I love being outdoors. So, when I moved back to Dallas, one of my first prerogatives was gaining membership at the Dallas Arboretum. As a resident of Lakewood, it would almost be blasphemous not to become a member!
The Arboretum is essentially a botanical gardens in East Dallas, sitting right on the shores of White Rock Lake. There are seasonal celebrations at the Arboretum (for Spring, Fall, and winter), which allow you to walk around the grounds to enjoy the flora-inspired decor, pack a picnic and relax on the lawns. All of this makes the Arboretum a fun “Dallas” activity to enjoy — especially if you’re entertaining out-of-town guests. As such, in my mind, a (family) membership to the Dallas Arboretum is one of the most worthwhile investments a resident of Dallas can make: for $125 annually, you can get free admission for up to 6 adults and free parking on each visit.
But, what I love most about the Arboretum are Cool Thursday concerts. Every fall and spring, on Thursdays, a different (usually local variety or tribute band) plays on the Arboretum’s Amphitheater lawn, overlooking the White Rock Lake at sunset.
As the sun sets on White Rock Lake, a CCR tribute band plays at Cool Thursday.
The musical acts are consistently excellent – I’ve gone to see everything from variety bands to 80s cover bands to CCR tribute; at each concert I’ve attended, a solid dance crew assembles in front of the stage. Best of all, as any other time you come to the Arboretum, you can pack a picnic (alcohol-permitted!).
The scene at these concerts is great – you’ll find both families with young children as well as single, 20-somethings with their picnic blankets or camping chairs staked out, enjoying some dinner and a glass of wine. It’s a relaxing, fun, and “cool” thing to do on a Thursday night. And certainly an earlier-concluding alternative to how I spent my Thursday nights in college! If you live in Dallas and haven’t checked out Cool Thursdays, do yourself a favor and buy tickets to the next available concert. You won’t regret it.
PS: for all you runners out there, the trail around White Rock Lake is an absolutely beautiful place to run. I’ve leveraged the 9-mile trail for many training runs, and can’t think of a place I enjoy running more.
Right in your own backyard... 