Ok, I am from here, born and raised here but I simply cannot think of anything that interests these visitors.
Going to 6 Flags next week, headed to Oklahome for the weekend. They are not interested in museums or sissy stuff.
I am stumped. Movies... ok, Zoo? No freakin' way. Science Place? For babies.
This is a hard age, I tell ya.
My daughter was easy.
What do you do with boys at this age?

Is Wet and Wild still in Arlington? I grew up in Dallas, and we always loved going there, even my big brother. How about a Rangers game?

Definitely see the *6th Floor Museum*, from where JFK was assasinated. I think boys at that age would find it interesting, ours did.

Hi TxTravelPro-

Do they like gardens? (or is that too girly for the boys?) You can try the Dallas Arboretum, or the Texas Discovery Garden in Fair Park.

Or how about going to Fort Worth to the Cowgirl museum? Or to a rodeo?

Here is the Dallas visitor website where you can search the EVENTS calender to see what's on next week when you are here that might interests the boys. (maybe the Ringling Brothers circus?)
http://www.dallascvb.com/visitors/index.php

TxTravelPro ==>

Another place to look online is www.guidelive.com. Maybe you can find a concert they'd like. What about the Stockyards in Ft. Worth?

How about some place like Dave and Busters or Main Event.
How about a movie at the IMAX place in Fort Worth?
There's also a place on 353 - where they have little cars you can race - The name escapes me (maybe speed zone?).

Sorry the Speed Zone place is on 35

Thanks for the ideas. I thought of the IMAX. I'll check it again but I think it is showing some sissy, baby movie.
Maybe Gameworks. We do plan to take them to a local water park. The boys are pretty good sports but I think they have been dragged to so many museums and cultural stuff they just DO NOT want to go to anymore. They are content to stay inside and play videos all day.
Oh, I did not mention that they are from Seattle and they HATE the heat.
They will last 4 or 5 hours at 6 Flags Monday, tops.
Before they start sounding like a couple of brats, let me redeem them by saying that they are content to do nothing really. It is US who feel like we must entertain them.

TxTravelPro: I went to the Ticketmaster website for Dallas-FW, clicked on "Family", and got these for next week:

Wild West Show @ Cowtown Coliseum in FW

Ringling Brothers Circus @ AA Center in Dallas

If they prefer concerts, the Smirnoff Center has Kid Rock (7/24), Nickelback & 3 Doors Down (7/28) and Tim McGraw (7/31). I've been taking my son and his friends there for concerts several times a year, since they were about 13 or 14.

Also, I remember a place near DFW from 10 years back that had rides, games and bungee jumping.

Kids of all ages like miniature golf.

A couple of days ago, someone posted about taking kids to Bass Pro Shops in Grapevine. I'm not sure what's there; maybe someone else can help.

This is starting to sound like fun. Maybe we will go too.

Donna

P.S. My daughter went to 6 Flags with a group on Friday and said it was so crowded that they only managed to ride 3 rides in 8 hours.

TxTravelPro-

I came across a few more attractions:
The Age of Steam Railroad Museum at Fair Park
Cavanaugh Flight Museum in Addison
Tour the American Airlines Center

Also, there's an IMAX in Dallas as well (at the Science Place)

Most of the above offers discounts from coupons from the link below (click on web coupons), such as $10 off Six Flags over Texas:
http://www.dallascvb.com/visitors/special_deals.php

Hmmm.. This looks interesting too. Old City Park (Historic Village of Dallas)
http://www.oldcitypark.org/

TxTravelPro

We still lived in Plano when my nephew graduated from high school (in MA) and his graduation present from his parents was a trip to visit us for a week.

I went into a minor panic, feeling the burden of providing a fun graduation trip, but the visit went well, and we all had a terrific time. It was his first flight and he loved it so much he is now a pilot.

We did much of what has already been suggested here. 6 Flags and Wet and Wild of course. 6th Floor, which he really loved and although at 18 he was older than your visitors, our youngest child accompanied us too and he was 14 at the time...he too really enjoyed it, surprisingly. Ft Worth we did the Stockyards, took him into the old hotel for a break and a coke...showed him the jackalope on the wall, which he totally fell for, he remebers still, with much embarrassment. We ended that day with an early dinner at JoeT's, whose decor is fun for anyone not from around the Dallas area.

I see you are headed to OK, but we have had fun hiking around Eisenhower St Pk, even closer. Another idea which is great fun for all ages, but further afield, is Glen Rose. And more if you are willing to travel...who wouldn't love to go tubing on the Guadalupe!

Back when we were doing this there were still buffalo herds at the ranch on Preston Rd...even something as simple as that was fun for someone not from there.

More fun dining for non-Texans...the Trail Dust or Baby Doe's. It's hard to find things that everyone thinks of as being "typical Texas" around Dallas, but we did enjoy playing up the few that were there, and as much as we who lived there felt they were sort of "corny", inevitably visitors no matter what the age, enjoyed that aspect.

TTP...How bout a visit to the Stars HQ---DPSC/Frisco......They have Open Hockey nearly every afternoon and its not too expensive, $11 I think or so plus equipment rentals...

Are you already taking them to NRH2O? I tend to feel safer letting kids run around there than Hurricane Harbour. I think Gameworks would be great if they like that sort of thing...maybe combine it with Rain Forest Cafe. There is also an ice rink at Grapevine Mills. Are either of them Boy Scouts? There is the scouting museum in Las Colinas.

Am I remembering correctly that you're in Grapevine? My kids love ice cream at Milwaukee Joes (Southlake and Bedford) and snow cones at Buds.

Take them to Lake Grapevine or Lewisville and rent a boat - I found a link on the web -
http://www.jff.net/dallas/prices.htm

Take them on a trail ride - or better yet, a dinner/trail ride
http://www.awagonwheelranch.com/Rides.shtm

Well, they went to the movie today.
Tomorrow it's Hawaiian Falls. Thursday is still open. Friday we head to OK. Monday is 6 Flags.
My sister is a beef rancher in East Texas and I considered heading there for a day of riding horses and 4 wheelers. We'll see. Thanks for all the suggestions.
Girls are so much easier...

Do take them to your sister's ranch. What a great opportunity for them to see a TX ranch, and they'll love the 4 wheelers.

They really may enjoy going to Grapevine Lake or similar. Renting a boat would be a hit too.

Have fun!

Why not show the boys this list, and ask what THEY want to do.

Are they into skateboarding? - Grapevine Mills has a great indoor skate park. You mentioned Oklahoma, try Turner Falls for the day.