Happy Trails

games will be played June 19; an obstacle course will be set up for July 17; and a yet-to-be named activity will be held August 21. The events are free and open to the public, but registration is required. Dallas, 214/3578431; ymcadallas.org

SPECIAL STRONG allows drop-ins in its summer classes—adaptive and inclusive fitness programs for children (beginning at age 6), adolescents and adults. Current classes are at locations in Collin County. Allen and Frisco, 972/8368463; specialstrong.com

You don’t need to be a resident of Southlake to take part in the city’s SPORTS SATURDAYS programs. Summer activities are set for June 25 and July 23; age 14 and up welcome. Southlake, 817/748-8019; experiencesouthlaketexas.com

Nothing is off limits for those with special needs through RISE ADAPTIVE SPORTS. All activities are free and include boating, parasailing, waterskiing, wheelchair skate, rugby and handcycling, among others. The schedule is online. Grapevine (most activities), 469/762-5075; riseadaptivesports.org

Skip the whole jumping out of a plane and try indoor skydiving instead. At iFLY, you float on a column of air in a vertical wind tunnel. Flyers can be as young as 3 years. First-timers will go through a training session before taking off. Frisco, 214/6184359, and Hurst, 817/818-4359; iflyworld.com

Do you ride the Texas Star at the State Fair every year? You’ll get an equally amazing view from atop the 200-foot GRANDSCAPE WHEEL. The ride takes around 15 minutes, and you can even enjoy a drink while you cruise in your fully enclosed gondola. You’ll ride only with your group—up to 8 people per gondola. The Colony, 972/668-2222; grandscapewheel.com Looking for a little less height? Head to the Scheels store (also in Grandscape) to ride the 65-foot indoor Ferris wheel. Riders must be 48 inches to ride alone and 36 inches to ride with an adult. When you’re done, grab a treat at the on-site coffee shop and watch the kids play arcade games. The Colony, 469/8547500; scheels.com

GO APE provides adventures in the canopy at Oak Point Park for age 10 and up. The original Treetop Adventure includes 28-foot-high tree crossings, super long zip lines (one is 423 feet) and Tarzan-style swings. The Treetop Discovery course is a bit lower and a bit shorter. An Arlington location opens at River Legacy Park in the fall. Plano, 800/971-8271; goape.com

There’s an aerial course for everyone at TRINITY FOREST ADVENTURE PARK. In addition to zipping through the treetops, you’ll make your way through wobbly bridges, ladders, cargo nets and more elements in courses of varying difficulty. Littles will love the special course for age 4 and up. The minimum age for the main courses is 6. Dallas; 214/391-1000; trinitytreetops.com

Kids can jump to their heart’s content, use the trampolines to dunk on a basketball hoop or play a bouncy game of dodgeball at ALTITUDE TRAMPOLINE PARK. You can get a pass for as little as an hour of trampoline time. Multisports ple locations; altitudetrampolinepark.com Pump up the fun at PUMP IT UP, where the indoor, inflatable playground will burn off your child’s excess energy. Check with the location near you for open jump times. Multiple locations; pumpitupparty.com Fly into a foam pit, make your way across an unsteady ladder (with a soft landing), take on the ninja warrior course, enjoy the wall-towall trampolines and more at SKY ZONE TRAMPOLINE PARK. There’s a dedicated section for toddlers. Drop in for sensory hours on Thursday mornings. Irving, 469/499-3100; skyzone. com/irving Typical trampoline play is just the beginning at

TURE PARK. There’s also trampoline dunking, the “drop zone” (bounce on to a huge airbag), a jump area for littles, a tubes playground, climbing walls, battle beam section and a ropes course, among other activities. Multiple locations; urbanair.com

At YOGA ON MAIN, there’s a class for everyone—even littles as young as age 4. You can purchase drop-in passes for Zen Kids Yoga, a class that explores traditional principles through breathing exercises, games, art activities and more. Frisco, 972/294-5936; yogaonmainst.com

