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    Historic Downtown McKinney Photos

    Recommended Reviews - Historic Downtown McKinney

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    Crystal K.

    I've been here twice. Lots of cute shops, friendly employees everywhere, yummy food, wine tastings and a really good coffee shop. It's a lovely place to spend an afternoon.

    Festival and parade of lights!
    Chetan S.

    What a wonderful parade of lights! Started on time and with great fan fare. The mayor and FD and Police initiated the parade and then there were many children representing school and groups that added to the parade and the festivities! We enjoyed it very much!

    Kurt V.

    Personally, I think the Historic Downtown McKinney area is my favorite downtown area of all that I have been to. It is small enough to preserve the small town historic charm, and large enough that it offers so much more than just a street of old buildings. Historic Downtown McKinney covers a large area radiating throughout an area centralized by an old historic courthouse that was once the county seat for Collin County. Today, the courthouse has become a performing arts center, so even in its current use it remains a hub of the area. On top of amazing shops, there are some really good restaurants in the area too. There are also bookstores, candy stores, antiques, and pretty much something for everyone! They also decorate and celebrate the seasons very nicely too. For example, for Christmas it is simply charming. If you are looking for something fun and unique to do, I highly recommend a stroll through the area and let your interests lure you into some of the unique offerings!

    Beautiful square with cute holiday tree lighting ceremony.
    Moriah H.

    Attended Home for the Holidays Thanksgiving weekend and this event, hosted by McKinney city government, is one of the best seasonal, downtown style events I have attended. My adult family wasn't sure if we would be entertained while remaining sober and something definitely aimed at kids, but rest assured we were throughly entertained for 2.5+ hours. After the tree lighting, my husband had to pull my dad and I out since we really wanted to stay later. Lots of cute photo ops and great holiday music. This might just turn into a great holiday tradition for us. The only thing that could be better is better religious representation and adding a children's choir performance to make the tree lighting itself a bigger production.

    Mia R.

    McKinney, you have my heart! The historic downtown area feels like you stepped into a storybook or set of a movie. When you hear about those cute small towns, McKinney is one that probably comes to mind. Came here with a friend for a wedding and it was such a great weekend stay. The weekend we came, they had the Arts in Bloom Festival, so it was hustling and bustling with a lot of people. We stayed in the heart of this area, so everything was a hop and skip away. Things close fairly early around here, so make sure to grab dinner at a decent time. The place is beautiful with a lot of great, local spots around!

    Andrea H.

    McKinney town square is a fun place to visit to shop and dine any day of the week, but this is especially true during the holiday festival the weekend after Thanksgiving. The festival is free to visit and there is free parking. Many of the activities are very affordable, so bring your whole family. The town square is dressed in lights and there are fun holiday decorations found on every corner and park bench. Selfie stations are throughout, so snap a photo with a reindeer or behind a snow globe or in a VW van. The streets are blocked from car traffic. This is a pedestrian friendly event. Artisans are setup in tents along the center of each street selling jewelry, clothing, accessories, woodwork, and art. The small mom and pop shops along the road are open late too, so you can cruise through them to check out the unique wares for sale and stock up on your Xmas shopping. Rides and activities for the kids are on every block. They have a bounce house, a climbing tower, a sled station with snow, and an actual ferris wheel! Even though we don't have kids, it was fun seeing others enjoying these activities. The city had Santa's workshop setup in a storefront where you could get a photo. We were much too late for the street performances, but there was also a stage with entertainment scheduled throughout the festival. If you have never been, it's worth a stroll to work off that Thanksgiving meal and to take a break from the leftovers. the piles of dishes, and possibly your overnight family guests. Enjoy an evening bundled up in the crisp air. Indulge in some mulled wine or hot cocoa, grab some freshly made donuts to share, and let the season be merry and bright!

    Raegan L.

    I'm a sucker for adorable and quaint downtowns, and downtown McKinney perfectly fits that mold! There are oodles of small, local-owned boutiques and eateries, which makes for the picturesque area to walk around and enjoy yourself (and probably spend some money). I came during a 4th of July parade which only heightened the activity and entertainment of the area, and I'm certainly glad I have family that lives in the vicinity so that I have an excuse to come back! If you're looking for something kind of laid back and fun to do in the area, why not check out dahn-tahn!

