It’s summer in Dallas and it’s hot outside. It’s gonna be that way for a while.
If you’re looking for indoor fun, I’ve got a list for you. It’s nearly 80 things to do, and almost half of them are free. If you did one of these things per day, it would take you till the end of September to finish. By then, it will be at least a little bit cooler and our thoughts will have turned to fall festivals and the State Fair of Texas.
But this isn’t a bucket list or scavenger hunt; there’s no need to do one a day. Some of them are one-time events, so read ahead and save the dates on your calendar. Pick the ones you like, and skip the others. Use them for inspiration to find more things to do indoors. Just don’t, I beg you, say there’s nothing to do in Dallas.
- Move your afternoon walk indoors– to a local indoor mall. It’s air-conditioned and it’s FREE. Nonshopping is a great way to spend time indoors without spending money, and mall walking is just the beginning. Read my post to discover more places and ways to go “Nonshopping”.
- Set sail for the Dallas Boat Show, July 18-21 at Dallas Market Hall. Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for kids.
- Play pinball (and more) all day for $11.99 at Free Play Dallas in Trinity Groves or other locations in Richardson, Arlington, Fort Worth, and Denton,
- Learn to play the ukulele with FREE lessons at the Oak Lawn Branch Library. Classes run for 5 weeks on Wednesday nights starting July 17. Check out the Dallas Public Library calendar of events for all 30 branches or just the ones closest to you.
- See Twisters at a high-tech movie theatre. The long-awaited sequel opens July 17, and the Cinemark 17 and IMAX and Cinemark 12 in Rockwall will both show it in theaters with DBox seats that move and vibrate in sync with the movie.
- Throw in with Dallas Dodgeball for open play on Thursday nights and Saturday afternoons.
- Spend a FREE family day celebrating comic books on July 20 at Texas Latino Comic Con at the Latino Cultural Center.
- Take a swing at miniature golf inside a funky, artsy, and both kinds of cool space at Another Round.
- Lace up some skates and hit the ice rink at a StarCenter near you in Euless, Farmers Branch, Frisco Mansfield, McKinney, Plano, or Richardson.
- Discover a world-renowned collection of Japanese art for FREE at the Crow Museum of Asian Art. Read this post to learn more about the Crow Museum.
- Explore space exploration and the history of flight that preceded it at the Frontiers of Flight Museum. Want to explore more? Check out my quick list of over 60 museums in the DFW area.
- Watch a FREE comedy show on a Wednesday night at Dallas Comedy Club. Choose between Open Mic Standup Comedy or the weekly Improv Jam where you can play along. Both shows start at 7:30 p.m.
- Take your kids (or your inner child) out for a day at Grapevine Mills Mall.This mall is a top destination for “Nonshopping”.
- Chat with a published author at Interabang Books. Their author talks and book signings are FREE, but you can also purchase a copy of the book in advance to have it signed.
- Celebrate National Tequila Day on July 24 at Los Almas Rotas. We won’t tell if you have mezcal instead of tequila. Margaritas are an iconic drink in and around Dallas, so you can celebrate this holiday just about anywhere.
- Play Trivia for FREE on Tuesday nights at Vector Brewing. I honestly can’t say enough good things about this place, and I don’t drink alcohol. They make small batch craft beer, and they offer coffee and pastries in the morning, amazing pizza throughout the day, and a jam-packed events calendar that would make anyone in DFW want to be their neighbor.
- Learn about the sport of cricket by actually playing it-virtually, sort of–at Sixes Social Cricket at Grandscape in The Colony.
- Venture into the world of the samurai with a FREE visit to the Ann and Gabriel Barbier-Mueller Museum Samurai Collection.
- Discover some vinyl treasures at Josey Records.It’s possible to spend hours here without spending a penny, but you’ll need some willpower to make it completely FREE.
- Try your hand (maybe both hands) at axe throwing at Bad Axe Throwing in Old East Dallas.
