Things to do in Arlington without the tourist markup
The stadium city sits right between Dallas and Fort Worth, and there is far more here than a theme park and a parking lot. Here is what locals actually do in Arlington, plus what to do around Dallas Stadium if you are in town for the 2026 World Cup.
Marquee stuff, worth the ticket
The attractions Arlington is known for, and a couple you might not be.
- 📍
Six Flags Over Texas
Entertainment DistrictThe original Six Flags, open since 1961. Coasters for the brave, a kiddie side for the not-brave, and enough shade and funnel cake to make a full day of it.
- 📍
Hurricane Harbor
Entertainment DistrictThe water park next door. In a Texas June, this is the move. Go on a weekday morning to beat both the heat and the line.
- 📍
Dallas Stadium (AT&T Stadium)
Entertainment DistrictThe Cowboys' home and a 2026 World Cup venue, right here in Arlington. Heads up: the regular self-guided stadium tours pause during the tournament, mid-May to late July, so this summer it is a see-it-on-match-day thing, then the tours come back.
- 📍
Globe Life Field
Entertainment DistrictThe Rangers' retractable-roof ballpark. Catch a summer game in the air conditioning, or take the tour. Right across the plaza from the football stadium.
- 📍
Texas Live!
Entertainment DistrictThe dining and entertainment block wedged between the two stadiums. Giant screens, a food hall, and the easiest pre-game or watch-party spot in the city.
Where locals actually eat in Arlington
Skip the chain row by the stadium. These are the long-loved ones.
- 📍
Prince Lebanese Grill
Central ArlingtonA strip-mall legend doing shawarma, hummus, and kibbeh the way it should be. Cash-friendly, generous, and beloved for decades.
- 📍
David's Barbecue
Downtown ArlingtonPit barbecue from a family that has been smoking brisket since 1910. Old-school, no-frills, the real thing.
- 📍
J Gilligan's Bar & Grill
Downtown ArlingtonHome of the original Irish nachos, and a downtown institution near the university. A proper local pub to land in after a game.
- 📍
Mercado Juarez Cafe
Central ArlingtonOld-Texas Tex-Mex with sizzling fajitas and a margarita that takes the edge off the heat. A family go-to for generations.
- 📍
Mercury Chop House
Brookhollow, ArlingtonThe grown-up occasion room: a proper steakhouse on the top floor of the Brookhollow tower, with skyline views over Arlington. White tablecloths, a serious wine list, the spot for the night that matters.
Parks, art, and not spending a dime
For a cheap afternoon or an easy evening with the family.
- 📍
River Legacy Parks
North ArlingtonA long greenbelt of shaded trails along the Trinity, with a nature center for the kids. The coolest place in the city on a hot day, literally.
- 📍
Levitt Pavilion
Downtown ArlingtonFree live music outdoors through the warm months. Bring a blanket and a cooler, claim a patch of grass, and let the night run long.
- 📍
Arlington Museum of Art
ArlingtonA rotating slate of exhibitions, refreshingly walkable and unpretentious. An easy hour out of the sun.
- 📍
Lake Arlington
Southwest ArlingtonPaddle, fish, or just walk the shoreline at golden hour. The locals' quiet-evening secret, minutes from the freeway.
Dallas Stadium is in Arlington
The matches play at Dallas Stadium, right here in the Entertainment District. We mapped the best watch parties, the bars by country, and the free big screens across the metroplex, plus the spots closest to the stadium.