ALLEN, TEXAS IS NORTH OF DALLAS

Located approximately 24 miles north of Dallas sits the booming suburb of Allen, Texas. If you are driving through Oklahoma to Dallas, you will pass through Allen as you meander south on I-75; or you may cruise through the City of Allen, Texas on your way to Arlington, Texas to visit Six Flags over Texas, Cowboys Stadium or The Ballpark  in Arlington to watch the Texas Rangers play.

Allen, Texas has a surprising variety of things to keep you and your family occupied, as you can see by the following list that we have compiled of  THINGS TO DO IN ALLEN, TEXAS.

Some of the activities listed are FREE while others cost a bit; we have made personal notes regarding each venue or activity…as we have been to each and every one of them!

• WATER, WATER EVERYWHERE!

1. It is hotter than Hades during the summer in Allen, Texas so try cooling off at the Outdoor Spray Park at Celebration Park, open Spring thru early Fall (FREE). See City of Allen website for directions. Celebration Park has a full playground, restrooms, basketball court, soccer fields, baseball fields, 2 small ponds, and a hiking trail. An ideal location for flying a kite on a breezy day, adults can sit on the few benches offered or bring a blanket and try to grab a spot of shade before someone beats you to it.
2. Outdoor spray area at The Villages of Fairview (technically located in Fairview, Texas across Stacy Road from Allen, Texas). During late Spring and throughout the Summer, eat at The Purple Cow (burgers, salads and shakes) or Glorias (yummy El Salvadoran food) while you watch the kids cavort in a FREE, small water spray area. (Towels are sometimes provided, but come prepared.)
3. Additionally, sand volleyball courts are set up for folks to enjoy playing or watching across from the spray park, FREE.
4. Ford Public Swimming Pool, located next to Ford Middle School, is Allen’s only public outdoor pool. Prices are very reasonable.
5. Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium, at 110 Rivercrest Drive in Allen, (972) 509-4770. Indoor swimming area with a water park of medium-size (long slide, lazy river and more) along with a first-class swimming pool with diving boards. In 2012, cost was $4 per person to enter – stay all day and bring a picnic lunch to eat outside at one of several covered picnic tables. Kids younger than 7 need to have a parent with them in the water; life vests are available for FREE. A small rock climbing wall waits in the foyer for paying customers and is a good place for younger kids to give it a go and try rock climbing with harnesses and a guide. $
6. HYDROUS Wake Park at Allen Station is a cable water-ski park across from the skate park. For a fee, visitors can be pulled along a cable through a man-made body of water. $$

• I WORK OUT!

1. Get a Parks and Recreation membership to work out at the Rodenbaugh Natatorium and/or the Joe Farmer Recreation Center in Allen, Texas. In 2012, it cost $14 for a yearly membership for kids age 10 to join. Talk about peanuts!
2. Many health clubs are located in Allen, Texas, including The Zoo, Lifetime Fitness,24-Hour Fitness, and Texas Family Fitness; most will let you work out for a week for a free test drive.
3. Run along jogging rails throughout the Allen, Texas area for free exercise. Our favorites include those in the Twin Creeks neighborhood on the west side of Allen along the baseball fields and Twin Creeks Golf Course, and the trail by Celebration Park in Allen. FREE.

1. The Allen Public Library is a cool refuge in a modern building in old downtown Allen, Texas just down the street from the main Post Office. Children’s programs are fun for the little ones and the kid’s area has a sweet aquarium. FREE.
2. Allen Community Ice Rink is one cool place to hang out whether it is scorching or brrr-cold outside!  Join a youth or adult hockey league and have some fun playing the puck. The Ice Rink is located at the Allen Event Center. Check rink calender for open public skate times or hockey pick up times. 200 E. Stacy Road, Allen, Texas 75002 (972) 912-1097.
3. The Allen Event Center is a new (2011) beautiful community venue where concerts are held (such as Lil Wayne, Darryl Hall and John Oates, Reba McEntire, etc.) and where professional sports are played. Check out arena football team’s Wrangler’s, ice hockey’s Allen American’s and indoor soccer, coming soon. (972) 678-4646.

