Introduction to Arlington
Arlington, Texas has a population of 365,000 and is located near the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex, which boasts a workforce of 2 million people. It is home to the University of Texas at Arlington, a 30,000-student school with a prestigious engineering college. Major corporations like General Motors and National Semicoductor Wafer Plant call Arlington home, and its independent school district provides students with outstanding education. Named after Robert E. Lee’s home, Arlington is known as the entertainment capital of Texas because of its Six Flags Over Texas amusement park and Hurricane Harbor Water Park. Its 82 parks, including the 1,300 acre River Legacy, and convenient access to Dallas-Ft. Worth make it a world class city.
Arlington Culture
Arlington has a wide range of cultural amenities, and it is within the larger metropolitan Dallas-Ft. Worth area. Well known symphonies and ballets are common in the city. The city has many fine museums, such as the Arlington Museum of Art, the Fielder House, the Center for Research and Contemporary Art, and UTA Special Collections. The music and theater scene thrives with such organizations as Theater Arlington, the Arlington Community Band, Creative Arts Theater and School Tour, and UTA Concert Series.
Arlington Sports and Leisure
The Texas Rangers have called Arlington home for eleven seasons. The $650 million Dallas Cowboys Stadium opened in 2009, making Arlington a satisfying place for major league sports fans to live. For amateur athletes and sports fans, Arlington has a wide range of quality sports facilities. For example, the Elzie Odom Recreation Center offers spaces for basketball, fencing, gymnastics, in-line hockey, martial arts, volleyball, rock climbing, wrestling, weightlifting, indoor soccer, and skating. And the Harold Patterson Sports Center offers 12 youth baseball fields, 6 lighted youth football fields, 23 soccer fields, and four adult softball fields.
Arlington Outdoors
For the outdoor enthusiast, Arlington has 82 public parks inside the city. The largest is River Legacy Parks, which includes 1,300 acres on the Trinity River right in the middle of Arlington. Eight miles of paved trails give hikers and bikers plenty of room to roam, and the abundant wildlife will thrill botanists and birders alike. The park also includes picnic areas, a meditation area, river outlooks, multipurpose areas, water fountains, restrooms, and a playground. The city has a goal in place to create a connected chain of parks along the Trinity River from Dallas all the way to Fort Worth. Lake Arlington is another exciting outdoor attraction in the area. This 2,275 acre lake gives visitors the chance to enjoy activities such as fishing, sailing, water skiing, biking, skating, picnics, and community events.
Arlington at Night
The nightlife in Arlington is quite varied, and can offer something for everyone. From theater to ballet to music to dining, activities abound. The Cowboys Dancehall has a 3,500-square-foot dance floor and features live country music from today’s stars like Alabama, Lonestar, the Bellemay Brothers, Willie Nelson, and others. Humperdinks Bar and Brill Featuring Big Horn Brewery is a family restaurant and well known micro brewery with 30 TVs and live karaoke. The new Arlington nightclub Moose & Vinny’s brings a taste of Dallas nightlife to the city with live bands four nights a week. And Xtra Innings Sports Bar is a high energy venue with video games, billiards, shuffleboard, and sports fans from around the world.