- Play some pick-up games at open play basketball time from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturdays at Lake Highlands North Recreation Center. Entrance is free with a Dallas Recreation Card (good at all Dallas rec centers). Rec Cards cost $15 annually for Dallas residents and $25 for non-residents. Visit the Parks and Recreation website for more information about adult basketball programs.
- Root for Deadpool and Wolverine in a cushy seat worthy of Uptown at Violet Crown.
- View a FREE photography exhibit, The Eye of White Rock Lake, at the Bath House Cultural Center.
- See Funny Girl, a classic Broadway musical, opening August 6 at Fair Park Music Hall.
- Start your Saturday night right when you discover a great local singer-songwriter at Opening Bell Coffee. Their FREE Open Mic Night is the longest-running Open Mic night in Dallas.
- Catch Greater Tuna at the Coppell Arts Center, July 26 through August 6.
- Put some spin on it while a DJ spins tunes at the vintage lanes at Bowlski’s in Lakewood.
- Learn to Salsa Dance with FREE lessons at Harry Stone Recreation Center from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays.
- See the best anime films from Studio Ghibli at Angelika Dallas.
- Gain an appreciation for Spanish Cinema with a FREE film at the Meadows Museum. Free Spanish language films are scheduled for July 18 and August 15.
- Solve a mystery like the Scooby-Doo gang at Escapology in Victory Park.
- Learn about “Notable Women in the U.S. Treasury” on a FREE self-guided tour at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas.
- Play full-body virtual reality games at Sandbox VR at Mockingbird Station.
- Go on a treasure hunt for vintage finds at Lula B’s.The hunt is FREE, but you’ll need to pay for any treasures you want to take home.
- Take a FREE self-guided tour of the Hall of State at Fair Park. There are lots more air-conditioned and cool museums around here. Use our list of more than 60 Museums in and around Dallas to find them all.
- Climb the walls at Movement Gym. With two Dallas locations and one each in Plano, Fort Worth, Grapevine, and Denton, it’ll be easy to make your way there.
- Remind yourself what books smell like at the Half Price Books Flagship Store.This is another great Dallas spot where “admission” is FREE, but “Nonshopping” there can be a challenge.
- Watch a fun film for FREE on Friday nights (so maybe bring a date?) at Halcyon Dallas coffee bar and lounge.
- Transport yourself to the Mediterranean at the Summer House popup at Leela’s Wine Bar on Lower Greenville, in Uptown, or in Trophy Club.
- Learn to Line Dance with FREE lessons at Round-Up Saloon.
- Immerse yourself in an anime world with cosplay, an itasha car, gaming, and more at AnimeFest 2024, July 25-28 at Loews Arlington Hotel & Convention Center.
- See a FREE traveling Smithsonian exhibit, Bias Inside Us, at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library. The Opening Reception with an introduction from Dallas Poet Laureate is July 25th.
- Scare yourself silly at a horror film classic (or new release!) at Texas Theatre in Oak Cliff.
- Play a mashup of bowling, cornhole, and football at Bowl Games in the Design District. You can also play this wacky sport at Fowling Warehouse in Plano.
- Explore a mini Meow Wolf exhibit and play like a kid at Spark! Prismatic in The Cedars. This brilliant play space is open on Thursday nights for adults only and Friday through Sunday for the whole family.
- Explore large-scale multimedia art in a dazzling FREE exhibit at Dallas Contemporary.
- Put the pedal to the metal at the newest Andretti Indoor Karting & Games in Grand Prairie. This giant indoor fun arena also has locations in The Colony and Fort Worth.
- Imagine an ocean breeze to make the vibe complete at Uptown Revue’s Hot Yacht Summer at The Nines in Deep Ellum on Friday, July 26.
- Watch top sports on giant TV screens for FREE at Dave & Buster’s.
- Make dinner in someone else’s kitchen at Central Market Cooking School at the Lover’s Lane, Plano, or Fort Worth locations.
