For public art, murals, and spectacular views, check out these local treasures.
Joshua Wiener'sCloudscape
Located in a meadow in Harold Bacchus Community Park, Cloudscape is a work of public art designed to emulate rain ascending from the ground. It’s purpose is to create a sense of immersion, as it allows the beholder to become “one with the rain.”
13995 Main St., Frisco
HALL Park/Texas Sculpture Garden
HALL Park is often hailed as a championing “the art of work,” offering its employees a business center surrounded by sculptures from the curated Hall collection. Guests and employees of HALL Park can navigate the sculpture garden using the walking trails or by renting a Zagster bike.
3201 Dallas Pkwy., Frisco
Futuro House
In 1968, Matti Suuronen created The Futuro House as a moveable ski chalet. Although this Royse City U.F.O. has fallen victim to ruin, it’s an interesting glimpse of a once-perceived future. Not to mention, it makes for a pretty neat spot for an Instagram photoshoot.
9573 TX-276, Royse City
Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden
The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is home to 1.4 million plants, adding bright, vibrant colors to the 66-acre space. The Arboretum holds over 700 weddings annually and hosts many events, including wine tastings, outdoor concerts and more.
8525 Garland Rd., Dallas
Dragon Park Gardens
Amid the hustle and bustle of Dallas lies a secret getaway. At the end of The Strip on Cedar Springs the Dragon Park Gardens wait, a peaceful mini nature preserve full of statues, benches and other elegant fixtures. Dragon Park Gardens provides respite from the city, even if only for a few hours.
3520 Cedar Springs Rd., Dallas
Lakeside Park
Lakeside Park is better known as Teddy Bear Park or Teddy Bear Crossing. In beautiful Highland Park, Lakeside Park has 14 acres of landscaped grounds along Turtle Creek. Especially kid-friendly, the walking paths wind along the property, dotted with benches in the shade. The Turtle Creek Dam is a great place to take in a view of the tranquil water, including the serene Read Memorial.
Even if they aren’t made of fluff and felt, these bears are stately, yet cuddly. They sit in different places, scattered throughout the park, gazing out over the water. They’re just the right size for kids to climb. Lakeside Park has all the elements of a perfect summer picnic: good views, lovely atmosphere, clear water, and gigantic teddy bears.
4601 Lakeside Dr., Highland Park
Read more: Ten 20 Gallery to return to DFW in the form of pop-ups
Grapevine Botanical Gardens
The modest botanical gardens in Grapevine might be small, but they’re beautiful and often overlooked. Heritage Park is crisscrossed with trails, streams, ponds, sitting areas and hundreds of varieties of plants, in addition to a butterfly sanctuary.
411 Ball St., Grapevine
The Rose Gardens of Farmers Branch
The Rose Gardens sport over 500 different varieties of roses, planted throughout the city of Farmers Branch in four separate gardens, perfect for an afternoon spent among the flowers. They have everything from traditional varieties to new hybrids.
2610 Valley View Ln., Farmers Branch
The Crape Myrtle Trails of McKinney
The trees are still small, but the Crape Myrtle Trails of McKinney are incredibly promising, with many varieties of trees across 7.2 acres. When the season comes and the flowers bloom, it’s going to be one of the most beautiful spots in the county.
6452 Collin McKinney Pkwy., McKinney
Nasher Sculpture Center
The Nasher Sculpture Center houses the Patsy and Raymond Nasher collection of modern and contemporary sculpture and displays pieces from the personal collection on the 2.4-acre site. See masterpieces by Calder, Matisse, Miro, Picasso and more.
2001 Flora St., Dallas
Fort Worth Botanic Gardens
Established in 1934, the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens is actually the oldest botanic gardens in the state of Texas. It’s resplendent with 2,501 species of native and exotic plants, which spread across 21 specialty gardens.
3220 Botanic Garden Blvd., Fort Worth
Read more: An empty Collin Creek Mall makes for a cool Instagram photo-op
The best bluebonnet fields
Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve, Plano
5901 Los Rios Blvd., Plano
Arbor Hills Nature Preserve, Plano
6701 W. Parker Rd., Plano
Frito Lay Headquarters, Plano
5600 Headquarters Dr., Plano
International Parkway and Midway Road, Carrollton
Russell Creek Park, Plano
3500 McDermott Rd., Plano
Collin College Spring Creek Campus, Plano
2800 E. Spring Creek Pkwy., Plano
Bluebonnet Trail, Plano
Spring Creek Parkway and Custer Road
Zion Cemetery, Frisco
FM 423 approximately 1 mile north of Eldorado Parkway
Warren Park, Frisco
7599 Eldorado Pkwy., Frisco
Heard Museum, McKinney
1 Nature Pl., McKinney
The Trail at the Woods, Allen
1424 Rollins Dr., Allen
The median in the busy intersection of Bethany Drive and Alma Drive, Allen
Originally published as part of Local Profile's Guide to the Great Outdoors
