Wine lovers go to Napa. Foodies frolic in Michelin-starred cities like New York. If you’re a sports junkie looking for a getaway that’s all-play, all-day, head to Frisco, Texas. Here’s how a once-sleepy rail junction in North Texas cattle country became “Sports City USA” and why it should be your top destination draft pick.
I was hosted on this trip. All opinions are my own.
How Sports are Shaping Frisco’s Growth
Frisco’s population in 1990 was 6,138. Today, this city of 235,000, located between Dallas and the Oklahoma state line, was named the fastest-growing, most affordable US city in a 2025 national survey.
What’s the draw?
The meteoric residential growth is a result of sports-focused economic initiatives attracting major league commercial projects. Sprawling cattle ranches have been transformed into vibrant entertainment districts with shiny stadiums, restaurants and shops.
Locals are proud that the city was named the “#1 Best Place to Raise an Athlete.”
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The attractions and facilities that make Frisco a great place to live also make it a fantastic getaway destination for sports fans.
Sports Attractions in Frisco, Texas
- The Star District: 91-acre complex anchored by the $1.5 billion Dallas Cowboys headquarters and practice facilities.
- PGA Frisco District: 660-acre complex featuring the relocated headquarters of the PGA of America and the 500-room Omni PGA Frisco, named by Travel + Leisure as one of the World’s Best Resorts.
- Toyota Stadium: Home of FC Dallas MLS team, currently undergoing a $182 million renovation. Frisco is also home to the National Soccer Hall of Fame.
- Riders Field: 10,000-seat home of the Texas Rangers’ AA-affiliate RoughRiders
- Comerica Center: 6,000-seat official practice facility for the NHL Dallas Stars and game site for the Texas Legends, the NBA G-League affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks.
SheBuysTravel Tip: Driving in Frisco can be disorienting. The city has installed multiple multi-lane parkways. Don’t panic if you miss a turn or exit. The civic planners thoughtfully included U-turn opportunities.
Frisco, Texas Sports Travel Guide: Where to Play, Eat & Stay
I’m no rookie when it comes to sports travel. When planning getaways with our adult kids or friends, we like to anchor the trip with a sporting event. We’re always on the prowl for game-focused destinations.
With an abundance of teams, stadiums and playful attractions, Frisco has year-round sports getaway appeal.
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PGA Frisco: Play a Round, Stick Around
The 2018 decision by the PGA of America to relocate its headquarters from its Palm Beach, Florida, home to Frisco sparked the development of the PGA District. The 660-acre entertainment district is golf-centered, with play opportunities for pros, hackers and enthusiasts who double bogey mini-golf courses.
The centerpiece of the activities complex is a large putting green and a screen that’s as big as one you’d find in a drive-in movie theater. On my next visit I plan to watch a game, practice putting and sip a brew for the perfect weekend afternoon.
PGA Frisco Highlights:
- Omni PGA Frisco PGA Resort & Spa, a luxury destination property opened in 2023
- Fields Ranch East and West 18-hole championship golf courses
- Boutique shopping includes Vineyard Vines, PGA Shop, Blue Lacy Mercantile
- Ice House casual dining with golf hitting bays
- Lighted 10-hole par-3 short course
- Putting green
Where to Stay: Omni PGA Frisco Resort
I dabbled in golf when my kids were little, playing in a 9-hole Friday afternoon league at our local course. I appreciated the chance to chat with grown-ups and get some fresh air and exercise.
My husband, though, is an avid golfer.
As we pulled up to the valet at the Omni PGA Frisco, his face lit up like a kid arriving for a visit with Santa at the North Pole. This is the ultimate Frisco vacation destination resort for golfers and the people who love them.
The resort is massive but feels intimate. Grand public spaces are carved into conversation niches, ideal for a pre-dinner cocktail. The rooms don’t open onto main hallways like almost every other hotel where I’ve stayed. Instead, pairs of rooms are tucked off hallway branches. It’s extremely private and quiet.
The vibe’s country club casual, so leave your schleppy outfits at home. During the day, feel free to float between the pool and your room in a chic coverup. I felt comfortable at night in flared jeans worn with a blouse and sandals. My husband stuck with the golf uniform: khakis (pants and shorts) paired with collared polos.
Omni PGA Frisco Highlights:
- 500 hotel rooms, suites plus 10 ranch houses
- Two 18-hole championship golf courses, virtual golf and 10-hole par 3
- Mokara spa with a full-service salon
- Four pools with one that’s adults only plus a children’s splash pad
- 24/7 fitness center
- 13 unique dining options
- Daily resort activities include kid-friendly crafts and games
- Boutique shopping
Where to Eat and Drink at the Omni PGA Resort
Trick Rider
Trick Rider is a sophisticated supper club with a wide range of richly-flavored seafood and steak entrees. Arrive early for the Rodeo Happy Hour from 4 pm – 6 pm. Sit at the bar and gawk at the crystal horse suspended from the ceiling. The rhinestone rodeo decor was inspired by Sydna Yokley Woodyard, a female calf roper who performed on the national rodeo circuit in the ‘40s and ‘50s.
The Apron Kitchen + Bar
For casual dining, check out The Apron Kitchen + Bar. It’s on the lower level between the two main resort pools and the terraces overlooking the 10th fairway of the Fields Ranch East course.
The breakfast buffet (which includes coffee and juice) with made-to-order omelet and an extensive selection of fruits, yogurt, hot dishes and pastries is an excellent resort value at $24 per person.
