Things to Do in McKinney, TX ~ City Spotlight

Posted by My Dallas Mommy on Tuesday, July 7th, 2015 at 10:30 AM
The links in the post below may be affiliate links. Read the Full Disclosures!

Things to do in McKinney, TX

As a regular feature on MyDFWMommy, we are going to put the spotlight on the suburbs of our great Metroplex! We’ll take one city and break down all it has to offer!

For this installment, we will talk about things to do in McKinney, TX.  McKinney is one of the oldest suburbs of DFW (established in 1913) and in the September 2014 CNN’s Money magazine’s issue, McKinney was ranked 1st place among Best Places to Live in the United States. Here’s a summary of our must see places and activities that happen in this fun, family friendly town!

Annual Festivals

Main Street EventsClassics on the Square Morning Maniacs happens the last Saturday of the month from 7:30-10:30 a.m. in Historic Downtown McKinney. Make a point to come and check out some amazing cars and trucks, enjoy some breakfast and maybe a little shopping too.

Second SaturdaysEvery second Saturday of the month in Historic Downtown McKinney, you can enjoy an evening of art, music, food and spirits. Guests can explore local art galleries, listen to great local and regional talent and taste unique creations in some of the area’s best eateries.

McKinney Oktoberfest~ This fun event takes place in late September in Historic Downtown McKinney. Dust off your lederhosen and tune up your yodel for this year’s Oktoberfest offering authentic German music, food and drink, traditional costumes, dancing, children’s activities and much more!

Scare on the Square~ McKinney’s annual Scare on the Square has grown to hundreds of trick-or-treaters enjoying hayrides, treats and a safe, secure, family-fun Halloween event. Historic Downtown is closed off for trick-or-treaters to cross the street safely and go shop-to-shop for goodies.

Home for the Holidays…A McKinney Christmas 2015~ This is Downtown McKinney’s premier festival. It’s a new spin on an old favorite with horse-drawn carriages, traveling carolers, visits with Santa Claus, a Christmas tree lighting ceremony and activities for all ages. Plus a chance to finish all that holiday shopping in one place with over 100 boutiques, art galleries, bookstores, apparel, gifts and antiques.

Parks & Museums

Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife SanctuaryFounded in 1967, the Heard consists of a 289 acre wildlife sanctuary and a natural science museum for the primary purpose of educating children about nature. The Heard exists to bring nature and people together to discover, enjoy, experience, restore, and preserve our priceless environment.

Erwin Park Hike & Bike Trail~ Locals call this the best kept secret in TX. This is a great place to go mountain biking, hiking, and camping!

Myers Park and Event Center~The gardens in this park are a perennial research garden maintained by the Collin County Master Gardeners so this is a great location for photos and to learn what plants grow well in this country. Plus, your kiddos will love the farm museum featuring antique equipment.

Dog Park at Bonnie Wenk~ This is a beautiful two-acre, fenced, off-leash park whick features a splash pad for dogs, separate areas for big and small dogs and a shaded pavilion.

 

Unique Restaurants (found only in McKinney)

Square Burger~ Not your typical burger joint with a very nice full bar featuring many of the local brews. You have to try the High Society Burger- it has aged prosciutto, fontina cheese, arugula and roasted red pepper relish.

Cadillac Pizza PubThis place has the warmth of a neighborhood bar melded with the best live music in North Texas. The feel of Memphis, the buzz of Austin and the spirit of New Orleans draws musicians from every genre. Pizza dough and sauce are made fresh daily and feature Texas-grown vegetables and herbs!

SpoonsSpoons cafe is housed in a converted 1920’s building that was originally the Texas Power and Light company. This fun, hip and casual the cafe is designed with an open kitchen that allows you to watch the cooking crew create breakfast all-day, and other favorites such as meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and more!

Harvest~ Committed to cultivating relationships with the community and the environment, this restaurant focuses on where was it grown, how was it raised and can they recycle this. Their seasonal menus feature organic, local and regional products and celebrate the seasonality of ingredients, food and the rich contributions of farmers. Be sure to try the Wild Boar and the Texas Deviled Eggs!

Franconia Brewing CompanyThough this is not a restaurant, we had to mention this as a unique spot in McKinney. Scheduled brewery tours are every Saturday at 11 am and for only $5 per person- you will learn all about the beer brewing process, experience first hand that brewing beer is work and fun at the same time, and get free samples of their different beer varieties!

Daily Boutique Deals

Comments are closed.