Plano Texas Offers Plenty to See, Do and Taste

 Plano, Texas is a bustling city situated between Dallas and the rolling prairies and grasslands of northern Texas. While it offers a more relaxed pace of life than Dallas-Fort Worth, Plano still provides plenty to see, do, and taste. Plano's bustling economy is driven by the manufacturing and telecommunications industries. With an experienced workforce and convenient access to transportation, Plano provides the ideal environment for companies to expand and prosper.

The Best Things to Do in Plano

Plano Texas is a vibrant city that offers plenty of enjoyable activities, from thrilling nightlife and delicious restaurants to outdoor adventures and family-friendly attractions. Just north of Dallas, this picturesque Texas town makes the ideal getaway with friends and family! Historic Downtown Plano is a charming area filled with small shops, art galleries, and restaurants. Additionally, this cultural hub hosts seasonal events as well as performances year-round. For history buffs and culture aficionados alike, the Heritage Farmstead Museum should not be missed during your trip to Plano. With displays like a replica 1895 schoolhouse and Farrell-Wilson House, visitors will get to take an immersive journey back in time and savor life on the Blackland Prairie during the late 1800s.

The Interurban Railway Museum, housed in the former Plano Train Station, is an educational specialty museum that explores how electric railroads have contributed to our modern world. Featuring restored train cars and engaging exhibits, this heritage site will surely delight visitors of all ages! Shawnee Park, located just north of Plano's city center on Santa Fe Estates Drive, is an inviting oasis. With plenty of lawns for strolling, well-kept picnic spots, and a playground for children to enjoy, Shawnee Park can easily become your go-to spot on a sunny day. Plano offers a plethora of outdoor activities, from hiking and biking to fishing and picnicking. A day spent at Arbor Hills Nature Preserve on 200 acres is an excellent opportunity to get some fresh air and take in the breathtaking Texas landscape.

Arbor Hills' 3.8-mile trail system is perfect for exploring wilder and less-trodden corners of this affluent suburb. Complete with its dedicated mountain bike track, playgrounds, picnic spots, and dog park, it's an ideal escape from Plano's busy urban streets. Another must-visit in Plano is the Shops at Legacy West. This vibrant business and cultural district offer a diverse selection of shopping options from designer stores to unique boutiques. Plus, it's an excellent spot for foodies or drinkers with many luxury and gourmet restaurants available.

The Heritage Farmstead Museum

Heritage Farmstead Museum is an engaging destination to learn about life in North Texas during the 1800s. Filled with replicas of daily life from that era, it's sure to be a fun day out for everyone in your family. The museum showcases the historic Farrell-Wilson house from 1891 as well as other buildings found on farms throughout the Blackland Prairie region. Additionally, there's a one-room schoolhouse where kids can look inside for an insight into life back then. You have two choices for tours to learn more about life in the 1900s: you can choose to tour the entire farm and observe how people lived here, or just focus on exploring the museum itself. This year the museum is hosting an unforgettable holiday experience called Lights on the Farm. This festive gathering boasts over one million lights and numerous animated displays sure to enchant everyone in your family.

Are you searching for a family activity to do over the Thanksgiving holiday? Lights on the Farm is an ideal option! Take a leisurely walk around the entire property and take in breathtaking displays along its quarter-mile trail. Plus, meet Santa and take photos in his farm shop! The best part of this experience is that it's free to attend. All you need to do is bring a valid form of ID and enter the area for entry. Visit the museum Thursday through Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm for a guided tour of its grounds. Additionally, you can sign up for their summer camp and learn all about farm life over 100 years ago. This museum is a non-profit organization with the mission to interpret Blackland Prairie life in North Texas from the Victorian Era to 1920. It boasts 10,000 objects and archival materials that help tell this history. Furthermore, hundreds of school programs and field trips are hosted here annually.

The Interurban Railway Museum

The Interurban Railway Museum is housed within a historic train station that once served as the Plano station of the Texas Electric Railway. From 1908 to 1948, this railroad operated an extensive transportation system across much of Texas' Blackland prairie region, connecting people, goods, and news to big-city life in big cities like Dallas. Before the interurban trains arrived, most long-distance travels required animal-drawn wagons that took a full day or more to get from one town to another. But once those trains arrived, people found traveling easier and could reach places they never imagined reaching. History buffs or train enthusiasts will appreciate the museum's collection of railroad artifacts and displays. Along with a model railroad layout, visitors can explore an authentic 19th-century farm complete with tools as well as a replica schoolhouse from 1895. Visitors to Denison can experience a unique opportunity: take a tour of Historic Car 360, which was used to transport mail and passengers between Denison and Dallas for 37 years! Built-in 1911 by the American Car Company, this train served its purpose until 2011.

The museum's mission is to inform and excite visitors about Plano's railroad history in an engaging, factual way. Their free museum boasts a small but tasteful collection of railway artifacts, photographic displays, and well-designed hands-on activities that teach basic electrical principles. As an added bonus, the museum's main exhibit boasts a restored train car. Visitors can take a guided tour of this vehicle and witness its construction during the early 20th century. The Interurban Railway Museum in Plano is an ideal spot for families with kids to learn about Plano's vibrant railroad history. Adults also love visiting, particularly train enthusiasts. The museum provides several programs specifically tailored towards children such as story times and train rides - these activities help create bonds between family members while teaching them about Plano's rich railroad past.

The Haunted House

Are you searching for a thrilling adventure that will send chills down your spine? Plano has plenty of haunted attractions to choose from. With some of the state's best Haunted Houses, now is the time to get spooky this year! Dark Hour in Plano is a premier haunted attraction that blends stunning special effects with live actors to provide an incredibly immersive experience. The 30,000-square-foot facility is set up like a Broadway play, with new shows created monthly to keep things exciting. The haunted house offers a range of thrilling attractions, such as Coven Manor where 13 witches have assembled to cast a spell on you. Be prepared for loud noises, intense scares and monsters that will leave you feeling uneasy for days to come.

Moxley Manor is another haunted property inspired by Charles Moxley and his family's murders at their Dallas mansion. Here, guests may encounter ghosts, zombies, and evil clowns as they enter this haunted property. Hangman's House of Horrors has been thrilling visitors in Dallas-Fort Worth for over three decades. Situated inside a 100-year-old military base that was once used as a helium production plant, this haunted attraction is sure to leave visitors with lasting memories. In addition to the Haunted House, visitors at Hangman's can also enjoy other attractions like riding on a ghost train, walking through a haunted cemetery, and even participating in an eerie maze! This Halloween house goes all out with its Alien Invasion theme! There are tons of lights, scenes, and hanging mummies strung across the street for added effect.

Experience a live show featuring Michael Myers and Freddie from Nightmare on Elm Street starting Friday, October 28 - Monday, October 31. This house is very popular and a must-stop if you're in the area! This haunted junkyard is an atmospheric attraction featuring live actors, special effects, and nature's monsters. It's ideal for getting your spook on and a great date night activity for the entire family!