The Best Places to Watch the Total Solar Eclipse in North Texas — Dallas & Fort Worth Special Events Abound

Remember all the fuss last July when the two biggest summer blockbusters in recent memory were released simultaneously and The Barbenheimer phenomenon swept the nation? Well, the total solar eclipse that will take place on April 8 is gearing up to be the celestial version of that event — and North Texas is a great place to be for it.

Total eclipse hysteria is about to set in and North Texas is right in the path of this historic display.

The total solar eclipse will enter the United States at 1:27 pm April 8 in Eagle Pass, Texas, and will pass right over Fort Worth and Dallas beginning at 1:40 pm. It will last approximately two minutes and 33 seconds in Fort Worth, while the eclipse will treat Dallasites to a full three minutes and 51 seconds of prime viewing.

How rare is it to see a total solar eclipse? Let’s take Fort Worth. Cowtown has not been in the path of a total solar eclipse since July 29, 1878. So when you hear this eclipse touted as a once-in-a-lifetime experience, that’s not just a catchphrase. In fact, this will be the last total solar eclipse visible anywhere in the contiguous United States for the next 20 years.

In other words, this is your last chance to see one close to home until 2044.

To be prepared, check out this list of the exact times for the upcoming solar eclipse and how long it will be visible in each Texas city that falls within its path.

Before the historic eclipse sweeps across the state of Texas, you’ll want to make plans for where you want to view it. And eclipse glasses are a must to protect your vision ― NASA explains it all here. You can order these glasses online, purchase them at some public eclipse watching events, or find them at local stores.

These are the Best Places to View the Solar Eclipse In North Texas:

Fort Worth Eclipse Events

With notable local experts available at the Noble Planetarium in the Fort Worth Museum of Science and History, this might be the most educational venue in town. The museum’s front lawn will be a prime location for an unobstructed view.

Solar eclipse glasses will be available for purchase for $3 in addition to the general admission price. There will also be a free viewing area outside of the museum where people can purchase solar eclipse glasses. The museum’s education team will be on hand and the Navy Band Southeast Brass Quintet will be playing.

The Fort Worth Botanic Garden (FWBG) is hosting a similar event. In fact, members of either FWBG or FWMSH will receive reciprocal entry at either location for this special occasion.

Those who choose to view the eclipse from inside the Garden will be able to gather at the North and South Vistas, which offer unobstructed views of the sky. Prime eclipse viewing will also take place on the front lawn. Blankets and folding chairs will be allowed.

Hotel Drover, the anchor of Mule Alley in The Fort Worth Stockyards, will be one of the most scenic locations to see this rare phenomenon. The hotel is hosting a special solar eclipse celebration in The Backyard, offering an array of experiences for eclipse enthusiasts. Hotel guests or those who dine at the hotel’s restaurant 97 West will get a front row seat to the eclipse with live music and signature cocktails. Along with special Hotel Drover-branded eclipse glasses.

Southlake Town Square is also holding a viewing party from 12 pm to 2 pm. There also will be a viewing party at Lake Grapevine. Just bring a picnic and a blanket to Meadowmere Park. Historic Grapevine is getting into the solar eclipse fun too, complete with VIP swag bags at the city’s Peace Plaza.

Grapevine’s Hotel Vin is channeling its energy into a limited-edition Eclipse bourbon with the help of Blackland Distillery in Fort Worth. Guests at Hotel Vin will be among the first to experience this exclusive spirit ― a blend of white corn and black grain called Midnight Wheat ― culminating in a Blackland Bourbon Dinner. Oenophiles will have the chance to test their wine knowledge with a black glass wine-tasting ― sensory deprivation dinner removing your sense of sight, and the property will also host a Lunar Lunch on April 8 outdoors at WineYard with a complimentary glass of champagne.

Solar Eclipse Watching in Dallas

Le Meridien Dallas, The Stoneleigh hotel is offering a chance to experience this rare celestial event in style. Get caught up in some stargazing at the Stoneleigh pool and courtyard and enjoy a three course wine-paired lunch from chef Esayas Estifanos. The special dining menu comes with solar glasses to let you keep a lookout as darkness descends over Dallas.

The Stoneleigh has even gathered a group of local breweries to create its very own Solar Eclipse Beer Garden. From noon to 4 pm on April 8, you can sample $5 beers from Tupps Brewery, Deep Ellum Brewery and Bishop Cider just to name a few. You have the option of doing both the lunch and the beer garden, or just the beer garden.

Hôtel Swexan is also getting into the fun with its 20th-floor rooftop, bringing an unparalleled vantage point to witness the solar eclipse through a telescope. The new boutique hotel will be showing a special planetary film collection as well, offering an entertaining and educational experience. Or take part in a guided meditation experience as Jacquelyn Maitland unfolds a restorative sound bath during a Breathe Meditation and Wellness event.

The Perot Museum of Nature and Science is partnering with the Carnegie Institution for Science, amping the educational awareness of this celestial event ― welcoming 29 astronomers from Carnegie to Dallas to engage with the public in advance of the eclipse. Although the eclipse-watching event at the renowned museum is already at capacity, its programming by the Perot will flow into Klyde Warren Park from 11 am to 3 pm. It will include a panel discussion with astronomers from the Carnegie Institution for Science, the interactive TECH Truck, and complimentary eclipse-viewing glasses ― part of The Perot’s mission to distribute over 1 million safety glasses to the community.

Addison is holding a Total Eclipse of the Park in Addison Circle Park. Stargazers are encouraged to grab their blankets, lawn chairs, and coolers and participate in some of the daylong activities from 10 am to 4 pm. There will be yoga in the park, live music and food trucks.

Monday, April 8 will be extraordinary (if not celestial) as North Texas gets to witness this rare total eclipse of the sun.