We have a 3.5 hour layover in Dallas this summer. Is there anywhere to take my wife an kids that might be fun nearby? Thanks!

DFW is sort of in the middle of no where (relative to Dallas and Fort Worth). If your family is the outdoors type there is a huge Bass Pro Shop just past the north end of the airport road. You'd have to take a cab to get there and back.

candert said it exactly right... DFW is a huge place in the middle of nowhere. You may try Grapevine Mills, maybe 10 minutes from the airport... It is a huge 'outlet' kind of mall, with a Rainforest Cafe and quite a few shops. Be aware that a cab would charge you maybe $20 to take you there and another $20 to get back...

The Amerisuites DFW North will let you catch a ride to the outlet mall. The hotel practically shares a parking lot with the mall.
Embassy Suites Outdoor World is connected to BassPro Shops and kitty corner across a BIG road from the mall.
So you could do that, too.
Should that plan fail, cab fare should NOT be 20.00 as it is literally a few minutes away.
Like any other city the cabs here start off with a fee and then charge by the mile/minute.
Allow yourself 1 hour at the a/p for your departing flight. 30 minutes to get through security and get to the gate and boarding starts 30 minutes prior to departure.

TxTravelPro,

Usually, I've seen that if you're going somewhere near the airport, the cabs will not use the meter stating some bs reason, like "I have to pay to get in and out of the airport" or something like that. I've taken cabs from the airport and from the Hyatt at DFW to Grapevine Mills on several occasions, and it has always been like that. They never use the meter.

My impatient boss has sometimes paid $10 to get from terminal A to the Hyatt (same thing going back), just because he doesn't want to wait for the free shuttle!

Insist they use it or negotiate a fare prior to departure.
My office is a few miles West of the a/p and I have colleagues and clients flying in all the time. Fares to my office generally run right at 12.00, depending on the traffic at the a/p and on 114.

Definitely go to Grapevine Mills Mall! The kids will love the Rainforest Cafe and/or Gameworks. I wouldn't recommend the Amerisuites shuttle unless you call in advance and see if they will drop you off at the mall entrance. Texas summers are HOT, and walking across the black asphalt parking lot makes you even hotter!

I live about 5 minutes away from DFW, and I have taken cabs to and from the airport several times. I always negotiate with the driver before getting in the cab. Yes, technically there is a "minimum fare" but if they are willing to let me use the meter instead, I give them a bigger tip!

Good advise, CP
I forget about how hot it really is here... I am just used to it.
Visitors generally wilt as soon as they step onto the surreal heat of the a/p pick up lane outside baggage claim.
It sort of hits you like opening an oven door.

There is also the new Gaylord texan Resort also fairly close in Grapevine, it has several restaurants. Friends who visted said it was a fun place for kids.

However have not been there personally so this is hearsay.

http://www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylordtexan/get_here/

I would recommend the Grapevie Mills Mall over the Texan. I'd imagine that after a few hours on a plane, the kids would be happier to get out and do something. The Texan is neat, and it has a good sports bar, but it is still just a large hotel.

If shopping or hotel gawking are not for you, try the American Airlines' flight museum, a very cheap cab ride away from DFW airport. Museum is free and kids like it.
crsmithmuseum.org

It might be more trouble than it's worth to go to the mall. It's huge, and you won't have much time (probably an hour at the most) after allowing for the trip to and from and arriving back at the airport in time to go through security and get to your gate.

I wouldn't personally stray out for a 3 1/2 hour lay over. You never know when the lines to get through security will be super long. If it takes half hour to get to Grapevine Mills (de-planing, exiting the airport, etc.) half hour back, and you want to be at the airport at least an hour before your flight, that gives you an hour and a half at most somewhere.

Just a quick note about security lines at DFW.
I am based in DFW and go through DFW security weekly.
I have NEVER seen a security line at DFW take more than 15 minutes... and that was a long one.
You don't mention whether you have to recheck bags or whether you will be lugging a ton of stuff. If you have 3.5 scheduled hours, you really will only have an hour to goof off outside of the airport just because you will not really have 3.5 hours once you figure in waiting, boarding, security, etc...
You can kill time at DFW in shops and maybe go to Chili's or something.

I'll second that I have never waited in line longer than 15 minutes for security at DFW. There are about 5 checkpoints per terminal, so the lines move quite quickly. I usually plan to arrive at the airport between 45 minutes and 1 hour before my flight.

If your bags are checked through, and you already have boarding passes for the second flight, you will have enough time to leave the airport for a meal. The mall is a 5-minute drive, maybe 15 minutes in bad traffic. I've picked friends with similar layovers up and gone to the Mills or nearby restaurants, then dropped them back off with no problem.

Personally I would look for the Dickie's BBQ in the terminal and have a good meal, then chill with a good book. That is very little time, IMO, and for me, it would not be worth the money or stress, running around in the heat. Too many unknowns. What if the cab has a flat, what if the terminal shuts down for a bomb scare and the lines get horrendous. I love the "reading" time that I get now in terminals and on the planes. Can get through a novel or two per trip nowadays. Just my thoughts.