As Texas embraces warmer weather, the days begin to show color with greener trees and blooming flowers. These adventures around the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex are perfect for getting your daily dose of ‘chill-laxing’ while enjoying spring to the fullest.

Dallas Blooms: Birds in Paradise (through April 10)

If you are looking to view one of the largest and most colorful floral displays in Texas, the Dallas Arboretum is featuring over 500,000 flowers from 100 varieties of spring blossoms. The Arboretum’s spring theme this year is Birds in Paradise, with displays of adorable peacock topiaries, exclusive bird-themed demonstrations, and a variety of spring-themed events available until April 10. This includes cooking classes with special guests, live music, and let’s not forget today’s annual Food and Wine Festival plus Easter events too.

Over the course of the six-week celebration, the Arboretum has weekly events perfect for families (especially moms) and their little ones like their Mommy and Me Mondays and Tiny Tot Tuesdays. You can also take the children to Rory Meyers Children’s Adventure Garden that just reopened for the spring. Kids can choose from 150 interactive science activities or fun daily programs like the Glade Puppet Show.

Some events that are free with paid garden admission include daily activities at A Tasteful Place, a 3.5-acre potager or kitchen garden dedicated toward growing and eating sustainable, locally grown foods. If you are just looking to relax and enjoy flower-gazing, the Dallas Arboretum invites families, couples, and friends to sit down for a hearty picnic and enjoy live music throughout the garden. Reserve tickets ahead of time with prices ranging from $12-$20. 

Tip: The Dallas Arboretum has special day discounts including BOGO Wednesdays (buy one get one free ticket) and CC Young Senior Living Thursday (discounted admission and 20% off in the gift store for the over 65s). 

Fort Worth Botanic Garden: Butterflies in the Garden (through April 10)

The Fort Worth Botanic Garden’s Butterfly Exhibit is finally back in 2022 with one of the largest exotic butterfly showcases in Texas. Come and gaze at the wondrous colors of beautiful tropical butterflies originating from Central America, Africa and Asia. There will also be offering educational programs, exclusive events, and special gift shop items to “celebrate the change.” 

This year marks the Fort Worth Botanic Garden’s 10th anniversary hosting Butterflies in the Garden at the Rainforest Conservatory. This conservatory is a mini tropical haven with a variety of exotic plants and fruits including star fruits, mangos, five kinds of bananas, a coffee tree, and even a chocolate tree.

The Butterflies in the Garden event lasts until April 10, and is open daily from 10am-4pm. Buy tickets on site or online, with prices running from $8-$12 ( Butterfly exhibit admission only.) Heads up kids: Mind the exhibit etiquette —  butterflies are delicate species!

Immersive Frida Kahlo (Lighthouse Artspace Dallas, through May 29)

For our Immersive Van Gogh lovers, welcome Frida Kahlo as the next acclaimed artist (painter to be specific) to have their unique and powerful life-long female empowerment journey displayed as an immersive experience. Kahlo (1907-1954) was a 20th century Mexican artist — famously married to, divorced from and remarried to the tempestuous fellow artist Diego Rivera — who brings captivating self-portraits and passion-filled paintings that were inspired by her life as a woman in her home country.

Kahlo’s most famous works including The Two Fridas (1939), The Wounded Deer (1946), and Diego and I (1946), along with revealing images that depict the most influential events in her life are showcased throughout the experience. We recommend reading 10 things you need to know about Frida Kahlo before attending your immersive experience to have a better understanding and reflection of Kahlo’s inner thoughts and struggles.

Immersive Frida Kahlo is currently showcasing in both Dallas and Houston with ticket prices starting at $39.99. Also check out their 35-minute Immersive Yoga class to relive Kahlo’s journey while staying in tune with all of your five senses.

Behind the Scenes with Frida

Mara Kahlo, Frida’s grandniece and president of the Frida Kahlo Foundation, and Mara de Anda, Frida’s great-grandniece, travel from Mexico City to participate in each immersive experience’s grand opening. When the creative team from Lighthouse Immersive approached them, the family, who have been a part of the immersive experience since its inception, knew that they were technologically in good hands. Still, they wanted to ensure the exhibit accurately portrayed the small details of Frida’s life. 

“The most important thing about this immersive experience is seeing Frida as an artist and a woman,” says Mara Kahlo. “People will see Frida and her ideas about her three loves: family, Mexico, and Diego (Rivera). They will see part of history and her political ideas about the Russian Revolution and the Mexican Revolution. We are so excited and honored to be here. It is emotional to see our family on the walls; my grandmother, my aunt, and Frida.”

Although Frida died when Mara Kahlo was a baby, the iconic Mexican artist was always a large part of her life. The whole family is involved in the Frida Kahlo Foundation and are very proud of her place in history. 

“Frida was a complicated person. She is many things, but the idea that we, as a family, are trying to change is that Frida was always suffering,” says great-grandniece Mara de Anda. “We want people to know that Frida was also happy. She loved children, and she loved to dance, sing, and play guitar. It is an important part of her legacy that we want people to know about her, and we hope through this immersive experience we can reach a large audience with that message.” ~ Gabi De la Rosa

Cover photo courtesy Dallas Arboretum

Amelia Yin is an Editorial Intern at Texas Lifestyle Magazine and senior at the University of Texas at Dallas, double majoring in Global Business and Marketing. She is originally from Copperas Cove, Texas and hopes to become a distinguished businesswoman who can bring value to everything that she does.