Elf School

9 magical things to know about Hilton Anatole's Peppermint Park

You don’t have to travel to the North Pole to experience the magic of Christmas — the Hilton Anatole is bringing it right to Dallas with the return of Peppermint Park.

The immersive winter festival has a seemingly endless list of activities for children and parents alike, with everything from holiday train rides to arts and crafts with the Grinch. Here are nine things to know before visiting:

Dates and times
Peppermint Park is open 5-9 pm on Fridays and Saturdays from November 23-December 15, and then daily December 20-23 from 1-9 pm.

Tickets
It pays to stay at the Anatole during the holidays, because entry to Peppermint Park is included. If you're not a guest, then a la carte tickets can be purchased for $24.95 (adults) and $19.95 (kids ages 3-17), with kids under 3 getting in for free.

Parking
Parking is $20 and can be paid for upon arrival at Lot 4.

Merry activities
Take a magical train ride through the park and enjoy the light displays, predict the weather with Jack Frost, enroll in Elf School and learn what it takes to be one of Santa's helpers, mail your letters to the North Pole, or make holiday slime with the Grinch. There is also a petting zoo featuring the types of animals that would have been present during the nativity, such as donkeys, goats, lambs, and more.

Feel-good giving
To celebrate the spirit of giving this holiday, Hilton Anatole has partnered with Make-A-Wish North Texas to help make life-changing wishes come true for children with critical illnesses. As Peppermint Park opens its doors, it will feature a Make-A-Wish booth accepting personal donations along with Make-A-Wish volunteers throughout the park. To celebrate and honor the wishes of children, a portion of the proceeds from game commissions, unused coupons, and entrance commissions will be donated to the foundation.

Treats to share
Gossip Bar, located just inside the hotel and adjacent to Peppermint Park, will feature holiday-style concessions including hot cocoa, coffee, snacks, and adult beverages.

Breakfast with Santa Package
Save up to $100 and indulge in all the fun at Peppermint Park on Friday night, and the hotel will take care of breakfast on Saturday morning. Guests will enjoy standard luxurious accommodations, admission to Peppermint Park on the night of arrival, holiday movie night, a very special Breakfast with Santa for up to two adults and two children on the morning of departure, and late checkout of 1 pm.

VIP Holiday Experience Package
Save up to $100 and enjoy a private reception with Santa and Mrs. Claus before exploring all the excitement of Peppermint Park. Guests will enjoy standard luxurious accommodations, a private meet-and-greet event with Santa and Mrs. Claus on the night of arrival for up to two adults and two children, one complimentary 5x7 printed photo with Santa, admission to Peppermint Park on night of arrival, holiday movie night, valet parking for one vehicle, a very special Breakfast with Santa for up to two adults and two children on the morning of departure, and late checkout of 3 pm.

Festive fireworks
Hotel guests get to enjoy another perk with a special fireworks finale just for them on December 7. Set to holiday tunes, the display will light up Peppermint Park and telegraph the spirit of the season far and wide.

Enroll in Elf School, or learn how to predict the weather with Jack Frost.

Photo courtesy of Hilton Anatole

Enroll in Elf School, or learn how to predict the weather with Jack Frost.

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Outside Ideas

New podcast series uncovers hidden gems found at Texas parks

Better Outside podcast host Morgan O’Hanlon

Photo courtesy of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD)

Podcast host Morgan O’Hanlon captures ambient sound from a river.

Outdoorsy Texans have a new way to keep track of conservation initiatives within Texas' parks. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) launched a new podcast on May 21 called Better Outside, available on all major podcast platforms.

A press release promises that listeners will "travel the woods and waters of Texas through an array of awe-inspiring stories about conservation, recreation and the outdoors."

The podcast does mean "travel" in a literal sense, taking listeners out in the field to experience the environments firsthand. They'll have a knowledgeable guide in host Morgan O’Hanlon, who is a senior writer at Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine, as well as TPWD executive director David Yoskowitz.

“People are at the core of conservation work in Texas,” said Yoskowitz in the release. “I’m excited for you to hear their voices straight from the field, so they can share why the work they do matters and the impact it makes.”

$David Yoskowitz and Morgan O\u2019Hanlon recording Better Outside podcast$ David Yoskowitz and Morgan O’Hanlon record in the studio as well as in the field.Photo courtesy of Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD)

Some examples of the work featured include creating a new trail across the state, touring an existing park, and restoring bighorn sheep (which were on the brink of being wiped out by 1900) in West Texas. Another episode in the Hill Country follows feral hog bounty hunters. Although well-informed listeners may already know about some of these subjects, the podcast specifically hopes to focus on hidden gems and expanding horizons.

“I love adventure sports and am excited to inspire people to try new, and sometimes scary, things,” said O’Hanlon. “In our episode on the Devils River, I took my non-outdoorsy mom on one of the state’s most feared paddling trips. You’ll hear straight from her about the challenges I put her through — and why she would do it again.”

Better Outside isn't TPWD’s first podcast. It was Under the Texas Sky, which launched in 2019 and followed similar themes, with a notable focus on culture. Some episodes followed the Indigenous history of Texas parks, cowboy poets, and chefs who are involved in sustainable farming and cooking. Under the Texas Sky stopped being made when its host, longtime Passport to Texas radio host Cecilia Nasti, retired.

The new podcast is sponsored by the Austin-based Whole Earth Provision Co., which originally opened in 1970 as a real-life manifestation of the Whole Earth Catalog, and is now a cross between a camping, home goods, and outdoorsy gift store. It operates six locations in total in Austin, San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas.

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