Did you know that Arlington, Texas, is home to over 392,770 Texans? This great American city, situated precisely midway between Dallas and Fort Worth, was founded in 1876, incorporated in 1884 and has a land area of 99.5 square miles. Additionally, according to an American Community Survey — U.S. Census Bureau, 2014 five-year estimate, the median age of Arlington’s city residents is 32.3 years old.¹ With 4,651 acres of park areas and 44 miles of park trails, there is plenty to see and do while visiting Arlington for the SCWA Convention and EXPO.² In this article, we take a look at just some of the things that you can do and see while you are in town.

Popular attractions

The city of Arlington, Texas, is home to the Dallas Cowboys’ AT&T Stadium, the Texas Rangers’ Globe Life Park, Six Flags Over Texas, Hurricane Harbor and Lake Arlington.

Found at One AT&T Way, Arlington, Texas 76011, AT&T Stadium is considered a state-of-the-art sporting and entertainment venue. With its retractable roof and world-class amenities, it is the perfect home for the franchise often referred to as “America’s team.” It opened in May 2009. For more information on the facility, including planned events and programs, please visit www.attstadium.com.

Globe Life Park is located at 1000 Ballpark Way in Arlington, and it is less than a homerun’s distance from the SCWA’s convention site. Home to the Texas Rangers, this ballpark opened in April 1994 and has seen its share of great players and memorable baseball moments, especially in 2010 and 2011 when the franchise made back-to-back runs at a World Series championship. For more information on Globe Life Park, please visit www.globelifepark.com.

Six Flags Over Texas is a 212-acre theme park in Arlington. Found at 2201 E Road to Six Flags St., the park opened in August 1961 — the first Six Flags theme park ever. In fact, the name “Six Flags” comes from the six nations that have governed Texas: Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of Texas, the United States of America and the Confederate States of America. It features plenty of exciting roller coasters and rides as well as attractions, shows, shopping and concessions. Filled with fun for the entire family, it is definitely worth checking out. For hours of operation and more information, please visit www.sixflags.com/overtexas.

Six Flags Hurricane Harbor is also a top attraction for tourists and locals in Arlington. Considered North Texas’ largest water park, it features 50 acres of rides and slides as well as a one-million-gallon wave pool. For hours of operation and more information, please visit www.sixflags.com/hurricaneharbortexas.   

Rounding out the top five attractions in Arlington, Texas, is Lake Arlington, which was referred to as “Miracle Lake” after its completion in 1957. Lake Arlington is located on Village Creek, a tributary of the West Fork Trinity River, just north of Interstate 20 off Arkansas Ln. in Arlington. Its surface area is 1,939 acres, and its maximum depth is 51 feet. Lake Arlington offers plenty of recreational activities for visitors, including fishing.³

Here’s a bonus attraction in Arlington to check out: the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame. As noted on its website, www.bowlingmuseum.com, “Discover the region’s premier sports museum brimming with one-of-a-kind bowling artifacts, a unique bowling experience and a cutting-edge glimpse at the far-flung future of this global pastime. Pass through Bowling’s Hall of Fame where rare photos and vintage film clips tell the stories of bowling’s greatest legends. The International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame collects, preserves and exhibits the 5,000-year history of the worldwide sport of bowling. From the ancient Egyptians to British monarchs to an enterprising German immigrant, follow the sport’s journey from archeological digs … to American taverns … to today’s cutting-edge, computer-assisted training centers.”

Fun facts

Here are five things to know, courtesy of the Arlington Convention and Visitors Bureau, about Arlington during your visit to SCWA’s Convention and EXPO:

• The City of Arlington was named after General Robert E. Lee’s hometown in Virginia.
• Prior to the phenomenon known as Las Vegas, in the 1930s and 1940s, Arlington was considered the largest gambling destination in the U.S., attracting such prominent historical figures as Al Capone, Bonnie and Clyde, Clark Gable and Mae West.
• Within a 12-month period in 2011, the City of Arlington hosted Super Bowl XLV, an NBA All-Star Game and a World Series.
• According to Guinness World Records, the Texas SkyScreamer at Six Flags Over Texas is officially the World’s Tallest Swing Carousel Ride.
• The General Motors Assembly Plant opened in Arlington in 1954, producing the Pontiac Starchief, Buick Roadmaster and Oldsmobile. At that time, wages were $1.78 per hour.

If you’re not able to catch some of the top things to do in Arlington on this trip, be sure to schedule another trip back. In addition to these exciting attractions, the area also features plenty of great restaurants, bars and much more.