    Homemade candy apples!! 2020 Christmas.
    Melinda S.

    What do you do over the holidays during a pandemic? You visit the McKinney square! Everyone there was very respectful about wearing masks and keeping a safe distance. We were so grateful for the opportunity. It was my birthday and I chose Rick's Chophouse to celebrate, located directly on the square. My evening could not have been more perfect, exciting and memorable! To our surprise the streets were decorated with holiday lights, every door had a festive wreath, the courtyard had a huge Christmas tree, a merry go round, and so much more (see my pictures!). No matter your age or religion, this is a lovely place to visit. Take advantage of the photo opportunities, and do your best to $$$ support these family owned local businesses during this world wide pandemic.

    Steve D.

    We thoroughly enjoyed our brief visit walking and driving and shopping and eating in historic downtown McKinney. We were in town for a couple of days for an unplanned family event -- and had 3-4 hours on a Monday morning to explore our surroundings. We shopped and made purchases in 2-3 boutique shops -- wonderful merchandising and displays. We dined for brunch at Layered and experienced a wonderful breakfast. The downtown area surrounding the County Courthouse is vibrate and thriving -- didn't see a single storefront boarded up like you may see in other outlying counties. The tree lined streets with beautiful old homes made you feel you'd stepped back in time. Our next visit I'm sure will be a planned visit -- and one that lines up with the robust entertainment & cultural calendar that we learned about.

    Eric J.

    I love the feel to this small quaint historic town. The houses around it are very nice heart and maintained. Definitely a nice place to escape from all the huddle and bustle of a big city. Everyone is very friendly and they have a coffee shop, Filtered that makes the best cappuccino foam! Chicago can learn from them. Seriously, a nice place to live and wine, dine. I see a lot of potential in this area. My wife and I have been e noting this place

    Patricia J.

    Love this quaint quiet town's architecture. Lots of historic buildings and plenty of restaurants and boutique shops. A few options on coffee shops too. I am originally from Dallas Texas and are currently living in Down Town Chicago, so this is a place to unwind and relax. We enjoyed the peaceful pace and the atmosphere. However, the people gave us a look, not sure what that meant or what they were thinking king, but they gave us a look. We for one done dress like the local folks around here, and maybe we just had an aura ( when knows( but one thing I do know is that we are good people and we cause no problems. We are actually quite charming. Anyways, back to the experience. We had 5 nights and stayed at the Sheraton in McKinney right off of Central Express Way and this place was very close by. There was easy access to parking all the time we came here. Which is a blessing, trust me, in Chicago it's tuff to find parking space close by to your destination. Plus you are talking about big bucks for parking too, that's why this is also known as the Second City, aside from New York. Not sure if we would come back here on our next trip, as we were not quite welcomed the way we felt was a but awkward. I mean these Town folks are not discretely, they look at you like an outsider. But you know to each their own it was still nice, and we made the best out of it. Just one thing though, if you are looking for a coffee shop, skip the Snug on the Square if you are looking for high quality lattes or cappuccinos and their breakfast are not tasty. Plus if you sit on their patio, you will be fighting with their pesty flies.

    Street view

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    Lovely place to what around and spend your day. Lots of boutiques, art galleries, and wonderful restaurants.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Historic Downtown McKinney

    Review Highlights - Historic Downtown McKinney

    It was my birthday and I chose Rick's Chophouse to celebrate, located directly on the square.

    Mentioned in 18 reviews

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    Chestnut Square Historic Village

    Chestnut Square Historic Village

    4.4(17 reviews)
    0.2 mi

    This place is a treasure and I really enjoyed the experience we had here. We had come to the area…read morefor an event, and when the event ended we decided to stay and poke around a little bit. This is a collection of homes and other buildings (stores, church, etc) paying tribute to McKinney's past. Some are outfitted with actual artifacts from the original occupants, while others are displayed with like items from the period of McKinney's history. It was fascinating to walk through them and visualize what life must have been like. My hat is off to the city and to all the great people who make this treasure possible!

