Top 5 Things To Do This Week In Plano, McKinney And Beyond [May 27-29, 2025]

If your calendar’s been feeling a little too grown-up lately, this week’s top picks are here to shake things up — with a paintbrush, a prehistoric claw or maybe a stork-riding Smurf. From bug-eyed adventures in McKinney to cocktail-fueled creativity and late-night science in Dallas, May 27–29 invites you to trade screen time for storybook worlds, museum halls and just a little bit of blue magic. Who says weekdays can’t be weird, wild and wonderfully hands-on?

Dino Quest At Crayola Experience

When: Until May 31, 2025 | Times vary
Where: The Crayola Experience, 6121 W. Park Blvd., A100, Plano
Tickets (Get $3 OFF per ticket when you buy ahead online)

Time to get a little Jurassic and a whole lot of crafty. Crayola Experience is calling all junior paleontologists to roll up their sleeves for a dino-mite adventure packed with prehistoric projects. From sculpting dino buddies to painting fierce, lifelike eyes, it’s hands-on fun that’s anything but extinct.

Paint Party & Art Enthusiast

When: May 27, 2025 | 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Where: Cocktail Creamery, 205 East Virginia Street, McKinney
More info

Brushes, banter and a swirl of creativity come together at this laid-back paint party for artists of all stripes. Guests can sip, swirl and splatter their way through an abstract masterpiece — no experience required, just a sense of fun. Whether you're channeling Picasso or just painting outside the lines, it’s an easygoing night of color and connection.

Bugs LIVE: Giant Animatronic Insects & Arachnids

When: Until June 29, 2025 | Tuesday – Saturday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. (closed Mondays)
Where: Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary, 1 Nature Place, McKinney
More info and tickets here

Take a walk on the wild side at the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary, where the Bugs LIVE exhibit brings giant animatronic insects to life. Stroll through scenic nature trails and encounter towering spiders, beetles and butterflies while learning about the vital role these creatures play in our ecosystem. Perfect for nature lovers and curious minds alike, this immersive experience mixes fun with education. Don’t forget to bring your camera for a bug-tastic photo op!

The Smurf Experience

When: Until Aug. 11, 2025 | Times vary
Where: Arlington Museum of Art, North Entrance, 1200 Ballpark Way, Arlington
Tickets starting at $29.99 (May is selling out fast!)

The Smurfs are calling, and it’s time to suit up blue and save the world — literally. Visitors enter a life-sized, immersive Smurf universe filled with scavenger hunts, obstacle courses and puzzle-packed missions to outwit the infamous Gargamel. With VR flights on storks and magic spell challenges, it’s part escape room, part fantasy adventure — and entirely smurftastic. Check out our tips for a smurf-tastic visit here.

Thursday On Tap

When: Thursdays until Oct. 30, 2025
Where: Perot Museum of Nature and Science, 2201 N. Field Street, Dallas
More info and tickets

Science, snacks and skyline views come together at this adults-only night out where museum halls stay open late and the food trucks roll in. Guests can sip on drinks, play outdoor games and enjoy live music while exploring the exhibits — no kids, no crowds, just good times and curiosity on tap. It’s part date night, part science experiment and all the more reason to ditch your usual Thursday plans. Early tickets are encouraged; this popular evening tends to sell out.

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