17 Best Things to Do in Richardson, TX

Richardson, TX is an inner suburb of Dallas> that is modern and affluent. It is home of The University of Texas at Dallas and over 5,000 businesses, mostly in the telecommunication field. Richardson is also a cultural center, especially since the opening of the huge Charles W. Eisemann Center. Visitors can enjoy 40 miles of hiking and biking trails and 23 miles of walkways through serene Galatyn Woodland Preserve and the Spring Creek Nature Area. Here are the best things to do in Richardson, TX. Photo: Studio Romantic/Fotolia

The North Texas Automotive Museum is a car lover's dream. Spread across more than 100,000 square feet, the museum has a diverse collection of antique, classic, muscle, sports, and Hot Rod cars, with about 80 of them on rotating display. You can find Rolls-Royce, Mercedes, Chevy, Oldsmobile, Ford, BMW, Jaguar, Alfa Romeo, Firebird, SLR McLaren, E-Type, Gull-wing, and many others.

While 70,000 square feet is reserved for museum exhibits, the museum also has a number of banquet rooms that range from 4,000 to 15,000 square feet and a number of meeting and special display rooms. Even the parking lot is a venue for club meetings, auctions, car shows, and similar activities. If you are a car lover, there is probably no more exciting place to have a big birthday, bachelor party, or any other party.

677 W Campbell Rd, Richardson, TX 75080, Phone: 972-918-0084 Photo: The North Texas Automotive Museum

The Charles W. Eisemann Center for Performing Arts and Corporate Presentations is a modern performance hall that opened in 2002 in Richardson. The building is an architectural jewel that won a number of awards. It consists of Margaret and Al Hill Performance Hall, the Bank of America Hall, and the Bank of America Theatre. They are all connected by a magnificent three-story high lobby.

The Margaret and Al Hill Performance Hall is a 1,563-seat theatre designed to serve the needs for any opera, dance, musical, or theatre-performing group. The Bank of America Theatre can seat up to 400 people and is designed to be a versatile and flexible performance space. The Bank of America Hall is a 3,150 square foot room with barrel vaulted ceilings, and it is used to host private receptions, meetings, banquets, seminars, exhibits, and small tradeshows.

2351 Performance Dr, Richardson, TX 75082, Phone: 972-744-4650 Photo: Charles W. Eisemann Center

The Visual Arts Building is home to galleries, studios, and photography labs. Guests are invited to tour the Main Exhibition Gallery where there are always great works of art on display. Mediums include paint, sculpture, photography, and print-making.

Exhibitions may feature student or faculty works, graduate theses, or invitationals. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Photo: Visual Arts Building

More: Places to Visit in Texas, Best Things to Do in Texas, Romantic Weekend Getaways in Texas, Best Texas breweries, Dallas lunch, Waco to Dallas, Bluebonnets in Texas , Things to Do in El Paso

Located in the outskirts of Richardson and built in 1980, Sherrill Park Golf Course is considered one of the top 100 golf courses in Texas. It offers magnificent views and a fairly challenging game regardless of your skill level. The fairways and greens are very well groomed, and the professional staff is available to offer you tips and tricks to help you improve your game or play your best round yet.

The Course No 1 has been fully renovated and now offers even more challenging conditions. The Course No 2 is known for its wide-open fairways with water hazards on many holes. The course features a Club House, a Pro Shop, and a Tournament Pavilion.

2001 E Lookout Dr, Richardson, TX 75082, Phone: 972-234-1416 Photo: Alex Staroseltsev/Fotolia

More: Places to Visit in Colorado, Best Places to Visit in Canada, Best Places to visit in the Bay Area, Places to visit in Pennsylvania, Places to Visit in Georgia, Best Places to Visit in Italy, Things to do in Nashville, Things to Do in Austin, Things to Do in Philadelphia, Best Day trips from Denver, Day trips from Dallas, Things to Do in San Antonio

Four Bullets Brewery is Richardson's first craft brewery, and it is quickly becoming a favorite neighborhood hangout not only for beer fans but for anyone who enjoys spending Saturday afternoon in a fun pub atmosphere. The brewery is cozy and inviting with quirky décor filled with art, beer paraphernalia, and a fun fake fireplace.

