Irving, Texas

1. Mustangs of Las Colinas

Mustangs of Las Colinas is a magnificent sculpture and the centerpiece of William’s Square in the Las Colinas Urban Center. Dallas businessman Ben H. Carpenter converted his family’s ranch into the Las Colinas Center and commissioned African wildlife artist Robert Glen to create a sculpture reflecting the area’s native past.

Dedicated in 1984, the sculpture depicts nine larger-than-life wild mustangs that gallop through a granite stream and attract visitors from around the world. Visit the adjacent museum to learn how the making of the mustangs took eight years and spanned three continents.

5221 North O’Connor Road, Suite 110E, Irving, TX 75039, 972-869-9047

2. Irving Arts Center

Irving Arts Center is the home of arts and culture for the Dallas/Fort Worth area. The 10-acre complex houses two theaters, four galleries, and a sculpture garden, along with multifunctional rooms and event facilities. It also features performances and exhibits by both local and internationally-renowned artists.

The 2-acre sculpture garden allows visitors to enjoy a beautiful natural setting while viewing an impressive permanent collection created by local artists and youth, and the garden also displays pieces on loan from around the world. The center offers a variety of free programs for children and families as well as a Summer Adventure Camp for ages 4-18.

3333 North MacArthur Blvd., Irving, TX 75062, 972-252-7558

3. Founder's Plaza Observation Area

Have a picnic in Founder’s Plaza and watch the planes landing and taking off from Dallas Fort Worth Airport. A beautiful park-like setting with benches, picnic tables, and grassy areas, the plaza is the perfect place to spend some free time or wait for a flight. The statues and commemorative monument symbolically display the airport’s history, and a radio broadcasts live air traffic control communications from the towers to announce the arrival of planes. Telescopes are provided, and they offer a great view of the action on the runways. Founder’s Plaza is open from 7 AM to 7 PM with ample parking.

Founder's Plaza Observation Area, DFW International Airport, 2400 Aviation Drive, DFW Airport, TX 75261, 972-973-3112

4. Ruth Paine House Museum

The Ruth Paine House Museum exhibits the history of its role in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Lee Harvey Oswald stayed at the home with his wife the night before he assassinated JFK at Dallas’ Dealey Plaza.

Restored to its 1963 appearance, the multimedia museum tells the story of how Ruth and Michael Paine became caught in the aftermath of the tragedy and relates important background information, making it a must-see on the list of JFK- related sites. Tours begin at the Visitors’ Center on the third floor of Irving Central Library.

Irving Central Library, 801 W. Irving Blvd. Third Floor, Irving, TX 75061, 972-721-3729

5. Fritz Park Petting Farm

The Fritz Park Petting Farm offers a rare opportunity for a hands-on encounter with farm animals in the middle of the Metroplex. Located near 15th Street and East Vilbig Road and only open in June and July, the park has a peaceful, shaded environment where visitors of all ages can pet and feed cows, horses, goats, rabbits, and more.

Educational tours are available and should be scheduled in advance. The farm sponsors a volunteer program for children who are 12 years and older and interested in assisting with farm work.

312 E. Vilbig Road, Irving, TX 75060, 972-721-2640

6. Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra

Las Colinas Symphony Orchestra is one of America’s top 100 symphonies. The LCSO presents eight subscription concerts annually in the resplendent state-of-the-art Carpenter Performance Hall in the Irving Arts Center. Ninety-three professional musicians from 19 different countries form the talented and affluent orchestra led by Maestro Robert Carter Austin who is in his twenty-fifth season as Music Director.

The Lone Star Youth Orchestra provides talented middle and high school instrumentalists in the Metroplex area the opportunity to benefit from professional training and performance. The youth orchestra performs four series annually on Wednesday evenings. A variety of educational programs are offered year-round.

Irving Arts Center, 3333 N. MacArthur Blvd., Irving, TX 75062, 972-252-4800

7. Toyota Music Factory

Toyota Music Factory is a world-class entertainment destination in the Las Colinas neighborhood of Irving, Texas. The venue was opened on September 9, 2017 with a ZZ Top concert. The main parts of the complex comprise a 210,000-square-foot food and retail space, which includes the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema movie theater and bowling alley, and the Pavilion, an indoor 4,000-seat music theatre that has a wall that can retract to open onto the 65,000-square-foot lawn to add an additional 4,000 seats. The Pavilion can offer everything from intimate performances for 2,500 spectators to open-air concerts for 8,000. Between the two main parts of the complex is Texas Lottery Plaza, the outdoor stage where there is something always going on.

316 West Las Colinas Boulevard, Irving, TX 75039, 972-810-1499

8. Jackie Townsell Bear Creek Heritage Center

Jackie Townsell Bear Creek Heritage Center tells the story of the African-American enclave in Irving’s Bear Creek community during the period of racial segregation in America, and of the lives of African-Americans in Bear Creek from the time slaves were emancipated to the period of Civil Rights movement in the 1950s and 60s. Located in west Irving, Bear Creek is one of the oldest Dallas County African-American communities.

The area became predominantly African American after former slaves started moving into the area after the emancipation. The Heritage Center consists of three museums: The Bear Creek Masonic Lodge, which served as a community center to all masons and not only the African-American; the Green House, the home of Sam Green, a long-term leading community resident; and the J.O. Davis House, a walk-through museum of the Bear Creek community. The Center also has a lovingly maintained Native Plant Garden.

3925 Jackson St, Irving, TX 75061, 972-721-2501

9. SUP NTX-Stand Up Paddle North Texas

SUP NTX-Stand Up Paddle North Texas on the Mandalay Canal has everything you need to get started enjoying the fastest growing water sport in the world. The family-owned business has a fully-stocked shop where they’ll help you find the perfect paddle board for your needs. Beginners can start with rentals and private classes for all ages and skill levels.

Check out their fitness classes with low impact, full body workouts or join a guided 3-hour sunset tour to the fountains and waterfalls. They offer popular Couples Retreat and Mom’s Day & Night Out packages. Large groups and special event scheduling is available.

113 Las Colinas Blvd. East, Irving, TX 75039, 972-567-7871