How to Maximize Family Fun While Attending Arkansas Baseball Games in Arlington

Tips from a local on how to get the most out of the three days in North Texas

FRISCO, Texas – When Arkansas fans come to North Texas for three days of Razorbacks baseball against quality opponents, a few hours of each day is accounted for, but what is one to do the rest of the time, especially if this is a family trip. 

Well, don't worry. As someone who flips back and forth between DFW and Northwest Arkansas, I not only know the area really well, but also have a good feel for the families that be exploring North Texas. Please note, these recommendations are not only made with enjoyment for both the children and parents in mind, but also with safety and easily mappable routes in the equation also.

So, Thursday afternoon, knowing a lot of people will have to work at least a half day, we start by trimming a little time off the journey. The recommendation is to take HWY 380 to Frisco instead of driving all the way to Arlington. If possible, stay at the Residence Inn next to the Dallas Cowboys headquarters. It features apartment style Marriott rooms, but doesn't come with the typical Marriott price tag. It's super clean and features a great breakfast.

More importantly, it is a good location from which to access the first two stops of the weekend as you kill time waiting to head to the ballpark for Arkansas vs. Oregon State.

National Video Game Museum

Our first time killer is an absolute must if you've never been. The National Video Game Museum at 8004 Dallas Parkway in Frisco is the epitome of making sure both parents and children have a blast. 

This isn't your typical museum. Nearly everything is playable. Want to step into a 1970s living room for a little Atari? Have at it. Maybe your nostalgia is a 1980s bedroom complete with "Transformers the Movie" poster and other '80s memorabilia all around. Well, sit on the edge of the bed, grab up the original NES gun and start firing away at Duck Hunt. 

Exhibits range from a two-story Pong set to VR games. My personal favorite is a zombie game that combines your 7th grade typing class from the '90s with the setting of Doom. You better type the word correctly before the zombie bites your face off.

Of course, no video game museum would be complete without an arcade packed with all the classics. I've never seen anyone visit this place and not have the time of their lives, so, if you can only do one thing on the list, this is the must-do of them all.

Nerdvana

Just a couple of blocks up tucked away in a series of buildings just south of the FC Dallas soccer stadium is Nerdvana. It looks unassuming on the outside, but once you enter, it's the kind of experience the 1990s dreamed it could have in a restaurant, but was never able to pull off.

Upon entering, you have the option of choosing to eat in the board game room or at one of the many video game tables. Obviously, you want to go video game, although they do have an impressive collection of board games.

Your child will be asked to choose a gaming console. These range from the original Nintendo to the latest releases. What console you choose will determine where you sit as each table has one built into the wall beside it. 

There are two-player booths and full family booths where you sit down and choose from a long list of games to kill time while you wait on the food to arrive. It's an American style menu with plenty of good options for parents looking for something interesting while also having plenty for picky children.

Make sure you leave for the Razorbacks game no later than 4:30 p.m. Sure, it will put you at the stadium a bit early, but if you wait even until 4:45 p.m., the way traffic works in DFW, that 15 minute wait will add an extra hour of sitting in heavy traffic as people start fleeing work. Timing matters. A 30 minute drive can become two hours very quickly if you don't know the patterns.

DAY 2

After the game against Oregon State, head north on HWY 360 back toward Grapevine. This is where you will stay the night. If possible, check into the DFW Hilton Lakes Executive Conference Center. It's typically reasonably priced well under $200 and is really nice. 

What sets it apart is location and amenities. Beyond your usual hot tub, pool, restaurant combo, it's set on the edge of a lake with several really nice walking trails. More importantly, it's an easy walk to the next day's entertainment, or you can make a very short drive if you prefer.

Meow Wolf

Right next to the hotel, separated by trees and a parking lot is Grapevine Mills. It's technically a mall, but adjustments to the times have made it more of an amusement area with a few nice stores attached. 

There's an aquarium, a nice dine-in theater, Legoland, a bowling alley and a Rain Forest Cafe for those who are into that sort of thing. However, the crown jewel is Meow Wolf. Let's start by saying it's hard to explain exactly what Meow Wolf is. A commercial will be included below, as will a video showing some of the place if possible, but even that will not explain what you are about to walk into.

So, upon entering, it seems like you have stepped onto a movie set. You're in a yard (this is all indoors) outside a pretty normal looking house at night. Once you go inside, you find the home abandoned and start looking around. This is a real world place designed by artists. Everything you see has clues as to what is going on, so look at every picture and scrap of paper you see.

Without ruining too much, you will find a flyer for a missing child. This is where things really take off. You never know where you will find hidden doors that taken you to other worlds and dimensions as you try to figure out what in the world is happening. Everything is a possible portal that, if found, can be walked into. 

And that's all I can share. The best way I can describe it is to imagine a Tim Burton movie that got turned into an escape room with Scooby Doo chase scene logic. It's definitely something no one in the family will forget as you try to figure out the lore behind everything that happens. 

The video below was purposely chosen because it cuts off before revealing too many secrets. Just know what is behind these random hidden doors is insane. And the track suit people in the commercial provided actually do greet you as you enter. They're a pretty fun show to watch all on their own.

Babe's Chicken Dinner House

So, after you wrap things over at Meow Wolf, it's time to make the short drive to Arlington for a meal at Babe's Chicken Dinner House. The easiest way to get there is to head south on 360 and turn on Division Street a couple of exits past Six Flags. Take it down to the Center Street intersection and it will be on the left close to Hurtado's Barbecue. 

Get ready for the best chicken and sides anywhere. Everything is served family style like your momma serves it and it's all good. You choose from fried chicken, smoked chicken, chicken tenders, chicken fried steak and catfish. It's possible to mix it up and get more than one thing, but just be aware that it's going to be a lot of food. 

The sides are unlimited. The combination of biscuits, mashed potatoes and gravy is a special taste that I just haven't been able to replicate anywhere else. They say there's dessert and the images I have seen make it look really good, but I have never managed to even be able to think about sweets because I am so full. 

Any leftovers are literally thrown into a clear plastic bag, so you will want to eat as much of those sides as possible. Every location is different, but most have random boards along the walls with funny sayings and some you have to kinda figure out like a riddle. This alone is a great way to kill time with the family. You will also want to like music because there will be a lot of it along with random dancing. 

Then, when it's over, it's a short drive over to Globe Life Field for another Razorbacks game.

Since Sunday features an early game, we didn't plan anything. It's probably best to sleep in and get packed up for the drive that will follow a third baseball game in three days. 

So, hopefully this was helpful. Obviously, no one has to do it all, but at least it gives people an idea of how to make the most out the weekend. 

HOG FEED:

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EVERYONE REACTS TO RAZORBACKS' UPSET WIN AT TEXAS A&M

AGGIES LOOKING TO MINIMIZE THIS ONE THING TO MAKE SURE ARKANSAS DOESN'T UPSET THEM AGAIN

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