Things to do

20 Excited Things To Do In McKinney, Texas

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The city of McKinney, Texas is an exciting, charming, historic, and modern city all at the same time. This lively place is situated a few minutes from Dallas, combining both true small-town hospitality and a big-city buzz.

The entertainment scope includes shopping, dining, recreation, and even activities for kids, everybody is bound to find something to do. So, here is the list of 20 exciting things to do in McKinney that show its rich personality and make it a great place to visit for both residents and visitors.

1. Experience The McKinney Performing Arts Center

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Located in McKinney, Texas right in the center of downtown, the McKinney Performing Arts Center is housed within the fully adaptive reuse Collin County Courthouse.

Both for the guests of the city and the representatives of the art community, the Donation Center is equipped for hosting such activities as live theatre, concerts, adequately timed humor shows, and art displays.

As with every performance, the experience created in the Courtroom Theater, with its acoustic design and cozy atmosphere will be one to remember. One can appreciate the local pieces of art in the galleries or participate in such cultural activities as those, which aim at promoting the history of the city, its people, and its way of life.

2. Appreciate Walls Of Clay

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Walls of Clay is a lively mixture of a pottery studio and an artistic engagement place for people of all ages. This is a walk-in art space where the clients are free to express their artistic talents of ceramic painting aimed at making their unique and personalized potteries.

The studio also provides clay impression services, which are perfect for memorializing moments in time and decorative glass making for bright, vibrant pieces. Whether it's a family celebration, a casual outing with the kids, or just some time spent on a creative task, Walls of Clay is one of the best McKinney Texas attractions.

3. Relax At Bonnie Wenk Park

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Among various McKinney TX attractions, one of them is Bonnie Went Park. It occupies 216 acres, provides recreational activities as well gives one a chance to relax. It has an amphitheater for events, a calm fishing lake, and a splash pad for young children.

There are also beautiful hiking and biking trails that meander through green terrain for active users. For pet owners, there is a dog park and a dog trail for activities and exercise. Therefore, a unique feature for families is the playground that caters to all abilities.

4. Savor The Crafts At TUPPS Brewery

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TUPPS Brewery is a lively area found in an old cotton mill architecturally rustic and Colonially designed for the innovative concepts of brewing beer. It can manage the production of over 10,000 barrels of beer every year and thus TUPPS distributes its daring beers across the states of Texas and Oklahoma.

Here, visitors can relax at the lip outdoor taproom that has 27 taps providing fresh and locally contained beer. Alternatively, they can pick cans and go. Happy hours, regular/weekday tours, and sampling events on weekends are an indication of the love the brewery has for people and quality.

5. Shop Local From Historic McKinney Farmers Market

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McKinney Farmers Market is suitable for consumers who feel healthy when they have to purchase foods that are fresh and produced by farmers in the market.

This weekly market has an assorted list of goods some of which comprise organically produced meat, honey, fruits and vegetables, and dairy products from within the locality.

Do you want to buy some interesting things made in the local area? Then this place is really for you! There is live music, crafts, and food vendors, so this is one of the best things to do in McKinney TX over the weekend.

6. Browse Antique Company Mall

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Wherever you are interested in antiques or looking for hidden treasures, the Antique Company Mall should be one of your stops. This mall is 15,000 square feet in size and hosts more than 110 dealers with an assortment of genuine antiques and vintage products.

There is an enjoyable range of furniture, decorative objects, and decorative pieces for every season, in addition to farmhouse, cottage, shabby chic, vintage, bohemian, mid-century, industrial, garden, and many other types of merchandise.

Within the beautiful McKinney downtown lies this bustling center that is ideal for searching and purchasing classics as well as indulging in the feeling of nostalgia.

7. Explore The Heard Craig Center For The Arts & Museum

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The Heard-Craig Center for the Arts & Museum is an old house that exhibits a beautiful range of paintings, objects, and various cultural activities.

Here, the guests are welcome to attend several lectures, take part in afternoon teas, and the one-of-a-kind Art-O-Mat, which is a machine that used to provide people with cigars but is now filled with art pieces collected from all over the world.

Further, it has 26 clubs and more than 1200 members promoting education and interpersonal relations among them. The site also includes off-street parking, a tranquil landscape, and an ancient barn.

8. Take A Walk In Pecan Grove Memorial Park

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Pecan Grove Memorial Park is a beautiful and peaceful cemetery that allows one to think and pay respect to their adored ones. The park encompasses manicured lawns set amid ornamental pecan trees which is ideal for leisure strolls.

Patrons can understand some importance of the site concerning markers of historical heritage as well as local warriors. The arrangement of the park as well as its calm environment seem to inspire visitors to look back into the rich history of the city of McKinney.

There is such a calm beauty and dignity in the park that it allows one to gain comfort or come to pay one's final tributes to a loved one.

9. Spend Time At Arcade 92 Retro Arcade, Bar And Restaurant

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In McKinney, Texas, the Arcade 92 Retro Arcade, Bar, and Restaurant takes on an appealing mix of the old and the new. This restaurant contains a retro video arcade that is free to play, Pinball games, and an elite lounge for eSports gamers.

You can play for as long as you want for one price only, and in addition, have access to craft beers, cocktails, and mouth-watering cuisines from the bar and the restaurant. Additionally, you can also take part in various contests, and games from the past, or just enjoy some time with people in an active and entertaining environment.

10. Challenge Yourself At NTER - North Texas Escape Rooms

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North Texas Escape Rooms is thrilling, engaging, and most importantly, the most played escape room game. Here, your team is placed in a designed room where you are made to feel as if you are inside a movie and there is a mission to accomplish.

