Grapevine Blends Old Texas Soul with Modern Fun

Step into a town where vintage charm and playful adventures go hand in hand.

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Is Grapevine a small town? It certainly feels like one with its charming, walkable Main Street lined with local shops and restaurants housed in beautiful vintage buildings. With authentic early 1900s architecture and well-done replicas, the entire neighborhood is designated as a National Register Historic District. 

But back in 1843, Grapevine was little more than a tangle of wild mustang grapes when Sam Houston gathered here with leaders of 10 Indigenous tribes (and Texas was its own country). They signed a peace treaty that cleared the path for Anglo-American homesteaders, and the town of Grapevine was settled the following October. Five years later, Camp Worth was built just to the west on the banks of the Trinity River. 

It’s easy to see why quaint Grapevine is called the “Christmas Capital of Texas” with its family-friendly merriment and nostalgia-fueled festivities. But for those of us with a taste for the offbeat, quirky, and mysterious — October brings a bevy of brouhahas and curious goings-on to the brick sidewalks of the city. 

Wine tours run year-round in Grapevine, but this month Grapevine Food Tours is offering Oktoberfest Beer & Bites, a guided stroll with craft beers, barbecue, and fudge. Other tour combos include margaritas-wine-chocolate, French food-Italian food-pie, and bourbon-barbecue-shooting range (not in that order). If you prefer your supper with a side of hokey horror, Texas Star Dinner Theater hosts Wild West murder mystery shows every weekend. 

Autumn’s crunchy leaves and cool breezes create a storybook setting at Nash Farm, an 1859 farmstead just a few blocks off Main Street. October brings homespun shenanigans and old-fashioned fun: an outdoor pasture supper under the full moon, a 1950s-themed barn dance with a fried-chicken dinner and pie auction, and a fall festival featuring farm animals, chuckwagon demos, and cake walk. You can also take a lace-making workshop and learn how sheep wool becomes a shawl — and chitchat with costumed characters about their pseudo-pioneer lives. 

Fast-forward to the railroad boomtimes of 1896 when Grapevine’s beloved steam engine “Puffy” first hit the tracks. It’s now the oldest continuously operating steam locomotive in the South, found on the Grapevine Vintage Railroad. Puffy and other old-school engines pull genuine 1920s and 1930s railcars on themed excursions, including Trick ‘R Treat Trains for the kids and the 21-plus Oktoberfest Craft Brew Train and Witches Brew Train for adults rolling out with their friends. 

Keep the night going on a ghost tour from Grape Vine Springs Winery, which will no doubt take you by the Calaboose, a creepy, one-room jailhouse from 1914. You get a glass of wine with your tour, but if you need additional liquid courage, Messina Hof Winery is just a block away in the historic Wallis Hotel. They have 40 wines to sample, plus chocolate pairings and cheese boards with winery-made jams and mustards. 

And you could keep going. Grapevine’s Main Street neighborhood has more than 70 locally owned tasting rooms, art galleries, eateries, and boutiques — not a bad outcome for a brushy tangle of wild grapes. 

Explore Grapevine 

Savor: Wander through Harvest Hall, and you might think you’re in a grand European train station with the elegant, tiled floors and soaring ceilings with exposed iron trusses. But when you see the menus, you’ll know you’re in America: barbecue brisket eggrolls, frozen margaritas with inverted bottles of Corona, fully loaded lobster cheese fries with bacon and aioli. With eight eateries (and two bars), the food hall has plenty of options, from arepas to gyros to Nashville-style chicken. For something more sit-down, head next door to Mac’s on Main for primo prime rib and seafood or to Bacchus Kitchen for a wow-worthy wine list and Mediterranean-inspired cuisine. 

Shop: Spend an afternoon browsing Main Street’s boutiques for gift-ready goodies, artsy trinkets, and wine-lover decor. Multi-vendor Market on Main is a terrific place to start, but don’t overlook niche spots like British Emporium (gourmet teas and treats from across the pond) and Karma Handicrafts (far-flung treasures from Thailand and India). Peruse holiday adornments at Good Things for All Seasons and pick up your next juicy read at woman-owned Talking Animal Books. Open-air artisan markets pop up on various Saturdays, and the indoor Farmers Market of Grapevine sells Texas-made eats year-round. 

Enjoy: Grapevine’s quirky attractions go far beyond Main Street — they even stretch into other dimensions at Meow Wolf, a rainbow-colored, rabbit hole puzzle playground with refrigerator portals into cosmic jungles … yeah, it’s kind of hard to describe. Nearby you’ll find Cowboys Golf Club, the world’s only NFL-themed golf course, and at Parr Park there’s a rock art trail with thousands of painted stones. You can also sign up for unique classes like charcuterie board workshops at YaYaYum Boards, paperweight-making at Vetro Glassblowing Studio, and wine blending at Grape Vine Springs Winery. 

Snooze: Located right beside the rail station, boutique Hotel Vin is ideal for exploring the historic district on foot. The fruit of the vine inspires this Autograph Collection hotel, which features an exceptional wine program, including meet-the-sommelier events and a members-only “hidden” wine cave. Sip a sidecar cocktail at swanky Magnum speakeasy or feast your way through Harvest Hall and Bacchus Kitchen + Bar. Expansions coming to Hotel Vin in 2026 include a spa and outdoor pool. If you’re on a family adventure in Grapevine, the waterpark resort Great Wolf Lodge completed a $42 million renovation this year with new restaurants, arcade games, virtual reality experiences, laser tag, and a mini bowling alley.  

How to Get There: Where else can you take a train so easily from Fort Worth? Skip the traffic and board the TEXRail train from either Fort Worth T&P Station or Central Station (parking is free for 20 hours). TEXRail runs to Grapevine’s Main Station, right at Harvest Hall and Hotel Vin. Travel time is approximately 40 minutes and costs $2; buy tickets on the GoPass app or at the station’s machines. To drive, hop on Highway 121 N from I-35 for about 21 miles (you’ll merge with I-820 and TX-183 in some parts). Exit to Grapevine Historical District and turn left onto Main Street. It’s about a 30-minute trip with no traffic.