Originally published 3/22/18 on BritneyCrosson.com.
I used to watch Spring Break shows on MTV. You know, the ones where they had a big stage set up on a beach somewhere with hundreds of young people in the crowd screaming and cheering and waiting for their big moment to get on stage and play a game that surely involved swimsuits and whipped cream? Yeah, those. Loved ’em. Do they still have shows like that?
Fast forward to 2018 where I’m a married mother of two. Neither swimsuits nor whipped cream are a big part of my life. And I certainly don’t just sit around and watch MTV for 5 days straight. But I did still manage to squeeze in some spring break fun, even if it was pretty tame and rated G (mayyyybe PG, in bits).
My kids, Rowdy and Romy, who are ages 6 and 3, reeeeally wanted to go to LEGOLAND after seeing the commercial on TV 42 times. So instead of hauling them all the way to Orlando, we opted for the LEGOLAND Discovery Center in Dallas, which is a 4-hour drive from our home in Houston. To be frank, I knew they were young enough to still appreciate the smaller, all indoor Discovery Center. One day they’ll know that there’s a bigger, grander version that’s halfway across the country. Their expectations will rise, and so will the expense. So we took advantage of the simpler solution, and headed out on a family road trip across Texas.
The Bush Center
When we arrived in Dallas, our first stop was the George W. Bush Presidential Center. None of us had ever been to a Presidential Library before. So since it was just 6 miles from our hotel in Dallas, we thought it was a cool opportunity to check one out. Again, not a super fancy thing to go do, which is usually a good choice with younger kids. They’re easier to impress (most of the time). And while the con is that they’re too young to truly appreciate a Presidential Library, they’re also too young to call it “lame”. Score. The Bush Center is very lovely with a restaurant, gift shop, Oval Office replica (so cool) and, at the time, a special First Ladies Exhibit. And I must mention that every single staff member we encountered was very delightful, helpful and welcoming. It was like being at a bigger, fancier Chick-fil-A, but without the fries smell (bummer).
Hotel ZaZa Dallas Uptown
Next we were off to Hotel ZaZa Dallas Uptown. Ryan and I previously stayed at ZaZa Houston for my birthday and absolutely loved it. So it made perfect sense to stay at their property in The Big D. And even though they don’t exactly advertise themselves as a family hotel, our children were 100% welcome and had a really great time. Our thoughts on the whole thing was that the LEGOLAND part of the trip was for the kids, and the luxury hotel part of the trip was for mommy and daddy. Everybody wins, right?
ZaZa’s lobby is the perfect blend of boutique and grand with its ultra high ceiling, gorgeous chandelier and cozy, artistic vibe. The small-ish pool area is nothing short of fabulous. And their Dragonfly restaurant is so gorgeous that I’m tempted to travel all the way back to Dallas to host a party there…or hell, just have lunch.
The room, which had 2 double beds and a sitting area, was almost as big as our first apartment. Space. Thank god. With 2 kiddos in the room, the extra square footage was very much appreciated. Rowdy and Romy loved it, called it fancy, then proceeded to drag out their toys and get to playin’.
Something pretty cool that the ZaZa properties have is a “butler pantry”, which is basically a coffee and tea bar that’s put out every morning on each floor. Plus, they had water and cookies in the lobby each evening, which made our little ones (and their parents) very happy. The room service food was very good, and the kiddos were pretty stoked to have pancakes delivered to our room each morning. On the way home Rowdy talked about how much he loved the hotel and the room service. Proud mommy moment, right there. That’s my boy. If you’re looking for a unique hotel experience in Dallas or Houston, I highly recommend a ZaZa hotel. Oh, and please, for the love of god, don’t forget to sign up for ZaZa’s Zip Loyalty Program. You literally just sign up with your name and email address, and boom, you get special stuff. During this stay they gifted us with a bottle of wine, which came in ultra handy at night while the kids were dozing off and we were still up watching TV.
