11 Fun Things To Do in Plano Texas on a Girls Trip
From colorful murals and a historic arts district to endless shopping and dining, these are some of the best things to do in Plano on a girls trip.
Shopping, public art, beautiful parks — Plano, Texas, is anything but plain ole, as I discovered on a recent getaway to the city just north of Dallas. With a literal longhorn cattle corral a couple of blocks away from a Gucci store, Plano delivers all the charm you could hope for on a Texas girls trip.
There’s actually quite a lot of fun things to do in Plano! A downtown historic arts district packs in museums, boutiques, and coffee shops. Urban villages offer walkable plazas of shopping and dining. And miles of hiking and biking trails trace ponds and fields of flowers in local nature preserves.
Where to Stay in Plano Texas
The Shops at Legacy East and Legacy North are both in strolling distance, with tons of retail and dining options, and Legacy West is less than a mile away with even more options. Plus, Bishop Park with its sidewalk loop around a beautiful pond and fountain is directly across from the hotel entrance.
On-Site Dining
Marriott at Legacy offers several on-site dining options, including a full-service Starbucks, the Copper Creek restaurant with a buffet and a la carte breakfast, and the Rustic Jewel cocktail bar that serves a Southwest lunch and dinner menu.
I had brunch at Copper Creek during my stay to try out the famous Texas waffle loaded with fruit and whipped cream. The breakfast buffet alone is extensive and full of delicious options like eggs benedict and fresh sugared muffins. For something a little extra special, the kitchen will whip up a custom omelet stuffed with your favorite fillings (I went for bacon, serrano peppers, onions, mushrooms, and cheddar cheese).
Spacious Rooms
Traveling with friends and need a little extra space? Marriott at Legacy has several room categories, including suites with separate living areas and couches. Some accommodations even have views of the pool or pond with Juliet balconies or walk-out decks with seating.
I was spoiled with a stay in the executive suite and let me tell you — this is the perfect space for a Plano girls trip, with two large rooms, an extra half-bath, a mini kitchen area, and a large deck.
This property also has an M Club lounge for Marriott Bonvoy members with status and rooms with M Club access. The lounge serves a continental breakfast and snacks and drinks throughout the day.
Pool and Hot Tub
If you’re the lounge around at the hotel type, you’ll love the outdoor pool deck here. It’s on the second floor of the building, so it’s private and the perfect spot to soak up the sun during the day or relax in the hot tub in the evening. There’s lots of comfy seating around the water and you can order drinks and pool bites to be delivered right to your chair!
Things To Do in Plano Texas
These are my favorite activities for a girls trip in Plano! You can squeeze most of the things to do below into two or three days for the perfect Texas weekend getaway.
Go Out for Brunch
I love going to brunch on a girls trip, and Plano has some delicious spots to indulge in towers of pancakes and forkfuls of eggs benedict (my favorite). For the perfect girly brunch vibes, The Bloom Lounge delivers, with its floral ceiling, blue patterned dishes, and cocktail menu. I had the truffle omelet, but the tres leches pancakes and pork belly croissant also looked delicious!
For a more home-grown joint with free coffee refills and breakfast skillets, try Eddie’s Diner. You also can’t go wrong with the hotel breakfast buffet at the Marriott at Legacy’s Copper Creek restaurant — they make customizable omelets and classic Texas waffles loaded with fruit and whipped cream.
Shop the Retail Districts
If you love to shop, you’ll definitely love Plano. Legacy Town Center offers the ultimate retail experience in town, with three distinct shopping and dining zones — The Shops at Legacy East, Legacy North, and Legacy West.
Where I stayed at the Dallas/Plano Marriott is just a short walk to The Shops at Legacy East, which offers a blend of shopping and dining, plus some really cute murals. Among the retailers are a Kendra Scott store, Francesca’s and Impeccable Pig boutiques, and a cool Turkish lantern seller called Another Time and Place (you have to walk in at night to see all the lights glowing).
Legacy North is a little further away, but also in walking distance from the hotel. This one has more restaurants than shops, but girly girls should pop by to check out the cute Ella Bleu boutique. There are also a few salon, spa, and personal care (nails, tanning, teeth whitening) service businesses here, so it’s a great spot for some pampering on a girls trip to Plano.
The largest dining and shopping area of the bunch, Legacy West blends luxury retailers and fashion chains like Free People, Madewell, and Lululemon. If you like supporting small businesses, be sure to pop into the Read Between the Lines gift store (they have the cutest cards and Texas swag) or shop on Saturday afternoon during the Small Business Cohort events
Snap Photos of the Murals
The public art around the Shops at Legacy East really adds a special touch to the center. My favorite spot is in the alley between Del Frisco’s Grille and the Dallas Running Company, where you’ll find a couple of fun Texas themed murals. Across the street in a parking garage exit, there’s another wall splashed with vibrant geometric shapes.
