Arlington has deemed itself the entertainment capital with attractions like Six Flags, Hurricane Harbor, AT&T Stadium(home of the Dallas Cowboys) and Globe Life Park(home of the Texas Rangers). The city has also spent the last several years and a lot of money revitalizing downtown. The University of Texas at Arlington is right in the middle of all this. You don’t have to stray far from campus to find a good time. Here are five things to do around University of Texas at Arlington on a Friday or Saturday night.
1. If you’re looking to stay on campus or you’re between paychecks head over to the University Center. They have a bowling alley and pool tables along with a game room and a big screen TV. The bowling alley hosts 12 lanes and 9 pool tables. If you can’t stay out late or aren’t into the bar scene this is a great option.Another on-campus option is UTA’s planetarium. It’s similarto the IMAX, except not as big. It will definitely satisfy the inner science nerd in you. UTA’s planetarium has a 60 foot dome and state of the art projection system. It is one of the most sophisticated planetariums in the state. They offer shows all week as well as Friday and Saturday evenings and students with an ID can get in for three bucks.
2. Park District is one the newer attractions to UTA. It’s part of the downtown revitalization project and is home to College Park Center. The event center hosts UTA’s basketball and volleyball teams. Drake, John Legend, Legacy Fight League, and TNA Wrestling have all performed at College Park Center. Pie Five and Blazes sports grill are also part of the College Park District and if you live on campus, College Park District is within walking distance, just on the east side of campus.
3. The streets that run parallel to campus are full of dive bars. Caves Lounge is about a block or two from campus. This hipster dive bar has a pool table and hosts weekly events like karaoke. It has a large well lit patio outside and the drinks are cheap. Caves Lounge is always full of UTA students, even during finals week. Sunshine is right in front of Caves and the scene is similar. Cheap drinks, and a low key atmosphere make Sunshine another favorite of UTA students.
4. Head downtown. There are several other dive bars and great restaurants like Twisted Root and J. Gilligans. Levitt Pavilion is right down the street and they host 50 free concerts a year on the lawn. Check out the schedule, grab a bottle of wine and a blanket and enjoy a night of free music under the stars.
5. If you’re looking for options for your night then go up to Lincoln Square. It’s a couple miles from campus but there is a lot to do. Louie Louie’s Piano Bar offers great entertainment for the night. Two pianos, a bar full of people, and songs you know. They host parties and the best part is no cover on the weekends. Next door is Sherlock’s Pub which has live bands, a dance floor, darts and pool in the back. If it’s sports you’re after, Buffalo Wild Wings is Lincoln Square also where you can catch football games, UFC fights, boxing and most other events on their big screen TVs.
Elizabeth Page graduated from UTA in 2011 with a degree in Communications-Journalism.