It seems that everyone is raving in one way or another about pickleball these days. The burgeoning paddle sport is even championed by athletes like Kevin Durant and LeBron James. So, if you feel the urge to see what all the fuss is about, we suggest you hightail it to Chicken N Pickle. It's all right there in the name: Chicken N Pickle provides excellent courts for playin' and tasty chicken for eatin'. It's fun for the whole family but also great for a friends' day out thanks to the solid selection of beers from local breweries.

Yeah, OK, obviously those who know about this place probably want to gate-keep, but it's not like it's that big of a secret, so calm down. This pretty little trail is a nice break from the Katy Trail, which is always super packed with people who are a little too much in shape. The trestle trail goes from The Cedars to Moore Park, so it is pretty short, but there are really beautiful views of the Trinity River and the surrounding area. Drop your preconceived notions about the Dallas portion of the river ... but do not get in the water. The trail is peaceful, a nice slice of nature in an otherwise desolate industrial area. Chances are you probably don't get over to the area much, so why not try something new?

It starts and ends at what looks like someone's backyard, but in between it explores a verdant terrain of rocky, low-lying hills that includes some of the best hiking in DFW. Tucked along Sharps Branch, a delicate stream fed by nearby Lake Grapevine, the Rocky Point Trail offers more than 4 miles of rarely busy paths snaking under canopies of dense forest with plenty of shade. Do yourself a favor and check it out in spring, when it's flush with vibrant flowers, scurrying wildlife and symphonies of birds providing a soundtrack of your progress. Just be sure to download a trail map beforehand and leave the bluetooth speaker at home.

Batters are always up at D-Bat East Dallas. At D-Bat facilities across Dallas-Fort Worth, you can choose to be the batter or the catcher. The machines at D-Bat can hurl balls at you from a speed of 40–70 miles per hour. The place can even set you up with one of its many coaches to help you fine-tune your form. It's the perfect spot for individuals or groups looking for a little physical fun. Cages can be booked in half-hour increments, and they all come with baseballs, softballs, and L-Screen and a batting tee.

At any of Zero Latency's locations across DFW, you can find some of the greatest free-roam virtual reality experiences. Take on Vaas and his men from Ubisoft's Far Cry 3 in Far Cry VR Dive Into Insanity, go on a sci-fi adventure called Singularity, kill zombies in Undead Arena and do lots more at Zero Latency. You can bring up to eight friends for a 30-minute session that will leave you craving more. Zero Latency offers something first-timers and experienced VR gamers can both enjoy.

Mike Sirois departed his position as a midday producer for 1310 The Ticket in June 2022. Through his many years at the sports talk giant, he played the role of a much bigger personality than that of a behind-the-mic knob-turner. His combo of stoner humor and emotional honesty resonated with listeners who wanted more. As a member of 97.1 The Freak's The Downbeat since its inception last October, Sirois has indeed given more. He's found his groove as a marquee voice among a collection of some of Dallas' best-known radio names including Mike Rhyner and Jeff "Skin" Wade. Anything goes, as Sirois engages humorously and sarcastically on a station that goes far beyond sports.

Dallas has long been home to one of the most prolific and flexible sports television play-by-play announcers in the country. Many are familiar with the deep-voiced Mark Followill for his always stellar performance on Dallas Mavericks broadcasts, but now soccer fans across the U.S. and beyond can hear the former FC Dallas broadcaster weekly as one of the featured play-by-play voices for Apple TV's inaugural season as exclusive rightsholder for Major League Soccer matches. The man who has called many nationally televised college football games and even World Cup soccer matches has teamed up with a different, unfamiliar TV partner each week this season and has still made it sound way too easy.

When popular 1310 The Ticket personalities Dan McDowell and Jake Kemp resigned in July, it seemed as though it would be a while before we heard from the hosts of The Hang Zone again. But less than a week later the duo released the first episode of their new podcast, The Dumb Zone. The Ticket's parent company quickly requested the show to cease and desist, and when the show kept cranking out episodes on its Patreon page, the company sued McDowell and Kemp for violating the non-compete clause in their contracts. As July rolled into August, more legal developments continued and the pair kept discussing them on new episodes and in media interviews. Passionate listeners devoured every juicy detail made publicly available in court filings. Good thing they made a lot of money through subscribers. Attorneys aren't cheap.

If you've never visited the T. Boone Pickens YMCA downtown, you may think this is a sentimental pick. The building is likely to become something other than a gym in the near future thanks to a $12 million sale. But those who've used their lunch breaks to play a game of pickup basketball or have skipped happy hour to do a few extra reps in the expansive weight room there know this spot has it all. For decades, having a convenient gym did not require sacrificing quality of selection when it came to fitness classes, swimming, weights, racquetball and so much more offered by the Y on Akard Street. Should the downtown location eventually be no more, Dallas will be one of the very few major American cities without a downtown YMCA gym, and that's not a good look.

Is it really true, as Christopher Cross sang, that "if the wind is right you can sail away / And find serenity"? We're asking for ... um ... a friend, see? Yeah, this friend went sailing on the Pacific one time and didn't find serenity. He found out that projectile vomiting is a real thing. But we must admit, a recent recommendation to try out Sail With Scott on Lake Ray Hubbard looks tempting enough to risk a little motion sickness. The company offers group and private trips aboard Seawolf, a 40-foot-long by 25-foot-wide sailing catamaran, hand-built from beautiful Spanish cedar by founder Scott Self and a team of workers over a two-year period. Self captained the boat on cruises from 2008 until his death from cancer in 2020. His family continues the operation, setting sail from the Harbor in Rockwall. Seawolf seats up to 49 on its open deck, and it offers sunset, starlight and daytime cruises of one hour to 90 minutes. The Seawolf is also available to book for private charters.