You have to crack numerous jokes and find a lot of distractors before the given time elapses. Every escape room available pays attention to your cooperation, and ability to communicate and solve the problems at hand, which is an enjoyable and memorable experience for families, friends, or workmates.

11. Wander Through The Historic Downtown McKinney

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Rich history, culture, and modernity coexist in this Texan town where Historic Downtown McKinney figures as the center. Take a walk in the well-paved and tree-lined streets and discover more than 120 shops, boutiques, and antique shops that can help you find great deals.

There are also lovely restaurants that serve farm-to-table meals, pastries, and ice-creams among other foods which makes the visit extraordinary. This adds up to the many reasons why Texas boasts a lot of tourist attractions for individuals who love the performing arts.

All in all, this is the greatest place to visit and the wonderful stuff to do in McKinney TX.

12. Visit The Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary

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The Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary occupies an area of land 289 acres and is bent on serving two purposes: nature and education. The visitors are liberated to view several ecosystems and the fauna and flora in their natural environment that is in the wildlife sanctuary.

The curriculum for the museum is designed to teach children about nature in an engaging way through various types of creative and educational play, exhibits, and activities.

It pursues the objectives here to connect people and nature, the value of the ecosystem, and above all to preserve the valuable natural resources for the generations to come.

13. Find The Fun At The Comedy Arena

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Do you want to have some fun? If so, you should consider going to The Comedy Arena. This beautiful space, which has a classy lounge atmosphere, is found right at the center of the vibrant historic downtown of McKinney.

It features both national headliners and local talent, entertaining audiences with stand-up, sketch, and improv comedy among others. They also have a program for comedy classes as well as corporate comedian team-building exercises.

This dynamic performance space caters to the enormous talent in the Dallas and Fort Worth area, as well as the untapped funny talents residing in McKinney itself. It is undoubtedly a place for fun, enjoyment, and good entertainment!

14. Take A Stroll Through Towne Lake Park

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Towne Lake Park in McKinney Texas offers much space to spend a lot of time outside. This park has a huge lake that has a fishing pier and paddle boats for hire for an enjoyable day on the lake. There are also places where one can walk in the park, and watch the children play, or one can be busy on an 18-basket disc golf course.

The course has concrete tee pads with plenty of trees and is usually mostly flat with long keys, trees, and a water body with some sections of the creek fold making it great for people who love to challenge themselves.

15. Take A Walk Through History At Chestnut Square Historic Village

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Chestnut Square Historic Village presented an interesting outlook on life in the 19th and early 20th centuries. This village occupies 2,5 acres of area and presents six antique structures and a heuristic model of the classroom, simple church, and corner grocery store.

In this case, interesting structures such as a blacksmith's workshop, a smokehouse, and reception flower arrangements are all carefully preserved as per the period. The village also organizes guided tours, and special events, and offers educational programs that cover the history and culture of the region.

16. Delve Into Collin County History Museum

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The Collin County History Museum is a museum of history oriented toward the local population where artifacts, images, diaries, and archival newspapers display the past of the region. Open Thursday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the museum encourages the public to view Collin County's culture and history involving many exhibits.

It organizes interesting events every month and is open to family and genealogy projects, helping those who wish to find a link with the history of the region. This museum, which aims to keep the history of the people within its vicinity, is a gem for people who love history and a fun place for people of all ages.

17. Learn And Create At Jump Into Art Studios

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Jump Into Art Studios is an active community art center that provides art and pottery courses for everyone. The studio features painting, pottery wheel, stained glass, mosaics, glass fusing, stitching/sewing, ceramics, and many other workshops, classes, and camps.

Everything is built to unleash the imagination. However, the classes are conducted by warm-hearted, professional artists who seek to inspire and who allow their students to grow artistically. Jump Into Art Studios can provide a distinctive decorum for learning and inspiration in one of the beautiful historical buildings.

18. Check Out Room One Eleven

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Room One Eleven is one of the hottest speakeasy cocktail bars you can find providing an incredible experience. Located behind a rather discreet door, this high-end establishment features an interesting timeline-based concept that prepares one for a long night of fun.

The bar offers impressive cocktails made with the finest ingredients, accompanied by light dishes which are an upgrade from bar food. There are also happy-hour specials where guests can enjoy the offer in an intimate yet classy setting, making it a perfect place to unwind.

As such, full of mystery and class and delicious things to eat and drink, Room One Eleven guarantees a tasty adventure to its visitors.

19. Enjoy The Natural Beauty Of Erwin Park

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Erwin Park, a beautiful 212-acre treasure is ideal for outdoor lovers as well as family outings. It has vast wooded areas suitable for hiking, mountain biking, and nature walks. There are clean picnic pavilions and restrooms and the park is well-kept.

Those unwilling to rush and prefer to stay a little longer can also make use of the campsites offered in the park. Most of the people living in the area as well as tourists spend their time in Erwin Park due to its tranquil nature and many interesting activities provided in it.

20. Uncover Hidden Gems At Third Monday Trade Days

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Every Third Monday Trade Days have been held endless times with an interesting condensed history dating back to the 1870s. Situated in the olden days Buckner Community - the first County Seat of Collin County, the market takes place every month's third Monday of three weekends prior.

There is a great selection of vendors, including those with antiques and furniture, clothes and novelties, dogs and live plants, as well as food. There is also live music and food trucks add to the lively atmosphere. This is why every Third Monday Trade Day cannot be missed, as it has plenty of history, culture, and great things to buy.