Irving: the most underrated Dallas suburb

Just northwest of Dallas, Irving is one of the Dallas-Fort Worth area’s fastest-growing cities as well as one of the state’s strongest economies. But it’s more than just business as usual here. Discover our picks for the best things to do in Irving. This up-and-coming Texas town may be the most underrated Dallas suburb.

Irving Arts Center

3333 N MacArthur Boulevard

Irving, TX 75062

(972) 252-7558

The Irving Arts Center boasts ten acres of land, a facility with two theaters, four galleries, meeting and classroom spaces, and a sculpture garden, with nearly 275 events held every year. Residents praise the beautiful facility as a great place to take in a show or exhibit. 

Ruth Paine House Museum

801 W Irving Boulevard

Irving, TX 75060

(972) 721-4750

This museum is the site where Lee Harvey Oswald spent the night before assassinating President John F. Kennedy on November 22, 1963. The City of Irving purchased the home in 2009, and in 2013 it opened as a museum. The meticulously restored home serves as a fascinating step back in time and offers guided tours for history buffs (or the morbidly curious).

Dallas Fan Days

500 W Las Colinas Boulevard

Irving, Texas 75039

1-800-247-8464

Although its new name doesn’t have quite the same ring to it, the formerly-titled Dallas Comic Con (now Dallas Fan Days) is actually held here in Irving at the Convention Center, hosting tens of thousands of guests every fall to revel in cosplay, panels, celebrity sightings, and general nerdy merriment. 

Mandalay Canal Walk

215 Mandalay Canal

Irving,TX 75039

(972) 556-0625

This Old-World-style area of Irving is a great spot to stroll, dine, or shop Cobblestone streets with restaurants and shops line the Venice-inspired canals and provide a picturesque place to walk or jog. The area hosts stand-up paddleboarding, gondolas, a Canal Fest, an outdoor comedy show, a floating lantern ceremony, and a dragon boat festival to boot.

Mustangs of Las Colinas

5221 North O’Connor Road Suite #110E

Irving, TX 75039

(972) 869-9047

Does your sleepy suburb have a larger-than-life statue of nine galloping wild horses? No? “Mustangs of Las Colinas” definitely makes Irving cooler than your average ‘burb. This striking bronze statue by Robert Glen is featured in Williams Square, with an adjacent museum nearby (currently closed for renovations, but the statue remains open to the public).

Toyota Music Factory

316 West Las Colinas Boulevard, S110

Irving,TX 75039

(972) 810-1499

This massive music venue hosts live national and international acts like Stone Temple Pilots. It also includes 25 different dining options, a movie theater, and parking, making it a total entertainment one-stop shop for Irving.

Irving Concert Series

Whistlestop Plaza

123 W. Irving Blvd.

Irving, TX 75060

Catch some music under the stars at this annual live music series — it’s free! Just bring a blanket, lawn chairs, and picnic, and enjoy musical acts from around the state.

North Texas Beer & Wine Festival 

500 West Las Colinas Boulevard

Irving, TX 75039

214-718-2472

Yes, Irvingites are obsessed with their craft beers too. Every May there’s a festival celebrating brewers small and large, as well as homegrown wines from Texas. Here you can meet the brewers and winemakers, and sample to your heart’s content.

Campion Trail

Riverside Drive & Spur 348

Irving, TX 75063

A hidden gem running along the Trinity River, Campion Trail will eventually stretch 22 miles around the North Dallas suburbs once complete. It’s currently a 10-mile loop suited to both bikers and joggers, with some beautiful, uninterrupted Texas views.

Sure, Dallas may steal the spotlight with its outsized personality, but we think Irving has just as much charm as its big brother. Check out some of our picks for the top activities in Irving, and get ready to experience everything this Texas town has to offer.