Things To Do In Weatherford

Originally leased from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1988, Meadowmere Park welcomes its guests to 250 acres of parklands and lakefront ripe for outdoor activities. As kayaks and paddleboats launch into Lake Grapevine and float across 8,000 acres of water, miles of trails surrounding the lake allow visitors to run, bike, and set world somersault records. As the evening sets in, tents sit beneath twinkling stars at campsites along sandy beaches, and special events unfold at a waterfront pavilion.

If a child tried to fire a paintball in the house, he or she would likely be grounded. At FCS Paintball, however, guests are free to launch the colorful spheres indoors without restraint or fear of consequence. Here, the 18,000-square-foot field’s roof shelters players from the elements. Visitors can battle during the day or the occasional night session, which, because they’re indoors, doesn’t require navigation via sonar.

Just off a straight stretch of the Trinity River, the sounds of laughter and victorious whooping grow louder. A curious look toward the hubbub yields a vision rarely seen in the city—helmet-clad athletes of all ages splash along the water's surface, launching their bodies in what looks like the offspring of waterskiing and snowboarding onto ramps, jumps, and railings that protrude from the water's surface like geometric islands. It's all part of a regular afternoon at Cowtown Wakepark, the watery brainchild of 20-year wakeboarding enthusiast Tommy Fambrough. During the course of three years, Tommy slowly formed the labyrinth of water-bound obstacles that visitors enjoy today, earning acclaim from the Trinity River Vision Authority's revitalization project for his riverside paradise's part in keeping the area an accessible and productive part of the community.

Each wakeboarding run begins when visitors strapped into their Liquid Force boards grab a cable and are pulled from the shore-side wooden platform across the water, cutting through the river's calm surface and pausing only to heckle passing fish. Spectators stick to the shore under covered tents and at picnic tables, or recline on the water's surface inside tented rafts. Onsite instructors can show first-timers the ropes, and also lead summer day camps to instill children aged 7–16 with wakeboarding, kneedboarding, and wakeskating basics.

The Hip Pocket Theatre is an experimental theatre ensemble rooted deep in the heart of Texas. Original scripts and adaptations draw their inspiration from the legends and history of Fort Worth and the Southwest. The performances combine traditional theatrical elements of music, drama, mime, dance, and puppetry.

Pump It Up's hallowed, padded halls brim with all manner of inflatable gadgetry for the bouncing and sliding enjoyment of pint-size clients. The amusement center's polychromatic bounce arena and slides are open to visitors during pop-in play-time, giving kids the chance to blow off steam and make important social connections during discussions of Clifford as an allegory for industrialism. The playpen's staff is vigorously trained to watch for unsafe situations and keep each air-filled apparatus clean and hygienic. Parents are free to bounce with their children during Family Jump Time, though they are required by kid law not to show how much they are enjoying it. Family Jump Time is held on Tuesdays and Fridays from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. and Thursdays from 4:30–7:30 p.m. during the school year, as well as Mondays and Wednesdays from 2–5 p.m. during school holidays.