I visited Southfork Ranch as part of a work group outing and honestly had no idea what to expect…read morebut I left genuinely impressed and entertained. This place is a legitimate piece of American pop culture history, and they do a great job bringing it to life. The guided tour takes you inside the actual ranch house, and it's more immersive than you'd think. The formal dining room with its crystal chandeliers, the bold red kitchen, the grand foyer staircase -- it's all right there, frozen in time like the Ewing family just stepped out for a moment. And yes, they have the room where JR was shot, complete with a chalk outline and crime scene markers. Campy? A little. Fun? Absolutely. Outside, the grounds are beautiful. White fences, open pastures, friendly animals wandering around with the iconic ranch house as the backdrop. There's also JR's silver Lincoln Continental on display in the museum, along with memorabilia and history from the show. Fair warning: this is a deeply generational experience. My older colleagues were absolutely in their element while some of the younger folks in our group needed a little context. But even without being a die-hard Dallas fan, there's enough to see and appreciate that everyone ended up having a good time. Great group outing, unique Dallas experience. If you're in the area, it's absolutely worth a visit.

As a longtime fan of the TV show Dallas, I had been looking forward to visiting Southfork Ranch for…read moreyears. Growing up in Europe, we watched the show later than audiences in the U.S., but I never missed an episode and absolutely loved following the Ewings' story. So when I had the chance to travel through Texas, visiting Southfork was at the top of my list. The visit exceeded my expectations. The ranch is perfectly set up for visitors - from the guided tour of the house, which is preserved and decorated exactly like it appeared in the show, to all the little details, including the cars the Ewing family used. Our guide gave a fascinating talk about the history of filming, the ranch's rental process, and behind-the-scenes stories that really brought the show to life. We also got to walk around the ranch, see the small horses or ponies, and browse a tiny gift shop. It was amazing to experience in person something I'd watched on TV for so many years - and on the other side of the continent, no less! The whole experience was nostalgic, charming, and genuinely fun. If you love Dallas or just want to see an iconic TV ranch in real life, Southfork is absolutely worth the visit.

This is a nice spot to just take your time and reflect and look at the sculptures. Reasonably well…read moremaintained and some interesting sculptures. There are also plaques for each of the armed services.

Today was my loving natureday, I woke up and wanted to do something out doors, with this beautiful…read moresun shine, and some workout while observing the nature! City of Plano has topped off with lots of great parks with too many wonderful things to do here. I walk by Dog parks, water park, enormous football field, soccer field, volleyball court and basketball court, all your outdoor activities at your neighborhood. I walk the trail from PSA 2 all the way to Veteran park close, and way back! That's a good 10miles. So proud of myself today and will kindly reward myself with some cupcakes! I can't wait to do this more. I want to thank City of Plano for their outstanding service for keeping all these parks clean and beautiful, also safe. Love my city. Come visit City of Plano.

I must admit,I understand why people want to move to Allen. Its managed well, with thoughtful…read moreadministration and a conservative approach to government. I paid just enough attention in civics class to pass the test. Im only half way kidding. I do know the rudiments of city,county,state and federal government. However, I haven't been as involved in local government during my life, as I probably should have been. Do you know how and why your city government works the way it does? The reason I attended tonight's city council meeting was to monitor the activity surrounding a bond issuance approved by voters in 2016! Now, you would think if the bond was approved that long ago, those items would be complete or well on the way. Not! I think you will be surprised how these things work if you look into it. I encourage everyone to be more active locally. That's where the rubber meets the road and I personally think the local governmental activity is going to be more important going forward than ever. After a citizen blitz of support activity over the last few months, the council unanimously passed a resolution to issue the bonds from the 2016s election. This included money to expand the library, road improvements,acquisition of more park land and building of fire house #6. yea! Again, I'm very surprised how this worked. In addition, the mayor issued many proclamations including, welcoming other cultures to our area and urging citizen participation. Recognition of the 13th consecutive Allen High School wrestling team State Championship! How do you do that? One of the most significant and touching moments was the recognition of a 911 dispatcher who had previously been commendated for saving a life over the phone in 2018. Last night she was recognized for saving a life on her way home after her shift ended. Wow! Ovrall I was impressed with the performance of the Mayor and City Of Allen Elected Council,the full house attendance of Allen Citizens and the spriti of community present. If you havent been involved,observed or even know about your lovcal government,there is no time like the present to... Go!!!!

