Things to Do in Dallas

This vibrant big city caters to just about everyone. You can explore Dallas’ 14 entertainment districts, world-renowned museums and down-home restaurants; or unwind in one of the city’s nearly 400 parks, some of which are tucked away between towering skyscrapers. Kids will love “Big D” as well, with several zoos, gardens and aquariums serving up some giant, Texas-sized fun!

Visiting Museums

Take a walking tour of historic Dealey Plaza, home to The Sixth Floor Museum.

You can pay your respects to our beloved 35th president, John F. Kennedy, at the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza. On Nov. 22, 1963, Lee Harvey Oswald shot and killed President Kennedy as he traveled in his motorcade here. You can watch TV footage, read newspaper accounts and see artifacts pertaining to Kennedy’s life, tragic assassination and presidential policies.

Pastimes and a President

Sports fans may not be able to leave Dallas without paying homage at AT&T Stadium and the Cotton Bowl. But if you can tear yourself away from the football shrines, you could find yourself getting in touch with Mother Nature at the Dallas Zoo, the Dallas World Aquarium or the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. Or you can embrace your inner history buff and check one of those presidential libraries off your list: The George W. Bush Presidential Center on the campus of Southern Methodist University features artifacts from the 43rd president's term as well as special rotating exhibits that reach beyond the Bush era. If your fascination is transportation, try the Cavanaugh Flight Museum, Museum of the American Railroad or the Frontiers of Flight Museum.

At the Dallas Museum of Art, you can explore over 5,000 years of cultural history, from pre-Columbian tapestries to bold paintings by Toulouse-Lautrec to the edgy prints of Andy Warhol. Special events held throughout the year include live jazz concerts and arts-and-crafts workshops for the whole family.

Walk on the Wild Side

You can lose yourself in the natural wonders at the Dallas World Zoo & Aquarium. With more than 2,000 animals from around the globe, you can get to know the gorillas along the Gorilla Trail; watch lightning-fast cats at the Cheetah Encounter, and fall in love with koalas, wallabies and kangaroos in the Outback. Continue your stroll through the 8-story Mundo Maya, a lush landscape filled with tropical birds and shark tanks. You'll marvel at the 20,000-gallon aquarium, which boasts coral reefs, kelp forests and Indo-Pacific fish, all visible from a walk-through tunnel.

Outdoor Living

Enjoy a stroll through Crape Myrtle Allee at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden.

Take some time to gaze at the colorful sights and breathe in the fragrant smells at the 66-acre Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. Stroll through the Camellia garden and admire its 200 blooming flowers, take a lazy walk under the canopy of 100 Japanese Cherry Trees, and amble through a sunken garden dotted with ornate fountains. Your kids can burn some energy in the 8-acre children’s garden with its bridges, splash-pads and topiary mazes.

Nestled in the heart of downtown, the over-5-acre Klyde Warren Park hosts special events year-round, including food-truck festivals, Pilates classes, storytime sessions and live concerts. Enjoy a game of touch football or a picnic with your family on the sprawling lawn, or borrow a book or board game from the lending library. There’s also a children’s park with playgrounds and run-through fountains, where even the adults can cool off on a hot summer’s day!

Dining in Dallas

No trip to Dallas is complete without sampling some authentic Tex-Mex cuisine. Mia’s Tex-Mex offers tight quarters and long waits, but faithful patrons will tell you that the wait is certainly worth your while! Your taste buds will thank you for be patient in getting that table as you savor hearty, mouthwatering concoctions, including Mia’s famous brisket tacos topped with gravy, cheese and grilled onions. Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse serves the city’s other beloved food—barbecued meats. Chow down on ribs, pulled pork and chicken, all slow-cooked in the aromatic smoker. Although there are seven Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse locations in the Dallas area, make sure you visit the original and classic 1958 storefront location in the Inwood neighborhood.

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