McKinney Texas is the county seat of Collin County Texas. It is part of the Dallas-Fort Worth suburbs.
We visited McKinney on our cross-country road trip and had a great day! Let’s talk about things to do in McKinney Texas, what we loved on our visit, and why you might want to stop by!
Where is McKinney Texas?
How far is McKinney Texas from Dallas Texas? McKinney TX is about 33 mi (53 km) northeast of Dallas, Texas, or about a 30-40 minute drive.
McKinney Texas is about 19 mi (30 km) from Farmersville Texas. That’s about a 30-minute drive.
A bit of McKinney Texas history
mckinneytexas.org and Wikipedia both give some interesting history insights for McKinney.
McKinney Texas was incorporated in 1849 and then again in 1859. After Collin County was formed, there was a desire to move the county seat closer to the center of the county. The area now known as McKinney was chosen to be the seat.
McKinney benefitted from the introduction of railroads and became an area hub for agriculture, milling, schooling, and publication. According to Wikipedia, both Collin County and McKinney were named for Collin McKinney. He played a crucial role in Texas separating from Mexico.
Things to do in McKinney Texas
McKinney, TX combines a modern suburban area with a quaint historic downtown area. The McKinney Texas Historic Downtown has cute small-town vibes with shops, cafes, restaurants, and historical buildings. Let’s talk about some great things to do in McKinney Texas.
Explore historic downtown McKinney Texas
The McKinney historic downtown is quaint, very walkable, and filled with historical sights. On our visit, street parking was ample. We found everything to be easily walkable.
Our day took us through pretty streets lined with shops and eateries. We had great coffee and a matcha latte at Filtered Coffee. Then, we went out to explore some of the other attractions below.
A stop at Patina Green Home and Market rounded out our visit. We had a nice salad, a cookie, and some chocolates. Their decor is lovely. The bathroom is downright gorgeous!
Consider stopping by the Collin County History Museum located in the 1911 Federal Building. You can learn more about the history of McKinney and more! Admission is free on the few days per week it is open.
Historic downtown McKinney was our introduction to the city. We really loved exploring! We think you will as well. I’d recommend giving yourself at least a couple of hours to explore.
Visit Chestnut Square Historic Village
Chestnut Square Historic Village and its historic buildings were our next stop. Chestnut Square houses some of the oldest buildings in McKinney such as the Faires House.
According to chestnutsquare.org, Chestnut Square is meant to give an impression of what life was like in Collin County from 1854-1940. The square has six historic homes and replicas of a school, chapel, and store. Other time-accurate artifacts are included for realism. Some of the houses originally existed on the current site. Others, like The Faires and Taylor Houses, were moved to this site!
Tours of the village run a few days a week. A trolley tour is also available at that link.
Stop in some McKinney art galleries
Historic downtown McKinney Texas is home to multiple art galleries. McKinney Art Gallery has gorgeous work from many local artists! It was a great place to visit. Local artist Mary Ballering was on site and welcoming for a lovely chat. I’d recommend it if you’re in the area. Last Art Gallery is another well-regarded gallery that’s worth a visit.
Hit up the McKinney Texas farmers market at Chestnut Square
The McKinney farmers market is held every Saturday at Chestnut Square. You’ll find fresh produce, prepared foods, hot foods, crafts, coffee, and more!
Walk or drive past homes with fun architecture on N. Tennessee St
Our friend took us by a row of cute homes on N. Tennessee St. They have a distinct style including several fun and twisty chimneys.
I couldn’t find any history or info on these homes, but they’re worth a look on your way to or from historic downtown McKinney. Please let us know in the comments if you have any info on these homes.
Have the best Texas BBQ brisket at Hutchin’s BBQ!
Our friends suggested that we get Texas BBQ for dinner. We heartily agreed! They took us to Hutchin’s BBQ. Texas BBQ is known for delicious smoked beef brisket.
Holy cow, this was the best Texas BBQ and best Texas BBQ brisket we ever had! We ordered it fatty and loved every juicy bite! The bark was equally yummy.
Hutchin’s BBQ McKinney Texas serves meats by the pound and is self-serve for sides. We also tried a Texas Twinkie (jalapeno stuffed with cream cheese & brisket wrapped with bacon and smoked), burnt ends, and spicy sausage. Everything was awesome.
For sides, we tried their delicious green beans, mac and cheese, and fries. All dine-in food includes dessert. They offer banana pudding, peach cobbler, and soft-serve ice cream. The banana pudding was my favorite, the soft serve was a hit, and the cobbler was solid.
What a great place to eat true Texas BBQ! If you’re nearby, come and get some brisket! It was the best Texas BBQ we’ve ever had.
Get outdoors at the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary
The Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary is a famous attraction in McKinney. It combines a science museum with outdoor spaces, a butterfly garden, and nature trails!
The museum website has info on tickets and more details about the exhibits you can see during your visit.
Explore more businesses and attractions!
With only one day in McKinney, we’ve surely missed some other goodies! Explore the town and tell us about more great things to do in McKinney Texas in the comments below! We might even update the post to include your suggestions 🙂
More photos on Instagram
Wrapping up
We loved our visit to the city of McKinney Texas! What do you think after reading this? Will you stop by? Have you already visited? Tell us about your favorite things to do in the comments below!
I just moved to McKinney and opened a carpet cleaning business. I don’t know the area at all, so this was really helpful. I can’t wait to check it all out. Thank you!