In Dallas, Southern hospitality and southwestern charm meet modern style with a side of Texas swagger. Whether you’re traveling with friends, family, your significant other, or exploring the city solo, these top attractions, hotels, restaurants and nightlife will give you a true taste of life in the Big D.
Top 10 Attractions and Museums
1. Honor JFK
Brush up on your history and honor one of our most beloved Presidents, John F. Kennedy, at the Sixth Floor Dealey Museum. It’s located at the former Texas School Book Depository, the very site where Lee Harvey Oswald assassinated JFK on November 22, 1963
2. Admire the masters.
Don’t miss the acclaimed exhibits at the Dallas Museum of Art, the Nasher Sculpture Center and the Crow Collection of Asian Art.
3. Shop ’til you drop.
With more shopping malls per person than any city in America, Dallas is a shopper’s paradise. Be sure to check out North Park and the Galleria. Grapevine Mills, a 30-minute drive from downtown, is the ultimate outlet stop, boasting more than 200 of the best names in retail, all at discount prices.
4. Catch a game.
From the Cowboys and Rangers to the Mavs and Stars, Dallas fans are passionate about their teams. So grab a cold one and “root, root, root for the home team.”
5. Listen to the music.
Whether it’s the Dallas Symphony Orchestra at Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, a local Dallas band at Liquid Lounge or Curtain Club in Deep Ellum, or jazz at Balcony Club, be sure to check out Dallas’ vibrant live music scene.
6. Free fall through the Texas sky.
Serious thrill seekers should head straight to the Zero Gravity Thrill Amusement Park, where they can enjoy five heart-pounding, fear-inducing rides, including Nothin’ but Net, where you’ll be dropped from 16 feet for a free fall into a net – no safety harness or ropes attached. It’s just you and the Texas sky.
7. See the Big 5 (and more!) in the Big D.
From lions roaming the African savanna to tropical parrots in the Amazonian rainforest to sharks exploring the ocean depths, it’s fun for the whole family at the Dallas Aquarium and the Dallas Zoo. Even more fun? Getting discount coupons!
8. Dig for dinosaur bones.
Relive the days when dinosaurs roamed, unlock the secrets of our DNA and discover the beauty of the Texas night sky at the Dallas Museum of Nature and Science, a three-in-one museum that combines nature exhibits, science experiments and an interactive children’s museum.
9. Beat the summer heat.
Visiting in the summer? Take the kids to escape Dallas’ legendary heat with a plunge down the water slides at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor.
10. Practice your swing.
With warm temperatures from March to October, Dallas is home to year-round golfing and has hundreds of courses. Don’t have time for a full 18 holes? Check out Top Golf.
Top 10 Restaurants and Nightlife
1. Dine above it all.
Downtown Dallas is a modern cityscape of sleek skyscrapers and architectural gems designed by the likes of Frank Lloyd Wright and I. M. Pei. Dine above it all at Wolfgang Puck’s signature restaurant Five Sixty, atop the 50-story Reunion Tower. Sip cocktails and snack on sashimi while enjoying a 360-degree view of Dallas from the rotating ball.
2. Eat at the top steakhouse in Dallas.
No visit to Dallas would be complete without a visit to a steakhouse. Satisfy your carnivorous cravings at Del Frisco’s, one of Dallas’ most famous steakhouses.
3. Conquer the Mambo Taxi Margarita.
You can’t leave Dallas without eating Tex Mex, and ground zero for your Tex Mex culinary experience is Mi Cocina. This beloved local chain is famous for their Mambo Taxi margaritas; have too many and you’ll need a taxi to drive you home!
4. Dance the night away.
From pulsating techno clubs to two steppin’ Country Western, Dallas is home to a vibrant nightlife. Get your groove on at one of Dallas top clubs and dance the night away.
5. Chill out on the patio.
Stay cool at night with a visit to one of Dallas’ favorite patio bars. Be sure to check out the scene at Gingerman, Bolsa, and Jack’s Backyard. No trip to the Big D would be complete without a night hanging out on the patio.
