Area Attractions

Located 12 miles east of downtown Fort Worth and 20 miles west of downtown Dallas, Arlington is the southern central part of the sprawling Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. This North Texas urban region embraces more than 9,000 square miles and 6.1 million people, making it the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States, surpassed only by New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago.

Named for Robert E. Lee’s Virginia home, Arlington started off small after the Civil War as a cotton-ginning ad farm center on the Texas & Pacific Railroad. Post-World War II booms in the automotive and aerospace industries rocketed the once-sleepy town’s population from under 8,000 in 1950 to more than 370,000 today. Its modest agricultural roots sharply contrast with Arlington’s 21st-century rebirth as “Fun Central” to the Metroplex — home to the Texas Rangers’ Ballpark, and the original Six Flags Over Texas theme park, with the Dallas Cowboys’ new stadium scheduled for completion in Arlington in time for their NFL season opening game in 2009.

In the middle of “Fun Central” at 1200 Ballpark Way is the Arlington Convention Center, the venue for APS AmeriStamp Expo/Texpex February 20-22, 2009. Only 15 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, the Convention Center has nearly 50,000 square feet of open exhibit space, and 12 meeting rooms, all of which will be put to good use during AmeriStamp Expo/Texpex 2009.

During the day, you’ll enjoy building your collection, taking in the exhibits, and making new friends. But before and after the show, there are other great things to see and do in and around Arlington.

Lincoln Square
One-quarter mile west of the Convention Center at I-30 and Collins Street, Arlington’s Lincoln Square Mall is Arlington’s central destination for shopping, casual dining, and much more. For a complete rundown of what’s available, visit Lincoln Square online at www.lincolnsquarearlington.com.

The Parks at Arlington Mall
Less than 8 miles southwest of the Convention Center at 3811 South Cooper Street, The Parks at Arlington Mall combines attractive and diverse indoor shopping convenience with attractions few other malls can match, including first-run entertainment at an 18-screen movie theater, an ornate, menagerie-themed Carousel and “Ice at The Parks” — an NHL-size ice arena. Open Monday through Saturday from 10 to 9, Sunday from 11 to 7, find out more at www.theparksatarlington.com

Legends of the Game Baseball Museum
Just down the road from the show on the south side of the Texas Rangers’ Ballpark is the Legends of the Game Baseball Museum and Learning Center — an exciting, interactive, and educational look at America’s other pastime. Whether you are catching a Nolan Ryan fastball or admiring Babe Ruth’s “King of Swat” trophy, you are bound to gain a new appreciation for a sport woven into the fabric of America. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 to 4, tickets are $12 for adult, $10 for senior age 62 and up, and $7 for youths ages 4 to 18. For additional information, call (817) 273-5600 or visit the museum’s website at http://mlb.mlb.com/tex/ballpark/museum.jsp

Tussaud’s & Ripley’s
Only six miles east of the Convention Center at 601 Palace Parkway, in Grand Prairie, located under one roof, are three great family attractions: Louis Tussaud’s Palace of Wax, Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium, and Ripley’s Enchanted Mirror Maze. Fashioned after Royal Pavilion at Brighton of England’s King George IV, a unique entertainment complex presents a world of fascination and fun for all ages. Open Monday to Friday from 10 to 5, Saturday and Sunday from 10 to 6, with admission prices adjusted according to which exhibits you want to see. For details, call (817) 263-2391, or visit www.palaceofwax.com.

Planetarium at University of Texas at Arlington
With its 60-foot-diameter dome and its state-of-the-art Digistar 3 CRT Projection system, the Planetarium at UT Arlington is one of the largest and most sophisticated in Texas. The Digistar 3 can project stars, planets, galaxies, and virtually anything else onto the dome just as they appear in the sky, and is equally adept at immersing the audience in a full-dome animation show. Shows combine stunning visual effects on the dome with powerful surround sound audio to transport audiences to all reaches of the universe, from a light-speed trip to see mysterious black holes to a wild safari into the human body. The theater provides comfortable reclining seats for an audience of nearly 150 and is wheelchair friendly. The planetarium can provide radio headsets for the hearing impaired. A variety of afternoon and evening shows are offered on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and tickets are $5 for adults and $4 for children and seniors 55 and over. Located less than four miles southwest of the Convention Center, call (817) 272-0123 for show details, or visit the website at www.uta.edu/planetarium.
Studio Movie Grill
Less than ten miles southwest of the Convention Center, in the Arlington Highlands Shopping Center, is Studio Movie Grill, which combines dining with your choice of ten first-run movies. Purchase your ticket at the box office or online, and you get full food service, including soft drink, beer, wine, or liquor available before and during the movie. Once you are seated in your comfortable individual leather chair that swivels, rolls, and tilts, servers will take your order like any restaurant. Your food will be brought to you inside the theater, usually before the movie starts, so you can enjoy your meal during the show. Reservations can be made for parties of 25 or more. View their current playbill and complete menu online at www.studiomoviegrill.com

Amon Carter Museum
Just under 20 miles due west of the show venue, at 3501 Camp Bowie Boulevard in Fort Worth, is the Amon Carter Museum, established through the generosity of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram publisher to showcase his outstanding collection of Western paintings and sculpture by Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell, and to collect and exhibit other fine American art. Admission is free, and museum hours are Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 10 to 5, Thursday 10 to 8, and Sunday from noon to 5. Call (817) 738-1933 for information, or visit the museum online at www.cartermuseum.org.

Bureau of Engraving and Printing Western Currency Facility
Farther afield — 27 miles away in Fort Worth — is the Bureau of Engraving and Printing Western Currency Facility and Visitor Center. See billions of dollars being printed as you pass along an enclosed walkway suspended over the production floor. Learn all about U.S. paper currency from the nation’s foremost security printer, and enjoy two floors of interactive exhibits showcasing the history of currency and the intricacies of the printing process. Admission is free, and the Visitor Center includes a film theater, gift shop, and a vending area. To schedule a tour, call toll free (866) 865-1194, and learn more about it online at www.moneyfactory.gov.
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The Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau has supplied a limited quantity of their 2008 Greetings from Fun Central — a color illustrated 50-page “official guide to food, fun and entertainment” in and around Arlington and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. It’s packed with suggestions for dining and dance, golf, maps, and detailed guides to accommodations.
For your copy, send 80 cents postage and a legible address to which you’d like your copy sent to Fun Central Guide, Barb Johnson, American Philatelic Center, 100 Match Factory Place, Bellefonte PA 16823. And to learn more about “Fun Central” visit the Arlington Convention & Visitors Bureau website at www.arlington.org.
Find out more about APS AmeriStamp Expo/Texpex 2009 in Arlington at www.stamps.org/Ameristamp