1. Unique parks in Allen without water features include Allen Station Park (just down the street from the Public Library), which features The Edge, a free, state of the art Skate Park. Teens and adults on skateboards and tricked up bikes enjoy this free outdoor skate park; bikers ride inside this (currently the largest outdoor skate park in Texas-012) cement skate park with multiple ramps and levels, or on small BMX dirt track hills next door; The dirt bike trail is good for little kids to use as well, if they are able peddlers. Unfortunately, little kids are likely to get ran over at the skateboarding area of the skate park and should probably visit the skateboard portion of the park on specially designated “family days”. Also available at Allen Station Park, for a small fee, is a teen lounge with ping pong and a room for gamers to hang out. FREE.
2. Adjacent to The Edge at Allen Station (Park) are Two Outdoor Roller Hockey Rinks with ample covered seating; Rinks are  usually wide open for anyone to use for a game of pick up roller hockey (bring your own skates, ball/puck, hockey sticks and protective gear); nets may or may not be on site as well. During Spring and early Fall, league play occurs on weekends and off and on during weekday nights. Sign up for league play at a bargain price. FREE.
3. The most unique neighborhood city park in Allen, Texas is Waterford Park. Although there are no spray park  features at this park, it is one neat place for the kids to play: A giant rocket ship made of steel bars invites explorers to play and climb, but be prepared to go up top yourself if little ones get freaked out about climbing down by themselves! Bring a camera to take cool pics of the kids at this neat park. Go to Waterford Park by driving down Exchange on the West side of Allen and look for the blue Waterford Park signs or Google 1225 Hueco Drive, Allen, Texas 75013. FREE.
4. Tennis, anyone? Play tennis at any of the free outdoor courts throughout Allen – bring your rackets and tennis balls along with some drinking water. We like the tennis courts located on E. Main Street at the Lowery Freshman Center on E. Main Street or those by Allen High School on Rivercrest Blvd. FREE.
5. Bethany Lakes Park, located at Bethany Road and Allen Heights on the east side of Allen, is attached to the Joe Farmer Recreation Center. On Mondays during the summer, catch summer music with live bands through June. Each show starts at 7 p.m. which is still hotter than heck outside so venture forth with your blankets and coolers if you must…but don’t forget the mosquito spray! FREE.
6. Allen Celebration is this town’s claim to fame with a fabulous 4th of July celebration. Three Dog Night, Foreigner, and the Bangles are just the most recent performers to hit the stage. Once again, you will faint if you can’t take the heat because it is stifling all the way until 10 p.m., when a TRULY FABULOUS fireworks display occurs. We won’t tell you our secret place to park and watch the ‘works but if you hit the road at about 9:15 pm, you can secure a place to soak in the awesomeness of Allen’s Fourth of July Celebration – - we wouldn’t miss it for the world. FREE.

• GET YOURSELF INSIDE!

Places to hang out in Allen, Texas that are SUPER FUN INSIDE!

1. iPic indoor cinema shows the latest movies in a plush, over-the-top setting along with cocktails and food. iPic is located at The Villages of Fairview. $$
2. Strikez bowling alley is beautiful inside (if a bowling alley can be beautiful) but is costly to bowl and eat, which you will be tempted to do. Strikez is located at The Villages of Fairview. $$
3. Top Golf is a golfer’s paradise that even beginner’s will enjoy. Guests can use a bag of clubs for free and buy a pass to use the automated fairway/driving range practice tees. Three levels (similar to a parking garage) are for hanging out, having dinner or a few beers with the gang; large fans blow air to keep you cool in this qasi-outdoor/indoor venue. This is one heck of a fun place to hang out but can get expensive the more you eat (and play). Top Golf is located behind The Villages of Allen, next to Target and Cabela’s. $$
4. Twin Creeks Golf Club is an outdoor golf course in Allen located at 501 Twin Creeks Drive, Allen, Texas 75013  (972) 390-8888. Chase Oaks public golf course is undergoing renovation in and has a new name in 2013. 7201 Chase Oaks Blvd., (technically Plano, Texas) (214) 509-4653. $$
5. Watters Creek, located at Bethany Road and I-75; this outdoor “mall” has lots of great places to eat, including Grimaldi’s awesome wood-fired pizza and MiCocina amazing Tex-Mex. Summer nights often showcase live music but it is hotter than…you know. FREE.
6. Villages at Allen, located at I-75 and Stacy Road is an outdoor “mall” with tons of fun places to eat (Zoe’s Kitchen, Cyclone Anya,and Plucker’s Wing Bar – a fun place to eat with an outdoor patio.)
7. Allen Bowl, located at 1011 S. Greenville Avenue in Allen, (972) 727-9108, is one of the original entertainment spots in Allen, Texas. Recently renovated, this bowling alley may appear lackluster on the outside, but inside, a sparkling gem awaits in newly remodeled space. Prices are good and the beer is cold. A video arcade for kids is in wide open space clearly visible to bowling parents, with spic and span clean fun-colored flooring.  $
8. Cinemark Allen. For some reason, this location charges more than nearby Cinemark studios (cities of Plano @ Cinemark Legacy and McKinney Movies) so we avoid it and instead head north about 6 miles to McKinney Movies for the best deal around (sorry).$$

More suggestions to follow, or submit your Allen, Texas fun places and we will publish them if we like them!