues, and a 700-foot long reflecting pool and Esplanade. While here at the cultural and entertainment mecca you can visit Music Hall, Gexa, Texas Discovery Gardens, Cotton Bowl Historic Stadium, and so much more!
Geo-Deck at Reunion Tower - Go from the most visited attraction in Texas to the most popular attraction in Dallas, Reunion Tower. This iconic observation deck features regular light shows, breathtaking 360-degree city views, two different onsite restaurants, and even a gift shop. This is both an entertainment and education stop, teaching you much about this tower and community while keeping you highly interested the entire time. Groups typically spend about two hours here, between enjoying the views, learning new information, and relaxing in the onsite cafes. Once inside you will take an elevator up 470 feet to the observation decks, the site giving you the absolute best panoramic views of the city, high definition zoom cameras, interactive touchscreens, telescopes, and even outdoor viewing opportunities. You will be able to see miles in any direction here, day or night. It will be very easy to see why both locals and tourists consider this spot to be a Dallas Must-See!
House of Blues Dallas - To truly experience the sights, sounds, and soul of Dallas, you’ll have to make a stop at the House of Blues. The House of Blues, Dallas, is a popular rock and blues-themed chain with celebrated southern cuisines such as fresh jambalaya and po boys. You will find regular concerts and constant delicious dishes here on North Lamar Street in Dallas, this particular House of Blues always pumping with live music and lively guests. Find out exactly how this nationally recognized music brand has ‘educated and celebrated the history of southern culture and African American artistic contributions to music and art’ since the very beginning during your visit. The food will definitely not disappoint during your visit, either, the House of Blues serving up an amazing mix of American and International dishes regularly. St. Louis style ribs, shrimp and grits, or sweet southern deserts, they are all really delicious!!
2
Audubon Center Trinity River - To fully experience a new place, or an old place, any place really, it is said that you need to spend a few hours immersing yourself into the natural elements of that place. You need to go out into a park or nature reserve and see what the natural setting is made up of, explore the flora and fauna, observe new creatures and plants you have never seen before. This is exactly why we have included the Trinity River Audubon Center, one of the most natural and most outstandingly beautiful areas in all of Dallas (though technically it is 10 miles south of Dallas). This nature center serves as a gateway to the Great Trinity Forest, a 6,000-acre forest that holds diverse ecosystems, wildlife, and interactive activities for guests. You can hike here, bike, take a kayaking tour, bird watch, picnic, or just relax and take it all in. There is the actual Audubon Center, a 120-acre green building that holds all the information you may need during your visit, including several student and teacher resources and activities!
Zero Gravity Amusement Park - If you want extreme fun in Dallas, then you want the Zero Gravity Amusement Park, the ‘#1 home of big thrills in North Texas’. Zero Gravity Thrill Amusement Park is an ‘extreme ride amusement center’ featuring bungee jumping, free falling, and other high thrills we know your students are going to absolutely love. This park is located along Malibu Drive in northwest Dallas, open most days 4 pm - 10 pm, the weekend hours being 12 pm to 12 am typically all year long. This spot was actually voted one of the top things to do in Dallas by several travel publications and is considered to be one of Texas’ only original theme parks (founded in 1992). While here try the Bungee Jump 7-story drop first, or maybe head to the Skycoaster and feel what it’s like to glide 100ft off the ground. Nothin' But Net is a terrifying (for some) 16-foot free fall, and last but not least there is the Skyscraper, a 4G thrill experience you won’t soon forget!