On the Road

Denton parlays its cool college cred into a hip spot north of Dallas

Hip meets historic in Denton.

Photo courtesy of Discover Denton

As the home to University of North Texas, Texas Woman’s University, and a segment of the North Central Texas College, Denton is the quintessential eclectic and cool college town.

Naturally, this attracts visitors making the road trip to tour campuses and visit students, but even if you aren't doing the college thing, Denton is a hip and historic place for a weekend getaway — or the perfect pit stop when you’re getting away to someplace else.

When you’re in town, here are just a few of the things you can do.

Listen to the sound of music
Recognized as a Music Friendly Community, Denton boasts many talented local musicians while bringing in touring bands from around the country. On any given night, you can find jazz, country, blues, metal, and rock and roll at any number of restaurants, breweries, and more along with one-of-a-kind venues across town.

Among those venues is a true Texas music icon, Dan’s Silverleaf (formerly Dan’s Bar) which has been serving up live music in one form or another for decades.

Andy’s Bar resides in one of the oldest buildings in the area — 1877! — on the historic downtown square. There, you’ll find three levels of unique experiences including a cocktail lounge, concert venue, and underground bar and kitchen.

Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios is another legendary spot with both outdoor and indoor stages and bars.

And if you happen to be passing through in October, get in on Twilight Tunes, a free outdoor concert series hosted downtown every Thursday night.

Discover only-in-Denton things
Known as one of the most Denton-esque spots, the Chairy Orchard is precisely what it sounds like. Sitting in an empty lot are hundreds of chairs of all shapes, sizes, and types, and it’s all maintained by two neighbors: the Chairy Fairies. It’s a ‘grammable spot that also doubles as a good afternoon picnic locale.

For more quirky fun, you can also go on the hunt for the famous Purple Door. Ask around if you can’t find it, and you’ll be pointed in the right direction.

While you’re searching, keep your eyes open for wall art everywhere. Denton is known for its large (and small!) murals created by a variety of local artists. In the mix are huge American and Texas flags, trippy flowers, fantastical unicorn scenes, musical paintings, and so much more.

If hunting ghosts is more your thing, Old Alton Bridge has been featured on the Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures and Buzzfeed Unsolved — you can even sign up for a haunted tour with Becks Ghost Hunters.

Afterward, you’ll be right on time to head to Back Dough, tucked behind Queenie’s Steakhouse. When the neon’s lit around 10 pm on Saturday and Sunday nights, the fresh donuts are flying.

Chill out
For a cool treat to beat the Texas heat, step back in time at Beth Marie’s Old Fashioned Ice Cream, where the waffle cones are freshly made and the ice cream is churned with a machine that dates back to 1927. There’s an endless list of indulgent flavors, including spiked varieties like Jack & Coke, Texas Honey Whiskey, and more.

Frios Gourmet Pops has summer-perfect creamy and fruity popsicles with a walk-up window and drive-thru.

More frozen goodness is found at Gnome Cones in the heart of downtown, serving up all-natural shaved ice for all ages and “Gnaughty Gnomies” for the 21-and-up crowd.

Make it a parks and rec day
With 37 trails, 31 playgrounds, and 41 parks, Denton has your outside time covered. Of course, tee time is included in that, with a number of courses nearby.

Wildhorse Golf Club is open to the public, and the 18-hole championship course is located at the beautiful Robson Ranch.

South Lakes Park is a great destination for some green space and fishing; its pond is stocked with catfish and rainbow trout.

And every Saturday at the Denton County Historical Park, the Denton Community Market ushers in live music, kids’ activities, local farms, local artists, food trucks, food vendors, and more.

Fuel up
Road trip essentials mean coffee, good food, and gas. Check, check, and check on all three. First, you should know Denton is home to a Buc-ee’s, the gas station most famous for its clean restrooms but also for its snacks, shopping, and all the beaver-related merch you could want.

You’re also never far from your caffeine fix in this college town, with nearly 20 places for coffee, tea, and more.

Seven Mile Cafe is good bet for lattes and healthy (and healthy-ish!) breakfast and lunch items. Their scratch-made pancakes basically double as dessert and come in multiple varieties, including birthday cake and cookies and cream.

There’s also a Kava Culture in town — kava is a root from the South Pacific that has an exotic and earthy flavor that’s said to provide a natural sense of calm. This place also brews up an array of elixirs and sparkling botanical teas to boost your mood.

For a literal pit stop, don’t miss Metzler’s for barbecue, all-you-can-eat ribs, and German favorites; it’s a longstanding tradition that’s nestled inside a convenience store. Juicy Pig Barbecue is another solid choice for smoked goodness.

It’s always Taco Tuesday at Killer’s Tacos, which has a cult following for such hot menu takes as Bitchin Barbie, Screamin' Bazinga Zonkers, and Nice Rack of Street Tacos.

Have a beercation
The craft beer movement isn’t lost on Denton. Start with Denton County Brewing Company, an adult playground with signature beers, guest taps, wines, ciders, and sake along with board games, trivia nights, delicious appetizers, and the coolest bar staff in the game.

It’s beer and beyond at Harvest House, Denton’s largest all-in-one concert venue, bar, beer garden, and a juice/coffee shop that serves up cocktails, coffee, kombucha, tea, smoothies, and freshly squeezed juice.

