15 Best Things to Do in North Richland Hills, TX

The third largest city in Tarrant County, Texas, North Richland Hills — or more commonly known as NRH — is a vibrant suburb in the Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex.

North Richland Hills boasts a united and welcoming community despite its large population and territory.

What makes the city all the more distinct is its population’s Southern charm and hospitality, which translates into the attractions they offer to tourists.

With activity centers catering mainly to families with kids, North Richland Hills may be the perfect place for your next family trip.

Here are the best things to do in North Richland Hills, Texas.

Cool Off at NRH2O Family Water Park

The NRH2O Family Water Park boasts 17 acres of park attractions to thrill guests of all ages.

As one of the first municipal water parks in the United States, it houses 23 attractions, including three body slides, a river, a wading pool, and a wave pool.

Perhaps most impressive is the Green Extreme, the country's longest uphill water roller coaster, standing at a whopping 1,100 feet!

Because of its success, several other water parks in Texas have sprung up.

Still, the NRH20 Family Water Park stands out for its complimentary amenities, such as coolers and parking spots, and safe and clean accommodations for the entire family.

If you visit friends and family living in North Richland Hills, you’ll get a discount on your admission fee!

As arguably one of the best water parks in the country, NRH20 is genuinely one of the best ways to beat the Texas heat!

Play Sports at NYTEX Sports Center

Home to the professional hockey team, the Texas Brahmas, North Richland Hills is proud to house the NYTEX Sports Center.

Not only does it house the Texas Brahmas, but it’s also the home court to the Central Hockey League, the Jr. A. Texas Brahmas, the Jr. Brahmas Travel Hockey, and the NYTEX Youth Hockey League.

This sports center is a multi-purpose arena with over 2,400 seats, which is excellent for catching a hockey game.

Besides, it offers ice-skating lessons and hockey leagues for its regulars and can even be rented out for big events.

The NYTEX Sports Center is also frequently used for sports such as volleyball, roller derby, indoor football, grappling, gymnastics, and indoor lacrosse.

Any sports fan would be beside themselves when visiting the Center.

Make Souvenirs at the Maker Spot

Unique to North Richland Hills is the Maker Spot, a 4,500-square-foot maker space on the second floor of the North Richland Hills Library.

Unlike other communities, North Richland Hills offers a free community workspace for its library cardholders.

Though only eight years old, the Maker Spot has become essential to the North Richland Hills community.

It provides indoor recreational opportunities for those who want to craft and let their creativity loose.

It offers a wide range of equipment for community use, though some must be reserved before use.

These include quilting, sewing, embroidery, 3D printers, audio production, and editing equipment, wood and metalworking equipment, and serger machines.

The Maker Spot is a great way to connect and meet the local creatives, so come on when you visit North Richland Hills!

Ride Your Bike at Fossil Creek Park Mountain Bike Trail

Fossil Creek Park Mountain Bike Trail spans nearly 60 acres of Fossil Creek Park.

It has beautiful natural areas lined with grasslands, hardwood, and riparian habitats primed for biking.

Its offerings include five miles of trails for beginner riders and a trailhead kiosk.

The trail comprises interconnected loops winding through its namesake, Fossil Creek.

The trail itself is amenable to hiking, especially with your pets.

However, you should always keep them on a short leash.

Likewise, hikers are expected to yield to bikers as each trail is a one-way track.

To optimize your experience, the Fossil Creek Park Mountain Bike Trail is open from dusk to dawn daily.

Enjoy the North Richland Hills Centre

Just across the North Richland Hills Public Library and the Maker Spot is the North Richland Hills Centre.

It is a sprawling wellness facility measuring 86,000 square feet.

Its wide range of amenities is inclined towards improving any patron’s health and fitness.

Its Expansive Fitness Center is laden with state-of-the-art gym equipment and free weights.

One of the longest indoor walking tracks in Texas sits right by it.

An indoor aquatic center is also available for solo swims as an alternative to NRH2O, with a water slide, lap lanes, and even a rock-climbing wall for those looking for extra physical activities.