Well-crafted beers range from Royal Flush Red (Irish red ale) and Two Pairs Pale Ale (American pale ale) to Black Jack Brown (English brown ale). Their English Brewmaster Andrew Smeeton is working on a true English bitter. There is an oversized Jenga set for those who want a fun activity and a few outside picnic tables for those who want to enjoy their beer with food truck offerings. Don't miss a brewery tour given by one of the brew masters, as they are always willing to talk about the brewing process and what is in the making.

640 N Interurban St, Richardson, TX 75081 Photo: Four Bullets Brewery

More: Things to Do in Killeen, TX, Texas castles, Things to Do in Lubbock

AMF Bowling Centers provide a fun, fresh bowling experience for children and adults. At the AMF Center in Richardson, 40 state-of-the-art lanes with lights and digital displays are available. In addition, the center offers billiards and a video game arcade, and their snack bar provides classic bowling alley favorites such as pizza, buffalo wings, sandwiches, beer, and cocktails. They will even bring your order right to your lane. League bowling, private parties, and food and drink specials are available every week.

2101 N. Central Expressway, Richardson, TX 75080, Phone: 972-231-2695 Photo: AMF Bowling Center

More: Italian restaurants NYC, Manhattan wedding venues, Things to Do in Chelsea, Best time to visit New York, Things to Do in Queens NY, Day trips from NYC

Studio Martica has been offering unique, quality massage therapy and spa treatments since 2011. A licensed massage therapist founded the establishment, which is housed in a state-of-the-art facility. Their highly trained professionals will create a spa treatment tailored to their customer's needs at a time that works with their schedule.

The studio offers a variety of massages, including deep tissue, Swedish, hot stone, trigger point, and sports, as well as body scrubs and reflexology. Affordable monthly memberships are also available. Studio Martica is open every day except Monday. Appointments can be scheduled by phone.

1801 N Greenville Ave, Suite 150, Richardson, TX 75081, Phone: 972-234-1464 Photo: Studio Martica

Decorated in a fun Western motif, Haystack Burgers & Barley is a relaxed family-run burger joint that serves fancy, handcrafted burgers, sandwiches, and salads you can wash down with a nice choice of beers on tap. There is a cozy outdoor patio that is great for nice days.

Their burgers are imaginative, fresh, and delicious. The signature Haystack Burger, for example, consists of a large juicy patty covered with deep-fried onion strings, hickory-smoked bacon, and BBQ sauce, and it comes with the standard tomato, lettuce, and a pickle on a fresh bun. Another big seller is the Chicken Fried Burger, a chicken fried steak drenched in bacon-jalapeno gravy on a delicious bun.

Richardson Heights Village, 100 S Central Expy #17, Richardson, TX 75080, Phone: 972-479-9424 Photo: Haystack Burgers & Barley

It's the arcade for children and adults! The Richardson Free Play Arcade features over 80 retro arcade games, including classics such as Donkey Kong, Dr. Mario, Ms. Pacman, and Space Invaders. There are also cocktail games and pinball machines.

All games are set to “free play,” so there's no need to bring quarters! Free Play also offers a wide selection of beers and a variety of snacks and arcade foods. The arcade is open daily until 11 p.m. and until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. Free Play is also available for parties and group events.

1730 East Belt Line Road, Richardson, TX 75081, Phone: 469-828-1639 Photo: Free Play Arcade

City Line is the urban neighborhood that has it all; shopping, dining, office and retail space, parks, and a contemporary hotel are all here. A variety of restaurants serving everything from sushi to barbeque to donuts can be found in the area, and events such as free yoga classes, food tastings, and concerts take place here throughout the year.

City Line even offers luxury apartments for those who want to live in the heart of the city. The neighborhood is located at the intersection of US-75 and the George Bush Turnpike. It is easily accessible by car, bus, or train to the Dallas metro area. Photo: City Line

Located in the Richardson Terrace Shopping Center, Jeng Chi is a spacious, tastefully decorated Chinese restaurant with a classic Chinese menu that does not disappoint. It is one of those rare Chinese restaurants that sees an equal number of Chinese and non-Chinese clients - they found a perfect balance between authenticity and adapted cuisine to suit a Western palate.

