Tag Archives: Dallas Day Trips

McKinney Historic District

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Searching for a relaxed day trip near home? McKinney offers public art, upscale shopping, and fine dining in its walkable downtown. Established in1849, McKinney has escaped the plight of many Texas-pioneer towns. An infusion of private investment refurbished century-old buildings allowing the area to pivot from a collection of dusty antique malls and empty store fronts to a thriving collection of high-end boutiques and eateries. And, even with newcomers and McKinney’s rapid growth, the historic downtown retains its small town charm.

Western Wear to Handcrafted Décor

birds and words for home decor

The old Collin County Courthouse, now home to the McKinney Performing Arts Center, anchors dozens of surrounding shops. If you seek chic-western, you’ll find it at Orisons. Or visit McKinney Hat Company to be fitted for an iconic Stetson hat. A cluster of women’s boutiques can be found along Virginia Street. My favorite shopping is at the smaller, home décor stores like birds & words. The store sells a mix of new merchandise and items crafted from found objects. Another of my favorites is Petals and Vine where I’m guaranteed to find that perfect gift. And finally, if looking for a vintage item, try the Antique Company Mall and its expansive collection of everything from vinyl records to grandma’s fine china.

McKinney Dining

Portions of the area around the courthouse sport extra-wide sidewalks, allowing outdoor seating areas. Sip a glass of wine at Landon Winery or enjoy Spoons Cafe’s all-day breakfast alfresco. It’s a grand way to relax and do a little people watching. Other casual establishments like Cadillac Pizza Pub and The Yard have limited indoor seating but offer large patio dining.

In addition to relaxed eateries, McKinney is home to a variety of upscale restaurants. Rick’s Chophouse is the type of restaurant reserved for those special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. Rick’s specializes in steaks, but also offers an exceptional selection of seafood. Lunch is a wonderful and a less expensive way to sample Rick’s fare. A new restaurant, Fontina Ristorante, masters Italian cooking with nuanced, house-made sauces, and is well worth a visit. Local Yokel, a long-time McKinney store selling farm fresh meat and eggs, opened a fine dining restaurant a short half-mile from the courthouse. Local Yokel BBQ and Grill elevates barbeque to haute cuisine.

McKinney Arts Community

Unique by Nature is McKinney’s city motto. I might have come up with a different motto—like—Uniquely Artistic. Long before the city’s downtown renovation, visual and musical artists drew people to the historic district with events like Second Saturday art walks. A collective of local artists now manages The Cove. Check their website for local art exhibits. The Millhouse, an all-women creative collective, is located at the old cotton gin and often hosts exhibits.

Van Helton Silo Mural

In 2016, the City of McKinney commissioned its first large mural. Many are found in alleys. One of my favorites is a waist-high, block-long, playful mural depicting Texas flora and fauna by artist Theresa Holmes. It’s a bit like a scavenger hunt finding all the outdoor murals as you walk the area.

The most impressive is the mural painted on old grain silos at the now defunct flour mill. Guido Van Helten, an Australian artist, took over five months to complete the behemoth project. Van Helten is renowned for his large-scale, photorealistic murals.

McKinney City Festivals

McKinney always finds a reason to celebrate. Check the city calendar for events. Three festivals not to be missed are Arts in the Square (April), Oktoberfest (last weekend in September), and Christmas on the Square (Thanksgiving weekend). I’m also a big fan of the McKinney Art Studio Tour. Held on the second weekend of November, local artists open their studios to visitors. It’s fascinating to see the artists at work and gives an appreciation of the breadth and depth of the local creative community.

When you go

Parking is free and abundant around the old courthouse. In addition to ground lots, a parking garage is located at Chestnut and Davis. Store locations: Orisons (102 N Tennessee), McKinney Hat Company (213 N Kentucky), birds and words (100 W Virginia), Petals and Vine (205 N Kentucky), and Antique Company Mall (213 E Virginia). Restaurant locations: Landon Winery (101 N Kentucky), Spoons (100 E Louisiana), Cadillac Pizza (112 S Kentucky), The Yard (107 S Church), Rick’s Chophouse (107 N Kentucky), Fontina Ristorante (216 E Virginia), Local Yokel BBQ and Grill (350 E Louisiana).

