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Arts & Entertainment

Who said Texas was boring? We rank in America's top 10 'most fun states,' but we knew that already

Someone wants to brag on Texas? We'll allow it.

WalletHub, the personal finance website that loves to rank things, announced today that Texas lands 7th overall on its 2018 Most Fun States list.

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"There are certain states where fun is not just an option but also a way of life," the website says. "These states offer such a variety of activities that everyone will be able to find something that excites them."

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We get that.

Here in Dallas-Fort Worth, we've compiled an ultimate guide to fun places and a master calendar with recurring festivals and events we think anyone and everyone should experience at least once.

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For its Most Fun study, WalletHub compared all 50 states across two main categories, Entertainment & Recreation and Nightlife, before breaking those down into 26 key indicators, assigning varying weight to considerations ranging from "average beer & wine price" and "beach quality" to "music festivals per capita" and "ideal weather."

Texas ranked first in having the most restaurants, movie theaters and amusement parks per capita and fifth for most fitness centers per capita.

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Few surprises there.

D-FW has long been known as the 'eatertainment' capital of the country and popular movie chain Alamo Drafthouse continues a statewide takeover. Last week, GQ named Dallas the 'next best new food city' in the U.S.

But, it's not all epic water parks and State Fair selfies that contribute, or detract, from Texas' overall fun ranking.

We admit, it takes awhile to "access" some of Texas' more remote national parks. May we...
We admit, it takes awhile to "access" some of Texas' more remote national parks. May we offer a fun morning at Cedar Hill State Park while you wait?(Lawrence Jenkins / Special Contributor)

One major factor that negatively affects Texas' score seems at first shocking given the state's lauded natural beauty. It makes more sense in a bigger-- much bigger -- context.

The study ranks Texas among the "Worst Access to National Parks" section, but it's worth noting that half of the national parks in Texas exist west of Abilene, nearly full day's drive from the state's most-populous regions.

We consider that diversity part of Texas' overall appeal. As they say, the stars at night are big and bright not in 'burbs, but deep in the heart of Texas. Sure, it takes awhile to get to Big Bend National Park or Lake Meredith but ... oh, do go.

Or, visit one of our myriad state parks for crying out loud. 

Other questionable judgment from WalletHub over the years:

When they said Garland isn't a great place to celebrate New Years (Thanks for that hot tip...)

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How Plano has become the metaphorical valedictorian/prom queen of North Texas (We're not arguing, but seriously, does she have to win everything? Either way, she's not stressing over it.)

The scurrilous claim that coffee shops, or a lack thereof, keep Grand Prairie down (You want coffee shops? Here are more than 50 on our ultimate D-FW coffee shop guide.)

Right on the money:

That time WalletHub said North Texas wallops Houston in its love for frightfully wonderful Halloween celebrations

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When they gave Dallas a touchdown for the way it treats football fans

Recognition that our "higher the hair, the closer to Jesus" motto has kept Texans righteously ranked on the Most Sinful Cities list