You have a license to drive. You are allowed to purchase tobacco products and you can officially vote in the next presidential election, but that is about it.
Sure, it seems like the upperclassmen have an all access pass to all of the hot spots around SMU, but there is still fun to be had for those who are under 21.
College life can be grand even before your 21st birthday if you just know where to go to have a good time.
If you and your friends have no idea what to do, start by searching guidelive.com. It is a search engine designed specifically for residents and visitors to Dallas and Fort Worth that allows its browsers to enter their own specifications to search for specific events, or look at events by calendar day.
The Web site details the time, location, costs, age requirements and what type of ambiance to expect.
Don’t have a car? DART around Dallas with your Transit Pass. Pick one up for $5 at the Pony Express office and grant yourself full access to the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system that will get you in and around Dallas and its surrounding areas.
Here are a few ideas to help you enjoy your pre-legal-partying days.
1. Learn about the 90 year history of a shopping legend on the fifth floor of The Flagship Neiman Marcus store downtown. The museum is open from Monday through Saturday. (214) 741-6911.
2. Discover the peace and tranquility of downtown at the Fountain Place. The fountains are accompanied by a 60-story tower designed by I.M. Pei. Catch it at night to see the colored lights. (214) 855-7766.
3. Spend an afternoon or evening watching the plans take off and land from the Observation Station at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. The area includes audio from the Control tower, binoculars and picnic spots. (972) 574-8888.
4. Visit Thanks-Giving Square, an interfaith and educational area featuring a Thanksgiving museum, interfaith chapel, fountains and a meditation garden. (214) 969-1977.
5. The State Fair of Texas runs for 23 days and is home of te Texas Star Ferris Wheel that climbs 212 feet. The fair park is also home to several museums. Visit www.bigtex.com for details. (214) 565-9931.
6. Take a leap into history at the Sixth Floor Museum and see exhibits relating to president Kennedy and the assassination.On your way home, try taking the same route the Kennedy motorcade took toward Parkland Hospital. (214) 747-6660
7. Eat dinner at Antares, 55 stories above Dallas and enjoy a 360-degree view of the city from Reunion Tower at the Hyatt Regency Dallas. If food isn’t in the plan, visit the observation deck for a breathtaking view. (214) 712-7210.
8. Hidden below downtown Dallas is a three-mile system of underground tunnels and bridges with shops and dining. Check out this attraction by entering at 1201 Elm Street.
9. Spend the night Billy Bob’s Texas. The club, which features bull riding, barbeque, arcade and honky-tonk country dancing, is located at the Fort Worth Stockyards. (817) 624-7117.
10. Adventure Landing is the place to go for miniature golf, go-karts, laser tag, arcade games and batting cages. (927) 248-4653.
11. Hot days are a good time to head in to the climate-controlled TBC Indoor Kart Racing. (214) 634-5278.
12. Relive a time when knights in shining armor came to the rescue of their damsels in distress while gnawing on a turkey drumstick at Medieval Times. (214) 761-1800.
13. Are conspiracy theories your forte? Spend some time at the Conspiracy Museum and learn about the conspiracies centered around figures from Lincoln to Martin Luther King, Jr. (214) 741-3040.
14. Believe it or not, the stars and historical figures you see at the Palace of Wax are merely life-like imitations. Head over to Ripley’s Believe It Or Not and find a collection of the wacky, weird and bizarre. (972) 263-2391.
15. Spend an evening at COMEDYSPORTZ where improvisational comedy is treated as a competitive sport. The show will never be the same twice. (972) 964-FUNN.
16. Take a walk through the Meadows Museum on the SMU campus to discover the largest collection of Spanish art outside of Spain. (214) 768-0357.
17. Hit the Inwood for one of their famous midnight movies. Recent titles have included The Never Ending Story, Trainspotting, Willy Wonka, and The Big Lebowski. (214) 352-6040.
18. Six Flags Over Texas is a great place to blow off steam while getting blown away on one of many fast-paced rides. (817) 530-6000.
19. Campus is home of two of the best kept hideaways for long talks. The top floor of Moody Garage has a great view of downtown and the top of Umphrey-Lee makes it feel like you are miles away from the hustle and bustle of campus. The best part: it’s free!
20. Become an active part of Dallas by attending city council meetings and following candidates who are running for local offices. It is interesting, and you might accidentally learn something.
21. Become a true Dallas sports fan by attending local games. You can go to root on the home team or boo the opposition, but be ready to get loud.
Still bored? For more ideas on where to go, visit Tourtexas.com or Visitdallas.com.