Fun Fact: Money magazine named McKinney the best place to live in 2016

Waco Day Trip

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If you are looking for a local adventure, how about a Waco Day Trip?  Waco, located about 100 miles south of Dallas, has fun and unique museums to explore.  Two of my family’s favorites are the Dr. Pepper Museum and Texas Rangers Hall of Fame Museum.

Dr. Pepper Museum and Free Enterprise Institute

“I’m a pepper. He’s a pepper…Wouldn’t you’d like to be a pepper, too?” 

North Texas Ramblings Dr Pepper Museum WacoRemember that jingle from the 1970s Dr. Pepper commercial?  That and even more Dr. Pepper advertising are displayed at Waco’s Dr. Pepper Museum and Free Enterprise Institute.  The first two floors are devoted to Dr. Pepper, its founders, how it was made, and how it was sold.  The museum is a must for Dr. Pepper fans.

Dr. Charles Alderton created the beverage back in 1885 at a drugstore in Waco by experimenting with different fruit syrups and carbonated water.  Who knew his concoction would be around 125 years later?

Once the Artesian and Manufacturing Bottling Company, the museum is located right where Dr Pepper was bottled at the turn of the twentieth century.  A portion of the first floor recreates both Morrison’s Old Corner Drug Store where Alderton served the drink.

Dr. Pepper is now marketed and sold by the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, so it’s not surprising that the museum also has memorabilia from other soda brands like Orange Crush and 7 UP.

The museum’s third floor is dubbed the Free Enterprise Institute.  Aside from a few sayings by Adam Smith, visitors will not find the history of capitalism here.  Rather, the bulk of the exhibits are about W. W. “Foots” Clements.  Clements rose up through the Dr. Pepper ranks from delivery man to CEO.

Be sure to get your Dr. Pepper at the soda fountain before you leave.  Served hot (yes, hot) or cold, the drink is mixed from syrup and carbonated water, much like it would have been served by Dr. Alderton in 1885.

The Dr. Pepper Museum and Free Enterprise Institute (300 South Fifth Street, Waco) is open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., and on Sunday from noon to 4:15 p.m.  Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for children.

Texas Rangers Hall of Fame Museum

Formed in 1823 by Stephen Austin as a defense force to protect settlers, the Texas Rangers loom larger than life in our imaginations.  The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame Museum is dedicated to the finest of these lawmen.  The first Texas Rangers were farmers committed to frontier defense.  It was after the Civil War that Texas Rangers shifted to law enforcement and tracking down “bad” guys.

The Texas Rangers Hall of Fame recounts the tales of many of its most famous rangers, like Captain William McDonald whose reputation made him known as the “man who would charge hell with a bucket of water.”  The museum tells the tales of these men with factual accounts, artifacts and anecdotal tales.

It’s the tales that are the most fun, like the one about McDonald  – A frontier town hosting a prize fight sent a plea to the Rangers for help keeping the peace.  The town fathers were appalled when one single Ranger, McDonald, arrived.  McDonald is purported to have responded, “You only got one prize fight.  You only need one Ranger.”

While few in number, these western lawmen figured prominently in keeping the peace including resolving border issues with Mexico from 1870s through early 1900s, and it’s the Rangers Texas turned to hunt down bootleggers and gangsters in the 1920s and 1930s.  It was a Texas Ranger, Frank Hamer, who tracked down and shot the famed gangsters Bonnie and Clyde in 1934.

Most of the museum focuses on real Texas Rangers, but one section is dedicated to our fictional heroes.  An exhibit, complete with biography, tells the tale of the Lone Ranger who captured the imagination of many young boys from 1933 and onward.  Dozens of movies have been about the Texas Rangers not to mention several TV series like Walker Texas Ranger whose reruns entertain us today.

A 45-minute film about the Texas Rangers’ history is well worth the time, and runs throughout the day in the museum theater.

The Texas Rangers Hall of Fame Museum (100 Texas Range Trail – I-35 exit 335B, Waco) is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.  Admission is $7 for adults and $3 for children.