Zero Gravity Thrill Amusement Park

Only Texas could come up with the exciting, thrilling and amazing Zero Gravity Thrill Park. This amusement park is Dallas at its very best. When this incredible park opened in 1992, they had just one goal. They wanted to be the most extreme amusement park the world had ever seen. After twenty years, it is safe to say they succeeded brilliantly. These rides are exceptional for families, couples, singles and groups. This is the place to come for the thrill of a lifetime, combined with the most vigorous of safety precautions and restrictions.

Bungee Jumping

Bungee jumping has become a classic, and nobody does it better than the Zero Gravity Thrill Park. There is a permanent tower used for bungee jumping called the Air Boingo tower. This revolutionary platform was designed just for the unique thrill of bungee jumping. As you feel the excitement of the air rushing past your face, know your safety has been ensured with a triple system. The bungee cords are super-elastic, and provide an incredibly smooth ride. The nylon safety straps are powerful and will catch you with grace and ease. The air bags would do a stuntman proud, and will accommodate jumps well above seven stories. This is the way to experience the thrill of a lifetime.

The Skycoaster

The Skycoaster is exhilarating, and sends three guests right through the air at an astonishing sixty miles per hour. You can feel the anticipation building as you are lifted up 110 feet. Then take a deep breath, because the thrill of the glide is about to begin. This steel cabling is unbelievably strong, and far surpasses the weight restrictions of the passengers. These hang gliding style harnesses are professional quality because Zero Gravity Thrill Park takes safety as seriously as they do thrills.

The Texas Blastoff

Most people have already been shot into the sky by a ride, but you better prepare yourself for something so extreme, it will take your breath away. This is a lot like a giant slingshot, and two people are shot straight up into the air at zero to seventy in 1.2 seconds. This is the same speed as a top fuel dragster, and everyone knows how exciting those are. This ride does not end here, instead of coming right back down, you enter into a topsy-turvy freefall with a four-bungee apparatus. This is flips, turns and twists to the extreme. The seats are held in an unbreakable grip by four super-elastic bungee cords, and reinforced with heavy-duty nylon straps. As you get ready for your adventure, you will be strapped into a real racing seat with full body straps. Once you are strapped in good and tight, prepare to be blown away with an entirely new experience.

Nothing but Net

The Zero Gravity Thrill Park reached new limits with Nothing but Net. You will be lifted all the way to the top of a sixteen-story tower, then let go. The excitement of no straps, no parachute and no bungee will have your blood pumping in your veins. You will be greeted by a safety net after the indescribable feeling of falling 130 feet. There are no safety worries because the park thought of everything. This unique, patented release system makes certain you are falling in the perfect, low center gravity position. When you make your phenomenal landing, you will be supported by safety nets well secured with high-quality, reinforced rigging. Once you experience the superb smoothness of this landing, your first though will be to do it all over again.

The Skyscraper

This is the latest thrill ride, and voted one of Dallas-Forth Worth’s top ten best activities. Imagine being strapped with your friend to a 165-foot propeller. This windmill is massive, and picks up a lot of speed fast. In just seconds, you will be moving at sixty miles per hour. Once you reach the maximum velocity of four G’s of force, you will be moving faster than a space shuttle at takeoff. By the time the adrenaline rush slows down, you are 165 feet above the ground. Take a good look around because this is the Dallas skyline that has mesmerized people for decades. Four people can experience these thrills together, and this extreme attraction is perfect for family and friends. The bottom line is the Zero Gravity Thrill Amusement Park Dallas TX provides some serious and unforgettable excitement.

A few other Dallas Attractions that won’t disappoint:
Trinity River Audubon Center
Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park
The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens

Trinity River Audubon Center

The Trinity River Audubon Center is only ten miles from downtown Dallas, but you will feel as though you have entered another world. The Trinity Forest is the biggest urban hardwood forest anywhere in the United States and encompasses 6,000-acres. There is a nice diversity in the animal and plant species, and the center is a showcase of wetlands, bottomland hardwood forest, and prairie habitat. Only Dallas could take a former site for illegal dumping and create something magical. Wildlife and birds have reclaimed this area, and it has become a haven for both nature and people. The Center is an important part of the National Audubon Society and a nonprofit organization. Tens of thousand of students from North Texas have learned about their ecosystem, conservation, and science here. The center offers classes, events, and is a sensational place for a hike.

The Kayak Adventure

The Trinity River Audubon Center offers spectacular two-hour kayak trips. The guides supply all the instruction and equipment necessary, and the guests revel in the appeal of the atmosphere. You learn all about the river’s history and see the heart of the Great Trinity Forest. The guides will take you to a launch point upstream, and serve as your faithful guide while you paddle down this amazing river. Most people are not even aware this side of Dallas exists, but this kayak expedition enables you to cruise past wildlife including river otters, herons, turtles, beavers, egrets and so much more. These creatures are fascinating, and observing them in their natural habitat is indescribable.

