Tours in Fort Worth

Fly-A-Sim gives humans wings and shows them how to use them. But these wings aren't covered with feathers or drenched with barbecue sauce—they're virtual and perfect for soaring across an imaginary stratosphere. A certified flight instructor begins each simulated journey with a lesson on how aircraft fly. Afterward, participants board a comfy jet simulator that trains real pilots for a solo flight in the captain's seat. Realistic sounds and visuals conjure a rush of excitement as virtual pilots execute basic maneuvers such as takeoffs and landings. For most simulations, the pilot-in-training can bring along a friend to test-drive the plane or point out clouds that look like Nietzsche's mustache.

A fleet of nine carriages bearing the NorthStar insignia clips and clops through the city streets of Dallas and Fort Worth, ferrying riders through historical tours and evenings filled with romance. Passengers watch the city skyline pan past their open-top carriage or opt for shelter beneath a cloth canopy as they visit historic locales. Ahead of them, a professional driver sports a white tuxedo shirt, boots, and Western hat, and his noble steed, trained at the company farm to be gentle and politely decline drag-race challenges, maintains a natural grace. Since its establishment in 1990, the company has had the honor of participating in a number of special local events, including football-victory parades and the Adolphus Children’s Christmas Parade.

Four Winds Aviation's team of veteran sky jockeys vaults passengers skyward for white-knuckle stunt rides and easygoing introductory flights. Intent on maintaining high safety and training standards, Four Winds’ seasoned flight instructors all hold high-level ratings and have earned hundreds of flying hours from service in the military, careers with commercial airlines, and years of entering aerobatic competitions. On any given day, the crew can be found imparting their passion for soaring upon pupils during training courses ranging from basic aerobatics to discovery introductory flights and flight-training courses. Students spend time on terra firma reviewing safety basics before taking flight in one of Four Winds’ meticulously maintained cloud slicers including Piper Archer airplanes, Pitts S2B aerobatic biplanes, and saddle-equipped flying squirrels. Along with beginner and recreational courses, the instructors also help more experienced flyers accrue the hours, experience, and know-how required to work toward sport, instrument, and commercial pilot's licenses.

McKinney, Texas’s Chestnut Square Historic Village recreates life from 1850-1930 on a campus that features six historic houses, a one-room schoolhouse, a chapel, and a general store. The surrounding buildings also include a blacksmith shop, a smoke house, and a chapel, all filled with period artifacts from the 19th century. Visit during a Living History Day to see costumed actors farming, baking, embroidering cushions, or tending to the old-fashioned gardens. Visitors can even step inside the old schoolhouse for a lesson on the region’s history or argue in favor of putting James A. Garfield on every piece of U.S. currency.

For a more in-depth look at the square, follow a guide on a daytime tour, which delves into the buildings’ pasts. On the Village’s haunted tours, you can try to catch a glimpse of an apparition with a lantern light. Patrons can get an additional taste of the past at the weekly farmers market, which showcases fresh vegetables and is visited by Chester the Cat, the square’s resident feline who normally hangs out at Dixie’s Store.

Boneyard Haunted House has been featured in numerous local media outlets, including in a story on CBS 11 news exploring whether or not the space is actually haunted. Rumors swirl that the large, formerly abandoned building that operator Dan Hall has converted into a haunted house harbors some very real ghosts. To give his guests a proper Halloween fright, Hall has outfitted the building's downstairs area with more than 40,000 square feet of realistic-looking skeleton scenes, elaborate designs, and passageways that reduce one’s line of sight to up the surprise factor. But, as Hall told CBS 11, other unintentional things have been happening inside the haunted house. Rolls of receipts have rolled across the floor and trash cans have accelerated across the room, all seemingly of their own volition. The phenomena have even caused paranormal investigators to come in with recording technology to try to contact the spirits of any lingering souls or prolific Ouija boards that might be stuck on the premises.

For guests who have walked through the haunted house in previous years, every season brings new and scary surprises. A writer from the North Dallas Gazette reported on the effort, noting that "each year, the haunt is completely taken down and the team starts fresh building exclusive rooms and new props." The attraction also boasts an indoor festival area with games, music, concessions, and vendors.