Dallas is a major city in the state of Texas and is the largest urban center and one of the four most populous metropolitan area including Houston, Austin, and San Antonio.

The city’s prominence arose from its historical importance as a center for the oil and cotton industries, and its position along numerous railroad lines. Dallas grew to become one of the fastest growing cities in the nation.

Boasting high-end luxury hotels, innumerable fine dining spots, and one of the busiest airports in the world, Dallas maintains an upscale ethos also reflected by an affluent population, world-class museums, and a shimmering modern skyline.

In the past, its history has been marred by the infamous assassination of former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, but that was then (60 years ago). The present day Dallas is eclectic and modern. There is a lot of historic and contemporary heritage to be discovered in the city.

Things To Do In Dallas

White Rock Lake

Escape the city bustle for a stroll at this large park in East Dallas. This is really a beautiful getaway, but locals would tell you to avoid driving around here at night—ghosts haunt these waters. We ignored these warnings and had a ghost dream that night. That was it.

Golf

There are a lot of beautiful golf courses in the Dallas area. Of these, Tenison Highlands in East Dallas and Cedar Crest in South Dallas offer the best taste of golf but can also be the most crowded, especially on weekends (and depending on season). Most of the courses are open as fee-per-day so you can just go whenever you want.

Six Flags

If you are staying for a few days, then plan on driving to Arlington for a day of fun at Six Flags Over Texas or Six Flags Hurricane Harbor, the best waterpark in the area.

Lakes

The many man-made lakes around Dallas and Fort Worth provide most of the region’s drinking water, flood protection, and recreational opportunities of its over 6 million residents. Fishing, swimming, and boating are especially popular during the scorching hot summer months, with the many state and city parks on the shores particularly crowded on the weekends from July to September.

Sports

The Dallas/Fort Worth area is home to many sports teams.

Major league teams include the Dallas Cowboys (NFL/American football) and Texas Rangers (MLB/baseball) in Arlington, the Dallas Stars (NHL/ice hockey) and Dallas Mavericks (NBA/basketball) in Dallas, and FC Dallas (MLS/soccer) in Frisco.

Ice Rinks

If you’re a hockey player yourself, be sure to participate in a drop-in game at one of several ice rinks in town. Remember to bring your gear! There’s ice time all year round. Just search for the nearest rink from your stay.

Diwali

The Indian Festival of light (Diwali) is celebrated every year in the fall (month of October). Since the dates are fixed, you should check out the date for Diwali if you are planning your trip in the Fall.

Fun Things To Try

Adventure Landing

SpeedZone Dallas

Cuisine

The Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex has more restaurants per capita than anywhere else in the United States. Need I say more?

Areas with high concentrations of restaurants include the following:

• Beltline Road through Addison and North Dallas, just north of I-635. If there is a type of food you like then you can probably find it there.
• Greenville Avenue running north to south in East Dallas, has many restaurants along its length, particularly in Lower Greenville.
• Knox/Henderson streets, off US-75 Uptown have many laid-back, stylish restaurants.
• McKinney Avenue, is the heart of Uptown, with a wide variety of quality establishments.
• The West End in the northwest part of Downtown Dallas has a good mix of original local restaurants and successful chain establishments.

Getting Around In Dallas

For those new to the Metroplex, the area’s elaborate highway system can be a bit confusing. The D/FW area has long had a tradition of naming numbered highways, e.g. U.S. Highway 75 is known as Central Expressway.

Most areas are NOT bicycle friendly and are extremely dangerous to anyone on two wheels! There are a few recreational bike trails in affluent areas, but that’s pretty much it. Unless you know your way around and are a seasoned cyclist, seeing the DFW area on a bike is not recommended.

The Metroplex is notorious for its traffic congestion, so a traveler unfamiliar with the area should leave a significant time for error in learning the area.

The worst times to be on the freeways in the D/FW area are the rush hour times, generally between 6-9AM and 4-7PM.

Traffic on the weekends is usually fairly pain-free, but it does not take much to cause a significant traffic jam.

August 24, 2017 4:26 pm Published by Salil Jha