The Texas city of Frisco has a secret to reveal: this enclave of about 225,000 north of Dallas is the real family star of the metroplex. That’s because Frisco is home to an interactive city run entirely by kids, the newest Universal theme park, and the National Soccer Hall of Fame lives at Toyota Stadium, the home of FC Dallas. If you plan to visit north Texas for the World Cup or otherwise, a new hotel and what might be the most unique kids’ entertainment park in the country make Frisco a great base.
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Where To Eat, Play, and Stay in Frisco, Texas With Kids
Where to go with kids in Frisco, Texas
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Frisco is home to the only U.S. location of KidZania, an interactive, kid-sized city designed for children ages four to 14. Located inside Stonebriar Centre, this unique destination lets kids explore careers through role-playing—earning currency called “KidZos” by trying out jobs as firefighters, surgeons, pilots, chefs, podcasters, and more. The experience is immersive and even educational – strengthening those social and emotional skills while simultaneously giving parents a breather. Kids work to build real-world partnerships and fully outfitted “businesses,” and for $49.95, it’s far cheaper than a specialized education, to boot.
Looking ahead, Frisco will become even more family-friendly with the arrival of the Universal Kids Resort, opening in 2026. This 32-acre theme park and entertainment complex will be Universal’s first park designed specifically for young children and their families. Themed lands will be built around the worlds of characters including Shrek, the Minions, and SpongeBob SquarePants.
“It’s an amazing opportunity to bring these iconic stories to life for kids and families to experience, interact with and play together,” Sarah Gibbon, VP & Executive Producer at Universal Creative said in a press release. “At each point, we considered how we could design a place especially for kids where they could explore, imagine and adventure with their families and friends. They’ll be able to do all this while being fully immersed in some of their favorite stories – ones full of curiosity, laughter and joy.”
In addition to attractions for kids, you can get old-school 8-bit in Frisco at the National Videogame Museum. This facility chronicles the evolution of video games through over 100,000 pieces of memorabilia including a replica 1980s bedroom (because millennials are the most nostalgic generation, after all) and the chance to get hands-on with vintage consoles and the world’s largest Pong game.
Where to stay in Frisco, Texas
Photo courtesy Hall Park Hotel
Among the most welcome aspects of modern travel is the fact that curated accommodations are finally spreading beyond downtown urban cores and resort-specific hotel zones. The new HALL Park Hotel in Frisco epitomizes this. Open fall 2024, this boutique property features 224 rooms, including 60 apartment-style suites ideal for extended stays (or families bringing their kids to the aforementioned experiences). Art and wine are the defining themes here, evident in both the hotel’s interior design and guest programming.
The hotel’s Palato Italian Kitchen and Lounge fills up the family with pasta dishes they can then burn off the following day at the theme parks. The open-concept kitchen let’s you watch the artistry of handcrafted pastas and hearth-fired pizzas as they come to life, meaning you may not even need that tablet to keep the kids entertained.
It’s not mandatory to pay theme-park admissions for kids to enjoy Frisco, either. Directly adjacent to the hotel is the new Kaleidoscope Park, a six-acre green space with rotating public art installations, plenty of space to run around, and regularly scheduled outdoor performances.
Where to eat in Frisco
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Some Frisco residents elect to start their day at The Aussie Grind, known for creative brunch dishes and excellent coffee. Their house-made banana bread French toast and Aussie-style flat whites are local favorites. Get your Texas bbq fix at Rudy’s Country Store & Bar-B-Q, where brisket and ribs are served up in the local style.
Frisco gets “Southern hip,” too, at Haywire, a three-story restaurant serving upscale Southern cuisine. The restaurant’s rooftop patio is a great spot for sunset cocktails and Wagyu chicken-fried steak. For fans of sushi and Asian fusion, Kotta Sushi Lounge offers sushi and Asian fusion dishes in a location just a couple miles north of the hotel and kids’ attractions at Shafer Plaza. Cow Tipping Creamery is the spot to hit after visiting KidZania or the Universal Kids Resort for towering soft-serve creations that are almost too pretty to eat. 