I-30 ROAD TRIP

If there’s one North Texas icon that serves as the spine for the region, it’s the 30-mile strip of interstate that connects Dallas, Arlington and Fort Worth.

By David Lee

Thursday, July 29, 2010 - 11:12am

Interstate 30, running west-east, can be a virtual Midway for anyone looking for fun things to do in North Texas. Well take a road trip down the highway, starting in Dallas and heading west through Arlington and Fort Worth, hitting all of the main attractions that are sure to entice out-of-towners when Super Bowl XLV rolls around.

Break out the snacks and get your cameras ready. Our journey begins with a 200-foot ferris wheel and a 77-year-old football stadium.

Fair Park
Just a Roger Staubach Hail Mary south of I-30 and just east of downtown Dallas, Fair Park is 277 acres large and home to numerous events and activities such as the State Fair of Texas (held every year in the fall), Dallas’ Science Place and Natural History Museum, Dallas Aquarium at Fair Park and African-American Museum. The park features the Texas Star — the largest ferris wheel in North America at more than 200 feet tall. However, the massive wheel is operated only during the State Fair. On Feb. 5, 2011, Fair Park will be the site of Super Bowl XLV’s NFC Fan Party.

In the heart of Fair Park stands the Cotton Bowl. Built in 1932, the stadium has been home to football teams such as the SMU Mustangs and Dallas Cowboys, has been host to the annual Texas-Oklahoma college football rivalry game since it was built, and of course has been home to the annual Cotton Bowl Classic game, although the game will be moved to the new Cowboys stadium in 2010.

American Airlines Center and Victory Park
We exit I-35E northbound to check out American Airlines Center just a short distance from I-30. The AAC is home to the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, the NHL’s Dallas Stars and the Arena Football League’s Dallas Desperados, in addition to numerous other concerts, sports tournaments and special events.

Surrounding the AAC is Victory Park — an area of shopping, dinning and entertainment that strategically connects Dallas’ popular Arts District, West End, Dallas Market Center and the Dallas Convention Center, where the NFL Experience will be held in 2011.

Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie
Nearly halfway between Dallas and Fort Worth, we stop in Grand Prairie at Lone Star Park for some live horseracing.

Six Flags Over Texas
Just a few miles down I-30 is our first of three stops in Arlington. Six Flags features several themed roller coasters such as The Texas Giant, a 14-story wooden thrillride that tops out at 64 miles per hour and Titan, a 25 1/2-story steel structure that sends you dropping at up to 85 mph. The park also delivers concerts and parades throughout the year. Just across the highway on the north side is Six Flags Hurricane Harbor. The water park has more than 20 rides and slides.

Rangers Ballpark in Arlington
You can walk from Six Flags to “The Ballpark” where the Texas Rangers call home. Although the Rangers won’t be playing when Super Bowl XLV comes to town, the Legend of the Game Museum will be open Tuesdays through Saturdays to take in exhibits, artifacts and stories of baseball’s all-time greats heroes.

Cowboys Stadium
All the countless events, concerts and activities surrounding Super Bowl XLV revolve around this state-of-the-art venue. Located practically in the backyard of Rangers Ballpark, Cowboys Stadium has already hosted events such as concerts by George Strait and The Jonas Brothers, and will host two Big 12 football championship games, two Cotton Bowl games and the NBA All-Star Game to warm up for Super Bowl XLV.

In addition to The Big Game, the stadium will host the Super Bowl XLV Tailgate Party and the Super Bowl XLV Kick-Off Concert Series’ grand finale.

Fort Worth Zoo
We get back on I-30 having hit Arlington’s sports and entertainment trifecta and continue into Ft. Worth. Just before downtown and just south of the interstate is the Fort Worth Zoo. The oldest zoo in Texas features 12 permanent exhibits such as Penguins, World of Primates, Asian Falls, Cheetahs, Australian Outback and Texas Wild!

Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District
They don’t call it Cowtown for nothing. Out-of-towners with visions of cowboys hats, horses and spurs when they think of Texas should make the Stockyards a must-see. Cowtown’s cluster of livestock history experiences resides just north of downtown. The area is a walk-through history book of the bustling livestock industry that has been so vital to Texas. Attractions include the Cowtown Coliseum, Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame and Billy Bob’s Texas — dubbed “The World’s Largest Honky Tonk.”