fun times at the state fair, by MS
I think the fall is such a fun season and the Texas State Fair makes it 10 times better!
Every year I try to make it a goal to go to the State Fair because it is truly one of the most fun places to go! I think going with friends and family is the best way to have a 10/10 experience doing things you would never do on a normal day! So I am going to take you through a step by step guide on everything you need to do at the Texas State Fair this year!
First, find family or friends to go to the state fair with! I am sure almost anyone you ask would say yes because everyone knows how fun the state fair is! This year I got to go with my friend and fellow yooou! Ambassador, Betty Wheeler, and we had the best time ever! I’ve gone with my parents, a big group of friends, or just one friend in many years past and every single time I had a great experience.
Next, make sure if you are in school to utilize your free day ticket! My friend Betty and I used our ticket on a Thursday, because they only work during the school week, and it was the absolute perfect time to go. There was not a single line we waited in, no one was there, and we got a free ticket to use!
Now for transportation. I would definitely suggest carpooling with friends because parking can be really difficult. For example two years ago my nanny Debbie took 5 of my friends and I and we all rode together which made it really easy so we all could stay together. Even this year I drove Betty and I and it made it so nice so we didn’t have to worry about finding parking spots close to earth or worry about finding each other in such a large fair. I would also recommend taking advantage of the people who cleared out grass areas or gas stations to let in the public park. I was able to park a literal 2 minute walk away from the entrance for only 20 dollars. On that note, make sure that you don’t get scammed far out from the fair by paying 30-35 dollars to park really far away. I promise the open lots that are 20 dollars and very close to the fair are really worth it.
Next is obviously your first stop at the fair: Big Tex! Seeing Big Tex is an absolute must and I would suggest going to take your photo in front of him first because after all the rides, walking, and food you’re going to want to take that photo first, trust me.
After your cute photo, I would do rides first. Betty and I this year made the mistake of eating food before rides, and let’s just say after the rides our stomachs were not very happy. But the rides themselves were amazing!
Here are 5 rides you have to go on which are all along Midway:
1. The Pirate Boat: This is such a classic ride that I’ve been going on since I can remember. It’s always so funny to see all the different ages experience this and you definitely feel your heart drop when you get to the highest points.
2. Lovebug: you can find this ride directly next to the Pirate Boat and it’s always so fun. The music they play is always such good vibes and you go really fast in a rifle while going up and down so be prepared to squish with the person you’re sitting next to!
3. The Kraken: This ride is definitely for adventurous roller coaster people but it is so fun. You basically are in a seated chair and spin circular and upside down. Make sure to leave all your items on the ground or else they will fall out. That ride always gets my heart pounding but it’s always so much fun.
4. The Swings: These are probably the most nostalgic rides you can go on at the state fair. The swings are not scary at all, the breeze feels amazing, and you get the best view of not only the fair but the Dallas sky line as well!
5. Crazy Mouse: This has to be another ride I’ve gone on since I can remember! This ride is super aggressive, and again be prepared to jolt to the side, but it’s so much fun and you can get a really funny photo while you’re on it!
An honorable mention would obviously be the Ferris Wheel. I personally think it’s a bit too slow and I’ve been on it several times, but if you’re going to the fair for the first time I would definitely say you have to experience the ferris wheel once.
An optional trip during your state fair visit would be the photo booths! Betty and I went in one and I personally just love the memories that photo booth photos encapsulate so that was a great memory of our trip that I love to keep in my room!
Another optional thing in my mind is the games. Now if you’re not a roller coaster person you probably will get roped into a few games, which don’t get me wrong, they’re very fun, but just know your tickets will disappear before you know it!
Now onto the most important thing: food.
Some of my state fair classic foods are lemonade, fried oreos, and funnel cake. Yet, this year Betty and I tried the chocolate covered strawberries and I think they’re my new favorite fair food. They weren’t too frozen to where the collate broke off, they weren’t too warm, they were perfectly cool on the outside with a fresh strawberry in the middle. A great surprise that was so yummy. Betty’s favorite food at the fair is the fried oreos which she 10/10 recommends. So food is a MUST on your visit to the state fair!
Some things to remember to bring to the fair would be sunscreen, a fanny pack or small bag, a hair tie, a mini fan and sunglasses. You will need a bag for your tickets and phone I promise. You will definitely want sunglasses, it’s really bright, and a hair tie because it gets so hot from all the walking so you’ll want to put your hair up. A mini fan would have saved me on my last trip because I really underestimated how hot it would be. So those are some things I would definitely recommend bringing!
So I 100% recommend everyone to take a trip to the state fair because you’ll never regret it and it’s always a good time!
This article was written for yooou! by one of our Ambassadors, 17 year old, MS. Click to read her article, “puppy yoga is the absolute best!” and “why are shug’s bagels so good?!”.
