Rowlett Area Top 5 Summer Family Fun Spots

This summer is really proving to be a scorcher and the relentless heat is enough to make us want to hide in the house all day. We've managed to persevere and have some fun with the kids in spite of the weather. Get out and play!

1. Wet Zone  Although smaller than other water parks, Wet Zone is inexpensive and easy to access. We also love it that they allow us to bring in our snack cooler at no extra charge. Season passes make it easy to pop in anytime and stay just long enough to cool down. 
2. Lakes of Springfield Park  This park offers a little something for everyone. Go for a walk or bicycle around the ponds, feed the ducks, bring fishing poles, enjoy the shaded woods, play ball, climb on the playground or enjoy a picnic in the pavilion. This park is complete with restroom facilities. There is plenty of shade to shelter you from the sun.
3. Rowlett Creek Preserve   The RCP trails are great during the summer because of the extensive shade. Either hike or ride the trails and enjoy a picnic while you're there. 
4. Rowlett Public Library  The library is the perfect combination of peace, quiet and air conditioning. They offer a variety of activities for all age groups but it's a great family trip too. Grab a new batch of books to feed your literary appetite and while you're there snag a video for family movie night at home.
5. AMC Firewheel 18 No summer activity list would be complete without a movie theater. To get the best ticket prices, make sure to choose a showtime before noon.

Neighborhood Watering Hole

You know what's missing here in Rowlett? A nice neighborhood pub with good food. We envision the sort of place that's close to home, modern but cozy inside, offering great classic drinks but also a few unique house specialties, with an assortment of small plates and dishes great for sharing. This would be our date night dream.

In the absence of our utopian hang out, we venture over to Houlihan's at Firewheel in Garland for a grown-up evening out a couple of times a month. We don't go until after happy hour is over and we sit in a booth rather than in the bar area. This location tends to be very busy so it's not uncommon to wait for a table for 10-15 minutes.

The decor is modern but warm and welcoming. The booths are cozy and offer a feeling of privacy. We happen to be extremely leisurely diners and the waitstaff are always respectful of our annoying habits. First things first - we never open a menu until we have a cocktail in hand. One of the reasons we enjoy Houlihan's is that their bartenders consistently serve up great martinis at good prices. Their cosmopolitans have the perfect balance of flavors, without being too sweet, and you always know it will taste that way each and every time.

The first section of their menu is devoted to appetizers and small plates. Very, very rarely do we ever venture beyond this realm. One of our favorite ways to dine on date night is to order an assortment of a few different small plates to share. You can never go wrong with Houlihan's flatbread. Mushroom and arugula flatbread to be exact. The soft, slightly smokey crust is just melt in your mouth delicious and the white truffle vinaigrette makes the dish complete. If you are a hummus fan, their white bean and artichoke hummus will knock your socks off. It's served with a grilled pita bread that has the same wonderful smokiness as the flatbread. The bruchetta is another tried and true favorite that adds some crunch to the mix. The cheese and tomato spread is assembed beautifully and is accompanied by chopped kalamata olives and an assortment of baby greens with a wonderful balsamic twang.

Aside from "stuff on bread," the calamari is a great choice. Theirs is unique in it's asian presentation and sesame-ginger dipping sauce. The stuffed mushrooms are nice but be aware that this is not a soft baked mushroom. Anticipate a lot of freshness. The chicken nachos are an option if you have a big appetite because it's a very generous portion. The chipotle chicken adds a little something special and the chips aren't drowning in toppings which is great.

We are not generally dessert eaters so that portion of the menu is foreign to us as well. Who needs dessert when you can have a tasty martini instead?

Even though it's not exactly the neighborhood place we've created in our dreams, Houlihan's meets our date night requirements just fine. It's one of the few places relatively close to home that inexpensively offers an assortment of small plates, good quality drinks and consistency in a cozy modern environment.

Lunch at Alejandro's

We spent a relaxing summer vacation day doing a little shopping in Rockwall and managed to work up quite an appetite. On the way home, we decided to stop in at Alejandro's Grill & Cantina.

The lunch special prices are amazingly affordable - not much more than a fast food meal. We decided to try an order of shredded beef tacos with flour tortillas and an order of pork tacos in corn tortillas. Given the price, we didn't expect much but both orders came with yummy refried beans, rice, a cilantro and onion blend, and an amazing spicy salsa. The juiciness of the tender, slow-cooked meats was the most wonderful lunchtime surprise we've experienced in quite some time. Both types of tortillas were tender and flavorful but they also held up to the oozing goodness of juices and salsa.

After experiencing good margaritas and great taco lunches, we pondered how surprised we were that only a few other customers were dining in the restaurant. Lunches this good, at prices this affordable, should be attracting a killer lunch crowd. Our only explanation is location. It's a little out of the way for us and we are usually only in the vicinity on our way to do some occasional shopping in Rockwall. After this visit though, we're definitely willing to go a little out of the way to check out Alejandro's dinner menu.

Welcome!

It's summertime in Texas & we've got some great reviews coming up. Grab a cold drink or your favorite cuppa & pull up a chair.

Feel free to feed the fish while you wait for more!