The Ultimate Guide to Having Fun in Dallas Without Any Booze

Booze-less beverages, outdoor adventures, and spa days await.

Skydiving
Skydive Spaceland Dallas | Skydive Spaceland Dallas
Skydive Spaceland Dallas | Skydive Spaceland Dallas

As that fresh new-year smell begins to fade as we wade deeper into 2024, remember that it’s never too late to start a resolution journey. Whether you’re hoping to achieve a life-changing goal or take the baby-step approach toward a new and improved version of yourself, possibilities abound. Dry January—or a slightly damp version—continues to grow in popularity, and we have lots of suggestions for you on that front. Our Sober Guide to having fun in Dallas sans alcohol includes ways to pamper yourself, get in better shape physically and mentally, and discover new things to love about living in Dallas. So raise a glass of booze-less bubbly and toast to all the adventures, big and small, that await.

Courtesy of Trinity River Audubon Center

Things to Do Outdoors in Dallas

Hiking

Back away slowly from the treadmill and head outside to rack up some steps among some spectacular scenery illuminated by the Texas sun instead of fluorescent lights. The Katy Trail and Santa Fe Trail offer low-impact, paved routes through neighborhoods and Dallas’ urban center whether you’re a walker, jogger, runner, cyclist, or rollerblader. White Rock Lake also has plenty of concrete pathways, but get off the beaten path for some more rugged, unpaved trails that take you away from the crowds. Other options include: ziplining through the Trinity Forest, mountain biking on some rugged trails, or kayaking across White Rock Lake.

Water Sports

Fishing, sailing, and standup paddleboarding are also options. Or to truly feel like you’re worlds away from the hustle of the city, get yourself to the Trinity River Corridor, the Fort Worth Nature Center and Refuge, or the Trinity River Audubon Center for fresh-air interactions with all sorts of fantastic flora and fauna. Just make sure to fuel up appropriately and pack plenty of sunscreen.

Adrenaline Rushes

Then work your way up to bigger challenges, such as indoor skydiving at iFly, powered paragliding, or an intense thrill ride at Six Flags Over Texas. Then you’ll be ready to tackle what many consider the ultimate test of adrenaline—skydiving or parachute jumping from the belly of a plane.

tina the musical
Ari Groover as 'Tina Turner' in the North American tour of TINA - The Tina Turner Musical. | Photo by Matt Murphy for MurphyMade, 2023.

Artsy Things to Do in Dallas

Theatre

As fortunate as we are in Texas to be able to spend time outside during January without freezing our booties off, cozying up for a little culture time in a heated auditorium definitely has its allure. And now that the Nutcracker costumes have been stowed and the sets for that Charles Dickens classic have been put away until Christmas Yet To Come, our local theater groups have kicked off 2024 with a whole new slate of shows. Catch Golden Girls: The Laughs Continue at AT&T Performing Arts Center, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical at Fair Park as part of Broadway Dallas, Mozart and Beethoven with The Dallas Symphony Orchestra, Death Express at the Eisemann Center, Disney’s Aladdin at Bass Performance Hall, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change at Theatre Too, and Here Lies Jeremy Troy at Rover Dramawerks.

Skydiving Together
Who said booze-free mean fun-free? | Courtesy of Curious Elixirs, Tracie Davis

Food & Drink Things to Do in Dallas

Mocktails and Zero-Proof Drinks

Dry January doesn’t mean giving up on the inherently social experience of gathering with friends over a cocktail, glass of wine, or beer. With a rise in creative craft concoctions that look and taste as good as their boozy counterparts, preventing a next-day hangover has never been easier to find behind bars around Dallas. If there’s not one on the menu, any good bartender can create a mocktail that’s far more special than a club soda mixed with a splash of juice. But several spots around town feature thoughtfully conceived, zero-proof options right on their menus, including Another Round, Monarch, Round Two, The Saint, Elm & Good, Ellie’s Restaurant & Lounge, Le Margot, Moxies, Henry’s Majestic, Nobu, Coupes, JOA, Ginger’s, UnaVida, and The Rattlesnake Bar at The Ritz-Carlton, Dallas.