Though kids and senior citizens are welcome to peruse each of these amenities, North Richland Hills Centre offers specific spaces more inclined to their needs and tendencies.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better addition to the North Richland Hills community than this facility.

It has double gymnasiums, grand halls, and an outdoor civic plaza where the community can gather.

If you truly want a glimpse of community life in North Richland Hills, visit North Richland Hills Center.

Jump and Bounce at Airborne Trampoline Park

If you’re traveling with kids whose energy can power a rocket ship, try bringing them to the Airborne Trampoline Park!

Packed with activities for impossibly high levels of fun, the arena has wall-to-wall trampolines, dodgeball areas, slides, a platform cliff jump, and even a ninja-air course.

Helpers ensure the safety of each patron and are always ready to help out little ones who might be afraid of heights or get a little over-excited.

Adults are welcome to join the fun, too, with Slamball courts allowing patrons to practice nearly impossible dunks on six- and nine-foot rims.

The park also offers the death-defying Platform Jump, a makeshift cliff ten feet off the ground for you to jump off onto a cushioned airbag.

The 50 interconnected trampolines will surely provide families with uninhibited fun and free parking to last your entire stay.

Bounce off the walls at the Airborne Trampoline Park!

Bring the Kids to Adventure World Playground

Adventure World Playground is a simple playground with no shortage of amusement for your little ones.

Adventure World Playground is one of the best playgrounds in Texas, allowing visiting kids to feel like they’re in their little world in the woods.

With tree log slides, mushroom tables, and tree stump chairs, this playground has an air of magic because of the woodland-themed equipment.

Conveniently, it’s also right by a baseball field, a walking trail, and plenty of picnic spots, so visiting this playground can become a family affair.

Because of its popularity among kids, it gets a little busy during weekends and holidays.

Arguably one of the best-kept secrets of North Richland Hills, visiting this accessible playground will make your little ones happier than ever.

Grab a Cold Beer at Brutal Beerworks

Brutal Beerworks, a laid-back nano-brewery specializing in sweet ales, is three miles from the city center.

The owners had been homebrewers before establishing Brutal Beerworks.

This nano-brewery offers unique drinks in Texas and is North Richland Hills’ first brewery.

With drinks affectionately named “FRO ZONE” and “WHAT’S UP BEACH?”, their offerings are innovative and incredibly tasty.

The walls are covered in intricate paintings, and the taproom has many windows.

Patrons are also encouraged to play card games and hang out like family.

Large and small groups can combine and socialize without having too heavy an atmosphere.

With laid-back music over the pub-style seating and the bartenders spilling their know-how when explaining drinks, Brutal Brewery comes alive with every patron walking through the door.

Unwind at Joe’s Tavern and Grill

After a long day, find someplace to kick back and relax at Joe’s Tavern and Grill.

Joe’s Tavern and Grill is arguably one of the most known restaurants among tourists because it is near hotel accommodations, just nine minutes from the city center.

The place is usually jampacked with some of the most welcoming regulars in a Texas restaurant.

There’s plenty of room to meet people over a game of pool or darts, or if you want to unwind, the roomy patio is a great place to catch some fresh air.

During football season, you’ll likely find Joe’s Tavern and Grill filled with enthusiastic football fans following the game.

Joe’s Tavern and Grill is a home away from home, with patrons and proprietors treating you no less than family as soon as you walk through the door!

Jam to the Beat during the Sounds of Spring Concert Series

You're in luck if you visit North Richland Hills from mid-April to mid-May.

It’s right around the time that the Sounds of Spring Concert Series begins!

Locals gather around North Richland Hills’ City Hall to listen to the city’s best performers free of charge.

Spring Friday nights are made all the more colorful by this community gathering, with gates opening by the time evening rolls around and lasting ‘til late at night.

Are you worried about not being able to catch dinner?

Don't worry since various food trucks are always available in the area.

Likewise, outside food is allowed so long as they don’t come in prohibited glass containers.

Dogs are also welcome, provided they are not aggressive and are kept on a leash.