The Activities

The Trinity River Audubon Center has miles of trails perfect for everything from a leisurely stroll to a brisk hike. The Children’s Discovery Garden teaches about the wildlife and local birds while offering fascinating programs and special events. Visitors can explore five miles of trails while viewing the glory of nature. The nature store has incredible and unique gifts and mementos, and sensational items all related to nature. The programs have been specifically designed for the entertainment and education of children, adults, and families. The academic programs enable students to strengthen and improve their skills in critical thinking and science, and students come face to face with the astounding beauty of nature.

The Inception

The Trinity River Audubon Center was designed by Antoine Predock, the 2006 AIA Gold Medalist architect. This is the very first building built by the Dallas Recreation Department and Park that is LEED-certified. This building exemplifies the true meaning of green with a vegetated roof, energy efficient systems, a rainwater collection system and recycled materials. Since 2008, the Trinity River Audubon Center has been the flagship of the National Audubon Society. Visitors have always received a warm welcome and received encouragement to become participants in the numerous nature educational programs.

The Innovation

The center uses an innovative approach in the way the open space has been preserved, and the way the wildlife here is protected. The space was designed to capture people’s attention, engage them in conservation, teach and reacquaint them with nature, and become a model for conservation. The Trinity River Audubon Center has become the model for nationwide educational centers, influenced the way experimental learning develops, become an effective and efficient and pedagogical practice, and given Dallas TX another incredible monument to show their pride in their community.

A few other Dallas Attractions that won’t disappoint:
Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park
The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens
Zero Gravity Thrill Amusement Park

Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park

The Freshwater Zone

This aquarium was established in Dallas in 1936 and has been delighting children ever since. The aquarium features six unique areas for exhibits. The first is the Freshwater Zone, and kids are enthralled by the fierce American alligators, the red-bellied piranhas, the snapping turtles and the electric eels. These creatures are fascinating, and seeing them up close is an amazing experience.

The International Zone

The second zone is the international zone showcasing Oriental sweetlips, upside-down jellyfish, sea urchins, starfish, and archerfish. What makes this area a standout is the Coastal Touch Tank. Here children can interact with so many animals including slipper lobsters, horseshoe crabs, sea stars, sea urchins and hermit crabs. The adults will have just as much fun with these creatures as the kids.

The Shore and Near Shore Zone

Children are fascinated with the hermit crabs, spiny lobsters batfish, and hermit crabs on display at the Shore Zone. The Near Shore Zone is sensational with Giant Pacific Octopus, hawksbill sea turtles, garden eels, wolf eels, jewel moray eels, and angelfish.

The Offshore Zone and Stingray Bay

The Offshore zone is for extremely unusual looking animals like the lionfish with their deadly quills and Pharaoh Cuttlefish. Stingray Bay is an interactive area, and the kids will have a good time feeding cownose rays. Not only are there southern stingrays, but a nice variety of sharks including nurse sharks, zebra sharks, whitetip sharks, blacktip sharks and brown sharks.

The Day Camps and Parties

Children from Pre-K to the fifth grade can enjoy day camps at the aquarium during both the winter and the summer months. A birthday party at the aquarium is an unforgettable experience, and the group can include 25 people. The kids enjoy a special party room, their host for ninety full minutes, an animal interpreter, and decorations and tableware just for them. You can bring a birthday cake, ice cream, food, and beverages to ensure the day is even more special. Evening tours are available for families if the kids are a minimum of age five. This includes interesting crafts and activities, and a yummy snack. The kids will enjoy the continental breakfast before feeding the stingrays and sharks. The guests will have access to preserved areas for the marine animals and learn a lot about the live creatures. You have never seen excitement to rival the kids when they learn they get to sleep with all the fish. These parties are fascinating, fun, and yet another reason Dallas TX has become such a phenomenal city.

The Children’s Aquarium at Fair Park

It can be difficult to find a place where kids can have fun and learn at the same time. The Children’s aquarium offers the amazing insight of knowledgeable employees, and the kids learn all about the assorted animals living here. The guests can go to Stingray Bay and actually feed the stingrays. The aquarium is an ideal field trip and a perfect way for a family to spend a sensational day together. Any family looking for an adventure, and some quality time should visit the Children’s aquarium. The day will be talked about for a long time, become a cherished memory, and the kids will want to come back over and over.

A few other Dallas Attractions that won’t disappoint:
Trinity River Audubon Center
The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens
Zero Gravity Thrill Amusement Park

The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens

Dallas is an incredible city, but the exquisite beauty of the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is beyond breathtaking. There are 66 lush acres, a reflecting pool, and gorgeous magnolia trees captured to perfection in this spectacular setting. The shores of White Rock Lake are an exceptional setting for the gardens. The arboretum opened in 1984.

The arboretum encompasses lake views, gardens, fountains and the skyline of Dallas TX. Most of the grounds were originally part of the 44-acre Rancho Encinal estate, and the grounds increased to 66 acres with the addition of the Alex and Roberta Coke Camp estate. The grounds offer a charming picnic area, an outdoor concert stage, and children sized replicas of buildings showcasing prairie life in Texas.

The visitors center opened its doors in 2002, adding a lovely gazebo, a gift shop, a meeting room, and a patio with a fantastic view of White Rock Lake. At night the lights from the skyscrapers dance upon the water. The gateway leading to the gardens is made from copper and wood sheathing, and limestone native to Texas. There are nineteen gardens here, and they all have enchanting names.