Drop-ins are welcome this summer with YOGEES YOGA 4 KIDS. The Summer Studio is a program in partnership with Swimmers by Jessica, and your child can come for lessons in the pool or just to move their body through yoga. They’ll also sing, dance and learn. Dallas, 972/559-9455; yogeesyoga4kids.com

YOGI KIDS offers preschool play on Mondays and Fridays during the summer. In addition to yoga, your child will enjoy games, crafts, stories and other activities. Sign up for one session or for all; register 24 hours in advance. Flower Mound, 214/3252547; myyogikids.com

Adventures near and far

Nearly 15,000 years of native history come to life at the CHOCTAW CULTURAL CENTER. You’ll discover a replica of an ancient spiritual mound at the center’s outdoor Living Village, along with traditional dancing and stickball game demonstrations on the field, and an indoor children’s play area with traditional Choctaw houses and a miniature forest. Durant, OK, 833/708-9582; choctawculturalcenter.com

Do you have a kid obsessed with trucks and construction equipment? DIG WORLD is a new family amusement park—the first of its kind—where kids and adults can safely operate heavy construction equipment. Go dig in sand when you control a mini excavator and drive a Caterpillar around on a track. Katy, 346/435-8888; digworldtx.com

If you haven’t visited already, head to Glen Rose for a camping trip at DINOSAUR VALLEY STATE PARK. Watch your children’s eyes grow wide in fascination as they hunt for giant dinosaur tracks. The excitement doesn’t end there, as there are different activities scattered around the park. Glen Rose, 254/897-4588; tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/ dinosaur-valley trailsThe 284-acre LADY BIRD JOHNSON WILDFLOWER CENTER, founded in 1982 by its namesake, hosts children’s storytime readings in the garden on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 10am. For an evening visit when it’s cooler, come on Thursdays this June for free Nature Nights. Austin, 512/2320100; wildflower.org Have a kid intrigued by the world of paleontology? Go to MINERAL WELLS FOSSIL PARK for the opportunity to conduct your own fossil dig. You could find a real-life fossil that’s hundreds of millions of years old. Plus, if you find a fossil, you can keep it. Be aware that the park is pretty primitive. Mineral Wells, 940/328-7803; mineralwellsfossilpark.com

LAND is a theme park built for people with special needs and disabilities. Visit the Sensory Village , board the Wonderland Express train, engage in pirate make-believe, and create sand sculptures. Don’t forget to take a trip to Morgan’s Inspiration Island for splash

pads and a sensory-friendly boat ride. Anyone with a special need gets free admission. San Antonio, 210/495-5888; morganswonderland.com

The NATIONAL CENTER

showcases exhibitions of artwork created by

award-winning children’s book authors. The museum organizes meet and greets with the exhibiting artist, book signings, workshops and fun activities for kids. Abilene, 325/673-4586; nccil.org

Known as the largest caverns in Texas, NATURAL BRIDGE CAVERNS is a memorable family attraction in San Antonio. Adventure through the caves and feast your eyes upon the incredible stalactite and stalagmite formations. Choose from the many tours offered down under or walk along the many surface trails on land. San Antonio, 210/651-6101; naturalbridgecaverns.com

Venture to the scenic, hilly woodlands of the San Bois Mountains at ROBBERS CAVE STATE PARK in Oklahoma. Follow the nature trail for amazing sights inside the cave and from the rocky surroundings. Wilburton, OK, 918/465-2562; travelok.com

For the kiddos that marvel in the wonder and mystery of the universe, they’ll be thrilled to experience the

TON. Entertaining for whole family, you’ll broaden your perspective as you learn about the many planets and the vastness of deep space. Houston, 281/244-2100; spacecenter.org

THINKERY, in Austin, is a community-based initiative designed to support children’s physical, emotional and cognitive development. This interactive children’s museum strives for inclusiveness and will engage young learners of all ages with playful brain games.