For even more murals, head to the wall on Kincaid Street opposite Francesca’s in Legacy East for a pair of colorful wings, the parking garage at Legacy North for a striped wall, and the side of Georgia’s Farmers Market in the Downtown Plano Art District for a Texas-themed series.
Hike at Arbor Hills Nature Preserve
With fields of wildflowers and over 7 miles of hiking trails, Arbor Hills Nature Preserve is one of the best outdoorsy things to do Plano. The 200-acre park has a playground, restroom facilities, a picnic pavilion, and an observation tower with city views. If you want an easy walk, stick to the 3 miles of paved paths on the Arbor Hills Loop and Tower Trail, or wander the nearly 5 miles of natural surface paths that trace the outer edges of the park and crisscross through the middle.
Dine at the Boardwalk at Granite Park
Just a mile or so north of The Shops at Legacy East, the Boardwalk at Granite Park is a great place to go in the evening for dinner and a sunset view. A handful of eateries here surround a pond with fountains and a boardwalk, offering indoor and outdoor dining and hang-out zones.
I had a fruity mocktail and Baja bowl under the twinkly lights on the patio of the Suburban Yacht Club, but you can also grab loaded biscuits at the Biscuit Bar, Southwestern fare at Blue Mesa Grill, and pub grub at Union Bear Brewing Company.
Explore the Downtown Plano Arts District
The historic core of the city, the Downtown Plano Arts District blends shopping, dining, entertainment, and culture in a few walkable blocks of brick storefronts dating to the late 1800s.
Plano originally developed around the Houston and Texas Central Railway that connected the local farming community for trading. Today, the light rail of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (dart) makes it easy to pop into Plano from downtown Dallas and the DFW and Love Field airports.
You could easily spend a half day or more here visiting the Interurban Railway Museum, strolling around Haggard Park, and shopping the local boutiques (don’t miss Lyla’s for cute gifts and La Foofaraw for home decor) and Georgia’s Farmers Market.
When you need to refuel, head to one of the local coffee shops or sit down for a meal at Jorg’s Cafe Vienna, Bar-Ranch Steak Company, or Lockhart Smokehouse. Urban Crust is great for happy hour on the rooftop with a view or Vickery Park for craft brews and bar games.
Check Out the Interurban Railway Museum
Delve into Plano history at the Interurban Railway Museum downtown. Located at Haggard Park by the railroad, the free museum is in the town’s old station building and has a model train and interactive exhibits.
Grab Coffee from a Local Cafe
The local coffee shop game is strong in downtown Plano with two cozy spots along the historic blocks. Lemma Coffee Co on 15th has a sort of industrial vibe with brick walls and small bistro tables for sipping the signature Lemma Latte.
Nearby, 1418 Coffee is more of an indie coffeehouse with plush seating inside and few outdoor tables. I tried The Martin, one of their fall seasonal blends with a bourbon pecan flavor, and it was delish!
Throw Paint at Pipe and Palette
Looking for a fun and artsy activity to do on a Plano girls trip? Head over to Pipe and Palette at the Shops at Willow Bend for interactive painting experiences.
In addition to classic Paint and Sip classes, you can sign up for a more messy and endlessly entertaining Splatter Paint room. Your crew will suit up in protective attire and literally fling colors on a shared canvas to create a unique masterpiece (or total disaster) with core memories attached.
Visit the Heritage Farmstead Museum
Step back in time to experience Plano’s agricultural legacy at the Heritage Farmstead Museum. Located on a farm site with an 1891 Victorian-style house, the living history museum has a collection of old buildings to tour and barnyard animals like chickens, pigs, goats, and donkeys.
You can wander the 4-acre grounds on self-guided tours or sign up for docent-led walks through the house.
Adventure at Oak Point Park and Nature Preserve
The largest Plano park and preserve at 800 acres, Oak Point offers about 13 miles of walking paths on concrete and natural surface trails. For an easy and scenic route, follow the pavement on the Oak Point Trail to ring around a pond with fishing and a kayak launch.
For a more adventurous outing, sign up for the zipline and treetop course at Go Ape. A couple of different ropes excursions offer options for all ages, with platforms up to 50-feet high and dozens of obstacles to navigate. It’s a fun way to spend a few hours outside in the park!
