Farmers Branch, TX Outdoor Activities

The self-guided tour of Cowboys Stadium starts at the arena's pro shop and grants unfettered access to the field below for children (up to a $14.50 value), adults (up to a $17.50 value), and seniors (up to a $14.50 value). Once there, visitors are free to throw passes, snap some photos, choreograph their own hubris-riddled touchdown dance, or pose proudly on the famous Cowboys star while staring skyward at one of the largest video screens in the world. The tour also makes numerous behind-the-scenes stops, including the Cowboys' locker room, the postgame interview room, the players' game-day entrance, the Miller Lite Club, the cheerleaders' locker room, and the secret robot-player underground laboratory.

As the centerpiece of a 270-acre complex in Arlington, Rangers Ballpark has played host to the city's professional baseball team since 1994. In center field, a four-story office building serves as one of the most unique backdrops in baseball, and in right field, a home-run porch and two-tiered seating section harken back to the structures of classic parks. Before the 2011 season, the stadium was outfitted with new video boards, adding state-of-the-art flair to the building. The Captain Morgan Club, which made its debut in 2012, brings a two-story sports bar and restaurant to center field. The adjacent Kids Zone features interactive areas for kids of all ages, with video games, kid-sized concessions and Rangers merchandise.

In 1997, the newly formed Fort Worth Bulls, due to a naming conflict, had to change their moniker. Although they settled on the Brahma—a type of beef cattle—as new inspiration, the one-time bulls never altered their tenacity. After the Central Hockey League's Fort Worth Fire folded in 1999, the Brahmas packed their players in bubble wrap and moved from the WPHL to the new league, where they have since made multiple playoff appearances and, in 2008–09, captured the organization's first Ray Miron President's Cup with a five-game series victory over the Colorado Eagles.

With a BYOB policy except on Sundays, 10” subwoofers, and spacious dance floors, Joe and Toni Watson’s fleet of pontoons were designed with revelry in mind. Licensed party-boat operators often chart routes to Party Cove, though they’ll happily drop anchor anywhere in Lake Lewisville and crank up their vessel’s iPod-outfitted stereos. When parties rage beyond sunset, the boats’ multi-colored LED lights flicker on, casting a cool glow on the pontoon’s open deck.

Whether learning how to surf the endless wave during a wake-surfing lesson with pro wake-surf pioneer Tyler Marshall, or serenely building up endorphins, balance, and strength through standup-paddleboard classes, DFW Surf has a team of professional instructors ready to help students of all levels master the world of watersports. Besides offering introductory standup-paddleboarding lessons at the metroplex, they also offer fitness classes on and off the board, including CrossFit H2O and Float On Yoga. Part of what makes DFW Surf one of CBS Local’s 2012 Best Extreme Sports and Rec Spots in North Texas is its promotion of both community spirit and fitness, in addition to its commitment to the growth of inland surf sports through club memberships, monthly cleanups of trash in the lake, and events such as the DFW Surf Open.

At RNR Stables, staffers employ the sport or horseback riding to foster riders' confidence and encourage them to build relationships with horses. Under staff-member leadership, riders can learn about tack, stride, and rein control with private lessons or seek minimal instruction before taking to the sand-laden arena for a serene trot or to build a sand barn with new four-legged friends. If the verdant foliage of a trail ride leaves patrons wanting more, they can rally a group together for a birthday horseback-riding package or a summer-camp session.