Splash Attack

From pools to parks, your summer guide to water fun in Dallas-Fort Worth

Kid jumping into swimming pool at The Village

Dive into summer.

The Village/Facebook

How are we all getting through this scorching Texas summer? Water. Lots and lots of water. Not only chugging it, but swimming, plunging, and luxuriating in it all season long.

It's an added bonus that exercising in the water is easier on your joints, so take this opportunity to burn a few calories while being kind to your body — and keeping it cool.

Surf
Goodsurf doesn't open in Deep Ellum until next year, but you can still raise your adrenaline in the water all across DFW.

Start with amusement park standbys NRH20 in North Richland Hills and Six Flags Hurricane Harbor for big-time thrills, or combine your pool time with a staycation at Great Wolf Lodge.

Catch a wave at Hawaiian Falls in The Colony and Garland or hop onto the Flowrider at Epic Waters to boogie board or surf.

Dallas-area teens can score free passes to Bahama Beach Waterpark (and other fun spots around town) this summer with the Teen All Access Pass program. For Dallas residents 13 to 17 years old, the Dallas Park and Recreation Department made 10,000 passes available on a first-come, first-serve basis, beginning July 3.

Several neighborhoods also sport tricked-out community pools, from Jack Carter in Plano to Water Works Park in Denton, WetZone Waterpark in Rowlett, and The Center in Bedford (also known as Bedford Splash).

And don't overlook The Village, which hosts water aerobics classes in the morning and the Deep End Pool series every Saturday and Monday and includes DJs and other live entertainment.

Swim
Hoping to work on your backstroke or get in a few laps before or after work? Sign up with a gym that offers pools for serious swimmers and take advantage of instructor-led classes to brush up on your swim skills.

Equinox, LifeTime Fitness, and LA Fitness all include water access at certain locations throughout DFW.

Dallas staple Cooper Fitness Center offers several different levels of swim coaching, from infants to adults, and covers everything from basic summer camp testing to triathlons and open-water swimming.

If swimming to you means lounging by the pool, look into ResortPass, a way to book a day (or weekend) access to pools, spas, and amenities at the area's swankiest hotels.

Spa
Maybe your mind needs the exercise more than your body, and in that case consider saunas, cold-plunge pools, and float tanks.

Take it to the extreme at Haven in Dallas, SweatHouz (with four locations across Dallas), or Fort Worth Float Company, which claims to boost immune systems and reduce swelling and inflammation with a cold exposure plunge you can book in advance.

You can also float in a tank filled with epsom salt there, as well as at Riviera Spa in Knox-Henderson and The Float Spot in Frisco.

Dive
Whether you've been inspired by The Little Mermaid or just can't be contained in a man-made swimming situation, now might be the perfect time to try scuba diving.

There are several places around DFW that will get you on the path to open-water certification, including Dive West, Lone Star Scuba, Scuba Bruce Diving, and International Scuba.

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Shopping news

First Walmart Supercenter in booming Celina sets opening date

Photo courtesy of Trademark

Walmart Supercenter is opening in Celina.

Another sure sign that Celina, Texas is a boomtown: It's about to get a Walmart Supercenter. The retail giant's first store in the city will open at the Shawnee Trail development on April 29, according to a release.

Announced a year ago, Walmart will serve as the anchor tenant for Shawnee Trail, a 150-acre master-planned mixed-use project at corner of Preston Road and the Collin County Outer Loop.

Walmart Celina promises to be "one of the retailer's most elevated and contemporary store formats yet," the release says, and will include an updated format with a fulfillment center and support for drone delivery. A Walmart fuel station on the site will open before the doors to the store open, on April 15.

Shawnee Trail, led by Trademark Property Company and G-Man Development, a subsidiary of Celina-based Glendenning 1887, will be a mixed-use complex with retail, restaurants, entertainment, office space, parks, and residential components. The first phase of the larger development is scheduled to break ground in 2027.

“Walmart’s opening is the first of many milestones for Shawnee Trail, where we are integrating neighborhood and community-oriented retail into a vibrant mixed-use environment that puts experience at the center,” says Terry Montesi, CEO of Trademark, in the release. “Our development roadmap going forward emphasizes quality design, a focus on the pedestrian, green space, and vibrant placemaking. As we head towards a 2027 groundbreaking, our vision for a best-in-class destination is growing for the Celina community.”

Celina, one of the fastest-growing cities in North Texas, has seen rapid residential and commercial expansion in recent years. In fact, according to a recent U.S. Census report, it is once-sleepy suburbs like Celina, Melissa, Anna, and Princeton that are fueling a major population boom in Collin County. It's attracting businesses galore, including DFW's newest Torchy's Tacos, opening Wednesday, April 15.

Trademark and leasing partner Shop Companies are marketing the project, with more than 300,000 square feet of prospective tenants expressing interest, according to the developers.

“Celina’s incredible population growth is giving way to significant demand that is being funneled directly to Shawnee Trail,” says Matthew Kiran, real estate broker at REX Real Estate and Glendenning 1887. “With Walmart’s upcoming opening and the groundbreaking for our mixed use development in sight, Shawnee Trail is now tangible, and retailers are letting us know they want to be a part of this community and unlock the long-term opportunities available here.”

Walmart is at 1771 N. Preston Rd., Celina. A grand opening and ribbon cutting with local officials will take place at Walmart from 7:30-9 pm April 29.

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