Alcohol-Free Beverages Shipped to Your House

If you’re hosting a post-holiday soirée or fireside happy hour and wish to have some no-octane options, stock your bar with bottles of non-alcoholic wine, beer, and liquor alternatives. Fill the fridge with several of our favorite authentically produced alcohol-removed wines from last Dry January. New-to-us options include Steinbock, French Bloom, Proxies, and Kally. Booze-free beer options we love include Karbach’s Free & Easy IPA, four options from Grüvi, and a trio of choices from Best Day Brewing.

To recreate the high-proof cocktail experience without the buzz, Curious Elixirs offers eight different selections. NON may look like wine, but its interesting blends of flavors and ingredients deliver the complexity of a cocktail, whether you serve it in a wine glass or over ice.

Legal Cannabis

OK, so maybe you still want to create a sense of euphoria—minus the alcohol. Or have a really restful night’s sleep, unlike those times you pass out from margaritas. Cannabis options come in a seemingly endless variety of legal-in-Texas options. Experiment to find what suits your needs best at local dispensaries, including Dallas Hemp Co., Thryve Organics, Bloom Labs, Moon Taxi, and The Weed Spot. For home delivery, it doesn’t get much better than Golden Hour, an Australian-inspired (but made in America) brand with some of the best packaging in the industry—not to mention options for everything from slumber time to energy for a night on the town.

Deep Dive
Dive West Dallas | Dive West Dallas

Other Things to Do in Dallas

Hobbies

With all the extra money you’re banking by not drinking, you should end up with a nice chunk of change that can go toward learning a new skill or nurturing an existing talent. Heck, even if you’re bad at whatever you choose, getting outside your comfort zone can yield wonderful results—even if it’s just making other people laugh. Take up fly fishing in a nearby Texas State Park. Learn to two-step at the iconic LGBTQIA+ country-western bar, The Round-Up Dance Hall and Saloon. Conquer your culinary fears with cooking classes at your nearest Central Market. Become a master maker in a variety of disciplines from pottery to jewelry making at The Craft Guild. Or build up skills to make your next tropical vacation the best ever with scuba lessons from Dive West. The possibilities are practically endless, and if you rope in some friends for the fun, you’ll have an even better time.

Pet Adoptions

Give yourself a mental health boost that comes from spending time with a pet. Adding one to your household can bring new energy and yield endless joy, not to mention the physical benefits you’ll achieve when taking a dog out for a walk. Shelters all over the country are at full capacity and DFW’s rescue organizations are no different. Every shelter desperately needs volunteers to spend quality time with their animals on-site, or even better, at your home where you can devote all the hours you would typically spend bar-hopping to bringing joy to the life of a precious pup or cuddly cat. Dallas Animal Services, SPCA of Texas, DFW Rescue Me, and Humane Society of North Texas are but four of dozens of organizations around Dallas-Fort Worth in need of people to help their efforts. Who knows, you might find a new four-legged love that would make an amazing permanent addition to your life, too. After all, patio season is right around the corner, and having a cute companion by your side always jumpstarts conversation.

Volunteer

Everyone’s a little more philanthropic during December, but nonprofit organizations don’t stop needing help once the clock strikes midnight every January 1. In fact, during these peak winter months, their needs often increase exponentially. North Texas Giving Day’s website remains the best place to find a charity that could use your skills as a volunteer (they have more than 3,300 nonprofits listed and counting). But if browsing that list feels a little overwhelming, consider volunteering at Dallas Animal Services, North Texas Food Bank, HELP Center for LGBT Health and Wellness, Trash Free Texas, Refugee Services of Texas, and the USO Dallas Fort Worth are all worthy places to start.

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Steven Lindsey is a contributor for Thrillist.