Austin, 512/469-6200; thinkeryaustin.org

At HISTORIC DOWNTOWN CARROLLTON, trails conveniently located near a DART rail station, you’ll find a square of unique shops, eateries (like Twisted Root and Babe’s Chicken) and family-friendly events and festivals around the gazebo during Saturdays on the Square. For history buffs, check out the nearby A.W. Perry Homestead Museum. 972/880-9855; historicdowntowncarrollton.com DENTON’s historic downtown square is centered around the 1896 Denton County Courthouse-onthe-Square Museum, where you can take a peek into exhibits that delve into local history. Walk the square to explore the community-oriented, entertainment hotspot with eclectic boutiques, galleries, restaurants and sweet shops. 940/565-5075; discoverdenton.com Everything you’d want for a Cowtown culture-filled weekend is in and around the famous SUNDANCE SQUARE in the heart of Fort Worth. The 35-squareblock district has major shopping, plenty of dining options, water fountains and colorful murals. Plan ahead to catch a special event in the Sundance Square Plaza or a music or theatrical show at the Bass Performance Hall. 817/3922255; sundancesquare.com One of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. is Frisco, which is evident in part by the burgeoning FRISCO SQUARE. Come visit this summer during the Music in the Square concerts each Friday night in June, for farmers markets on Saturday mornings, and many more special events throughout the year. friscosquare.com Widely known as the Christmas Capital of Texas,

GRAPEVINE has many sights worth visiting, even during the off-seasons. Step back in time and walk along Main Street, see a movie at the historic Palace Arts Center, experience glassblowing demonstrations, eat at Harvest Hall or take a roundtrip ride on the Grapevine Vintage Railroad. 817/410-3189; grapevinetexasusa.com Dating back all the way to 1848, tradition still holds true here in DOWNTOWN MCKINNEY, where you’ll see many small-town gift and antique shops and restaurants. Stroll along the quaint cobblestone square, explore the Chestnut Square Historic Village, or educate yourself on the town’s founding at the Collin County History Museum. 972/547-2660; mckinneytexas.org Hop off the DART at the Plano Station and explore the revitalized DOWNTOWN PLANO. Stroll along the red brick road and you’ll find buildings with colorful murals, dining and shopping. Make your first stop with the kids to the Interurban Railway Museum and the playground at Haggard Park. 972/941-7000; visitdowntownplano.com Known as the “Cutting Horse Capital of the World,” HISTORIC DOWN-

is home to some of the top professional trainers and horse hall-of-famers. The city also holds the Parker County Peach Festival each July. In addition, Weatherford is home to the Vintage Car Museum and Chandor Gardens inspired by ancient Chinese architecture. 817/598-4000; historicdowntownweatherford.com

You’ll be transported in time as you hop onboard the AUSTIN STEAM TRAIN. If you are spending time in the Hill Country, this is a wonderful adventure for the whole family. Cedar Park, 512/915-2340; austinsteamtrain.org Did you know there’s a train you can ride in Denton? The A-TRAIN, part of the Denton County Transit Authority, is a 21mile commuter rail that connects Denton and Dallas counties. Denton, 940/243-0077; dcta.net/a-train DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) is the transit system that operates buses, light rail and commuter rail. Fast, comfortable and economical, DART is reliable for your commute, whether it’d be for work or pleasure. Dallas-Fort Worth, 214/7493333; dart.org Take a short ride on the pint-size locomotive at

IATURE RAILROAD. Built in 1959, this 5-mile journey crosses the Trinity River and proceeds into Trinity Park. Make sure to visit the Facebook page for updates on closures due to maintenance or weather. Fort Worth, 817/336-3328; forestparktrains.com One of the most well-known train rides in Dallas-Fort Worth, the GRAPEVINE VINTAGE RAILROAD will take you from downtown Grapevine to the Fort Worth Stockyards. Grapevine, 817/410-3185; gvrr.com

At the INTERURBAN RAILWAY MUSEUM, you’ll learn about a largely forgotten chapter in the history of transportation: the Texas Electric Railway. See what downtown Plano looked like 100 years ago in the 1920s miniature electric-train model. This free-admission museum has hands-on activities that demonstrate the principles of electricity. Plano, 972/941-2117; interurbanrailwaymuseum.org