The Best Things to do in Plano, Texas: Your Ultimate Guide

When most people think of visiting the great state of Texas, they usually plan to see the Alamo and San Antonio, the Capitol Building in Austin, NASA in Houston, and perhaps tour the JFK Assassination Site in Dallas. After all, these are some of the most famous tourist attractions in The Lone Star State, and it’s understandable why they would be on many itineraries. As you can imagine, however, there is a lot more to Texas than these few renowned sites, and venturing off the beaten path just might take you to a place you find unexpectedly enjoyable. One place that fits this description is Plano, a city located about 20 miles north of Dallas. There, you will discover an abundance of shopping and dining options as well as attractions for the whole family. We had the pleasure of visiting recently and got inspired to share our insights about all the great things to do in Plano.

Where to Stay in Plano

When it comes to accommodations, there is definitely no shortage in Plano. You can find pretty much everything, from luxury and mid-range to more budget-friendly options. During our visit, we stayed at Cambria Hotel, which was a nice place in a great location that is also dog-friendly. Oh, yes! That last one was important, since we brought our 75-pound golden retriever Sammy along! After all, pups need a family getaway, too!

---

HOTELS: Click HERE to see the highest-rated accommodations in Plano on Booking.com. We have filtered out the lower-rated ones for you! Booking.com is one of our favorite websites for finding great places to stay all over the world.

---

Cambria Hotel had plenty of amenities to offer, including an outdoor swimming pool, gym, laundry room, great WiFi access, dining area, and bar. I don’t know about you, but for us this is more than enough, considering we normally spend our days out and about, exploring our destination. Plano was no different since there was plenty we wanted to see and do.

Fun Things to Do in Plano

We were surprised to find out how much Plano has to offer. Even though we tried to experience as much as possible, there were still plenty of things we didn’t get to! So, here is what we put together to make your planning easier.

Shopping and Dining

Plano certainly has no shortage of shopping and dining choices, and if that’s your thing, you would feel right at home here.

Legacy West

You can start by going to Legacy West, which is the main shopping district in town. It’s packed with numerous stores featuring major brands, as well as more than 20 restaurants. This is also where you’ll find the Renaissance Hotel, a convenient place to stay if you plan to spend most of your time in this area.

Admittedly, we kept coming back to Legacy West, as we really enjoyed walking around and trying different places to eat. Our food quest began at Legacy Hall, which is a huge, three-story dining hall. Here, gathered under one roof, you will find a variety of eateries and bars. It’s probably best to walk around first and look at all the choices before you make your final selection. We opted for chicken shawarma wraps from Shawarma Bar, and they were delicious.

Some of the other places we tried at Legacy West were True Food Kitchen, which offers an array of healthy dishes, and Amorino, where we had the best organic dark chocolate gelato ever!

Haywire Restaurant

Haywire Restaurant is another major dining spot at Legacy West, and you should definitely stop by, even if you aren’t super hungry. Just go up to the third floor, grab a drink or some happy hour appetizers, and enjoy the city views from the open patio. Be sure to also check out the silver airstream while up there!

Granite Park

After you’ve explored Legacy West,  head over to the Granite Park Boardwalk. This is another nice area that features a variety of waterfront restaurants with indoor and outdoor seating. We had lunch at the Union Bear Brewing Co. and really liked the atmosphere there. Regardless of where you decide to eat, be sure to take a stroll along the boardwalk as it’s really quite enjoyable.

Other Shopping and Dining Options

Legacy West and Granite Park are certainly not the only shopping and dining options you will find in Plano. Some other places that might be worth checking out include The Shops at Willow Bend and High Street, which is the largest indoor antiques mall in the Dallas area. A few specific food experiences we really loved were getting lunch at Original Chop Shop at The Shops at Legacy, and ice cream from Milky Treats and Meccha Matcha. Keep in mind that Meccha Matcha serves mostly matcha green tea delights, so if this isn’t your thing, try Milky Treats instead. I, personally loved the soft serve matcha ice cream they have!

Outdoor Fun

Now that we covered shopping and dining, let’s check out some of the fun outdoorsy things to do in Plano! For us, spending time outside in nature is always on the itinerary, whether we are in a large metropolis, smaller city, or out in the country.

Arbor Hills Nature Preserve

A really lovely natural area in Plano is Arbor Hills Nature Preserve. This is a 200-acre park with trails for hiking and biking that take you to beautiful open spaces alternating with “tunnels” of lush green trees. You can make your way to the observation tower inside the park and see views of the city from the top. If you are traveling with younger kids, you might be happy to learn that there is a large playground right near the parking lot, where they can jump, climb, and have fun.

We visited Arbor Hills with our pup, Sammy, and enjoyed a very pleasant mid-morning walk. When we arrived, it had just stopped raining, so the air felt especially fresh.

Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve

Another really nice place to visit is Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve, Plano’s largest park. It covers 800 acres of beautiful natural environment, and features about 8 miles of paved trails and 5 miles of soft hiking trails. Unfortunately, when we visited Oak Point, we discovered that the creek that runs through the park had flooded overnight due to heavy rain. The main trail behind the Visitors Center was covered in knee-deep water, which prevented us from exploring any further. We managed to get to the small lake near the parking lot, but everything else was basically inaccessible. It looked like a very beautiful park, and we would definitely love to return here with our bikes and properly see the rest of it.