Lounge on the spacious patio with fire pits and be entertained by amazing musical talent. In the back yard and side yard are a variety of games, including pool, corn hole, darts, Jenga, and giant Connect Four. A resident food truck serves up gourmet tacos, burgers, egg rolls, and their famous banh mi sandwiches.

Howling Mutt Brewing Co. is a brewery with bold, big flavors despite its smaller size.

Stay a while
Of course, if your Texas road trip through Denton turns into an overnight stay, there is a variety of hotels and lodging options, such as the AAA Four Diamond Award-winning Embassy Suites by Hilton Denton Convention Center Hotel.

Another is the supremely charming Brownlow House, a historic 1912 Victorian home that has been renovated into a gorgeous bed and breakfast.

You''ll also find an array of hotels and RV parks and campgrounds.

Discover more ways to maximize a long or short pit stop in Denton here.

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Your Expert Guide

Oak Cliff: The underestimated historic and culturally rich 'hood

Photo courtesy of Briggs Freeman

Kay Wood

There are so many great places to live in Dallas that it helps to have an expert on your side. The Neighborhood Guide presented by Briggs Freeman Sotheby's International Realty gives you insider access from the agents who live and work there, providing in-the-know info about your possible new community.

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Bishop Arts is a huge attraction, but Realtor Kay Wood wants people to know that Oak Cliff is a lot more than just Bishop Arts.

"Oak Cliff has a really rich and complex history," the Briggs Freeman agent says. "I think it's one of the most underestimated neighborhoods in Dallas."

Wood has lived in Oak Cliff with her high school sweetheart-husband since 2008, but she's been helping people buy and sell homes there for the past 15 years, currently with her business partner Brian Davis.

"The neighborhoods here are close to everything but still relatively affordable compared to other areas of DFW," she says. "I love all the historic homes with their architectural interest and variety, the strong sense of community engagement, and how there's so much to explore. Whether you're looking for the best new restaurant, the most authentic taco, film festivals, the zoo, the best public high school in Texas, parks, nature preserves — I could go on all day!"

Wood offered up a few of her personal favorites about life in "the Cliff." Here's her guide to the area:

Where to eat & drink
The list is long: Nova ("you have to get the hummus," Wood says), Encina (pro tip: don't skip the blue cornbread), Cibo Divino for pizza and wine on the patio, coffee from Peaberry ("my husband swears their Vietnamese coffee is the best in town"), oysters at Boulevardier, the Perfect Picnic at Eno's Pizza Tavern, tio's elotes next to El Si Hay, the pistachio ice cream at Joy Macarons, and the spicy lobster ramen at Ten Ramen.

Wood advises picking up a great bottle of wine from Neighborhood Cellars and some steaks from Cooper's Meat Market. And, of course, there are tons of taco options in the neighborhood: "We can't get enough of Maskaras, Trompo, and Taco y Vino," she says.

Where to play
Marvel at the best skyline views in town while playing a round at Stevens Park Golf Course, take a walk through Twelve Hills Nature Preserve, bike along the Trinity River, or play disc golf at Founders Park.

The Kessler Theater is "such a great and intimate venue" for concerts, while the Texas Theater adds a touch of history to movie-watching. Escape to The Wild Detectives for books, music, and poetry, or head to the Dallas Zoo for a wild day out — "our whole family loves to feed the giraffes," Wood says.

What to see
Oak Cliff is home to the Stevie Ray Vaughan Memorial at Kiest Park and the La Reunion Monument at Stevens Park Golf Course that honors some of Dallas' earliest settlers.

On Jefferson Boulevard, you can pop into the Oak Cliff Cultural Center for regular art shows, and "my daughters love to walk down the street and look at all the quinceañera dresses in the shop windows," she says.

Where to live
A few years ago, Wood helped her buyers purchase 626 Rainbow Dr., a rare, two-acre midcentury modern estate that's wrapped on three sides by a babbling creek.

"When you're there, it's really hard to believe you're less than four miles from downtown Dallas," she says. The buyers hired local architect Eddie Maestri to update some aspects of the house while carefully preserving its midcentury style. There was an original barn that had been previously converted to a studio, but the buyers reinvented it as a guest house and added a pool and outdoor kitchen.

"It's hard to say what a 'typical' Oak Cliff house would be, because we have some of the very best examples of almost every architectural style in town," Wood says.

"In Winnetka Heights, you'll find Craftsman architecture (four squares, bungalows, Sears catalog, etc). Kessler Park has Tudors and Colonials and Texas eclectics from notable local architects like Charles Dilbeck and David R Williams. Stevens Park has all of these, as well as Spanish Revival and Dutch colonials. Wynnewood, North Kiestwood, and Wynnewood Hills have some of the best midcentury moderns in Dallas, as well as wonderful ranches. East Kessler has cutting-edge contemporaries that take advantage of the rare-to-DFW hilly terrain. You could teach a pretty comprehensive architectural history of Dallas without ever leaving Oak Cliff."

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Kay Wood lives, works, and plays in Oak Cliff. For more information on buying and selling a home in the area, click here, email kwood@briggsfreeman.com, or call 214-908-5442.