Published: November 14, 2008 09:31 pm      

Frisco, Texas a quick, fun jaunt

Frisco, Texas, may be the fastest-growing city in the country. From a population of 32,000 in 2000, the town has tripled to 102,000 today. Next to McKinney on the north side of the Dallas metroplex, it still has a small-town feel, traffic less daunting than Dallas and a multitude of attractions.

Guests of the Frisco Convention and Visitors Bureau, Jack and I stayed at the four-diamond-rated Embassy Suites Hotel — and it deserved every diamond. Our room was spacious and comfortable and included a fridge and microwave. (I am the queen of doggy bag ladies so I really appreciate a place to stash left-overs.) The hotel’s beautiful indoor pool and spa facilities added to its attraction.

I’d recommend Frisco for a getaway weekend except for one thing. My absolute favorite spot in Frisco is only open during the week. If you have elementary school-aged children, listen up.

Frankly, Frisco Fire Safety Town sounded boring, but when you’re on a press trip, you go where your host takes you. Was I surprised! Totally educational about critical topics, Safety Town presents subjects in such a fascinating and hands-on way that kids barely realize they’re learning important lessons. But they won’t forget what they experience here.

At one point, we walked into a home kitchen. The television was on and a weather advisory appeared on the screen. We looked out the window and saw a tornado approaching. Just as though we had been a school group, we were told what to do in case of this emergency and were taken to a closet which would make the best shelter in the circumstances.

Later, going upstairs, we entered a child’s bedroom. Smelly smoke began pouring out of the heating registers. Again, we were taught survival techniques. Our guide, Division Chief Ryan Wolford of the Frisco Fire Department, dealt with these situations calmly, in a manner that would empower rather than frighten children. He got an A+ from this former school teacher.

Outside is the actual Safety Town. With buildings built to city codes (5/8 scale) and complete with actual street lights and safety devices, this town is amazingly well done. A fleet of battery powered mini-jeeps are used with first grade school groups to teach traffic safety. Bike and pedestrian safety are also emphasized. Depending on the facility’s schedule, visiting children (7-10 years) may be able to ride Safety Town bikes through the town.

A cooperative effort of the City of Frisco, the school district, businesses and civic organizations, the primary audience is local elementary schools. Visitors, however, can join in tours Monday through Friday from 2-4:30 p.m. Reservations are recommended — call 972-292-6350.

And now for something completely different. There’s plenty of shopping in Frisco but two great reasons to go are Sam Moon, which features fashion handbags and accessories at wholesale prices, and the gigantic IKEA store. At 310,000 square feet, the Swedish company’s store carries everything for the home from bath mats to bookcases.

Sports are big in Frisco. The Pizza Hut Park is the home of FC Dallas, a professional soccer team, as well as the location of a number of fields for kids’ clubs.

Designed after the architecture of Churchill Downs, Dr. Pepper Park shines as home field for the AA Frisco RoughRiders, a farm club of the Texas Rangers. This family-friendly facility features reasonable ticket prices and a playground, and their ladies’ restrooms have actually won an award for Best Ballpark Bathrooms! Done in pleasing colors with decorator touches (like a grapevine garland over the mirrors in one bathroom) and adequate “seating” — no long lines — these facilities are first-class. The park also recently won Ballpark Digest “Best Ballpark Improvements” out of all major and minor league parks. And the baseball team’s good, too.

Frisco’s not neglecting aesthetics, either. Private art installations complement their public art program. One of the most impressive is a collection of monumental bronze figures commemorating the Shawnee Trail. Another is the Texas Sculpture Garden, featuring pieces from the collection of Craig Hall. This is the largest private collection of contemporary Texas art on public display.

Remember those left-overs I mentioned earlier? Here are a couple of good places to get them. Randy’s Steakhouse, located in an historic home, serves great, hand-cut steaks and a killer bread pudding. TruFire Kitchen and Bar, a genuine Texas trattoria, serves Italian and Mediterranean dishes at prices that make this a repeat-visit venue, although the atmosphere is nice enough for a special occasion. I tried the Texas Pecan and Fig Salad — organic greens, peppered sweet Texas pecans, bleu cheese, pears and house-made Black Mission fig dressing — possibly the best salad I ever ate.

Top off a meal at the funky Double Dip Frozen Custard. This colorful ice creamery has locals lined up for delights like Mango Dangos and Piña Colada Sundaes.

For a town that was barely on my radar, Frisco has established itself as a definite “fave.” Just 200 miles down the highway, it’s a handy getaway offering some nice surprises.

ELAINE WARNER is an Edmond resident.