Dallas is famous for a lot of things. Sports fans see the city as home to the likes of the Dallas Cowboys and the Dallas Mavericks. Culture lovers flock here for the brilliant arts, museum, and entertainment scene. And foodies adore the glitz and glam of the city’s delicious hangouts.
From a Cowboys game to drinks in Deep Ellum, these are our top spots to hit in Dallas. (Photo Credit: Heather Gill)
But there’s also old school Texas to explore, from the rodeos of Fort Worth to Deep Ellum’s iconic neighborhood drinking holes. On your next visit to the Lone Star State, here are our five essential experiences to be had in The Big D.
Root on at Dallas’ Best Stadiums
If you yourself are a sports fan or are traveling with one, then a sporting event will definitely be in the cards while in Dallas. The giant AT&T Stadium is smack in between Dallas and Fort Worth, and is home to the Dallas Cowboys’ football games.
The American Airlines center is in the heart of Dallas, and the place to go for the Dallas Mavericks (basketball) and the Dallas Stars (hockey) games.
Love rodeos? Dallas may just be your place. (Photo Credit: Karsten Winegeart)
Perhaps throwing it back to the rodeo is your idea of fun — head to the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo for an evening of riding, bucking, barrel racing, and cowboy hats. The Kimpton Harper is close by if y’all end up staying late, and Refinery 714 is a lively whiskey bar at the tip top of Harper, with sweeping views of Forth Worth.
Dress to Impress Uptown
Uptown Dallas is known for its glamorous side, so don your Sunday best and head over to mingle among locals with some of the best hairdos in town. Start the day with a little retail therapy, then grab a quick lobster roll at Truluck’s (which is best washed down with champagne, don’t you know).
Afterwards, take a stroll around Victory Park, where we recommend looking out for Rob Wilson’s famous mural over some baked treats from Eatzi’s.
After a day in Uptown Dallas, end the night at Elm & Good. (Photo Credit: @shelbysorrel)
Enjoy a farm-focused meal, and a specialty cocktail — or two. (Photo Credit: @shelbysorrel)
Walk the 35 minutes to The Kimpton Pittman Hotel (or take a 5 minute car) and enjoy a meal at Elm & Good, a restaurant boasting an inventive take on locally sourced farm-focused fare. And maybe (definitely) enjoy a cleverly named, adventurous cocktail — or two. (Our favorite? Pitmann’s Last Word.)
Explore the Arts Scene
The arts scene in Dallas is so big that there’s an entire arts district downtown dedicated to it. Here, you’ll find treasured gems including the Meyerson Symphony Center, with events ranging from Beethoven and Brahms to E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Movie in Concert.
You can also explore the Dallas Museum of Art, which is one of the largest art museums in America, and the Nasher Sculpture Center, which includes life-size sculptures that organically extend out onto the grounds of the museum.
In the arts district, check out Thanks-Giving Square and its gorgeous stained glass. (Photo Credit: Walt Wellborn)
If you have time, it’s also worth checking out the Crow Collection, a wonderful display of Asian Art that’s free to enter Tuesday through Sunday.
Get Local in Deep Ellum
The Deep Ellum neighborhood has fast become a hot zone for festivity, filled with jazz bars, dive bars, speakeasies, and nightclubs — and is the perfect place to loosen your shirt and let the good times roll. (Safely, and responsibly, of course.)
In Deep Ellum, a pub crawl is a requirement. (Photo Credit: Heather Gill)
The Dallas Comedy Club is the place to see both local and national stand up comedians work their belly roars, followed by a pub crawl in what has fast become hipster-bar-central in Dallas. You’ll want to end the night at Deep End, the Kimpton Pittman’s glorious outdoor hangout complete with pool, starry urban nights, and cheeky cocktails.
Visit the Dallas Arboretum
A short drive from downtown Dallas (about 15 minutes) is one of the prettiest gardens you’ll ever see, worth its weight in photos. The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden is a giant 66-acre botanical garden in East Dallas, filled with manicured greens, ponds, sculptures, tea houses, and much more.
Swing by the Dallas Arboretum for all of the Spring flowers. (Photo Credit: Maddie H.)
Beauty is all around at the Arboretum. (Photo Credit: Bryan Dickerson)
Right now, you can experience the Great Contributors Collection, which highlights the great historical achievements of Harriet Tubman, Ruby Bridges, and so many more. There is also a Children’s Adventure Garden, a Cool Thursdays Concert Series, and cooking classes with unparalleled views of the gardens.
Where to stay: The Pittman Hotel or The Kimpton Harper
