Denton is a friendly city in the Dallas-Fort Worth area of North Texas. It has everything you could want from a city, with several universities, thriving arts and music scenes, and a small-town neighborhood feel, all within 40 miles of downtown Dallas. It has much to offer visitors and locals alike as the summer weather approaches and makes you long for summertime activities in the outdoors. Denton will supply you with pool days, fairs and festivals, and so much more. If you are looking for some fun outdoor activities for the family then read on for a few suggestions.
Water Works Park
A water park might be a good idea if you’re looking for something to do on a hot day, so hop on over and check out Denton’s Water Works Park. You’ll find something here for every age. For the little ones, it has a children’s play pool with two toddler slides, spray features, and more. Older kids and adults can enjoy the excitement of four giant outdoor slides, have fun in the wave pool, or just relax in the lazy river. They also offer swim lessons, locker rentals, cabana rentals, and a full-size sand volleyball court for sports enthusiasts.
Got a birthday party to plan? Water Works Park offers birthday packages that include a shaded party pavilion with picnic tables. The water park is open daily for the summer season from noon to 6 p.m. A day pass will get you in for a full day, or a season pass will save you some money if you plan to go often. You’re welcome to bring a cooler of sealed drinks, but they discourage outside food since they have their own concessions including Beth Marie’s ice cream at the Hula Hut and fresh smoothies at The Tidal Wave Cafe.
Murals
Murals are a great way for local artists to add beauty and personality to a city and turn plain building-sides into works-of-art. If you are an art enthusiast you might want to check out the many murals painted throughout the city of Denton. Any stroll through the downtown area will have you stumbling on a few, but you can plan ahead and use the Discover Denton app to pull up murals and create your own walking tour to fit in as many murals as you have time for. You’ll find several murals by local artists Dan Black, Mick Burson, and others.
Look for the blue elephant by Warren Lunt on the back of The Palm Tree Boutique. It has the distinction of being the first mural to be approved by the Denton City Council. You also won’t want to miss the Foundations of Our History mural by Dan Black. It’s found at Robertson Street and Bell Avenue on the railroad underpass and honors five women who were instrumental in the desegregation of Denton. Also completed by Dan Black is the impressive large mural on Andy’s Bar which wraps around all four sides. These are just a few of the murals you’ll find in Denton.
Denton Community Market
The Denton Community Market is a great place to go for fresh food and local produce or to get a unique handmade gift. It is downtown Denton’s art and farmers market that features handmade arts and crafts, local farm produce, food carts, and other goods. They are conveniently located, and open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon, beginning in April and running through November. They sell only farm-produced or manufactured products that are grown or made within 100 miles of Denton and are the only Texas market to have the unique Certified Farmers Program, which promotes sustainable farming practices.
At the market, you will also find live music for everyone to enjoy, and kids’ activities to keep the youngsters entertained. The vendors can change from season to season, but some things to look out for include local stone jewelry, natural goat milk soaps, golden honey and fragrant beeswax candles, dried teas, fresh coffee, cold ginger beer, beautiful handcrafted ceramics, fine woodworking, fresh bread and other baked goods, and much more. You’ll want to come every week to snap up the wholesome local produce and bring friends and family to enjoy the festive market environment and live music.
Twilight Tunes Outdoor Concert Series
Who doesn’t love a good concert? And an outdoor one with some snacks and a nice blanket to sit on is even better. Downtown Denton’s Twilight Tunes Outdoor Concert Series is a favorite with music-lovers and runs every Thursday from May 6 to June 21, 2021, and is held on the Denton Courthouse lawn from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Reserved, preferred seating is available for a donation and will get you an 8×8 area with room for four lawn chairs. The walk-up seating area is free and open to everyone, so come early to get a good spot.
The musical lineup includes a variety of different genres and styles to delight music lovers of all tastes. On different nights you can find rocking blues, smooth jazz, oldies rock covers, Bob Dylan covers, and more. See their schedule to know what’s playing each week. Ticket sales go up about a week before each act if you want to reserve a premium spot. If you love live music, be sure to stop by each Thursday while the series lasts. When the weather is nice, you can set up chairs and bring food from any of the local dining places.
Whether you prefer shopping for local goods, listening to live music, looking at outdoor art installations, or enjoying a day at the water park, you’re sure to have a great time in this pretty little city in North Texas. Have you been to any of the spots on this list yet? At Huffines Kia Corinth, we’d love to hear which of these activities you want to check out first, so drop us a line and let us know. What’s your favorite outdoor activity in Denton for this time of year?
Image via Flickr by huttashben