Frisco, Texas, has emerged in the past decade as one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, and a place where many people working in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex rest their heads, but it’s far more than a residential area. Located roughly 30 miles north of Dallas, the city is home to the National Soccer Hall of Fame, FC Dallas, the Dallas Cowboys, and the PGA of America, making it as sports-oriented as any city can be. But Frisco is more than a sports town. It’s a Texas getaway where vacation means an adrenaline rush, a round of golf, a museum crawl, or all of the above. Here’s our highlight reel of Frisco.

What to Do

You don’t have to love the Cowboys to appreciate The Star. The 91-acre campus and headquarters of the Dallas Cowboys is a bustling district of restaurants, bars, and the Ford Center, a 12,000-seat indoor multiuse events center. Book a tour of the Cowboys’ practice facility, where you’ll get to relive some of the most exciting moments in Dallas sports history, and get sneak peeks and photo ops in some of the most important rooms, including the board room on draft day, and a display of every Cowboys trophy the franchise has earned. On game days, go early to the nearby action-packed Tostitos Championship Plaza, a 50-yard replica turf field with a massive video board and plenty of space for fan activities, community events, youth football, and picnic spreads.

Spot the cold-cast aluminum sculpture The Kick—a tribute by Jacob Burmood honoring Pelé’s iconic bicycle kick—and you’ll know you’re steps away from Toyota Stadium, home to both FC Dallas (book your tickets in advance!) and the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Located off of World Cup Way and Main Street, the hall celebrates the sport through memorabilia, trophies, and interactive exhibits. Go head to head in virtual skills challenges, design your own team, walk away with a custom scarf, and photobomb some of the greatest moments in US soccer history.

Golf is practically a given in Frisco. PGA Frisco's Fields Ranch—home to the PGA of America's headquarters—features two championship courses open to the public, the East and West, plus the Dance Floor, one of the largest free natural grass putting courses in the country. There, you’ll find golfers of all ages practicing. For a more low-key round, Frisco Lakes Golf Club, a 7,099-yard public championship course along Lake Lewisville, is a local spot that draws golfers from across the metroplex. Tee times book fast at both, so plan ahead.

For family-friendly adventures, the city has no shortage of parks. Frisco Commons covers it all. The 63-acre park features a splash pad, public pavilions, and two playgrounds, including Hope Park, an adaptive playground with equipment and a sensory area designed for all ages and abilities. 

Open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, the Frisco Water Park features a lazy river and water play for all ages. Then, there’s KidZania, an indoor city where children ages 4 to 14 can explore and try out different professions (uniforms included), and learn various roles while earning and spending KidZos, the KidZania currency. 

The Frisco Discovery Center—a former warehouse turned cultural hub—brings together art, science, theater, and imagination under one roof. The Black Box Theater anchors the creative side, while Sci-Tech Discovery Center and TrainTopia at the Museum of the American Railroad offer hands-on exploration. The National Videogame Museum, the only one of its kind in the country, traces the history of the industry through a collection of more than 100,000 artifacts, making a compelling case that games are as much science and culture as they are entertainment.

Looking for more action? Active Arena packs 15 sports simulators and games—including a robot goalie, a skiing simulator, and a paragliding simulator—into 75 minutes of all-you-can-play action, while Ninja Nation brings the American Ninja Warrior experience to a 17,000-square-foot arena packed with state-of-the-art obstacle courses and developmental programming for all skill levels.

Where to Eat

The Star has plenty of dining options, but the best reason to venture beyond it is Babe’s Chicken Dinner House. With 10 locations throughout Texas, Babe's kitschy DFW institution is known for hospitality and grandma-approved recipes. Order a platter of crispy fried chicken, chicken tenders, catfish, or chicken-fried steak, all arriving with an assortment of unlimited sides for the table, including salad, creamed corn, green beans, mashed potatoes, buttermilk biscuits, and creamy gravy. Save room for one of Babe’s homemade desserts: Momma Jo’s strawberry shortcake or the peach cobbler with ice cream.

Another DFW favorite, Hutchins Barbecue offers smoked meats, decadent sides, and its showstopping Texas Twinkie—a jumbo jalapeño stuffed with brisket and cream cheese, then wrapped in bacon, smoked, and coated in a sweet glaze. Dine-in includes a free dessert, but if you’re willing to forgo a freebie to skip the long line, order to-go.

On the grounds of PGA Frisco, the ranch-style Ice House specializes in cold drinks and barbecue: meaty sandwiches, smoked chicken Caesar salads, brisket plates, and tin can nachos, a satisfyingly messy pile of chips, barbecue crema, queso, and burnt ends. Sit on its patio for stunning views of the fairway, or catch the latest game at the nearby PGA Frisco screen. Six live hitting bays mean the golf doesn’t have to stop at lunch.

Where to Stay

Frisco has two Omni properties, each with a distinct personality. The Omni Frisco Hotel at The Star puts you steps from the action at Tostito Plaza and Cowboys’ headquarters. (During football season, you’ll see Cowboy fans, in drives, all decked out in jerseys.) Home to the PGA headquarters, the Omni PGA Frisco Resort & Spa is the better pick for a self-contained escape. Golf with the professionals (and maybe a few Cowboys players) at the East or West course. Dine on-site at a coffee shop, an ice cream parlor, or a fancy steakhouse, and visit a PGA shop. Unwind at the spa, which features its own private lounge area and pool, and a rooftop infinity pool and bar offering stunning views of the property. Its events calendar runs year-round, with yoga sessions; the upcoming Savor, a four-day festival filled with culinary programming, music, and golf (April 30–May 3); pumpkin patches in October, and light displays throughout the winter holiday season.

Spread across 400 acres, the Westin Stonebriar Golf Resort & Spa delivers laid-back luxury with plenty of room to enjoy it. Amenities include a revamped pool with a waterslide and private cabanas, a full-service spa, a Topgolf Swing Suite, and the Fazio Course—18 rolling holes suited for all skill levels. Locally inspired dining and extensive event spaces make it as practical for business travelers as it is appealing for a family weekend.

A boutique hotel within Frisco's Kaleidoscope Park, Hall Park Hotel weaves world-class art throughout 224 rooms, a rooftop pool, and Palato Italian Kitchen & Lounge—making it one of the more distinctive stays in the area.

Connected via indoor walkway to Stonebriar Centre's shops, restaurants, and cinema, the 303-room Hyatt Regency Frisco puts convenience at the center of the stay—with a rooftop pool, Copper & Steel Table & Bar, and easy proximity to PGA Frisco, the Star, and Toyota Stadium rounding out the draw.

Top photo courtesy Visit Frisco