    Did you ever hear the saying," if it was a snake it would have bit you"? McKinney has been part of…read moremy life since childhood. Not long ago,it was a sleepy little city north of Dallas. No more. It's exploded and one of the good things that's come with that, Historical preservation. I've driven past this area for decades. Today I turned off the main road to check out some construction. Sitting right in front of me,the oldest house in McKinney! This little area of town has preserved several homes that go back to the beginning. I can't wait to return when I can access the inside of these great places that have been restored to time accurate living models. The grounds are always open,so you can stroll around imagining what it was like living in the area 100 years ago .

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    Chestnut Square Historic Village
    Chestnut Square Historic Village - Reception area front

    Reception area front

    Chestnut Square Historic Village

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    The Rose Gardens of Farmers Branch - Buzzing bees everywhere!

    The Rose Gardens of Farmers Branch

    4.7(19 reviews)
    24.8 miFarmer's Branch

    Cute garden that's well kept and taken care of! Nice for a short walk around or picnic day!read more

    If I had to describe the Rose Garden of Farmers Branch in one word, I'd use "lovely". I came here…read morefor the first time on Saturday and I must admit, I thought that this was going to be a much larger rose garden, however it is still very nice and well done, especially for the free free as part of a community park. Whoever thought of making this garden in the Parks and Recreation department deserves a round of applause. C'mon on out Leslie Knope! The garden is very charming and will make you feel like you just fell down the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland. It provides the perfect locale for a small photo shoot, picnic, or small garden party. I came here in early April which unfortunately is either too early or too late in the season as many of the rose bushes weren't in bloom. I definitely want to keep tabs to see when the best time would be to come to see it in full bloom. Aside from the Rose Garden, this park also has a nice pond/canal, a large playground, and a short trail that offers lots of secluded picnic tables along the way. I'm certainly no expert about parks, but there are certain parks that you go to for different things. Some parks are great for cookouts, some are great for exercise or walking, and some are excellent for festivals or large events like concerts. This park is superb for picnics. There are so many quaint areas here that are ideal for getting out the picnic blanket and basket. Or if you just want to spend your lunch break eating outside with a good book, there are plenty of picnic tables to choose from that provide the serenity that you're seeking.

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    The Rose Gardens of Farmers Branch
    The Rose Gardens of Farmers Branch
    The Rose Gardens of Farmers Branch

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    Cowtown Segway Adventures - Taking a break on the 7th Street bridge.

    Cowtown Segway Adventures

    4.8(77 reviews)
    51.7 miDowntown

    One of the coolest things to do in Fort Worth Texas. We planned the Segway tour a couple of weeks…read morein advance. This was my first time trying the segways. It's actually so easy to learn. I spent about 10 mins trying all the different things our tour guide asked me to practice. I pickled it up very easily. Everyone did so as well. Anyone can ride segways. I wish we had more segways all over the country. Tour started off in the downtown Fort Worth area. We stopped at many historic destinations along the way. Tour guide was very funny and very knowledgeable. My favorite part was by the riverside. Absolutely gorgeous weather to ride Segways and made our trip even more memorable with lots of great pics. Our tour guide took some incredible pics of us. Highly recommend this experience if you're trying to do something cool and fun.

    One of the best Segway tours I've ever had! Tim was an incredible guide--friendly, knowledgeable,…read moreand genuinely fun to be around. When I showed up and found the place closed, I called to check, and Tim kindly agreed to give me a tour even though I was the only guest. He made sure I felt comfortable throughout and kept the experience engaging with local history and stories. We cruised around the Trinity Garden, which ended up being one of my favorite parts. On top of that, he shared fantastic restaurant recommendations. It felt more like exploring the city with a friend than a formal tour. Huge thanks to Tim for making it such a memorable experience. I'd absolutely recommend this to anyone looking for something unique and enjoyable!

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    Cowtown Segway Adventures - Bella & Larry enjoyed the tour too!

    Bella & Larry enjoyed the tour too!

    Cowtown Segway Adventures
    Cowtown Segway Adventures - Fun on the street!

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    Fun on the street!

    Historic Downtown McKinney - landmarks - Updated May 2026

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