Things to Do in Southlake

When players take a tumble or dive at Gatsplat, they’re cushioned by the same stuff that protects NFL players from harm. Both of Gatsplat’s indoor paintball fields are padded by NFL-quality Astroturf, but these are not the only safety measures the staff puts in place. Professional referees keep watch over games, as opposed to off-duty clowns looking to score some free face paint. Players are also divided by experience level, and standard 68-caliber markers can be swapped out for lighter-weight 50-caliber markers so kids as young as six can play.

The 26,000-square-foot air-conditioned facility also has a comfortable viewing area with wide windows for non-players to keep an eye on the action. Free wireless internet access and a wide-screen television keep them occupied, and between games, players and non-players can discuss strategy or compare paint splatters as they snack at picnic tables.

At Let's Jump's indoor facility, kids bounce across 12,000 square feet packed with inflatable houses and rides. Sock-footed jumpers bound over to 13 inflatable attractions and defy gravity better than Buzz Aldrin's pogo stick. Parents kick back as their miniature versions glide down slides, overcome obstacle courses, and spring from the walls of the facility’s bounce houses. Combo bounce houses beckon kids to multitask their fun with multiple activities such as dunking basketball shots while dodging obstacles, and a separate toddler room grants smaller kids a safe place to jump. For kids who want to keep bouncing at home, Let’s Jump also provides party rentals for backyard celebrations.

A coalition of ice arenas endorsed by the Dallas Stars, Dr Pepper StarCenters help nurture athletes of all ages and skill levels with activities on or off the ice. Dr Pepper StarCenters house NHL-regulation ice-hockey rinks that host hockey leagues for players of all ages, eradicating the need to play on dangerous frozen lakes dotted with irritable frozen geese. StarCenters' skate schools instill students with the fundamentals of ice hockey or figure skating, allowing them to progress to hockey leagues and local skating competitions if they choose. To warm up after laps around the Euless ice rink, skaters can check out the onsite baseball stadium, batting cages, soccer fields, and Texas Star Golf Course. All locations are open for birthday parties and special events; see each location's website for details.

Blanketing more than 100 acres, Fort Worth Botanic Garden houses several disparate gardens that welcome locals and tourists whether they want quiet reflection or a social stroll amid arboreal beauty. The Fragrance Garden lives up to its name by engaging olfactory zones with a dozen uniquely scented plants. In the 7-acre Japanese Garden, visitors commune with plants and animals, including the pond's koi fish and their pet minnows.