Top 13 Things To Do In Cedar Hill, Texas

things to do in cedar hill texas
Rachita
Rachita 
Updated
| 6 min read

Cedar Hills in Dallas, is full of breathtaking views, natural attractions, and cultural activities. As a result, there is no shortage of fun things to do here with family or alone. From hiking on the multiple natural trails around you to fishing in the Joe Pool Lake, you can do all kinds of adventurous activities here and have a great time. One of the great things about Cedar Hills is that it not only offers you thrilling nature activities but also many shopping and dining experiences to enjoy. Check out some activities you should definitely try out on this list of things to do in Cedar Hills, Texas.

1. Enjoy nature at Cedar Mountain - Dallas County Nature Preserve

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

Part of an area where a limestone escarpment and Blackland prairie converge, Cedar Mountain - Dallas County Nature Preserve is a 123-acre (49.7-hectare) nature preserve where animal and plant species from east, west, and central Texas meet. There is a 2-mile (3.2-kilometer) paved and unpaved trail around the preserve where you can take a walk and enjoy the amazing wildlife.

There is also a concrete parking area and a 0.2-mile (0.4-kilometer) ADA trail. The preserve is also near Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center where you can participate in educational programs.

Cedar Mountain - Dallas County Nature Preserve

Address: 1300 FM1382, Cedar Hill, TX 75104, United States

Website: Cedar Mountain - Dallas County Nature Preserve

Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 9am - 5pm (closed on Sun)

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2. Check out the exhibits and collection of Cedar Hill Museum of History

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

Organized in 2006 by the Cedar Hill Historical Society, the Cedar Hill Museum of History offers a collection of artifacts and photos that showcase Cedar Hill’s natural and cultural heritage. The museum also showcases recorded oral histories, either in audio or video, where you can learn about Cedar Hill’s stories and culture from the mouth of the locals themselves.

If you had lived in Cedar Hill prior to the 1980s, your stories may also be included in the collection alongside those of Lovell Penn, Booney Dawson, Marietta Clark, Faye Carrell, Irene Stewart Haney, and Vinus Nelson.

Cedar Hill Museum of History

Address: 409 Texas St, Cedar Hill, TX 75104, United States

Website: Cedar Hill Museum of History

Opening hours: Wed - Sat: 11am - 3pm (closed on Sun & Mon)

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3. Enjoy amazing artwork at Sly Cat Gallery

Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account

Some of the show prep insanity that occurs every 3 months or so. Getting ready for our show this Saturday July 6th. #showprep #artshow #cedarhill @ Sly Cat Gallery

Posted by Sly Cat Gallery on Wednesday, July 3, 2019

Sly Cat Gallery is a showroom and studio that features artworks, jewelry, and fine artisan crafts from local artists and experienced craftsmen. Enjoy these magnificent works of art as the gallery aims to create a space for local artists to gain experience in both their craft and showmanship. The gallery also hosts events and offers custom framing for artwork that’s sure to meet your needs.

There is also a free library where community members are encouraged to take a book and leave one of their own in exchange. Art-themed books are also provided by the owners.

Sly Cat Gallery

Address: 206 S Broad St, Cedar Hill, TX 75104, United States

Website: Sly Cat Gallery

Opening hours: Tue - Fri: 12:30pm - 6pm (closed on Sat - Mon)

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4. Go for a picnic at Cedar Hill State Park

Cedar Hill State Park
Source: Photo by user QuesterMark used under CC BY-SA 2.0

Do you love to picnic and relax on a beach? Then, one of the best things to do in Cedar Hills is to make your way to the Cedar Hill State Park and spend an entire day here! There are a couple of beaches in this park where you can sit and enjoy the view. And with 355 wooded campsites, 210 picnic tables, and other amenities, this place is perfect for campers and hiking enthusiasts. You will also find the North Texas DORBA biking trail inside this park which is perfect for mountain biking. Built by mountain bikers, this trail allows you to enjoy 15 miles (24 kilometres) of intense bike riding. However, the trail closes after rainfall so check the trail conditions before heading to the park.