Go Ape!

While in Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve, you might want to have a different kind of adventure. If you enjoy hanging out high up among the trees and flying on a zip line, Go Ape! is the place for you. There you will find a challenging treetop course with exciting obstacles along the way, a zipline that’s over 400 feet long, and eye-popping Tarzan swings!

Texas Pool

During the summer, when the temperatures are high, going for a swim might be one of the best things to do in Plano. Head to The Texas Pool, and prepare to have a splashing good time. This is not just an ordinary swimming pool, but one that’s shaped like the state of Texas and filled with saltwater. Built in 1961, The Texas Pool is currently listed in the National Register of Historic Places. So, pack up the swimsuits and take a dip in this unique historic landmark!

Historic Downtown Plano

Plano isn’t only a great hub for shopping, dining, and outdoor activities, but also a place where you can enjoy history and art. Historic Downtown Plano features a lovely storefront area, along with colorful outdoor murals, painted on the sides of several buildings. Haggard Park is also really nice to visit while in downtown. There, you will find a large playground for the kiddos and the historic Interurban Railway Museum, which like The Texas Pool, is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

The museum is free, and it offers electricity and science exhibits, as well as exhibits on the history of Plano and the Texas Electric Railway. If this is one attraction you really want to see, be sure to look up the hours of operation before going. On the day we were there, it was closed, however we still enjoyed checking out the interurban railway car 360 displayed at the front.

Other Fun Things to Do in Plano

Indeed, the City of Plano does have a lot to offer to its residents and visitors. While this list can’t possibly cover every single activity and attraction in the area, there are a few more worth mentioning.

If you really enjoy outdoor art, and want to explore more of Plano’s art scene, head to Legacy Central. Right at the southwest corner of Legacy Drive and U.S. Highway 75, you will find a number of gorgeous murals by Adrian Torres. We absolutely loved the bright colors and the style of the artist. While this is not exactly a tourist area per se, coming for the art was totally worth the trip.

One attraction that the whole family might enjoy is Crayola Experience, located at The Shops at Willow Bend. There, the kiddos can participate in a variety of fun and creative activities that are sure to keep them busy for a while.

Play Street Museum in nearby Frisco is another interesting  place to visit with younger kids. It features nicely set up play areas for interactive pretend play.

Plano Balloon Festival

Last but certainly not least, Plano is the home to the annual Central Market Plano Balloon Festival. Every year in early Fall, an array of colorful hot air balloons take to the sky to delight the people, who gather to watch them fly. The festival also features a number of races, balloon rides, as well as different food and merchandise vendors.

Just Visit Plano

There you have it! Whether you enjoy shopping and dining, history and art, or simply walking in the park, Plano can deliver. It has a bit of everything and something for everyone. So, be sure to stop by next time you are in the Dallas/Forth Worth area! Visit Plano, and have some fun!

---

Special Thanks

We would like to thank Visit Plano for inviting us to Plano and partnering with us. Also, special thanks to Cambria Hotel for hosting us during out stay. We had a wonderful time, and want to be sure to mention that while our visit to Plano was a sponsored trip, all opinions expressed in this article are our own. Please, refer to our Disclosure Policy for more information.

Disclaimer

This post may contain affiliate links, which means that we will receive a small commission if you purchase something through these links. There is absolutely NO additional cost to you! We are affiliates of Booking.com and sincerely believe this is one of the best websites for booking accommodations. Thank you so much for choosing to use our affiliate links! These small commissions help us continue to update and run this website. 🙂

---

Resources to Help Plan Your Trip to Plano

• Visit Plano – The Official Tourist Website for all things Plano

Shopping and Dining

• Legacy West – The main shopping and dining district in Plano. Some good dining options there are Legacy Hall, Haywire Restaurant, and many others
• Granite Park Boardwalk – A pleasant waterfront boardwalk with various dining options
• The Shops at Legacy – A small but lovely shopping and dining area
• The Shops at Willow Bend – A large mall in Plano
• High Street – The largest indoor antiques mall in the whole Dallas area
• Milky Treats – A nice ice cream stop
• Meccha Matcha – A great place to get matcha ice cream and other matcha delights

Outdoor Activities and Other Fun Stuff

• Arbor Hills Nature Preserve – A great park in Plano to enjoy the outdoors
• Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve – Another beautiful park, the largest in Plano
• Go Ape! – A high ropes course and zipline located in Oak Point Park
• Texas Pool – A historic swimming pool in Plano shaped like the state of Texas and filled with saltwater
• Historic Downtown Plano – The older district in the city of Plano, which features colorful murals, Haggard Park, and the Interurban Railway Museum
• Crayola Experience – A fun place that offers interesting activities for kids, located at The Shops at Willow Bend mall
• Play Street Museum – Another great place for kids, who love to participate in pretend play
• Central Market Plano Balloon Festival – An annual hot air balloon festival in Plano

Note: Unless otherwise indicated, the photos in this post were taken by Vessy with a Nikon D5600 camera or an iPhone 11 Pro. Please send us an e-mail (vessy@feelgoodandtravel.com) if you would like to use any of them. All images are subject to copyright laws.

This trip took place from August 29 to August 31, 2020.

---

PIN THIS POST!