15 Lakes in Dallas for Swimming & Family Fun

Take the kids for a swim at the 64-acre spring-fed lake at Tyler State Park, surrounded by a sandy beach and towering trees. In addition to swimming at the lake, you can also go fishing, geocaching, hiking, biking, or bird watching. A great option for a day trip or weekend getaway!

Plenty of nature to enjoy at this beautiful spring-fed lake near Dallas! Along with swimming, fishing and boating at the lake, you can take the family hiking, camping, and geocaching. Fun fact: the park is also known for the largest spiderweb ever documented!

Lake Texoma is one of the largest reservoirs in the United States and one of the best lakes near Dallas. Located on the Texas-Oklahoma border, Lake Texoma has many different beaches for swimming, a charming Bed and Breakfast, even a 1800s style pirate ship tour! It boasts a large wildlife refuge, which is a great place for photography, hiking, fishing, and bird watching. Eisenhower State Park, Lake Texoma State Park, and Island View Park all offer great swimming beaches, and plenty to do for a fun day trip or weekend getaway!

One of the largest and most popular lakes near Dallas, Lake Lavon has 5 beaches, 16 parks, and over 200 picnic areas. It is even home to a horseback riding trail! Pontoons, ski boats, fishing boats, and wave runners are all available for rent. If you're looking for the swimming beaches, head toward Mallard, Ticky Creek, East Fork, Avalon or Pebble Beach parks.

This popular lake in Dallas is an urban oasis, with a 9-mile running and biking trail around the lake, as well as several playgrounds, picnic areas, bird-watching areas, and kayaks available for rent. The Dallas Arboretum sits on the lake, too.

Lake Ray Roberts is one of the beautiful lakes near Dallas, and of the many parks at Lake Ray Roberts, the Isle Du Bois has a swim beach, child's fishing pond, and several hiking and biking trails! It is one of the largest and most popular summer parks on the lake due to its shaded campsites and great fishing pier. Families can also enjoy boating on Ray Roberts, or take a trip down the Elm Fork Branch of the Trinity River which connects to Lake Lewisville. Pontoons, canoes and kayaks are available for rent by the hour at the Marina. It's the perfect spot for a DFW family day trip, located about an hour north of the metroplex!

Lake Lewisville is one of the largest lakes near Dallas, and many city parks around it offer great swimming beaches and other water activities including boat rentals, fishing, and camping. Little Elm Park Beach has the best sand and is set back in a cove, making it a little more private. It has a snack bar and grill, along with parking nearby. Check out Lake Park, Stewart Creek Park, Hidden Cove Park, Copperas Branch Park and Willow Grove Park as well for swimming and more family fun on the lake!

Lake Grapevine might offer the the most outdoor water activities for families of all the lakes in Dallas-Fort Worth! There are miles of running, walking, biking and hiking trails, numerous parks, fishing, skiing, sailing and more! Boating is especially popular, with several boat ramps located around the lake and rentals at the marinas. As for swimming, there are two designated swimming areas. Vineyard’s Campgrounds is only available to those who are staying on the campgrounds, but Meadowmere Park is open to the public and has a nice sandy beach with a large playground right on the water.

Swim, boat and fish at Joe Pool Lake, explore bike and foot trails, even tour an old Texas farm. Geocaching is another popular activity at the park, and a great adventure for families. If you'd like to try an overnight retreat, check out one of the park's 350 campsites!

Located on the northwest side of Joe Pool Lake, Lynn Creek Park offers plenty of amenities for a day at the beach with the family, including a sandy swimming beach with a grassy picnic area, a large playground, restrooms, and concessions. You can also rent out the large pavilions, or make use of the boat ramps for a day of boating on the lake, too.

Burger's Lake is a one-acre, spring-fed lake surrounded by a 30-acre park featuring slides, diving boards and a trapeze that kids can swing on into the lake! There are two sandy beach areas, hundreds of picnic areas, charcoal grills, and lifeguards on duty.

Families can enjoy swimming and boating at this local Fort Worth beach on Eagle Mountain Lake. Note that there are no lifeguards at the beach, and that visitors who want to swim must purchase a parking permit online prior to visiting the park.

Several parks along Benbrook Lake offer beaches for swimming, but Holiday Park is the largest day use area on this swimming lake in Fort Worth. Open year round, families can enjoy several miles of shoreline with a gentle slope popular for swimming. Mustang Park also has a developed swimming area that is open April through September.

Explore almost 13 miles of trails, go swimming in the spring-fed lake, and enjoy time outdoors as a family at this state park less than an hour from Fort Worth. You can borrow fishing gear for use in the park, or rent kayaks or paddle boats for use in the lake. Kids might enjoy their Junior Ranger activities, too!

Enjoy a small town atmosphere with plenty of family fun on the water, including swimming and picnicking at the City Beach Park, or fishing, boating, kayaking, jet skiing and paddle boating on the lake! You can also rent bikes, take a walk or go horseback riding around the Acton Nature Center trails, and enjoy the many parks, restaurants and events around town.