The holiday season! The time of year when everything seems just a little more magical. Despite the mild temperatures, Christmas in Texas is still an awesome experience. Lucky for you there are many Christmas date ideas in Dallas-Fort Worth that will surely get you in the holiday spirit!
From beautiful ice sculptures, to elaborate light displays, you are in the right place if you are looking for Christmas date ideas.
So, take a break from shopping and baking and go enjoy a night out with your special someone!
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12 Fun Christmas Date Ideas in Dallas-Fort Worth
Gaylord Texas Hotel and ICE!
The Gaylord Texan Christmas celebration pulls out all of the stops during the holiday season. Located in one of our favorite small Texas towns, Grapevine, Texas, the Gaylord aims to please during the holiday season.
Not only will you find the hotel completely decorated for the holidays, but this is the time of the year that the Gaylord features its premier attraction, ICE! ICE! Is an indoor winter wonderland.
The special indoor attraction features amazing ice carvings throughout, meaning the display area has to remain a frigid 9 degrees all season long.
Inside, visitors enjoy over two million pounds of hand-carved ice that relates to the theme of the year. Themes have included Charlie Brown and Rudolph just to name a few. Visitors are also treated to ice slides and an ice bar.
This walk-through attraction does require tickets, so purchase in advance to ensure you receive your desired date.
After visiting the Gaylord and ICE!, you will easily see why we had to include it on our list of Christmas Date Ideas in Dallas-Ft. Worth.
Holiday at the Arboretum
Every Christmas season, the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens transform their grounds into a holiday wonderland boasting several displays to celebrate the holiday season.
The Arboretum comes alive with their 12 Days of Christmas, the main event of their celebrations.
This display features a collection of Victorian gazebos filled with costumed characters that tell the story of the famous Christmas carol, “12 Days of Christmas”.
Visitors will be amazed to see the elaborate displays contained in each of the gazebos, which are visible from all sides thanks to their glass sides. The characters come alive thanks to animatronics, making the display even more special.
Visitors can also enjoy the Christmas Village at the Arboretum, which is made up of shops emulating a European village. Visitors will enjoy exploring the candy shop, bakery, and even Santa’s house!
Lastly, be sure to check out the historic DeGolyer House featuring holiday decorations, nutcrackers, and nativity scenes.
An evening at the Dallas Arboretum is definitely a great Christmas date idea and one of the fun things to do in Dallas-Fort Worth any time of year!
Lights at Daystar
If you are looking for a fun and inexpensive Christmas date idea in Dallas-Ft. Worth, then look no further than the lights at Daystar Television studios and Daystar Christmas.
During the holiday season, the grounds of the Daystar facility come alive with over one million lights, attracting visitors from all over the metroplex. Striving to bring the true meaning of Christmas to everyone, Daystar prides itself on creating a memorable FREE attraction that is open to all.
The lighted drive-through tunnel beckons you to come onto the property, and only begins your experience here at Daystar. Once entering the property, visitors find themselves greeted by numerous light displays that are both interactive and fun.
This environment creates the perfect place where you and your sweetie can stroll around admiring all of the beautiful lights. Not only this, but you can also use the Daystar grounds as a backdrop for some amazing holiday photos!
Get creative and have fun with their various displays while snapping pictures to document your date night. Sit inside the giant wreath and ask a fellow visitor to take a picture of you, before returning the favor for them.
After you have captured the perfect photo (or ten), then treat your date to a delicious hot drink in Scratch café. If you are there on the right evening, you might also catch a glimpse of Santa!
Enjoy a Christmas Performance
A live performance always makes for a great date night, but it is even more special during the holiday season. Not only that, but finding a Christmas show to enjoy during the holiday season is a breeze as they are plentiful in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area.
The Nutcracker is always a holiday favorite and one of the most popular Christmas date ideas. Performances can be found all over the metroplex during the holiday season. Some of the most popular venues include the Texas Ballet Theatre, Winspear Opera House, and Bass Hall.
If ballet isn’t your cup of tea, don’t worry, there are other options. One of which is the annual performance of Ebenezer Scrooge at the Pocket Sandwich Theatre. This small theatre is one of our favorites in Dallas.
We especially love the popcorn performances where the audience gets to throw popcorn at the performers.
Christmas in the Stockyards
Only in Texas will you find a Christmas celebration that includes a cattle drive and armadillo races! If this sounds like a fun time to you, then you will definitely want to add Christmas in the Stockyards to your list of Christmas date ideas.
This one-day celebration is usually held at the beginning of December and includes face painting, storytime with Mrs. Clause, pictures with Mr. Clause and so much more. Your date will love the unique experience that only Christmas in the Stockyards can provide.
The Stockyards is one of the fun Fort Worth date ideas year-round!
Attend a Holiday Parade
The Dallas-Fort Worth area is never short on holiday parades, and Christmas is no exception to this rule. Grab a warm holiday drink and treat your date to a fun holiday parade.
Every year, Dallas’ annual holiday parade marches through downtown and is one of the free things to do in Dallas-Fort Worth.
