Things to Do in Allen, Texas
Allen packs a lot into an affluent Collin County suburb — an arena with pro sports and concerts, an outdoor shopping-and-dining district with a creek, a flagship park with a big playground and spray ground, and a cluster of active-entertainment spots. There's more than enough to fill a weekend.
Here's what to do in and around Allen.
The Allen Event Center
The Allen Event Center is the town's big draw — a 7,000-plus-seat arena that hosts concerts, family entertainment, and tradeshows, and is home to several professional sports teams, including the Allen Americans hockey club. Parking is free, which makes it an easy night out.
Catching a hockey game or a concert there is one of the best evenings in Allen, and it anchors a whole entertainment district around it.
Watters Creek
Watters Creek at Montgomery Farm is Allen's walkable outdoor center — shops and more than a dozen restaurants set around a creek, a duck pond, and green space, with free concerts on spring and early-summer weekends. It functions as the town's downtown.
It's built for an afternoon or evening of shopping, dining, and live music, and it's one of the more pleasant outdoor districts in the northern suburbs.
Parks and Active Fun
Celebration Park, with its big playground and spray ground, headlines Allen's deep parks system — nearly 1,200 acres of parkland and more than 100 miles of trails, plus an aquatics center and a big skate park.
For active entertainment, PINSTACK combines bowling, laser tag, rock climbing, and a high-ropes course, and Topgolf offers driving-range games with food and music. Between the parks and these spots, Allen is built for families.
Nearby
Allen sits in the middle of Collin County's growth, so more is a short drive — Frisco's sports and entertainment district with The Star and the PGA of America headquarters, McKinney's historic square, and Plano's Legacy West are all close.
But between the Event Center, Watters Creek, the parks, and the active-entertainment spots, Allen fills a weekend on its own.
FAQ: Things to Do in Allen
Allen's draws include the Allen Event Center (concerts and Allen Americans hockey), Watters Creek for shopping, dining, and concerts, Celebration Park and its big playground, and active-entertainment spots like PINSTACK and Topgolf.
The Allen Event Center is a 7,000-plus-seat arena in Allen that hosts concerts, family entertainment, and tradeshows, and is home to several professional sports teams including the Allen Americans hockey club. Parking is free.
Yes. Allen has Celebration Park with its big playground and spray ground, more than 100 miles of trails, an aquatics center and skate park, and family-entertainment spots like PINSTACK and Topgolf, plus the Allen Event Center.
East Texas guides — an easy drive from Allen
Weekend trips, lakes, festivals and small-town food east of the metroplex.
Things to Do in East Texas
What to do in East Texas, checked against official sources: Tyler's Rose Garden and Caldwell Zoo, Canton's First Monday Trade Days, the Texas State Railroad, state parks, museums and festivals.
Read Guide →East Texas Festivals and Annual Events
Season-by-season guide to East Texas festivals and events — Canton's First Monday Trade Days, the Texas Rose Festival, the Yamboree, Wonderland of Lights and more, checked against each host's own site.
Read Guide →Best Day Trips from Tyler and East Texas
Drive-time guide to day trips from Tyler: state parks, small towns, museums, and lakes within about 30 minutes, an hour, and up to three hours.
Read Guide →Best Lakes in East Texas
A fact-checked guide to 17 East Texas lakes, from Lake Fork's trophy bass and Caddo Lake to Toledo Bend, Sam Rayburn and Lake Tawakoni. Sizes, species, access and rules come from TPWD.
Read Guide →Business Owner?
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