Dallas

Big hair, bigger dreams, and the biggest steaks.

This Texas metropolis houses the nation's largest urban arts district, spanning 68 acres. Visitors can explore world-class museums, dine at celebrity chef restaurants, and relax in sprawling urban parks.

3.7

out of 5

Map page

Dallas, the third-largest city in Texas, is known for its warm hospitality and varied attractions. You can visit the Dallas Museum of Art, go up the 561-foot Reunion Tower, or experience live music in Deep Ellum. AT&T Stadium hosts Dallas Cowboys games, while the Dallas Arboretum offers beautiful gardens. The city's restaurants range from casual Tex-Mex eateries to high-end steakhouses.

Dallas' Cultural Attractions

The Dallas Arts District covers 68 acres in downtown, making it the largest connected urban arts district in the nation. At the Dallas Museum of Art, you can view over 24,000 artworks from the past 5,000 years. Next door, the Nasher Sculpture Center displays modern and contemporary sculptures indoors and outdoors. To learn about President John F. Kennedy, visit The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza.

Where to Eat in Dallas

Dallas offers a wide variety of cuisines beyond barbecue and Tex-Mex, though you'll find excellent options for both. At Fearing's Restaurant in The Ritz-Carlton, celebrity chef Dean Fearing prepares his interpretation of Southwestern cuisine. In the Bishop Arts District, you can try French-inspired dishes at Boulevardier or inventive tacos at Revolver Taco Lounge. For breakfast, stop by Jarams Donuts for kolaches, a Czech pastry that's become popular in Texas.

Parks and Outdoor Spaces

Dallas has many parks and green areas throughout the city. Klyde Warren Park, constructed over a freeway, provides 5.2 acres of space in central downtown. Here, you can join outdoor yoga classes, buy food from trucks, or participate in community events. For a larger park, visit White Rock Lake Park. This 1,015-acre city lake is encircled by 9 miles of trails for hiking and biking, and you can rent kayaks or paddleboards to use on the water.

Transportation in Dallas

While having a car can be helpful for exploring Dallas, the city also offers public transportation. The Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) system includes light rail and buses that connect downtown Dallas to surrounding areas. For short trips within downtown, you can use the free D-Link bus or rent a bike through the city's bike-share program. Uber and Lyft are also available throughout Dallas.

Average temperatures during the day in Dallas.

January

12°

Feb

15°

Mar

20°

Apr

24°

May

28°

Jun

33°

Jul

35°

Aug

35°

Sep

31°

Oct

26°

Nov

19°

Dec

14°

Roméo Levi

Dallas was cool. Good food, clean downtown, diverse population. Really huge, hard to get around. Definitely a Texas city. Things close early. US prices, no savings, I imagine there's great soul food. Decent Mexican food. Decent Asian food. Not far from the other Texas cities. Great flight connections.

Anders

Overall Dallas was surprisingly dull. Most of the downtown area was boring and sometimes even a bit shady. For its size, it is hard to understand why it doesn't feel more vibrant and why there isn't more city life going on. It felt like the kind of city where the downtown area is only used for office buildings, the same old chain restaurants, and some nightlife options. I guess the vast majority of residents live in suburbs outside the city.

Sure, some parts are nicer than others, and I am sure that with some help from locals there would be lots of things to enjoy. But for a visitor that just wants to explore it like other cities, I can not recommend it. And when I came back home and told my colleagues who traveled the US extensively that I visited Dallas, they simply asked "Why?" :)