Origin
Older than Texas itself
Grapevine was settled in 1844 — a full year before Texas was admitted to the Union as the 28th state. It is the oldest incorporated settlement in Tarrant County and predates Dallas's neighboring suburbs by decades.
Grapevine, Texas · A field guide
Fun facts about the Christmas Capital of Texas.
Settled in 1844, wrapped around DFW Airport, anchored by nine wineries and a 60-mile shoreline. Here are the facts that explain why 24 million visitors land in Grapevine every year — and why it remains one of the best small commercial real estate markets in North Texas.
- 1844
- Settled
- 24M
- Visitors / yr
- 1.6M
- SF retail
- 17,207
- Acre airport
- 60 mi
- Shoreline
- 9
- Wineries
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Origin & Name
Settled 1844 · Older than the state of Texas
The Name
Named for wild mustang grapes
Early settlers found wild mustang grapevines blanketing the prairie and creek bottoms. They called the area Grape Vine Springs — eventually shortened to Grapevine.
Treaty Town
Sam Houston signed a treaty here
In 1843, Republic of Texas President Sam Houston camped on Grape Vine Prairie and negotiated a peace treaty with ten Native American tribes. A historical marker sits near the original site.
4.5
acres
Gaylord Texan atrium — enough to cover the Alamo 4×
02 / 07
Wine & Festival
Christmas Capital of Texas™ · 9 urban wineries
Wine Capital
The Christmas Capital of Texas™
Grapevine officially trademarked the title in 2009 and hosts 1,400+ holiday events across 40 days every winter — including the North Pole Express, ICE! at Gaylord Texan, and the Parade of Lights.
Wine Capital
Texas wine country, in the metroplex
Grapevine is home to nine urban wineries and tasting rooms — more than any other city in North Texas — and hosts the GrapeFest® festival, the largest wine festival in the Southwest.
1,400+
events
annual Christmas events across 40 days
03 / 07
DFW Airport
17,207 acres · Larger than Manhattan
Airport
DFW Airport sits on Grapevine land
The southern portion of DFW International Airport — including most of Terminal A and the original control tower — is technically within Grapevine city limits. Grapevine collects sales tax from airport concessions.
Airport
Bigger than Manhattan
DFW Airport covers 17,207 acres — larger than the entire island of Manhattan — and Grapevine borders it on the west and north.
$100k+
median
household income, top decile for Tarrant County
04 / 07
Main Street
80+ boutiques · 14 historic blocks
Main Street
Historic Main Street is a living museum
More than 80 boutiques, tasting rooms, glass-blowing studios, and restaurants line a 14-block stretch of original late-1800s and early-1900s storefronts.
Film
Hollywood films here too
Main Street and the Cotton Belt Railroad District have appeared in feature films, commercials, and Hallmark Christmas movies — production crews love the preserved storefronts.
Rail
Ride a 1920s steam train
The Grapevine Vintage Railroad runs heritage excursions out of the historic Cotton Belt Depot, including the seasonal North Pole Express — one of the city's signature attractions.
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Lake Grapevine
60 miles of shoreline · 8,000 acres
Lake Grapevine
8,000 acres of inland coastline
Lake Grapevine has roughly 60 miles of shoreline, four marinas, and two of the most-played public golf courses in DFW — all within ten minutes of downtown.
06 / 07
Hospitality & Retail
24M annual visitors · Gaylord, Mills, Great Wolf
Visitors
24 million visitors a year
Anchored by Gaylord Texan, Great Wolf Lodge, Grapevine Mills, Main Street, and the lake, Grapevine pulls in more annual visitors than most U.S. state capitals.
Retail
1.6 million square feet under one roof
Grapevine Mills is one of the largest indoor outlet and entertainment centers in Texas, with 180+ stores, Legoland Discovery Center, SEA LIFE Aquarium, and an AMC 30 theater.
Hospitality
Gaylord Texan's 4.5-acre atrium
The Gaylord Texan Resort's signature glass atrium covers 4.5 acres — large enough to enclose the entire footprint of the Alamo nearly four times over.
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Growth & Location
50,800 residents · $100k+ median income
Growth
50,800 residents — and counting
Grapevine's population has roughly doubled since 1990. Median household income exceeds $100,000, and the city consistently ranks among the top suburbs in DFW for quality of life.
Location
The center of everything
Grapevine sits at the intersection of SH 114 and SH 121, 20 minutes from downtown Fort Worth, 25 minutes from downtown Dallas, and four minutes from a DFW Airport terminal.
FAQ
About Grapevine.
- When was Grapevine, Texas founded?
- Grapevine was settled in 1844, a year before Texas joined the United States. It is the oldest incorporated settlement in Tarrant County.
- Why is it called Grapevine?
- Early settlers named the area after the wild mustang grapevines that covered the prairie and creek bottoms. The original name, Grape Vine Springs, was eventually shortened to Grapevine.
- Is DFW Airport in Grapevine?
- Yes — the southern portion of DFW International Airport, including most of Terminal A and the original control tower, sits within Grapevine city limits. Grapevine collects sales tax from airport concessions.
- What is Grapevine known for?
- Grapevine is the Christmas Capital of Texas™, home to nine urban wineries, historic Main Street, Lake Grapevine, Gaylord Texan, Grapevine Mills, and the Grapevine Vintage Railroad. It hosts roughly 24 million visitors a year.
- How big is Lake Grapevine?
- Lake Grapevine covers about 8,000 acres with roughly 60 miles of shoreline, four marinas, and two public golf courses.
- What is GrapeFest?
- GrapeFest® is Grapevine's annual wine festival on Historic Main Street — the largest wine festival in the Southwestern United States.
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