Cowboys, Ninjas, And Big Cats: Your Guide To Summer Family Fun in DFW

School’s out for summer, and now that it’s been a couple of weeks, those two words every parent dreads are probably starting to come out of your kids’ mouths. “I’m booored.” And even if you aren’t one of those people that had your kid’s entire summer planned out to the minute sometime in January, you may be looking for ways to fill the long summer days that don’t involve some type of screen. What you need right now is a truly epic list of things to do this summer with kids in DFW. Well, you can quit Googling.

We’re here to help with the first in a series of summer fun to be had all over the North Texas area. We’re going to feature summer activities for families (or really anyone — you don’t have to be a kid to enjoy many of these!) in different areas of North Texas. This week, we’re starting with some adventures northeast of Dallas: in Parker, Wylie, Murphy, and East Plano.

Southfork Ranch

Have you been to Southfork Ranch lately? First of all, if you heard they were tearing it down, let us squash that for you now. Not gonna happen. At a recent chat with reps from Southfork owner Centurion American, we were thrilled to hear about their plans for future events, preservation, and beautification at the iconic ranch. Second, if you were thinking all you could do there was walk in J.R. Ewing’s steps and sleep in Bobby’s bed (but yes, you can totally do that), you’re wrong! The Ranch has lots of things for families to do this summer that (gasp) have nothing to do with the show your littles have never heard of.

Trail Rides

You can go on a trail ride with up to six riders every hour and a half, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., seven days a week. Yes, it’s actually a working ranch, with horses and cows! You need to book trail rides online or by phone at least an hour in advance. Riders must be 8 years or older.

Horseback Riding Lessons

Lessons are available for riders of all skill levels for ages 8 and up, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. And you only have to book 48 hours in advance, so there’s another fun and rewarding activity you don’t have to plan way in advance, depending on availability.

Wrangler Day Camp

Send your kids to learn how to be true Cowgirls and Cowboys at the legendary Southfork Ranch! This educational equine camp is a three day experience for kids 8 and up. This is a little more specialized than your usual day camp, as each group has a maximum of five participants. You can sign up for a session with other kids, or book your own group.

Tours

To see the iconic ranch in its full glory, and take in the home of Dallas, one of the longest running shows in television history, you can do the guided tour Tuesday-Sunday, from 10:15 to 3:30pm. (The tours end early to prepare for guests staying in The Mansion). The tour lasts about an hour and includes the “Dallas Legends” exhibit, filled with treasures from the original show and the reboot, a tour through the Ewing Mansion inside and out, and a stroll through the grounds.

Live Like A Ewing

Finally, if you’re looking for the VIP treatment for the whole family, or maybe just for the grownups, this experience can get as fancy as you like. Start with J.R.’s steak dinner, a trail ride, and a mansion tour, and upgrade like a Ewing with a stay at the mansion, a helicopter ride, limousine service, and more.

In Sync Exotics Big Cat Sanctuary

If you’re looking for something to knock the “bored” right out of everyone in your family, try a visit to In Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue and Educational Center. And before you get all crazy, just put anything to do with the Tiger King and Carol whats-her-name right out of your head. These folks are a legit organization dedicated to rescuing big cats, supporting legislation to protect them and prevent poaching, abuse, and uncontrolled breeding of them, and doing outreach, fundraising, and education in support of these efforts. The animals they rescue stay with them for life. Kitty😻! They are located in Wylie, and there are lots of fun things to do!

Tours

You can take a tour in a few different ways at In Sync. The Self Paced Tour is available Friday through Sunday, and with this option you can take your time, read the provided information about the animals, enjoy the surroundings, and speak to the numerous volunteers on the grounds about any of your questions. Guided Group Tours are available anytime, but must be booked a week in advance. These last an hour and a half.

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like at feeding time for Big Cats, then a Bone Tour is for you. This special tour is only on Sunday evenings for groups of 2-10, and you have to book in advance. For a more intense dinnertime experience, the Feeding Time Tour is a nighttime tour for 13 and up, where you can observe the keepers feeding lions, tigers, cougars, and more from only a few feet away.

Birthday Parties

If your birthday boy or girl wants the party everyone will still be talking about by the first day of school, In Sync Exotics is the place. They offer a memorable, educational adventure at a comparatively low price, and you bring your own refreshments.

Volunteer

What better way to spend quality time with your kids this summer than learning about animals while supporting a great cause? In Sync Exotics is always looking for volunteers to help with daily tasks. Find out about age appropriate ways you can help here.

B&B Theatres Screenplay!

OK. I realize I said no screens, but we’re making an exception. When it’s hot, and you need a break someplace outside the house, a movie can be just the ticket. But when you have little kids, that’s not always such a low stress situation, amiright? Here comes B&B Theatres with your epic solution. You arrive 30 minutes ahead to play your little hearts out, then it’s movie time. And nobody is going to side-eye you for your loud, wiggly kid. They’ll just give you that special smile that says, “Same, Mom. I feel you, Dad.” Then, you get an intermission to potty and play some more. I’m not kidding, this is a real place. Oh, and yes you can rent this magical place for a birthday party.

Ninja Nation

If your kid is as obsessed with YouTube as mine is, you may have some mini ninja warriors on your hands. While I actually find those Ninja Kidz kind of charming (Fight, win, First you gotta believe it, Try to do it like the Ninja Kidz Ninja Kidz…), I’d rather have mine out there doing it than watching it. Anyway, this place is pretty incredible. You can drop in for open gym time, take classes, register for summer camp (they’re not full, I checked), or do the birthday party thing. And check this out: they do Parents Night Out on Fridays from time to time, so watch their calendar for that.

Go Ape! Zipline

Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve, is Plano’s largest park, covering 800 acres east of 75, north of Spring Creek Parkway. The park itself is a great destination, with plenty of trails both concrete and dirt, a lovely pond for kayaking, canoeing, and stand-up paddle boarding, and picnic areas. It’s also the home of Go Ape! Zipline Tours, where your treetop canopy adventure awaits. Go Ape! offers two different zipline adventures: a three-hour tour with zip lines up to 423 feet, 40 treetop obstacles, and Tarzan swings; or a shorter tour with zip lines up to 243 feet, 18 treetop obstacles, and slightly lower heights.

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Ideas! We’ve got ’em! And more to come. I’m worn out just thinking about all the fun we’re going to have, but more importantly, my kids will be.