6. Eat Iron Chef style.
When the head chef has won an Iron Chef competition (Kent Rathbun defeated Iron Chef Bobby Flay in battle) you know you’re in for an innovative culinary treat. You’ll get that and more at Abacus, an upscale restaurant that combines Pacific Rim cuisine with contemporary flavors for an unforgettable meal. Don’t miss the four-course tasting menu!
7. Explore Deep Ellum.
Take a break from the Highland/Uptown bar scene and explore this eclectic and vibrant neighborhood three blocks east of downtown Dallas. Enjoy the $2 Happy Hour specials at the Double Wide Bar (yes, it’s décor is ‘trailer trash chic’) and then bust out your Thriller moves at eXcuses eXtreme Café (it’s a mild mannered art-house cafe by day and a non-stop dance club by night).
8. Sample New Millennium Southwestern.
Award-winning chef Stephen Pyles spins together the dynamic flavors of Latin, Spanish, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food at his namesake restaurant, creating innovative ‘New Millennium Southwestern’ cuisine. Not to be missed? The 21-ounce Cowboy Ribeye steak.
9. Go big at Hibiscus.
For big steaks, big lobsters, big portions, (and big prices), visit Hibiscus. This restaurant has been a staple of the Dallas culinary scene since it opened in 2005, with loyal patrons raving about the delicious food and fantastic service.
10. Learn to two-step.
For a truly unique night on the town, throw on your denim, boots and a 10-gallon hat and head over to Round-Up Saloon, a gay-friendly country western bar and club. No matter which way you swing, you’ll be dancing all night to the great country western hits. Practice your line dancing with free lessons on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday nights at 8:30pm.
Top 10 places to stay
1. Stay in the heart of the Big D.
The ultra-contemporary (and ultra-trendy) W Dallas is popular with everyone from business travelers to couples on a romantic weekend getaway. Don’t miss the 16th floor infinity pool for an amazing view of the Dallas skyline.
2. Dive in at the Joule.
When you aren’t enjoying the luxurious rooms and impeccable service at this contemporary design hotel, take a plunge into the legendary Joule Pool, where you’ll be suspended in air, 8-feet beyond the hotel wall.
3. Find your new home away from home.
For unbeatable service right down to warm cookies and milk at night for the kids, you can’t beat the Omni Dallas Hotel at Park West – maybe that’s why return guests loving refer to it as their ‘home away from home.’ The Omni is a great deal for your wallet, too; you’ll save big over hotels located in downtown Dallas while still enjoying all the amenities of a luxury hotel.
4. Live large at the Adolphus.
Stay like royalty at the Adolphus, a 21-story luxury hotel in downtown Dallas that takes baroque design, complete with Flemish tapestries and the Guggenheim Estate’s Victorian Steinway, to a whole new level.
5. Be a frequent flyer.
Take the pain of out of long layovers and early morning flights with the Grand Hyatt DFW. It’s ground zero for weary travelers at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport, and even though you’re just 10 minutes from baggage claim, you’d never know it, thanks to a recent $50 million renovation.
6. Sleep in a Texas landmark.
Originally home to the Magnolia Petroleum Building (once the tallest building in Texas), the Magnolia Hotel Dallas is a true Dallas landmark and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
7. Borrow a goldfish.
The award-winning, four diamond Hotel Palomar Dallas is all about contemporary luxury and comfort, right down to the heated pool and day spa. An added bonus: if you find yourself missing your favorite furry friend back home, you can borrow a goldfish to keep you company.
8. Sleep on a cloud.
While the Hotel Indigo Dallas consistently wins high marks for its friendly staff and beautiful boutique rooms, it’s really all about the comfortable beds. Blissed-out guests rave that the beds are like ‘sleeping on a cloud.’
9. Find a hidden gem.
Aloft Dallas is the latest hip downtown destination for contemporary hotels, and the perfect anecdote to generic hotel chains. Fortunately, it also comes with a tiny price tag; Texas residents with a valid ID can stay starting at just $99 per night.
10. Get away from it all.
The former home of a Texas cotton magnate, Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek, can now be your own private oasis from the chaos of downtown Dallas. And with a ratio of one staff member for every two guests, this retreat takes personal service to a whole new level.