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.

health fitness pools promoted

money woes

Texas is no longer the No. 1 most financially distressed state in U.S.

Photo by Image Source/Getty Images

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After spending an unfortunate year as the No. 1 state with the most people in financial distress, Texas has slightly recovered. But the Lone Star State isn't out of the woods yet: it's still among the five most financially distressed states in America for 2026.

According to WalletHub's 2026 report, Texas sits in the No. 4 spot this year, while Kansas, Louisiana, and Florida moved up to become the top three states with the most financially distressed residents.

The personal finance website's experts compared all 50 states based on residents' average credit scores, the share of people with "accounts in distress" (meaning an account that's in forbearance or has deferred payments), the one-year change in bankruptcy filings from March 2025, and search interest indexes for "debt" and "loans."

Despite improving in the overall ranking ,the study found Texas has had the fourth-biggest spike in bankruptcy filings nationally from March 2025 to March 2026. Texas residents also have the 10th worst average credit scores in the country, according to the findings.

This is how Texas ranked across the study's six key dimensions, where No. 1 means "most distressed:"

No. 4 – Change in bankruptcy filings from March 2024 to March 2025 rank
No. 5 – Average number of accounts in distress rank
No. 8 – "Loans" search interest index rank
No. 8 – People with accounts in distress rank
No. 12 – Credit score rank
No. 13 – “Debt” search interest index rank

It feels like inflation and affordability are top-of-mind for many Americans over recent years, and uncertainty around the national economy also adds another level of distress. That's especially true for Dallas residents, which were dubbed the fourth most financially distressed people in America earlier in 2026.

"Americans have faced significant financial challenges in recent years, as inflation, shifting unemployment levels, public health emergencies, and natural disasters have made it more difficult for many households to stay on top of their bills," the report said.

The top three states that have the least financially distressed residents are Maine (No. 50), Rhode Island (No. 49), and Hawaii (No. 48).

The top 10 most financially distressed states in America for 2026 are:

No. 1 – Kansas
No. 2 – Lousiana
No. 3 – Florida
No. 4 – Texas
No. 5 – South Carolina
No. 6 – Wyoming
No. 7 – Georgia
No. 8 – California
No. 9 – North Carolina
No. 10 – Kentucky