Things to Do in Carrollton

For the past 20 years, Zero Gravity has been one of Dallas’ primary sources of satisfied screams, launching Texans into lower orbit with palpitating rides that test the confines of physics. Thrill-seekers can exhaust adrenaline reserves on five hair-raising attractions, including the seven-story bungee jump, the Skycoaster, and the Texas Blastoff, which acts like a giant slingshot that rockets riders 70 miles per hour toward the sky the nearest medieval watchtower. Nothin’ but Net sends amusement park goers plummeting on a 130-foot freefall, and the Skyscraper's enormous propellers whip guests around with 4 gees of force before serving up views of the city’s stunning skyline. Thanks to precautions designed specifically for each ride, Zero Gravity boasts a flawless safety record, whereas the park’s flexible schedule jump-starts hearts seven days per week.

Returning for their fourth year of family fun, Dallas Kids Expo’s organizers thrill children and parents with a one-day whirlwind of activities, exhibition booths, and kid-friendly demonstrations at Dallas Market Hall. Amid the spacious expo grounds, a fleet of exhibitors—from pediatric dentists to craft stores—welcome wanderers into their booths, cordially introducing their wares and services via games of charades. Appearances by Bob the Builder bring smiles to kids' faces, and information sessions for parents on child-rearing topics are hosted by local child-rearing gurus. As the day continues, kids work off excess energy at the petting zoo or by starting their own five-cent tax-preparation-service booth.

Snapped Together's hand-built photo booths, armed with professional-grade cameras, lighting, and printers, spit out crisp, vivid photo strips within seconds while oozing retro charm. Its open-air booths made with mahogany and brushed aluminum channel the photo booths of yesteryear but without all the nasty chemicals and posing for days to get one picture. Staffers transport these open-air models—as well as traditional booths—to a cornucopia of events and stand by to help add photogenic pizzazz to weddings, birthday parties, and charitable fundraisers. After shindigs, hosts can bring home a flash drive brimming with images, a memento almost as priceless as a contact lens used by Ansel Adams.

At Dallas Heritage Village at Old City Park, visitors step back in time more than 100 years, immersed in the buildings and lifestyles of those who populated the land from 1840 to 1910. These historic structures have been slowly relocated over the last century to represent north-central Texas's storied past in one location: Dallas Heritage Village, the town’s first city park. Spanning 20 acres, the village is populated by 38 historic structures including a railroad complex, farmstead, church, and pioneer and Victorian homes, where actors donning period clothing await to educate guests on their customs while making them wonder if they accidentally traveled back in time. The site hosts regular student history hunts and seasonal learning programs, such as Plow, Plant, and Shear and Civil War on the Homefront.

Food Tours of America pairs local cuisine with hefty servings of history. Spinning anecdotes and engaging tales, guides lead walking tours that let groups sample Dallas's eclectic culture firsthand. The trips wind through Uptown locales such as West Village and State Thomas Historic District, home to structures dating to the 1880s Victorian period. Along the way, groups pause to sample cuisine from restaurants such as Primo’s Tex-Mex Grille, Bread Winners Cafe, Bailey’s Uptown Inn, Baboush, I Fratelli, Red Mango, and Ketchup Burger Bar. Food Tours of America's staffers also incorporate tours into private events, such as birthday parties and birthday-party reenactments.

Imagine Lifestyles equips its customers with the finer things in life, from chauffeured rides in Rolls-Royces to month-long stays in beachfront properties. The comprehensive menu of rentals includes exotic cars from Bentley and Lamborghini as well as luxury condos and mansions dotted along the sun-drenched sands of Miami. Personal crews transport passengers in comfort aboard charter aircrafts and yachts, and chauffeur services cater to customers’ needs, ferrying them to and from business meetings or to and from 7/11 to make a good impression on the new night manager.