Historic Grapevine, one of our top Texas Christmas destinations, hosts a Parade of Lights every year featuring more than 100 lighted floats and marching bands!
In addition to these, Fort Worth, Arlington, and numerous other small towns in the area host a holiday parade that leads into their tree lighting ceremony. These are definitely fun events to add to your Christmas date ideas.
Texas Christkindl Market
If you can’t whisk your date off to Germany to celebrate the holidays, then pretend you are in Germany without leaving Texas. Head over to the Texas Christkindl Market in Arlington.
Located outside of Globe Life Field, this festive market runs from the then end of November until just before Christmas, giving you plenty of time to include it on your list of Christmas date ideas in Dallas-Ft. Worth.
Indulge in some authentic German cuisine like a yummy bratwurst before shopping for the perfect German gift. Many of the items at this market are designed from the famous Rothenburg ob der Tauber Christmas Village in Germany, making them authentic and unique!
Not only is there shopping, food, and entertainment, but the Christkindl Market is also home to an outdoor skating rink!
Panther Island Ice
Speaking of outdoor skating rinks, did you know that Fort Worth boasts an outdoor skating rink as well? I know, this is hard to believe in the mild temperatures of Texas, but it is true!
Located at the Coyote Drive In, Panther Island Ice welcomes visitors starting at the end of November every holiday season.
Open 7 days a week and operating until mid-January, Panther Island Ice is a great item to add to your list of Christmas date ideas. I mean, it’s pretty romantic to skate hand in hand with your sweetie!
Vitruvian Lights in Addison
Addison’s Vitruvian Park transforms during the holiday season. This free event kicks off with the “flipping of the switch” at the end of November that officially lights up Vitruvian Park.
The trees of the park are wrapped with over 1.5 million LEP lights that glisten off the water below, creating a beautifully romantic backdrop for your Christmas date. Plan your time here on a Saturday night to experience a performance of live music and photos with Santa!
Trains at NorthPark Center
Located at NorthPark Center, just off Central Expressway in Dallas, the trains at NorthPark have been delighting visitors for over 30 years here in DFW.
This special exhibit features over 1,600 feet of track spanning from coast to coast across the United States. Sure to delight visitors of all ages, this is a fun place to bring out the inner child in your date.
In addition, your attendance helps others as this event benefits the Ronald McDonald House of Dallas.
Six Flags Holiday in the Park
Six Flags Holiday in the Park has been making people’s list of Dallas date night ideas for years, so it only makes sense that it would be a great holiday date also!
Heck, Marty and I used to have dates here back when I was in high school!
Filled with lights and holiday treats, Six Flags transforms into a holiday wonderland this time of year. You can sled down a snow hill, ride some of Six Flags’ amazing rides, and watch holiday-themed shows all in one fun park!
Highlights include the Deep in the Heart of Texas light display. Of course, this is not any ordinary light display. Everyone knows “everything is bigger in Texas” and this light display lives up to that saying.
Here you will find lights spanning over eight and a half miles and Texas-size ornaments decorating your path!
With all of the excitement and holiday-themed events, you could visit Six Flags Holiday in the Park several times during the season and always have a different experience.
Christmas in the Square in Frisco
The town of Frisco loves inviting visitors to experience Christmas in the Square in their town. Drawing over 75,000 visitors a year, the town of Frisco puts on a delightful choreographed holiday light and music show.
Visitors can enjoy the show by tuning to 107.3 FM on their radio, or by listening to the music coming from the speakers as they stroll down Main Street. In addition to the light display, Frisco also has an outdoor ice arena for you to enjoy!
Final Thoughts on Christmas Date Ideas
There are so many fabulous Christmas date ideas in Dallas-Ft Worth that we could just go on and on. We love that the options in our area are endless and varied, ensuring that everyone can find just the right event for their liking.
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About The Author
Michelle Snell is a travel writer, history buff, wine lover, and enthusiast of different cultures. Michelle enjoys bringing places to life through her informative writing style on her blogs, That Texas Couple and Totally Texas Travel. Her practical tips and suggestions help make travel dreams a reality while immersing her readers in the history, culture, and food of a region. She is happiest sipping wine in Italy or chilling on a beach with her husband, Marty.
Anna
Tuesday 24th of December 2019
These are really good ideas and can inspire even people who don’t live or visit Dallas. I’d especially like the ice wonderland, and if it’s possible to ice skate, even better!
Kavita Favelle
Tuesday 24th of December 2019
The Gaylords ice extravaganza looks pretty amazing, with such an extensive collection of ice carvings! I'm also always up for gardens and parks that set up lots of Christmas lights to walk through. My favourite is the Christmas market though, I love browsing and shopping!
Jenn | By Land and Sea
Tuesday 24th of December 2019
Wow, there are plenty of great things to do! It's so great when cities offer special holiday festivities!
Mayi
Monday 23rd of December 2019
All of these are great date options. But my favourite has to be the lights show at Daystar Television studios. I find lights shows to be magical whether you are seeing them with your significant other, friends or family members. Plus it's free!