Five things to do outside of the Denton bubble

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Samantha McDonald / Staff Writer

1. Wine, dine and have a good time at the 28th annual Taste of Dallas from July 11 to 13 at the historical Fair Park. The city’s most celebrated culinary event features samplings from more than 70 restaurants including upscale carnivore heaven Texas De Brazil and Indo-Chinese food truck Bombay Street Food. Dubbed a mini-State Fair by D Magazine, foodies can enjoy live music, shop their wallets out, ogle the latest auto innovations, coax chefs into sharing their secret ingredients at product showcases and interact with little critters at the petting zoo. Just make sure to leave Fido at home. Tickets go on sale June 20 at $8 and $12 at the door.

2. Celebrate National Camping Month this June by packing a roomy tent, stocking up on marshmallows, and taking the Forester to the great outdoors – which doesn’t necessarily mean you have to drive the 100 miles. Among Dallas’ best sites for getting lost are the Cedar Hill State Park, a 1,826-acre beauty just shy from the metroplex’s civilization, and the Ray Roberts Lake State Park where you can spot wildlife while plotting your trails. With good company, fresh game, and a guitar for the Kumbayas, you might just forget you left your smartphone at home. Oh, but let’s hope you didn’t forget the map.

3. Clear your pre-Fourth of July party plans – Addison’s Kaboom Town! is an explosive spectacle sure to blow your mind (pun intended). Nationally renowned and the largest of its kind in the DFW metroplex, the fireworks show is enhanced with aerobatic acts and pyrotechnics by the Addison Airport Air Show and pilots, respectively. Activities are family friendly, so you can park the little bro at the face painting stand while sneaking a sip of Dos Equis, an official event sponsor. Also a must-do on the list? The 4-person quad jump. We promise, you won’t want to skip it. Admission is free, but guests must arrive with tickets, which can be purchased online.

4. Drive over to Fort Worth for a summer tradition rooted in the 30s – drive-in theaters. The relatively fresh, circa 2011 Coyote Drive-In shows the latest movies with a vintage feel through one’s ability to watch in the privacy of his or her own car. Take a friend if you’re up for a good time or a secret lover if you’re feeling a little more risqué. And in case the film goes downhill, tight parking provides a fantastic opportunity to people watch past your neighbors’ non-tinted windows. Note: The venue can get quite crowded, so if you don’t know how to parallel park to a tee, this isn’t 100 percent for you.

5. Quite obvious for the summer season is a trip to the beach. But because the closest beach to Dallas is a 5-hour drive to Galveston, why not substitute one for a water park? Enter Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, a sprawling land of slides, rides and wave makers now on its 20th open season. Situated between Fort Worth and Dallas, the Hurricane Harbor is not only conveniently located, but can also make up for the lack of sand through its 25 attractions sure to cater to Mom, Dad, or Mr. Right’s fancies. Single-visit tickets are priced at $26.99 online, but groups of more than 15 get a hefty discount (some incentive, eh?).

Illustration by Jake Bowerman

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