Wednesday, January 23, 2019

America's City (Part 3)

Today's blog post is dedicated to some of the beautiful parks located in Dallas.  Some of these parks are located in urban areas, some are in suburban settings.  Either way, Dallas has lots of spots to relax and recharge. 

ARBORETUM AND BOTANICAL GARDENS
 


 
 The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is a 66-acre botanical garden located at 8525 Garland Road in East Dallas, Dallas, Texas, on the southeastern shore of White Rock Lake.
The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden was founded upon the dreams of a few visionaries with a passion for preserving both history and nature. Though the gardens themselves are comparatively young, the work that went into creating the current gardens began long ago.
 

KLYDE WARREN PARK
I always think of Klyde Warren Park as being a mini Central Park.  On one side of the park you can head over to the Dallas Museum of Art and the Nasher sculpture gardens, on the other side is the Perot Museum. 
 
Located in the heart of the city, Klyde Warren Park is an urban, five acre green space built over the old Woodall Rogers Freeway in downtown Dallas. Bustling with activity, this park provides entertainment for families, young adults, and even pets. The children’s park provides playgrounds, a small amphitheater, interactive fountains, and a storytelling tree for creative and educational fun, plus there are reading and game rooms. This park also has several daily activities, such as a Dallas skyline tour, zumba and yoga, and a variety of food trucks. There are various opportunities to see live performances, which vary from music concerts to theater performances to dance recitals in the Muse Family Performance Pavilion. For the furry family members, the My Best Friend’s Park area provides a safe, fenced space that allows the opportunity for off leash activities and socializing, as well as fountains to cool down on warm summer days. With daily activities and dining options, Klyde Warren Park is a great spot for people of all ages to spend a nice day out in downtown Dallas.

 
 
REVERCHON PARK
Established in 1914, this 41 acre, 100-year-old park is a great space for every Dallas resident or visitor to enjoy. Reverchon Park runs alongside Turtle Creek and the Katy Sports Trail, making it a perfect spot to go for a walk, run, or bike ride. The park features baseball fields, tennis courts, an outdoor basketball court, and a sand volleyball court. Each of these sports areas are well kept, and some are open for athletic leagues, like the North Texas Amateur Baseball League. Reverchon Park also has a playground and recreation center for the younger park-goers to enjoy. In addition, there are several garden areas, pavilions, seating and picnic areas, and grills available for public use, plus the park offers a twist on the traditional yoga class with their Hiking Yoga along the Katy Trail. The park is a perfect place to enjoy a picnic or cookout, casual sports games, and recreational activities for Dallas residents and visitors of every age.



 
DRAGON PARK
I have not visited Dragon Park yet but it's on my list due to it's "quirky" factor! 
While this may not be an ‘official’ Dallas park, Dragon Park is a small attraction hidden in the Uptown neighborhood, with the main entrance at Cedar Springs Road and Hood. The entrance can be easy to miss if you don’t look closely, but the park itself is home to a rather strange group of statues, such as dragons, fairies, gargoyles, Buddha heads, angels, and griffins. Dragon Park is not very well known to all Dallas residents, but it has been known as a quiet and tranquil place for yoga and meditation. It offers a terraced area with benches, perfect for a short picnic, or just a place to sit and take in the unique characteristics of the statues. Although small and somewhat concealed, Dragon Park is a different type of park that still offers a calm and beautiful scene for any Dallas resident or visitor.
 
Tucked away at the corner of Cedar Springs Road and Hood Street, Dragon Park is privately-owned secret garden in Dallas’s Oak Lawn neighborhood, and offers a quiet reprieve from a city often mired in traffic. The entrance is shrouded in thick green trees that largely obscure it from the sidewalk and at a casual glance, the park looks like nothing more than the very overgrown front yard of an eccentric home (an impression further reinforced by the two Chinese guardian lions which sit watchfully along either side of the stairs, greeting visitors with a fierce cordiality).
 
Dotted with sculptures, the space indeed has a cool, innate serenity about it and feels like the sort of place the wise, old, witchy character from a novel might retreat to, to cast spells or mull over the protagonist’s journey. Though the space is small and the hustle of civilization buzzes on all four sides, a protective aura permeates the plot of land, as if it is insulated by some mystic charm too ancient and transcendental for us to understand it (perhaps it is the effect of the Chinese guardian lions).
But that’s not to say it has a completely unapproachable and alienating atmosphere– Dragon Park is designed for impromptu selfies of people halfway through their morning run and engagement photos alike (if the unofficial Facebook page is any indication). Dragon Park very much has the character of a neighborhood spot, where anyone of any age might find a tranquil moment to collect their thoughts, read a book, or play some Pokémon Go (allegedly, Dragon Park is a Dratini spawn spot). For anyone in Dallas in need of some soothing green surroundings (and maybe just a little magic),
 
 
 
 
LAKESIDE PARK
Quirky and cute overload at Lakeside Park.  How can you have a bad day walking around sculptures of giant Teddy Bears???

Beautiful Lakeside Park sits on over 14 acres of exceptionally landscaped grounds along Turtle Creek, located between Beverly Drive and Armstrong Parkway at 4601 Lakeside Drive.

The walking paths and numerous benches along the way are the perfect place for a leisurely stroll.  Enjoy the scenic views from the bridge atop the Turtle Creek Dam, the whimsy of the Teddy Bear statues, and the tranquility of the Read Memorial.
 

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