136 September 18 - 24, 2025 dallasobserver.com DALLAS OBSERVER Contents | ReadeRs’ PiCks | shoPPing & seRviCes | aRts & enteRtainment | Food & dRink | sPoRts & ReCReation green-side bunkers and tree-lined fair- ways. Cedar Crest is only one of two Dallas courses designed by the legend- ary A.W. Tillinghast. Golf lessons by professional golfers are available, too. 1800 Southerland Ave, 214-670-7615 golfcedarcrest.com › BEST RUN CLUB Braindead Running Club Braindead Run Club has been pacing through Dallas since before your brother, cousin, and neighbor were all doing it. The club meets every Monday at 6:50 p.m. at Westlake Brewing Com- pany. It has several different distances for all levels, but all participants get to indulge in a post-run free brew. There is no membership fee and it welcomes walkers and joggers for weekly runs down Swiss Avenue. 2816 Commerce St. Find the club on Facebook › BEST BOWLING ALLEY Bowl Lounge If we weren’t already won over by the large outdoor patio and impressive craft beer selection, the Big Lebowski art- work hung around the alley instantly let us know that the creators of Bowl Lounge had a vision, and they’ve suc- ceeded in bringing it to life. The menu and bar program are elevated from your typical bowling alley selections, and pool tables and outdoor games mean that once your round of bowling is over, there’s still plenty of fun to be had. 167 Turtle Creek Blvd. 972-925-0095 bowllounge.com › BEST HEATED WORKOUT Studio Santé Despite only opening its doors in March, Studio Santé has quickly developed a cult following for its infrared-heated classes. A rotating cast of some of Dallas’ most popular fitness instructors are available to lead you through mat pilates, yoga, sculpt or HeroBoard workouts. We love that the University Park studio is decorated to feel like home, because set- ting up your sweaty mat next to a cozy fireplace makes the intense workout just a little more bearable. Just make sure to set an alarm if you want in: trying to get off the waitlist for these perpetually pop- ular classes is a rite of passage for Dallas’ Lululemon-clad set. 6726 Snider Plaza 945-306-4240 studiosantedallas.com › BEST INDOOR ADVENTURE PARK Fritz’s Adventure In what has perhaps surprisingly be- come a competitive category in the Dallas area, we have to hand it to out- of-state newcomer Fritz’s Adventure in the Colony. Its sheer size is almost intimidating: At 100,000 square feet, the location next to Scheel’s has a zip line over 400 feet long, seemingly countless mazes, slides and ropes courses, and a 48-foot “city wall” that offers a fun, urban spin on the standard indoor rock climbing wall concept. 5651 Nebraska Furniture Mart Drive, The Colony 417-320-6138 fritzsadventure.com › BEST MINI GOLF PopStroke Gone are the days of mini golf fun cli- maxing with putting a ball through the bottom of a windmill on Astroturf- covered concrete. Cocktails, pub grub and themed indoor courses have be- come the norm for those looking to test out their putter. Co-owned by Ti- ger Woods, PopStroke in The Colony has two courses designed by legit pro golf course designers that say “Augusta National” more than “Putt-Putt.” You don’t even have to walk to a bar to or- der drinks there either. There’s an app for that. 5770 Grandscape Blvd, The Colony 469-262-0710 popstroke.com › BEST HIKING Dogwood Canyon Audubon Center Outsiders may think the Dallas area is nothing but one big, flat paved park- ing lot for churches and shopping centers, but forests, lakes and hills and canyons are all within close prox- imity. Dogwood Canyon may not be grand, but experienced hikers and stroller-pushing families alike will find themselves negotiating a trio of gorgeously scenic trails, lush with plenty of shade and bird-watching op- portunities, all just a few minutes south of town. 1206 FM1382, Cedar Hill 469-526-1980 dogwood.audubon.org › BEST PILATES STUDIO FOR MOMS Align Studio 2025 is the year of pilates, and boutique studios are popping up everywhere to meet the moment. Few match the heart and heat of Align Studio. Fitness guru Adriana Talbot launched her Lower Greenville studio in May 2024 while pregnant, infusing the space with grit, warmth and community. Align offers sweat-drenching pilates, sculpt and yoga classes in unheated, warm and hot tempered options. It’s one of the few studios that truly caters to moms, with prenatal pilates and New Mama Sculpt, a bring-your-own-baby postnatal strength class. How’s that for BYOB? 1902 Greenville Ave. 703-303-0437 alignstudiodallas.com › BEST MAT PILATES CLASS Jungle Studios Let’s be honest, there’s a pilates stu- dio on every corner, so the standard for the city’s best is high. Jungle Stu- dios is the perfect combination of ev- erything you might need. The chic setting is inviting. The classes are challenging, but the instructors are encouraging and the location in Bishop Arts is primo for post-workout window shopping or grabbing a latte. Jungle Studios doesn’t just do pilates; it also offers yoga and strength classes, but you’ll never have to worry about accidentally catapulting your- self off a reformer in a loud and em- barrassing clang. 200 N Bishop Ave. No. 106 junglestudiofitness.com › BEST REFORMER PILATES STUDIO SESSION Pilates Get ready to feel the burn. Pilates is all the rave now, but SESSION has been serving Dallas since 2016 and now boasts seven locations, including one in Nashville. The classes are small, mean- ing the instructors are attentive and de- tail-oriented, perfecting form while keeping energy levels high. If you’re looking for the perfect tone, look no further than SESSION, but move quickly because the classes book fast. Multiple locations. sessionpilates.com › BEST BEGINNER YOGA INSTRUCTOR Alex Jalbert It’s safe to say we aren’t Dallas’ most flexible newsroom, but the 101 classes taught by instructor Alex Jalbert are ac- cessible to all. Jalbert’s humor wards off the insecurity that comes when trying something new, and the pretension that often seeps into workout classes. He is especially gifted at guiding the flow through specific movement instruc- tions rather than pose names, so you don’t have to know what the “Cobra Pose” looks like to keep up with the class. Jalbert has bounced around Dal- las yoga studios recently and seems to have settled at Yoga Zama. alexjalbertyoga.com Courtesy Fritz’s Adventure Park Fritz’s Adventure // BEST INDOOR ADVENTURE PARK