The Fogelson Fountain is magnificent, and located in a garden filled with numerous varieties of sweet roses. A wall made from stacked stone stands at the back of the garden, and the view of the surrounding gardens and White Rock Lake is spectacular. There are a sunken garden and a charming octagonal fountain in this area.

The Women’s Garden is the epitome of grace and charm with terraced walkways. The garden began in 1997 with small outdoor rooms including the Poetry Garden featuring a sunken rose garden and the Pecan Parterre. In 2006, a 140-foot hanging garden, a Texas limestone bridge, Dawn Redwoods and a wellspring were added. The garden celebrates the courage, strength, and creativity of women.

The Concert Stage & Lawn features a gathering plaza overlooking several stunning waterfalls and a re-circulating creek. This peaceful area opened in 2011, with a stone bridge and paved walkways. In the heart of the garden is a 100-year-old weeping Japanese maple.

The Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden was created as a bridge between nature and children. There are more than 150 activities designed for children including a Walk in the Clouds, The Moody Oasis, and The Texas Skywalk. There are several galleries located within the garden, and each one is age-specific.

Pumpkin Village in Pecan Grove delights visitors every autumn. This is at the heart of the Autumn at the Arboretum festival. This is when Pumpkin Village is filled with more than 50,000 pumpkins, squash, and gourds for a delightful effect. Pecan Grove is surrounded by more than 100 Japanese Cheery trees in full bloom every spring.

The McCasland Sunken Garden is the chosen setting for many weddings. The fountain and Chico y Chica de la Playa sculpture are the perfect backgrounds for any couple. The garden is an upgrade and a fantastic renovation of the original Sunken Garden. Italian jardinières stand alongside the central aisle, leading down a series of steps to seasonal plantings surrounding a lush grass court.

The Lay Family Garden is formally referred to as the Lay Ornamental Garden and encompasses 2.2-acres. There are hundreds of woody plants and sweet perennials here. Another incredible area is inside of the DeGolyer Gardens. This pocket rose garden is overflowing with sixteen different types of Hybrid Tea Roses. Over 200 plants grace the area.

The Palmer Fern Dell showcases ninety varieties of azaleas, camellias, and ferns. The brook is bordered with mature trees and winds all over the garden. A lily pond, a large collection of flowers and a waterway provide the setting for the Magnolia Glade. The sound of the running water, the white blooms, and the green grass make this a quiet and special place. The textures and colors of the glade change with the year. There are 45-foot tall magnolias, Teddy Bear southern magnolias, loquats, large white flowering camellias and butterfly Japanese Maples.

The Jonsson Color Garden is comprised of beds of seasonal plants and flowers. There are tulips, daffodils, and over 2,000 varieties of azaleas. The Waterwise display teaches home gardening enthusiasts how to install and properly manage a landscape with low-water. There are azaleas, ferns, perennials, camellias, and shrubs gracing the garden.

Nancy’s Garden brings together azaleas and pink crape myrtles. The pastel colors make the season. The lighting and plantings have been modified to achieve an area of true peace. There is a sensational sculpture titled Thank Heaven for Little Girls and children sized benches.

There is no place better to go exploring in Dallas TX. The entire family can enjoy an afternoon at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens and never come close to seeing everything. Every season, there is something new to captivate the eye.

10 Tips For Buying Kids' Eyewear

If you're a parent in search of the right pair of eyeglasses for your child, you probably know that walking into an optical store can be confusing. There is no shortage of children's eyeglass frames. The problem is: how do you figure out which ones: a) your child will be willing to wear; and b) will last longer than the ride home?

To begin with, most children who need eyeglasses are either nearsighted or farsighted. Depending on the degree of visual correction necessary, your eye doctor will prescribe glasses for full- or part-time wear.

Some kids will be instructed to take their eyeglasses off for schoolwork, while others need to have them on every waking moment.

Sometimes the eye doctor will make specific recommendations about suitable eyeglass frames; but more often that decision is left up to you, your child and the optical dispenser who fits the glasses.

Here are 10 items to consider to make your trip to the optical shop an enjoyable experience and to ensure that you get children's glasses that will endure.

1. Lens Thickness

The eyeglass prescription is always the primary consideration in choosing glasses. Before you start looking for the frames, consult with the optician about lens considerations.

If the prescription calls for strong lenses that are likely to be thick, it is important to keep the frames as small as possible to reduce the final lens thickness. Also, smaller lenses tend to have fewer higher-order aberrations near the edge of the lens than large lenses of the same material and prescription, so there is less risk of blurred or distorted peripheral vision.

2. Fashion Forward

Whether they are full- or part-time eyeglass wearers, most kids get at least a little teasing about their specs, especially the first time they wear them. So it's very important that they avoid frames that make them look "uncool." You also should steer your child away from frames that clearly are objectionable, too expensive or inappropriate.

Just keep in mind that the real object is to get your child to wear the glasses. Extra enticement may be found in ultra cool features like photochromic lenses with tints that darken outdoors, which may help inspire any child to want to wear glasses.

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