Whether you’re there to enjoy soothing orchestra music or a Bon Jovi tribute band, the Sounds of Spring Concert Series is well worth visiting.

Play Golf at Iron Horse Golf Club

Right in the heart of North Richland Hills is a perfect spot for golf lovers, the Iron Horse Golf Club!

Its excellent golf courses and amenities make each visit an experience, with personalized service helping maintain the facility's premium.

Dick Phelps designed the course layouts, so you’ll enjoy teeing off!

After a game, try the hearty meals available in their dining facilities, prepared daily on-site by their executive chef and culinary team.

If you’re looking for a venue for a picturesque wedding, Iron Horse Golf Course is more than ready to help you achieve the day of your dreams!

Whether you’re there for a golf experience with your colleagues, friends, or family or the most important celebration of your life, Iron Horse Golf Course has you covered!

Surround Yourself with Nature at Common Ground NRH Community Garden

Locals rave about the Common Ground NRH Community Garden for a good reason.

This garden is designed for community members to share tips and tricks for growing a garden, which is perfect for those just starting.

Run by seven volunteers, the members gather every third Saturday of the month to improve the community garden, marketed especially for families with limited space to garden at home.

This is perfect for tourists itching to get their hands dirty during their extended stay.

It allows you to meet locals and new friends to reconnect with the next time you visit North Richland Hills.

With 70 rental plots, a blackberry patch, and themed planting areas, there’s no shortage of things to stick your green thumb into once you visit this community garden.

Once your visit to North Richland Hills ends, you can keep in touch with your new gardening friends through the group’s blog and online newsletters.

Visiting the Common Ground NRH Community Garden is a surefire way to make new friends and feel included in the community.

Explore the Art Scene through Art in Public Spaces

Looking around North Richland Hills, you might notice that art lines almost every public space, mainly due to the Art in Public Spaces program.

Established in 2002, the program aimed to beautify public areas by integrating visual art, contributing to the communal identity of the city.

Its inclusions come in all shapes and forms, with murals, paintings, installations, and sculptures comprising its Permanent Collection for the admiration of locals and tourists.

Five years after the implementation of the Art in Public Spaces program came the North Richland Hills Signal Art Program.

In collaboration with established artists, citywide traffic signal boxes are decorated with artwork, attracting national attention.

No wonder the streets of North Richland Hills are so beautiful.

Turn your head and see the best street art in the state!

Give Your Dogs a Vacation at Tipps Canine Hollow

Tipps Canine Hollow is only a part of the city’s larger Northfield Park, but this five-acre site is reserved just for dogs.

It can be difficult to ensure your pets remain active during a vacation so this off-leash spot might be just the right place for you!

Tipps Canine Hollow provides a safe environment for pet owners to let their dogs socialize freely without disrupting the park regulars.

Amenities such as an installed water fountain and waste bags are already provided.

Small dogs are encouraged to remain in the one-acre fenced-in area for their safety and to protect other patrons.

All furry visitors are required to be fully vaccinated.

Bring your dogs’ favorite toys and treats while visiting Tipps Canine Hollow!

Relax at the Green Valley Community Park

The beautiful Green Valley Community Park boasts 30 acres of land with a lake and wetland.

Expansive green spaces encourage patrons to engage in outdoor activities, such as picnics, gatherings, and frisbee matches.

Home to the city’s soccer leagues, the community park was also designed with other athletic activities in mind.

You can go roller skating, biking along the paved trail, or even fishing in the lake.

If you couldn’t catch the Sounds of Spring Concert series, this community park also holds an annual “Easter in the Park” outdoor concert.

With beautiful nighttime lighting across its fields, the community park can also be the romantic background for a dinner date under the stars.

With its vast expanse of grass, the sky’s the limit to what you can do at the Green Valley Community Park!

Final Thoughts

North Richland Hills boasts several recreational facilities, providing indoor and outdoor fun for the whole family.

This city also has various events and celebrations where you can join a lively and welcoming community.

Fill your itinerary with all the best things to do in North Richland Hills, Texas.