Cedar Hill State Park

Address: 1570 FM1382, Cedar Hill, TX 75104, United States

Website: Cedar Hill State Park

Opening hours: 6am - 10pm (daily)

Price: From 7 USD

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5. Enjoy go-karting at Ellen's Amusement Center

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

Ellen’s Amusement Center is the perfect place to indulge in some outdoor activities and fun and pass some time in Cedar Hills, Texas. Located near Joe Pool Lake, Ellen’s Amusement Center has something to offer everyone, regardless of your age. Here, you have a variety of attractions like laser tag, miniature golf, paintball, and a lot more. Also, if the weather is hot, then you can always head indoors to play some arcade games and get lost in the fun. However, one of the most exciting things to do here for most kids and adults is to go on the go-kart rides which are ideally four minutes long. Plus, if you buy five go-kart ride tickets together, you get one ride free of cost!

Ellen's Amusement Center

Address: 1350 S Hwy 67, Cedar Hill, TX 75104, United States

Website: Ellen’s Amusement Center

Opening hours: Wed - Thu: 4pm - 9pm; Fri: 4pm - 12am; Sat: 10am - 12am; Sun:12pm - 9pm (closed on Mon & Tue)

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6. Learn about Cedar Hill's farming history at Penn Farm Agricultural History Center

penn farm barn, 2
Source: Photo by user Robert Nunnally used under CC BY 2.0

Penn Farm Agricultural History Center has been created from the remnants of Penn Farm which was formed in the 1850s by John Anderson. This place acts as a tribute to the Texas family farms which have completely disappeared and is a great way to learn how farming evolved here. You will learn about how the farm machines took place of horses and mules and how the farming process changed in the past 100 years. There are also historic buildings here from between the 1800s and 1900s that you can admire. Both self-guided and guided tours are available here.

Penn Farm Agricultural History Center

Address: Cedar Hill, TX 75104, United States

Website: Penn Farm Agricultural History Center

Opening hours: 11am - 8pm (daily)

Price: Free admission

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7. Watch feature-length films with stadium seating at Cinemark Theatre

Theatre
Source: Unsplash

Located in the heart of the city center, Cinemark Theatre is another good place to visit to enjoy a nice movie theatre experience. They have several movie listings in a week for you to choose from so you will easily find something interesting to watch here. With 14 screens in this theatre, finding tickets to your favorite show will not be that difficult. However, what truly makes this place a must-visit place in Cedar Hill is that it shows first-run feature-length films on all the screens with stadium seats. So, you end up enjoying a premier watching experience every time here.

Cinemark Theatre

Address: 280 Uptown Blvd, Cedar Hill, TX 75104, United States

Website: Cinemark Theatre

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8. Swim to escape the heat at Crawford Park

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

One of the most popular spots for swimming and playing in the pool in Cedar Hill, Crawford Park is the best place to visit during the summer months in Texas. With its day passes and memberships, everyone can get active here while enjoying the cool water in the summer heat. You will find that they offer both swimming lessons and aquatic programs that you can join during the season. So, whether you wish to escape the summer heat or just want to learn a new skill, Crawford Park is definitely one of the top places to consider visiting in Cedar Hill, Texas.

Crawford Park

Address: 401 Straus Rd, Cedar Hill, TX 75104, United States

Website: Crawford Park

Opening hours: Thu - Tue: 5:30am - 10:30pm; Wed: 24 hours

Price: 1 - 2 USD (per person)

Traveler's tips

The Lagoon in Cedar Hill. TX

Crawford Park is closed permanently as of summer 2023.  

There is a new water park, The Lagoon, in Cedar Hill, as of summer 2023.

The name of the town is Cedar Hill, not Cedar Hills.  I have lived here for 40 years.


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9. Take a walk around Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center

From a hilltop trail, Dogwood Canyon, Texas
Source: Photo by user Robert Nunnally used under CC BY 2.0

For all the nature lovers, Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center is one of the top places to visit in Cedar Hill. A wild, richly diverse place, Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center is where you will find a plethora of plants and animals to observe. Established in 2011, this center features two canyon trails which are fun and are the best way to explore the natural surrounding without disturbing it too much. The pristine forest inside the center acts as a shady picnic spot for the visitors where children can play while adults enjoy the surrounding. The best thing about this center is that it has an abundance of avian life, both native and migratory ones which attract several bird-watchers from all over the state here.

Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center

Address: 1206 FM1382, Cedar Hill, TX 75104, United States

Website: Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center

Opening hours: Tue - Sat: 9am - 5pm (closed on Sun & Mon)

Price: Donation-based

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10. Savour a delicious meal at Sam's Pizza

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

Sam’s Pizza is one of the best places to visit in Cedar Hill for food lovers as it serves the most amazing pizza, spaghetti, meatballs, etc. This food establishment is actually a historic building located in a beautiful little street. The pizzas served here are New York-style deep-dish pizza and are quite reasonably priced as well. You could easily enjoy a meal while watching a football match here with the rest of the customers and end up making many new friends on the way. So, if you love Italian food or just pizzas then you should definitely check out Sam’s Pizza.

Sam's Pizza

Address: 601 Cedar St, Cedar Hill, TX 75104, United States

Website: Sam’s Pizza

Opening hours: Sun - Thu: 11am - 10pm; Fri - Sat: 11am - 11pm

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11. Play golf at Tangle Ridge Golf Club

Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing

Do you enjoy playing golf? If yes, then one of the best things to do in Cedar Hills is to play a round of golf at Tangle Ridge Golf Club. This place offers all amenities for a top-rated championship course which is why a lot of people end up hosting tournaments and corporate outings here. With its 18-hole course, you are bound to make the most of your time here and have quite a bit of fun, too. They also offer a separate practice facility where you go practice driving, putting, and chipping. Their Pro shop is always equipped with the latest golf attires and equipment so you can indulge yourself a little here followed by a delicious meal at the 19th Hole Restaurant and Bar.

Tangle Ridge Golf Club

Address: 818 Tangle Ridge Dr, Grand Prairie, TX 75052, United States

Website: Tangle Ridge Golf Club

Opening hours: Thu - Tue: 6am - 6pm (closed on Wed)

Price: 30 USD

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12. Go fishing at Joe Pool Lake

Joe pool lake lynn creek park
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Jaymzyates used under CC BY-SA 3.0

A beautiful lake in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, Joe Pool Lake is surrounded by cities like Cedar Field, Mansfield, and Grand Prarie in Texas. This lake is perfect for fishing, boating, kayaking, and several other outdoor activities. This lake is also great for camping trips as it is surrounded by three major parks - Cedar Hills State Park, Lynn Creek Park, and Lloyd Park. With many gorgeous beaches and camping sites, you can enjoy a weekend trip beside this lake as well. Known particularly for fishing, this lake is home to fish species like white bass, channel catfish, white crappie, and so on. Plus, you can always watch an epic sunset here which definitely makes it a top sight to visit in Cedar Hills.

Joe Pool Lake

Website: Joe Pool Lake

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13. Shop and dine at Hillside Village

Uptown cedarhill
Source: Photo by user [Unknown] used under PD

An approximately 615,000-square-foot (57,135 square metres) open-air center in Cedar Hill, Hillside Village is a popular shopping mall for shopping and dining here. Formerly known as Uptown Village, this regional mall has an urban design that is pedestrian-friendly and has many features of the Texas town squares. With more than 70 shops including Barnes & Noble, H&M, Forever 21 Red, etc., this is the perfect place to visit to indulge in a shopping spree. That’s not all–there are many good restaurants and fast food joints here as well which will keep you well-fed and happy. They also have a performance stage, an interactive fountain, a children’s play area, and many more amenities to keep you occupied and help you enjoy a day out here.

Hillside Village

Address: 305 W, FM1382 Suite 590, Cedar Hill, TX 75104, United States

Website: Hillside Village

Opening hours: Fri - Sat: 9am - 10pm; Mon - Thu: 10am - 9pm; Sun: 11am - 6pm

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Enjoy the laidback ambiance of Cedar Hills

Cedar hill state park perch pond
Source: Photo by Wikimedia Commons user Larry D. Moore used under CC BY-SA 3.0

So, are you excited to visit this amazing destination yet? A trip to Cedar Hills, Texas can turn out to be not only fun but quite relaxing as well. Relax in a local spa or hike on one of the gorgeous routes–with so many things to do in Cedar Hills, a trip here is never going to be disappointing.

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Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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