I got a bit behind in finishing this post about our stay at the Vineyards Campground and Cabins in Grapevine as we visited there in mid April of 2024. Oh well, better late than never…

Grapevine, Texas, has a rich and diverse history that dates back to the early 19th century. The area was originally inhabited by the Caddo Indians before European settlers arrived. In 1843, General Sam Houston, representing the Republic of Texas, met with leaders of several Native American tribes in the area to negotiate a peace treaty. This meeting took place near present-day Grapevine, giving the city its name.

The area began to attract settlers due to its fertile soil and abundance of natural resources. In 1844, the first permanent settlers, including families like the Tarrant and Wallace families, established homesteads in the area. Grapevine’s development was boosted in the late 19th century with the arrival of the railroad, which facilitated trade and travel, leading to the growth of local businesses and agriculture.

In 1907, Grapevine was officially incorporated, and the city continued to develop through the 20th century, maintaining its agricultural roots while gradually evolving into a more suburban community. The historic downtown area, with its well preserved buildings, stands as a testament to the city’s past and has become a focal point for cultural and social activities. Grapevine Mills which opened in 1997, offers a mix of retail, dining, and entertainment options that attract both locals and tourists. With over 1.6 million square feet of retail space, it is home to more than 200 stores, as well as a variety of entertainment and dining venues.

Today, Grapevine is known not only for its historical significance but also for its wineries, festivals, and a strong sense of community. Its blend of historic charm and modern amenities makes it a unique and vibrant place within the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

All that said, we mostly spent time here visiting my sister, Pam and an old friend Kelli and her husband Bill and family. In the end we had to leave the park early due to high water levels on the lake but even then, we had no idea how bad the flooding would get. I’ll start with the good. The park is gorgeous, well maintained and definitely a great place to stay if you are in the area.

We stayed in site 51, which as it turns out is the site at the lowest elevation in the park. When the water started to rise, our site was the first to be flooded. Areas of Texas received daily heavy storms for quite a while and flooding was inevitable. It’s funny, but when we first got here we talked about how close the water was to our trailer but we dismissed it thinking they must be able to control the water level pretty closely. Well, we were wrong. The day the picture above was taken, they cut off sewer to the waterfront sites including ours.

We have followed the water levels at the lake after we left which has been about 2 months ago and with continuing flooding rains it reached a level of 554.6 feet. This is 16 feet above the level where it was just reaching our patio when we left and only about 9 feet below the all time high level of 563.5 in November of 1981.

Park Review – The Vineyards Campground & Cabins

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
Location: Grapevine, TX
Type: City Park
Check-in/Check-out times: 2:00/12:00
Site Quality / Amenities: Roads and most pads are asphalt although some of the pads appear to have been replaced recently with concrete. Each site has a concrete patio with a picnic table and many are covered. There is also a grill and a fire pit at each site. There is a walking trail through the woods which takes you out of the big city and puts you in a forest.
Access: The park is in the middle of Fort Worth and Dallas, on the north end of DFW airport so roads can be confusing and are typically congested. We arrived on a Sunday and came in from the west utilizing I-35W to TX-170 and then TX-114 taking the Northwest Highway (business 114) exit and going east to Dooley and that wasn’t too bad. Travelling in the area on the weekends or at least during non-peak times is recommended.
Staff: All interactions were friendly and accommodating. It was made very clear that you needed to be out of the site by checkout time.
Cellular/WiFi: We had very good Verizon service here with 5Guw speeds of 194 Mbps down and 22.4 Mbps up. Starlink speeds were also good at 150 Mbps download and 13 Mbps down. WiFi is available in the park but we didn’t use it.
Restaurants: Esparza’s Mexican in Grapevine was very good and had decent Margaritas too. Willhoite’s, a restaurant open in Grapevine since 1981 was just OK. Anna liked the chicken fried steak but my Old Fashioned burger on a Brioche bun was not what I had hoped for.
Nearby parks: We didn’t look at any other parks nearby.
What we liked: The park was immaculately maintained. Grass was apparently cut weekly and whenever someone checked out of a site they cleaned everything including wiping down the table and the power pedestal. I don’t think we’ve ever seen that attention to detail. They also regularly patrol the park which gives a sense of security. The park is within the city on Grapevine lake but feels like you are out in the country.
What we didn’t like: Airplane noise going into and out of DFW can be very loud as the park is only about 3 miles from the western most runways. Of course, they can also provide some entertainment as well.
Verdict: We will definitely stay here again next time we stay in the area. I would rate it 5 stars if it wasn’t in a big city area and very close to DFW airport.