Noodles and dumpling dough are made fresh by hand on the premises. Vegetarian dumplings are filled with wood ear mushrooms, tofu, and rice vermicelli, and they are pieces of art. The most popular dish is pork soup dumpling (xiao long bao) - slurping the broth from these noodle puffs is an absolute treat. The restaurant serves a selection of import and domestic beers, and wines from California, Chile, Argentina and Italy. Read more

Richardson Terrace Shopping Center, 400 N Greenville Ave #11, Richardson, TX 75081, Phone: 972-669-9094 Photo: Jeng Chi

Ali Baba is a spacious Mediterranean-Lebanese restaurant that is so popular you might find it hard to get a table for lunch. One big reason is their enormous lunch buffet, which allows you to sample the wonderful variety Mediterranean cuisine offers. Fresh and intensely flavored, Mediterranean food is delicious and healthy, with a mix of grilled meats and interesting salads.

If you are new to this exquisite cuisine, start with mezze, a mix of small plates that usually consist of lot of fresh pita bread that you dip in savory delights such as hummus, a chickpeas paste with ground sesame and garlic, baba ghanosh, a puree of eggplant and tahini sauce, and tabouleh, a flavorful salad of burghul (cracked wheat), garlic, parsley, tomato, and lemon juice. The menu boasts delightful Mediterranean favorites, made from top quality ingredients, using old family recipes - it's good enough to make you a fan forever.

2103 N Central Expy, Richardson, TX 75080, Phone: 972-437-1222 Photo: Ali Baba Mediterranean Grill

Wicked Po'Boys is a fun place to get your fill of delicious, spicy New Orleans' goodies, have a few drinks with friends, and hear some live music on weekends. It is lively and bustling with activity for a good reason. First, there are the po'boy sandwiches with fried shrimp, catfish, gator, oysters, calamari, or crawfish.

Then there are raw oysters, shrimp boil, and their famous dirty fries. Don't forget the hot beignets sprinkled with powdered sugar that melt in your mouth. You will also find a full bar, and the new breakfast menu starts with special “eye opener” cocktails such as Everything is Peachy Keen with champagne, cranberry juice, and peach schnapps.

1811 N Greenville Ave #400, Richardson, TX 75081, Phone: 972-238-1313 Photo: Wicked Po' Boys

The Spa at II Creeks has consistently been voted the best in Richardson for quality of services and environment. This spa offers an extensive list of both traditional spa treatments and alternative therapies. Indulge in a classic relaxation or deep tissue massage, or try something new with reflexology or Reiki sessions.

The spa also offers skincare treatments for the face, eyes, and hands, as well as body wraps, detoxification, and nail treatments. A full range of spa treatments for men and for pregnant women are also available. Appointments can be made by phon.

2701 Custer Parkway, Ste 702, Richardson, TX 75080, Phone: 972-231-8731 Photo: The Spa at II Creeks

Fun Asia is a multimedia company that brings the best of South Asian arts and entertainment to the Richardson area. Their 3-screen theatre shows a variety of Indian films and concerts with digital projection, Dolby surround sound, and stadium seating.

Fun Asia also maintains a large website and email service, a 24-hour Bollywood radio station, and a 196-page monthly print magazine. You can find movie showtimes online or by calling the theatre's hotline. Things to do in Texas

1210 E.Beltline Rd., Richardson, TX 75081, Phone: 972-889-8000 Photo: peych_p/Fotolia

The Alamo Draft House provides patrons with a unique movie-going experience. Guests can watch the latest releases or a selection from the cinema's classic repertory on a state-of-the-art screen while enjoying delicious food and beverages. The Draft House prides itself on serving fresh, made-to-order movie snacks such as burgers and fresh chocolate chip cookies.

They also serve a variety of craft beers and cocktails. The cinema has a no texting or talking policy that is strictly enforced, allowing guests to enjoy films without interruptions.

100 South Central Expressway, Richardson Heights Village, Richardson, TX 75080, Phone: 972-534-2120 Photo: He2/Fotolia

At over 400 acres, Breckenridge Park is the largest of the parks maintained by the City of Richardson, and itcontains a large sports complex with 12 soccer fields and 2 softball fields. Visitors can hike along the park's 4.5 miles of hiking trails or enjoy a picnic at one of the picnic tables or two covered pavilions.

There are also playground structures, ponds, a gazebo, and on-site restrooms. Breckenridge Park is open 365 days a year free of charge. Dogs are allowed as long as they are on a leash.

3555 Brand Rd, Richardson, TX 75080 Photo: Studio Romantic/Fotolia