Tour The Star District: Home of the Dallas Cowboys
Although I’m a diehard Jets fan, I was blown away by the Cowboys’ glitzy multi-billion-dollar practice facility, the heart of the 91-acre Star District.
Additional highlights of The Star:
- 35 restaurants, shops and services
- 12,000-seat indoor Ford Center
During my fall visit, the Ford Center calendar featured multiple high school football games. Not surprising in the state known for its devotion to Friday Night Lights.
Not sure where to go or what to do at The Star? Quiz the concierge at the Miller Lite®House where you can buy beers, check out games like cornhole and relax tailgate-style around the 60-yard turf football field.
SheBuysTravel Tip: Take a guided tour of the Dallas Cowboys headquarters and practice facilities. It’s an entertaining 90-minute behind-the-scenes peek into the history, culture and accomplishments of one of the NFL’s premier franchises.
Where to Stay: Omni Frisco Hotel at The Star
If you’re in town for a short getaway, the Omni Frisco Hotel is centrally located in the heart of The Star, the city’s 91-acre entertainment complex. The 273 guest rooms at the official hotel of the Dallas Cowboys include king, two queen and suite options with floor-to-ceiling windows.
Omni Frisco Hotel Highlights:
- The Edge, outdoor infinity pool with rental cabanas, overlooks the Cowboys’ headquarters
- Fitness center and available in-room training equipment
- Multiple on-site dining options, including Neighborhood Services restaurant for luxury comfort food
- Walkable to Ford Center, the Cowboys’ practice facility, and The Star’s restaurants, shops and attractions
- Pet-friendly
Explore the Frisco Discovery Center
Reconnect with your inner child at the Frisco Discovery Center. The renovated warehouse is home to multiple themed venues. In addition to the Frisco Art Gallery and Black Box Theater, the Center is home to three partner museums:
- Sci-Tech Discovery Center: STEM-focused exhibits
- TrainTopia: donated private collection of G-scale model trains
- National Videogame Museum: fascinating look at arcade and video games
My husband and I spent most of our time at the Frisco Discovery Center in the National Videogame Museum. Exhibits trace decades of technology innovations including the development of affordable home computers. The experience ends in an old-school arcade. I felt like a teen playing Ms. Pacman and Space Invaders!
After our arcade battle, we headed to TrainTopia. While checking in, we noticed that a tour of the outdoor Museum of the American Railroad was about to begin. So we pivoted. The museum collection of historic steam locomotives relocated from Dallas to Frisco. Access is limited as facilities are constructed.
SheBuysTravel Tip: The tour is geared towards train enthusiasts who won’t want to miss the chance to stand in the shadow of these towering steel engines.
Where to Eat Near the Frisco Discovery Center: Nerdvana
We were in a competitive mood after leaving the arcade, so my husband and I headed to Nerdvana for lunch. The host greeted us with a description of the restaurant as a “scratch kitchen and craft bar focused on the celebration of video game and board game culture.” Guests are encouraged to play while eating. We selected the classic Yahtzee dice game. Despite claiming he never played, my husband demolished me. My French dip sammie and fries were a solid choice and too big to finish.
Catch a Game (or Wave) at Riders Field
The Frisco RoughRiders, a AA-affiliate of the Texas Rangers, play their minor league home games at Riders Field. Its standout feature is the largest water feature in a professional sporting venue. Single-game ticket holders on Thursdays (21+) and Sundays (all ages) can purchase a Lazy River ticket and watch the baseball game from the 68,000-gallon outfield pool.
During my visit, the Savannah Bananas made a two-night stop in Frisco on their Banana Ball World Tour. Best described as the Harlem Globetrotters of baseball, Bananas’ teams play a modified exhibition game featuring unicyclists, an acrobatic first base coach and backflipping fly ball catches. Curious? Check out the 2025 60 Minutes profile.
Spend Time in Frisco’s Parks
Monarch View Park
This Frisco city park is located along its namesake butterfly’s migration path. The park’s native pollinator garden is designed to attract the amber-winged visitors in March on their trip north. The butterflies return in the fall for a pit stop before continuing on to Mexico.
Park Highlights:
- Basketball courts
- Picnic areas
- Play spaces
- Multi-gen fitness equipment
Kaleidoscope Park
Kaleidoscope Park is Frisco’s new, 6-acre outdoor community gathering space. The park has conventional hardscape features including a children’s play area and splash pad. But the real draw is the dynamic year-round schedule of FREE recreational activities, concerts, festivals and performances.
The centerpiece of Kaleidoscope Park is Butterfly Rest Stop, a massive fiber art installation created by Janet Echelmen. Suspended above a native pollinator garden, the flower-inspired sculpture is composed of nearly 90 miles of twine netting with 791,788 knots!
SheBuysTravel Tip: Want more art? Check out 40 contemporary pieces in the Texas Sculpture Garden.
Where to Stay: HALL Park Hotel
If you love Marriott Autograph Collection properties, put the HALL Park Hotel on your must-stay list when visiting Frisco. North Texas landscapes provided design inspiration for this new boutique hotel. The 224 guest rooms include 60 apartment-style suites with kitchenettes, ideal for long-term stays.
HALL Park Highlights:
- Outdoor pool with bar
- Curated contemporary art collection
- Palato, a Northern Italian destination dining experience
- Pet-friendly
- Fitness center with Kaleidoscope Park views
Coming Soon to Frisco
- Toyota Stadium is a FIFA-approved Base Camp site for World Cup 26 in June-July 2026.
- PGA Championship tour event at the Omni PGA Frisco in May 2027.
- Universal Kids Resort, the company’s first-ever theme park designed for families with young children, is set to open in May 2026.
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