3 Ways to Treat Yourself in Downtown Arlington (and 4 Ways to Keep the Kids Busy While You Do)

Attention parents! Lock your doors, close your blinds, and batten down the hatches, for Summer Break has arrived. Dramatics aside, whether you work at home, in an office, or as a stay-at-home mom or dad, you now hold the responsibility of ensuring your children have a good summer without driving you up the wall.

It’s no easy task and can be quite stressful trying to juggle everyone’s schedules, so be sure to take some time off and treat yourself to something special. Here are four ways to treat yourself in Downtown Arlington! And no need to feel guilty because we’re including five ways to keep your kids entertained as well. You can thank us later.

3 Ways to Treat Yourself in Downtown Arlington

1. Relax and Kick Back at the Sanford House Inn & Spa

After taking care of children everyday and working 9-5, nothing beats using your day off to kick back and be pampered by professional masseuses. The Sanford House Inn & Spa offers different packages for whatever fits your needs and will leave you feeling refreshed and well-rested. This is your one-stop shop for manicures, pedicures, massages, facials, haircuts, and many more.

Between treatments, visit the acclaimed Restaurant506 for a delicious meal. Restaurant506 offers lunch and dinner on most days of operation and, on the weekends, make sure to try the brunch that was voted Top 5 Brunches in Fort Worth by the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and top 100 in the nation according to OpenTable.

2. Load Up on Sweets and Treats

As parents, you’re no stranger to sacrificing minor pleasures for the greater good, however, nothing haunts you more than the delightful taste sensation of sugar. For the overall wellbeing of your children (and the betterment of society to be honest) you’ve had to cut sugar from your family's diet. But not anymore!

While the kids are away, feel free to indulge in sweets and treats from Sugar Bee Sweets Bakery, Insomnia Cookie, or Rita’s Italian Ice and Frozen Custard. It’s the perfect time to load up on sugar before returning to normalcy and preaching your usual “sugar is bad” rhetoric.

3. Go on an All-About-You Shopping Spree

Downtown Arlington has no shortage of places to throw away your inhibitions and shop at exclusive stores you won’t find anywhere else. Stores such as Wondrous Works Gift Shop offer vintage and antique pieces, from clothing to jewelry to accessories, while stores like Commodities and The Man’s Shop style customers in all the latest and nicest outfits.

4 Ways to Keep the Kids Busy this Summer

1. Take Classes at Catalyst Creative Arts

Catalyst Creative Arts is a great place to bring your children to explore new crafts and develop new skills. Whether it’s painting, pottery, or water marbling, children have the opportunity to spend the summer creating unique art pieces to decorate your house and leave you with great memories when they eventually leave you to go back to school.

2. Play Retro Games at Free Play Arcade

In the past, kids would head over to the neighborhood arcade after school and spend hours trying to reach the top of the leaderboard for their favorite games. You most likely have many fond memories of meeting up with your friends and connecting with new people over friendly competitions. So, it’s only right you give your kids the chance to do the same at Free Play Arcade. Expose them to the cheerful joy of seeing your name on the Donkey Kong scoreboard or the nervous butterflies of playing skee-ball with your crush.

3. Reach for the Stars at Dyno-Rock Indoor Climbing Center

Rock climbing is the perfect activity for all the adrenaline junkies who want to have fun and find new hobbies while getting an amazing workout. Scale the walls of Dyno-Rock Indoor Climbing Center and fulfill your dreams of becoming everyone’s friendly neighborhood superhero. Dyno-Rock features a 16,000-square-foot climbing surface and is easily accessible for people of all ages and abilities. These surfaces have all sorts of twists and turns and a variety of climbing paths that will keep you busy all day long.

4. Go Shopping at Wild West Comics

If you caught the comic book reference in the previous section, then head over to Wild West Comics to splurge on all the latest stories and events from their favorite characters. Whether you’re a DC Comics family, a Marvel family, or love supporting independent publishers, Wild West has it all! If you’re a beginner or an expert, the employees are always willing and ready to help you find the right story and character to match your interests. Picture a librarian but instead of a pencil suit and continuous shushes, they’re wearing Batman t-shirts and encouraging conversations with fellow comic book lovers.