Things to Do in Southlake, Texas

Southlake Town Square is the town's centerpiece and a regional destination — an upscale outdoor district of shops, restaurants, and a movie theater arranged around live-oak trees, fountains, and green lawns. People drive in from across the Metroplex to shop and eat, and it hosts events and seasonal festivals through the year.

It functions as Southlake's downtown, and an afternoon or evening there — browsing the stores, having dinner, catching a film — is the classic Southlake outing.

On the other side of town, the Bob Jones Nature Center & Preserve protects 758 acres of Cross Timbers habitat with more than 20 miles of trails — a real natural area for hiking and wildlife watching. It backs up to Lake Grapevine, where the adjacent Bob Jones Park adds a fishing pond, a dog park, and lake access.

The contrast is the appeal: Southlake pairs one of the most polished shopping districts in the region with a genuine wildland and a big recreation lake, both within the city.

Bicentennial Park handles the everyday recreation with trails and playgrounds across 80-plus acres, tied into the town's trail system. And Southlake's location puts more within a few minutes: Grapevine's historic Main Street, wineries, and the shores of Lake Grapevine, plus DFW Airport just to the south.

Between the Town Square, the preserve, and its well-placed neighbors, Southlake fills a day easily whether you came to shop, eat, or get outside.