City Spotlight: Grand Prairie
Smack-dab between Dallas and Fort Worth is a little town that might not come to mind for many people looking for a local excursion. But look a little closer and you’ll find Grand Prairie has plenty to merit a day trip.
At one point, Grand Prairie was literally a prairie — a pretty grand one, apparently. For a while, it wasn’t much more than a popular outpost for travelers on the Bankhead Highway (the Route 66 of old North Texas), but as the metroplex began to spill into one another over the years, Grand Prairie became somewhat overlooked.
Sure enough, there hasn’t been a ton of development around Grand Prairie’s downtown, so many of the original buildings are still standing. But a few standout businesses are drawing people back to the area by repurposing these old structures in new ways.
Eatin’ Grand
Probably the best example of these spots is Zavala’s Barbecue, which is housed in an old burger drive-in. Like every Texan, I’m something of a barbecue expert, so I can confidently say Zavala’s serves some of the best barbecue ever — like, top five in all of Texas. The owner, Joe, fuses his Mexican culture with the best of Texas grub. The menu has a bunch of delicious items, including charro beans with brisket and jalapeno cheese sausages (which are both must-tries). But you absolutely need to try the world-famous Sloppy Juan taco, which has earned a huge reputation as one of the best tacos in Texas. So much so, in fact, that Grand Prairie officially renamed the street his restaurant is on — you’ll find it on the corner of Brisket Lane and Sloppy Juan Way.
Just a block away is another cool spot operating out of Grand Prairie’s original fire station: Firehouse Gastro Park. It’s a unique foodie destination and music venue that offers a little bit of everything (including coffee and live music), but what’s really put them on the map in DFW is their “Dirty Bird Fries.” Imagine a mound of crispy French fries topped with a deconstructed chopped-up Nashville hot chicken sandwich. Yeah, it’s incredible.
Grand Ol’ Times on the Prairie
If you’re looking for something more thrilling, Grand Prairie has one of the few places in Texas where you can watch live horse racing. Lone Star Park is not some shady little horse track like you might be imagining, it’s more like the Churchill Downs of Texas. It’s a huge, clean, and totally family-friendly venue where you can watch the most exciting two minutes of sports without leaving Grand Prairie.
OK, my next recommendation is probably a bit of a tourist trap, but I don’t care. It’s too much fun. It’s Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, and it’s in a giant palace right off I-30. You can pose with the world’s tallest man, check out some dresses made of toilet paper, and take a selfie with your favorite celebs in their wax museum. Sorry, I know it’s kitschy, but I love it.
The last place you’ve gotta check out is EpicCentral, which is exactly what it sounds like: A massive entertainment district packed with restaurants, an indoor waterpark, a mountain, and a 172-acre community park for fishing, hiking, and jogging. It’s one of my favorite things in Grand Prairie, and a great way to work up an appetite for your second round of Sloppy Juan tacos for dinner.
Explore more of Texas’ small towns with The Daytripper here.
