Looking for a great place to relax? Carrollton offers a family-friendly atmosphere and plenty to do. Located in the heart of the Dallas/Fort Worth area, the City of Carrollton is a vibrant corporate and residential community. The city’s location and business cost advantages attract and support a diverse local economy with more than 9,000 businesses calling Carrollton home. Visit and see why residents are drawn to the city for highlights like its high quality of life, abundant parks and amenities, schools and safe neighborhoods. With over 28 miles of hiking and biking trails, it’s easy to see why Carrollton is where connections happen!
Visitors and residents enjoy fun events all year long, such as the Carrollton Trails 5k in the spring and the Festival at the Switchyard in the fall. Specialty shops and quaint restaurants surround the Downtown Square, and nearby the turn-of-the-century A.W. Perry Homestead Museum gives glimpses into Carrollton’s rich pioneer past. Take the DART Green Line to the Downtown Carrollton Station and start your adventure today!
Carrollton is the ninth-largest city in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and is home to a diverse population of more than 123,000. This progressive community, located just a half-hour northwest of downtown Dallas, seems to have it all: a strong job market and diverse economy, plenty of recreational facilities, a thriving art community, excellent schools, and a clean environment. Not only has Carrollton been named a “Tree City USA,” it has been recognized as the safest city in the state. Carrollton has also been named a national “Kid-Friendly City” for high rankings in healthcare, education, public safety, and environment and community life.
Carrollton residents have access to state-of-the-art medical facilities. There are more than 960 acres of developed parkland in Carrollton. The city’s historic Town Square is a meeting place for numerous city events. Carrollton’s ideal location makes it the perfect home for a number of industries and frequent travelers enjoy easy access to the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, located just 10 miles away from Carrollton. Residents commuting within the Metroplex are served by three north-south interstate highways (35E, 35W and 45) and two east-west interstates (20 and 30).
Things to do in Carrollton TX
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- Visit the Cavanaugh Flight Museum – a museum showcasing a collection of historic aircraft, vehicles, and artifacts.
- Go shopping and dining at the nearby Shops at Willow Bend – an indoor shopping center with high-end stores and restaurants.
- Take a stroll or have a picnic at the Josey Ranch Lake Park – a park featuring a lake, playgrounds, and trails.
- Attend a live performance or event at the Carrollton Plaza Arts Center – a venue for concerts, theater productions, and other cultural events.
- Go hiking or biking at the nearby Arbor Hills Nature Preserve – a 200-acre park with trails, picnic areas, and scenic views.
- Enjoy a round of golf at the Indian Creek Golf Club – a championship golf course with beautiful views and challenging holes.
- Take a trip to the nearby Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden – a large garden featuring a variety of plants, flowers, and sculptures.
- Explore the Rosemeade Rainforest Aquatic Complex – a water park with slides, pools, and a lazy river.
- Go bowling or play arcade games at the nearby Strikz Entertainment – a family entertainment center with bowling, laser tag, and other games.
- Attend a community event or festival at the Carrollton Square – a historic square featuring shops, restaurants, and a courthouse that dates back to 1888.
Attractions & Points of Interest
The city is a shopper’s paradise with a diverse range of specialty shops, 25 major shopping malls, 30 antique districts, and numerous boutiques. Major malls in the area include the Dallas Galleria, Vista Ridge Mall, and the 1.9 million-square-foot Grapevine Mills Outlet Mall.
Carrollton Town Square was developed prior to 1900 with buildings that refined commerce and formed the first city center. A gazebo now stands where a fresh spring once flowed through. The area has an early 20th-century charm and remains a focal point for many town gatherings.
The city features world-class museums, art galleries, and performing arts organizations such as opera, theater, ballet, and symphony. Carrollton is also home to The Dallas Arts District, a 60-acre development and the largest downtown arts district in the U.S.
The Dallas/Fort Worth area offers an almost limitless variety of entertainment options, including five major professional sports: Dallas Cowboys football, Dallas Mavericks basketball, Dallas Burn soccer, Dallas Stars hockey and Texas Rangers baseball.
Parks & Recreation
Recreational opportunities in Carrollton are diverse, whether you prefer to spend your time outside or indoors. Residents have more than 50 lakes and 100 public and private golf courses within a 100-mile radius to choose from. Carrollton boasts the largest ratio of parkland in the Metroplex. Each park hosts a number of recreation facilities including several playgrounds, playing fields, hiking and biking trails, tennis courts, picnic areas, and fishing ponds. Indian Creek Golf Course has two 18-hole golf courses rated among the state’s top 15 municipal courses. Additional facilities in Carrollton include two recreation centers, two public swimming facilities, and an amphitheater.
Economy & Job Growth
The development of railroads in Carrollton brought great change to the area. Carrollton rapidly transformed from a sleepy agricultural community to a center of bustling business and professional activity. As the Dallas/Ft. Worth area grew over the years, the housing markets in surrounding areas boomed as people seeking affordable housing. Due to Carrollton’s location on Interstate 35, the city has become a popular choice among new families. Thanks to a concerned populace and a progressive city government, Carrollton today is a tremendous success story and a great place to call home.
Commercial, residential and transit-oriented development has made Carrollton a “Business Friendly City” and the only full-service Foreign Trade Zone in Dallas. A number of business parks, corporate headquarters, high-end subdivisions, and highway corridor enhancements have added to the city’s economic growth.