The old Allen public library is one of the places in Collin county you can vote. But only for early…read morevoting I think. On the actual voting day you may have to vote in your regular precinct. Collin county is using the new electronic voting machines. You still need to have a photo ID regardless of whether you have your voting card with you. The new voting machines allow you to do a "do over" if you don't like the way your initial picks print out. I'm told you get up to 3 re-do's. I did not test this option since I got it correct the first time through. No hanging chads on this peice of paper! After printing your ballot you walk over to a second machine for your actual choices to be counted. A locked safe connected to the machine stores the paper ballots, which can be used later for audits and recounts. Regardless of how you vote, please vote so you can be heard! Otherwise, don't complain. Early voting is February 18-28! 7/2020

This was a phenomenal tour! I was fortunate to have Preston, a Dallas Native and Historian as our…read moreguide. His thoroughness and attention to detail is commendable! He reached out via text prior to start of the tour to provide important information and just say hello and introduce himself. Photo included! He was a great driver and very patient with participants. It was unseasonably hot that day and he kept checking to make sure everyone was doing OK. Even assisting the ladies(myself included) into and out of the van. I love that it was a small group. Makes it more personal. We went to all the major sites in just over three hours. Cost is very reasonable($62.99) and I booked through Viator who also does a great job! This tour is HIGHLY recommended!

What an incredible afternoon with brilliant Tour guide Preston. He is a Historian and expert on the…read moreJFK assassination. My family and myself took the full 3 1/4 hour tour, TAKE IT! You'll learn more about what happened that infamous day through Preston's fun, enlightening and educational interpretation. A1 all the way. Highly recommendeded!

Multi-functional park for literally EVERYONE!…read more Fitness Enthusiasts: There are softball fields and a cricket pitch. There is a built in exercise station. I see cross-fit groups out here all the time. There is a huge running/walking/biking loop around the entire park and connecting to other routes. I think also some kids soccer groups also play here. Families: there is a very large playground with benches and shade! It's top notch and well maintained. Tweens/teens- there are benches and sick places to hang. You can even bring hammocks. There is plentiful parking. Picnic tables. Families often come out on nights with solar events and their telescopes. To be fair it is super well lit so it may not be the best place for star gazing, but you get many people to interact with. Plus let me add for Pokémon Go players- three gyms and 6 Pokéstops so this makes for excellent playing.

Nice little park, have to watch the edges because it's a very heavily wooded area !…read more It's in a very nice area though

Sometimes a quick reset is just under your nose. Thousands of people drive by here everyday having…read moreno idea a little " back to nature" 30 minute side trip is theirs for the asking. My jaunt around Bethany lakes this morning included a couple of great surprises. As I skirted the trail beside the lake,I startled a Blue Heron in the top of a tree. An older bird with a huge wingspan. Then,closer to the lake a surprise nesting duck and freshly laid egg. Spring here is perfect but the only way to see it is to... Go!

Absolutely beautiful area. A park where you can lose yourself in peace and quiet. Area is clean…read moreand lot of nice homes nearby. Almost kinda jealous of the residents.

Terry!!! We had such a great experience at Pinstack! We were playing games and ran into a few…read morehiccups, but Terry was amazing. A game got stuck and we dropped the ball he immediately picked it up and took care of it without hesitation. He helped us multiple times throughout our visit and was incredibly friendly every single time. Our kids absolutely loved him. He was so kind and patient with them, and they really connected with him. At checkout, he continued to be super helpful and made everything smooth and easy. Huge thumbs up for the assist, Terry! Lisa also came by and was so sweet to our daughter for her birthday. That extra kindness really meant a lot to us. Overall, fantastic service and a memorable experience. We'll definitely be back!

Had a great time bowling at Pinstacks! We went in during the early bird time and quickly got out…read morelanes. The facility is clean, staff is friendly, and there is a lot more to do than just bowling.

Lots to do in this park while you are waiting on your kids at Allen High school…read more It's pretty and covers some distance so walkers/runners can get in a few miles plus it connects to another trail. Many people come here for family photos on the little bridge. Very quaint. There are ball fields here too. Plus some Pokémon Go can be played. Several gyms and stops. It's not bad for trainers. Several parking areas make it easy to access. And it has several access points as well. Abuts the high school.

Allen Station Park is a Beautiful Park that celebrates the history of when this was a watering…read morestation for the old steam locomotives coming through Allen, TX . It is within eyesight of the Allen Eagle Stadium. There are beautiful, walking trails and bicycling paths. Much of the length of some of the trails runs along the creek. Today the park also pays host to sporting events, though it's homage to yesteryear is not lost. This 125 acre park offers a variety of activities for people. There is a BMX track and skate park, baseball/softball diamonds, hiking & biking trails, grill and picnic table, a playground, and more. I was just here for a stroll. I had been at the dam site on the other side of Exchange Parkway, and there was a trail connecting the two areas that I walked. It was a nice paved trail that is protected by surveillance cameras. It's always good to feel safe! Review #2110