- Enjoy FREE jazz entertainment at Chocolate Secrets, a gourmet chocolate and fine wine experience.
- Prepare to be amazed by UniverSoul Circus at Red Bird Mall.
- See the Tony-award winning Broadway show, The LIfe of Pi at Winspear Opera House.
- Get social with other gamers at Common Ground Games. With a full calendar of game nights and meetups, you’re sure to find others with common interests. Some games require an entry fee, but others–like Thursday night Pokemon leagues–are FREE.
- Make something amazing at an Upstairs Circus Project Social.
- Celebrate National Ice Cream Day on July 21 at Parlor’s Handcrafted Ice Creams.
- Learn something new at a class at your local library. There’s a FREE Calligraphic Ornamental Penmanship at White Rock Hills Branch on July 20, and lots more classes to choose from on the Dallas Public Library calendar.
- Have a drink while playing unlimited arcade games at Cidercade.
- Play a game while having (not unlimited) drinks at Barcadia.
- Enjoy the Dallas Arboretum without going outside. On July 27 at the Highland Park Library, you can take a FREE photographic tour and hear a talk about the gardens and DeGolyer home.
- Take FREE dance lessons at Cowboys Red River.
- Take a paint your pet class at Pipe and Palette in Plano.
- Slip in to Community Beer Co. for an Indoor Vendor Market on August 3. If you love to stroll through stalls of local vendors but hate the heat, this is the place to be!
- Nosh like you’re in Italy at Eataly on Friday afternoons. A $15 punch card gets you multiple light bite samples and a free dessert, plus in-store entertainment.
- Head west to see some FREE art in Fort Worth at the Kimbell Art Museum and the Amon Carter Museum of American Art.
- Play paintball indoors (!?) at GatSplat in Rowlett, Lewisville or Keller.
- Play Laser Tag at Battle House in Plano.
- Check out the FREE Auto Show August 9-25 at NorthPark Center.
- Learn to swing dance on Wednesday nights at Sons of Hermann Hall. Even if you just want to watch, you’ll see some incredible dancing!
- Develop a new crafting hobby at Oil and Cotton in West Dallas.
- Listen to live music FREE at The Kitchen Cafe in Far North Dallas. The vibe at night is both cozy and clubby and there’s no cover for most Wednesday night performances.
- Make reservations for DFW Restaurant Week, and plan to dine out in style in August. Over 150 restaurants will offer special meal deals (lunch, brunch, and multiple levels of three-course dinners) and make a donation to the North Texas Food Bank for every meal.
- Explore a gallery filled with natural decor such as fossils, minerals, crystal geodes, and corals. Empressive Earth Gallery in the Design District is open to the public, and while the art pieces are for sale, looking around is FREE.
- Do everything (varied fare) all at once at Strike + Reel in Garland. Save a few bucks with $5 movie tickets on Tuesdays. After the show, spend your savings on bowling lanes, arcade games, laser tag, bumper cars, or climbing walls for hours more fun.
- Breakaway from the day-to-day and head to FREE UEFA watch parties for Chelsea matches at Harwood Arms in the Harwood district.
- Get creative at FREE Open Studio sessions on the first and third Saturdays and Sundays of every month at the Dallas Museum of Art. On August 3rd and 4th, aspiring artists and art lovers can make mixed-media portraits. Admission to the museum’s large permanent collection is always FREE. Read this post to learn more about the Dallas Museum of Art.
- Get some FREE live music along with some good food and great vibes at AllGood Cafe in Deep Ellum.
- Make history, or at least help document it at a FREE monthly history collective guided by the Deep Ellum Foundation.
- Make it the ultimate lazy morning when you settle in with a book and get comfy at Sip Stir Coffee House in Uptown (also in Highland Village and Westlake.) Breakfast is nice with apple peanut butter or almond butter banana toast. And yes, they have the avocado kind too.
This list should help get you through the hottest summer days, and before you know it, you’ll be celebrating all things fall.
