Gaylord Texan ~ Grapevine, TX

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July is upon us!  We counted last night and we only have 6 more weeks left of summer!!!! Have you had a chance to get away with your family yet? Are you looking for the perfect place to vacation here in Texas?  My family & I had the pleasure of spending time in Grapevine, Texas last week and we had a fabulous time!  Located in between Dallas & Fort Worth (and just north of DFW Airport), there is so much to do in this great town, you never have to leave!

And it all starts with a fantastic place to stay.....We stayed at the magnificent Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center. 

The Gaylord Texan is a beautiful resort destination that sits on the shores of Lake Grapevine.  One of the most impressive features of the resort is the domed atrium - 4 1/2 acres of indoor gardens where you will find unique walkways and Texas features.

The resort is so uniquely Texan - Within the atrium, you will find the 6 Flags that flew over Texas, a Texas Steer, an oil derrick, and the Alamo all represented.

You can dine on all your favorite Texan cuisine here as well, from the Riverwalk Cantina featuring authentic Tex-Mex, to the Old Hickory Steakhouse's fine dining and the Texan Station for Texas BBQ and burgers!

After dinner, we had more fun exploring the atrium's winding walkways and discovering the trains - an attraction that will capture everyone's attention as you saw all ages admiring the impressive layouts.

The Gaylord Texan has some impressive summer activities for the family lined up: The new 10-acre pool & lazy river playground, Paradise Springs, opened up this summer (more on that tomorrow!).  Poola-Palooza with live DJ, games, drink specials, and Splash n' Screen poolside movie nights are each Thursday-Sunday.

SummerFest Events (lasting through September 3, 2012) feature Family Fiesta Fridays, Friday Night Fireworks, Junior Chef Camps, dessert & restaurant dine arounds.  And there is always fun entertainment going on in the evening in the atrium, where we had the pleasure of meeting these unique Texans:

And if that isn't enough, the resort is presenting the "DreamWorks Experience at Gaylord Texan" this summer.  Each weekend features FUN activities starting with a character parade through the atrium each Friday evening.  Have breakfast with Shrek and his friends, decorate cookie cakes with Princess Fiona, or meet all your favorite DreamWorks Characters for an interactive scavenger hunt.  But the one that got my kids most excited was the Dragon Training Camp - crafts, character interaction, and an encounter with a Night Fury - my kids were in!!  Unfortunately, we were staying on a weekday, but this is certainly enough to entice us back.  The DreamWorks activities cost an additional fee, but we found them to be very reasonable for what you were getting.

The Gaylord Texan has gorgeous rooms - make sure you ask for one that overlooks the atrium, we loved sitting on our balcony - a wonderful spa, great shopping, and access to water sports on Lake Grapevine and championship golf at Cowboys Golf Club.

I think Gaylord Texan is a beautiful resort with so much to see and do.  Gaylord Texan offers great packages that include DreamWorks Activities, birthday party themes, and couples get-aways that make it a great vacation.  It is a perfect place to stay while you enjoy some of the wonderful activities Grapevine has - Grapevine Vintage Railroad, LEGOLAND Discovery Center, SEA LIFE Grapevine Aquarium, and more.

And while you are in Grapevine, here are more Family Fun Activities:

Dallas World Aquarium

Perot Museum of Science & Nature

LEGOLAND Discovery Center

Grapevine Vintage Train

SEA LIFE Aquarium

Fort Worth Zoo

North Texas Factory Tours

Paradise Springs at The Gaylord Texan

Cowtown CattlePen Maze

Log Cabin Village

Medieval Times
Klyde Warren Park

Texas Travel Facts for Gaylord Texan Resort & Conference Center:

Location: 1501 Gaylord Trail, Grapevine, Texas

Good to Know: Located minutes from downtown Grapevine and Grapevine Mills Mall (LEGOLAND & SEA LIFE Aquarium located here); Check out the fun theme packages

Website:http://www.gaylordhotels.com/gaylord-texan/index.html

My family and I were invited to visit the resort and were provided our stay. I was not financially compensated for this post.  All opinions of Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center are strictly my own based on my experience.