LEGOLAND Discovery Center Dallas
As I mentioned earlier, LEGOLAND Discovery Centers are much smaller versions of the big LEGOLAND amusements parks. I kinda felt like I was at a big Chuck E. Cheese’s, but with LEGO toys, games and rides (yes, there are 3 actual rides) instead of video and arcade games. There’s even a 4D movie theater that plays a short LEGO movie over and over throughout the day. The outdoor area was closed when we were there. But during the summer season kids can play outside at the Pirate Beach water playground. The place wasn’t too crowded when we got in soon after they opened. But it did start to get much busier the closer it got to lunch time. So, go early, if you can. Rowdy and Romy loved it and were right in the middle of the perfect age range to visit. I’d say that a kiddo over the age of 10 would be less impressed. So if your littles are still, well, little, get to a LEGOLAND Discovery Center, stat. We spent about 3 hours inside and got to participate in every attraction and play area. It all went really well, and the kids thought it was a blast. Oh, and I found a coupon on a box of Honest Juices – one free kid ticket with each adult ticket. That might help make up for the gazillion dollars you’re going to spend at the LEGO store that you have to exit through when you’re heading out.
Exploring
Because our hotel was in Dallas’s uptown area, that’s where we spent much of our time. Westwood Village is a cool shopping district with familiar stores like, Gap and Banana Republic, along with some less familiar and unique shops. And, side note; this area of Dallas seems to be full of attractive 20-something females. They were everywhere – walking their dogs, jogging, shopping, eating on patios. I’m not sure if it was just a coincidence or what. But Ryan and I decided that it might just be a dream location for a 20-something heterosexual male. Anyway, we chose Grimaldi’s and Chuy’s for our two Dallas dinners. Meals are a big deal for us when we travel. But since the kiddos were with us on this trip, we made sure to choose casual, kid-friendly places that would please all 4 of us. The traveling meals goal is always to either eat at a brand new place we’ve never been to or at a place that we don’t have near our home. Grimaldi’s was at Westwood Village and Chuy’s was in Highland Park. Ahhh, Highland Park. Now that’s neighborhood goals, y’all. I’d say they’re giving Beverly Hills a run for their money. Speaking of money, I’m not sure where they’re all making it, because I’m not familiar with the industry and economy of Dallas. But whatever it is they’re doing, it. is. working. baby. Fun fact: D’Andra Simmons and Kameron Westcott of The Real Housewives of Dallas both live in Highland Park. Ryan and I like to explore amazing neighborhoods any chance we get when traveling. We’ve seen the mansions of Palm Beach and Beverly Hills, the amazing, picturesque homes and streets in Winnetka, IL (where the Home Alone house is), and the cool homes perched all over the Hollywood Hills. If you have your own car or a rental and a little time, I’d highly recommend simply driving around and exploring beautiful areas when you’re traveling.
Heading Home
After just 2 nights in Dallas, it was time to head home. But the fun wasn’t over yet. I think it’s a great idea to plan at least one small adventure on your way home when you’re on a road trip. The ride home can be such a bummer, right? So adding something to it, even just a meal at a great restaurant, not only makes it more fun, but also helps you get more out of your trip. So we decided to take a small detour on our way back to Houston and stop in Waco, TX. Back in the day, Waco was only known as the home of Baylor University. These days, it’s known as the home of Chip, Joanna and The Silos. That’s right, Fixer Upper fans. We made a visit to none other than Magnolia, itself….us and hundreds and hundreds of others, that is. Although it was a Monday, it was spring break in many parts of Texas. And boy, oh boy, LOTS of spring breakin’ families showed up at Magnolia that day, including us. There were loooooong lines to get into everything. But even so, I must admit that it wasn’t THAT bad. I mean, it sure beats long lines at an amusement park. There was a peaceful vibe, and it’s pretty. So if I’m going to have to wait in line for 30 minutes to get into a store, doing it there with beautiful tulips everywhere, black and white awnings over picnic tables and lovely greenery at every turn, wasn’t so bad. If you’re a big Fixer Upper fan, I’d highly recommend a visit to The Silos. I’m not sure what the hell else you’re going to do while you’re in Waco. But if you’re a diehard, then I imagine your visit to Magnolia will be all you’ll need.
