How to Spend a Long Weekend in Arlington: UTA, Cowboys Football, Six Flags & Downtown Fun
What would a great long weekend in Arlington actually look like?
You might be surprised by how much you can fit into a few days when you stay near Downtown Arlington.
Imagine coming into town with the family for a UTA graduation or campus event, settling into a three-bedroom, two-bath apartment at The Thornton Inn, exploring Downtown Arlington, eating at a local favorite, spending a day at Six Flags Over Texas, and finishing the weekend with a Cowboys game at AT&T Stadium.
That sounds like a pretty good Arlington weekend to us.
Here’s one way to make it happen.
Thursday: Check In and Settle Into Downtown Arlington
Your Arlington weekend starts at The Thornton Inn.
If you’re traveling with family, our three-bedroom, two-bath apartment gives everyone room to spread out while still keeping the group together.
Unpack, get settled, and spend your first evening exploring Downtown Arlington.
One of the advantages of staying here is that you’re close to UTA, Downtown Arlington, locally owned restaurants, coffee shops, and the places that give this part of the city its personality.
Your first night doesn’t need an elaborate itinerary.
Find dinner, take a walk, explore a little, and get comfortable.
You’ve got a busy weekend ahead.
Friday: UTA and Lunch at Taste Community Restaurant
If your trip is built around a UTA graduation, campus visit, orientation, Family Weekend, or another university event, Friday is a great day to spend around campus.
The Thornton Inn is just two blocks from the University of Texas at Arlington, which means you can spend more time enjoying your visit and less time driving back and forth across town.
After your UTA activities, head over to one of our favorite Arlington restaurants: Taste Community Restaurant.
Taste is one of those places we love recommending to Thornton Inn guests. The menu changes seasonally, the food is excellent, and its pay-what-you-can concept makes it one of the most unique dining experiences in Arlington.
Reservations are a good idea.
After lunch, spend some time exploring Downtown Arlington or head back to The Thornton Inn for a little downtime before dinner.
That’s another advantage of staying nearby. You don’t have to turn every day into one giant expedition.
Saturday: Make It a Six Flags Day
Now it’s time for a little classic Arlington.
Spend Saturday at Six Flags Over Texas.
The original Six Flags park opened in Arlington in 1961, and 2026 marks its 65th anniversary season.
Whether your family is chasing roller coasters or you’re perfectly happy letting everyone else get launched into the Texas sky while you guard the snacks, Six Flags can easily fill a day of an Arlington getaway.
When you’re finished, head back to The Thornton Inn, regroup, and enjoy a quieter evening.
Sunday: Cowboys Game Day Without the Parking Headache
If your visit happens to line up with a Dallas Cowboys home game, Sunday gets even better.
Instead of fighting stadium traffic and paying stadium-area parking prices, consider heading to J. Gilligan’s Bar & Grill in Downtown Arlington.
J. Gilligan’s has been part of Arlington for decades and offers shuttle service to AT&T Stadium for Cowboys games and many other major events.
Grab something to eat, hop aboard the shuttle, enjoy the game, and let someone else handle the trip to and from the stadium.
Shuttle pricing can vary by event, so check J. Gilligan’s current information before you go.
It’s one of our favorite Arlington game-day tricks.
Monday: Coffee, One Last Look Around and Head Home
By Monday morning, you’ve managed to fit quite a bit into one long weekend:
UTA.
Downtown Arlington.
A memorable local restaurant.
Six Flags Over Texas.
And a Cowboys game at AT&T Stadium.
Yet because you stayed in one central home base, the weekend didn’t have to feel like a marathon of hotel changes and cross-town driving.
Enjoy a slower morning, grab some coffee, pack up, and start making a list of what you didn’t get to this time.
Make The Thornton Inn Your Arlington Home Base
One of the things we love most about The Thornton Inn is where it puts you.
We’re close to UTA and Downtown Arlington, with Arlington’s Entertainment District, AT&T Stadium, Globe Life Field, Six Flags Over Texas, restaurants, events, and attractions just minutes away.
For families and groups, our three-bedroom, two-bath apartment offers the space to stay together while still having a comfortable home base between adventures.
And if you don’t need that much room, The Thornton Inn also offers five individually appointed guest rooms, each with its own private bathroom.
Arlington isn’t just somewhere you have to come for one event and leave.
Turn the trip into a weekend.
Stay a little longer.
Explore a little more.
And let The Thornton Inn be your home while you do it.
The Thornton Inn
719 W. Abram Street
Arlington, Texas 76013
Planning an Arlington getaway? Contact us about guest rooms, apartment accommodations, and availability for your trip.