Social Distancing Activities and Virtual Events You Can Safely Enjoy With Your Family

As the economy slowly reopens and more and more organizations relax their restrictions, it’s critical to keep the safety of yourself and others top of mind. While it’s exciting to see your favorite DFW attractions and entertainment venues post those “We’re Open!” signs on their doors after months of shutdowns, it can also be challenging to keep up with new operating hours, COVID-19 precautions, and social distancing measures.

Below, we’ve outlined social distancing activities in Dallas and surrounding areas you can enjoy with your family while remaining safe and mitigating the spread of the virus. 

1. Dallas Farmers Market

Every weekend, the Dallas Farmers Market hosts a variety of local businesses and farmers selling fresh produce and locally-sourced goods, as well as an assortment of handmade items. From local honey and regionally-grown produce to herbs and gourmet ingredients, the Dallas Farmers Market offers a little something for everyone to enjoy. Farm-fresh pumpkins are also on display this fall.

The market is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Booths are spaced 10-feet apart and hand sanitizer is available. All shoppers and sellers are required to wear masks and socially distance while shopping. The Dallas Farmers Market is located 902 S. Harwood St. in Dallas.

2. Take a Hike or Stroll Through the Park

One of the best social distancing activities in Dallas (and a great way to stay active) is by taking a hike. Whether you choose to bike, walk, run, or have a family picnic, there are more than forty trails to choose from in the Dallas area alone.

From Cedar Hill State Park and Gatewood Park to North Shore Park and Rockledge Park, check out AllTrails for a comprehensive list of the trails you can enjoy ranging from 1.5 to 16.8 miles.

3. The Dallas Arboretum

The Dallas Arboretum’s eight-acre Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden has recently reopened, allowing families to enjoy several social distancing activities in Dallas. Visitors can trek a 500-foot trail through a woodland habitat, enjoy a caterpillar maze, walk among the treetops on an elevated skywalk, explore a cave, and much more. There are also daily programs and activities offered. 

Also at the Arboretum through Nov. 1 is the Autumn at the Arboretum event, featuring fall-blooming flowers and more than 90,000 pumpkins and gourds in a Pumpkin Village. Visitors can also enjoy a hay bale maze, a massive pumpkin patch, and 20-foot-tall pumpkin houses. 

All visitors over the age of 5 are required to wear face masks. Tickets and parking must be purchased in advance. Only children over the age of 5 are permitted into the children’s garden and must wear a mask and provided disposable gloves.

The Dallas Arboretum is located at 8525 Garland Road in Dallas. Visit Dallasarboretum.org for admission, hours of operation, and parking information.

4. Free Online Art Classes

Missing your regular painting classes with your friends? One of the best social distancing activities in Dallas you can try is a virtual art class every week from the comfort (and safety) of your own home! Every Monday at noon, Plano Arts & Events offers a free online art class, suitable for all ages and skill levels. Classes are taught with watercolor paints but can be modified for markers, crayons, and colored pencils.

No registration is required; those interested are asked to visit the Plano Arts & Events Facebook page and join the live video every Monday to follow along. Upcoming classes include portraits of pumpkins and bubbling cauldrons.

5. Sci-Tech Discovery Center

The Sci-Tech Discovery Center is an interactive children’s museum that focuses on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) with hands-on experiences for children pre-K through sixth grade. Kids can fly a drone simulator, design games, create giant bubbles, and explore how bodies work in a variety of interactive exhibits.

The museum is located inside the Frisco Discovery Center at 8004 Dallas Parkway in Frisco. Some exhibits remain closed and the center has limited capacity. For other safety measures, including admission and hours of operation, visit here.

Those who are not ready to visit the center in person can still enjoy the museum’s free virtual programming. The center offers how-to guides for experiments, fun science videos, online classes, and more here.

6. Go Ape Treetop Adventure 

Located near historic downtown Plano in Oak Point Park & Nature Preserve is Go Ape, where you can take a treetop adventure course complete with ziplines, obstacles, and more. The course includes 39 exciting crossings, including Tarzan swings and numerous rope ladders. Each section takes you higher into the forest ending with a zipline experience. The Oak Point Park & Nature Preserve also sits on 800 acres, providing plenty of hiking trails, scenic walks, and other outdoor activities to enjoy after your treetop adventure.

Oak Point Park is located at 5901 Los Rios Boulevard in Plano. For COVID-19 safety measures, visit here.

7. Texas Discovery Gardens

Every Wednesday, the Texas Discovery Gardens at Fair Park offers pay-what-you-wish admission. Visitors can explore the two-story Rosine Smith Sammons Butterfly House and Insectarium and the 7.5 acres of certified organic gardens while social distancing. Visitors can also enjoy the newly renovated Snake Shack, which includes both snakes and other reptiles. We also recommend you stay tuned to the Texas Discovery Gardens website for upcoming social distancing activities such as DIY workshops and butterfly releases.

Visitors are required to wear masks while inside buildings. Other safety measures include limited capacity and one-way walkways. The Texas Discovery Gardens is located at 3601 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Dallas.

8. Drive-In Movies

Looking for fun, nostalgic social distancing activities in Dallas that you can enjoy from the comfort of your own vehicle? As more families turn to streaming services for in-home entertainment, several locations have reignited the concept of drive-in movies to offer families a safe way to enjoy the movie-going experience again. 

Here is a quick look at three drive-in movie options in the DFW area:

The Drive-In at the Central

Rooftop Cinema Club’s drive-in movie theatre shows one to two popular movies nightly from a 52-foot screen. Audio can be heard through FM radio, and concessions are available for purchase. Moviegoers are required to wear masks when outside their vehicles. Rooftop Cinema Club is located at 2999 N. Carroll Avenue in Dallas. For tickets and showings, visit here.

Fun Movie Grill’s Drive-In Theatre

Irving’s Fun Movie Grill has opened an old-fashioned drive-in in its parking lot, complete with a 40-foot screen and space to accommodate about 250 cars. Concessions are available in the regular cinema building and carhops will deliver food and drinks. Fun Movie Grill is located at 8505 Walton Boulevard in Irving. For tickets and showings, visit here.

Coyote Drive-In

Located in the heart of downtown Fort Worth, the Coyote Drive-In offers a unique outdoor theater showing a mix of new and classic films. Concessions are available through the snack stand. Visitors can choose between watching from inside their car or setting up a chair or blanket in front of their vehicle. For tickets and showings, visit here.

Enjoy Plenty More Social Distancing Activities in Dallas

While this list doesn’t cover all the social distancing activities in Dallas and surrounding areas that you can enjoy, we hope it helps you plan out fun weekends this fall while still mitigating the spread of COVID-19.

Ready to attend these events but can’t find your mask? We’ve got you covered! Download our free DIY guide on creating your own face masks at home.

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