Dallas is the capital of Texas and the largest city in Dallas County in the United States. The portion of Dallas city has extended to Collin, Kaufman, Denton, and Rockwall. Moreover, it is the 3rd biggest city in Texas and the 9th most populous city in the US states. It is located in North Texas and it has a rich history rooted in ranching, farming, and oil production, and it grew rapidly as a trade center after the railroad was introduced in 1873.
However, if you are in search of old-time Texas trademarks like big steaks, BBQ amid upscale restaurants, and high culture, you’ll have no trouble finding them. Moreover, the skyline of Dallas has been divided into twenty skyscrapers that consist of twenty buildings. Dallas has become the biggest metropolitan area in the US, while it has a variety of postmodern structures such as the Perot Museum of Nature and Science. It also has Victorian and Neoclassical homes on Swiss Avenue. Let’s take a look at the best things to do in Dallas.
Dallas’s Best Attractions
Dealey Plaza
Dealey Plaza is a city park in the western part of Dallas, Texas, and it is also known as the “Birthplace of Dallas.” It was also the area of John F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963; 30 minutes after the shooting, Kennedy was pronounced dead at Parkland Memorial Hospital. To preserve Dealey Plaza, the Dealey Plaza Historic District was designated a National Historic Landmark on the 30th anniversary of the assassination.
In 1933, the Dealey Plaza became part of the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) and was nominated as a National Historic Landmark. The county courthouse is referenced on the National Register of Historic Places, a State Antiquities Landmark (SAL), and even a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark (RTHL). Other properties in the district are also Recorded Texas Historic Landmarks (RTHLs).
Furthermore, the Dal-Tex building and Annex is a seven-story system east of the Texas School Book Depository. It’s across N. Houston St. and around the corner from Dealey Plaza. Looking up at the corner of the sixth-floor window from which Lee Harvey Oswald fired his three shots, it’s difficult not to be moved. While standing on the bank from which Abraham Zapruder took his famous footage and seeing the X that marks the spot where JFK was struck by the fatal second bullet.
The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza
All the information you want to know about the murder of John F. Kennedy, present at this museum. It was opened in 1989, which housed the Texas Schools Book Depository. However, if you make your way towards Lee Harvey Oswald’s sixth floor, You’ll learn about JFK’s career and the early 1960s landscape, including the Civil Rights Movement and the Cold War.
When the visitors visit the museum, they are first introduced to the historical factors which tell the political climate of 1960. Following that, you will concentrate on President John F. Kennedy’s November 1963 visit to Texas and the ending moments of his life. Moreover, the exhibition also includes the historical memento. During the investigation, FBI agents have used the scale model of Dealey Plaza. Pierce Allman narrates the tour, which includes audio clips of actual radio broadcasts, eyewitness reports from the event, and the days after the tragedy.
Perot Museum of Science and Nature
Thome Mayne has designed this incredible masterpiece museum. However, it is the most attractive place for visitors in Dallas. The Perot Museum of Science and Nature has 11 floors of exhibitions. This massive extraordinary building has been established on a water garden, with the facade evoking North Texas’s drought-tolerant grassland.
Moreover, the design of this museum is eco-friendly which contains summer water conservation with recaptured condensation from air conditioners and drip irrigation. The museum has been divided into tropical regions, along with dependent educational stations, and high-tech exhibits. While these areas have engineering, power, earth sciences, and many more exhibits. It also has a 3D theatre, the Moody Family Children’s Museum and playground, and a 54-foot escalator with a glass enclosure that overlooks the property.
Also, visit to get more information about Perot Museum of Science and Nature:
Dallas World Aquarium
It is present in the West End Historic District and was rebuilt in 1924. Dallas World Aquarium is a fun and educational excursion for the young and old, conveniently located within easy walking distance of the city’s historic downtown core. Moreover, it contains 87,000 gallons of saltwater that include shovelhead sharks, stingrays, turtles, moon jellyfish, seadragons, and all lives in the natural barrier reef.
Orinoco Rainforest has occupied the upper floor, which is home to sloths, giant river otters, primates such as pygmy marmosets, and red howler monkeys, as well as dwarf caimans, poison dart frogs, toucans, matamata turtles, and electric eels. Check the feeding schedule before you arrive to see the animals at their most animated, as well as for information on upcoming talks and lectures.
Dallas Zoo
The Dallas Zoo is a 106-acre park that residences over 2000 foreign animals representing 406 different species. This attractive zoo is just three miles away from the city center, established in 1888. Moreover, it is one of the oldest zoos in the US. The zoo, which focuses on two major regions ZooNorth and the Wilds of Africa includes highlights such as Giants of the Savanna.
Furthermore, it comprises a Wildlife Amphitheater, which features displays of birds in flight. The Wilds of Africa Adventure Safari monorail, which was recently refurbished, transports park visitors through the Great Rift Valley and the habitats of African countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, and Tanzania.
Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse
This legendary BBQ restaurant frequented by George W. Bush, Larry Hagman (J.R. Ewing), and Jimmy Buffett has an interesting backstory. Sonny Bryan descended from a family of Texas restaurateurs that dated back to his grandfather Elias in 1910. In 1958, he and his wife, a beauty pageant contestant, sold their gun collection and put all of their money into a restaurant near the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center.
He ran this location for the next 30 years before selling it to a group of investors in 1989. Sonny Bryan’s Smokehouse has spawned many more locations, but only seven remain today, all of which are in the Dallas area. The original location on Inwood Road has appeared on a variety of food/travel shows, including Man, food Nation, and Rachael Ray’s Tasty Travels. The interior is as simple as it gets, as Sonny Bryan repurposed old school desks in the 1950s. Needless to say, the brisket, sausage, ribs, pulled pork, pulled chicken, and sides like BBQ beans, potato salad, and mac & cheese are the main attractions.
Wichita Falls and Kell House
One more attractive and fun place in Dallas is Wichita Falls. It is approximately a two-hour drive northwest of Dallas. There is an orchestra, a ballet company, many professional theatrical performances, and numerous fine museums, art galleries, and festivals.
However, the museum was built in 1909 for Frank Kell and his family. It is a testament to Wichita Falls’s history and features original pieces from the Kelly family. Furthermore, it has a beautiful beveled glass door into a receiving room decorated in Victorian style. If you continue north from Wichita Falls, make sure to include Lake Meredith on your list of stops along the way. The Lake Meredith Aquatic and Wildlife Museum is located here, and it has interesting exhibits about the Texas Panhandle and its flora and fauna.
Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge
Dallas has the most attractive and world-famous bridge known as the Margaret Hunt Hill bridge. This eye-catching cable-stayed bridge spanning the Trinity River was designed by world-renowned architect Santiago Calatrava. However, it opened in 2012, and it was the segment of a large-scale project to reestablish the Trinity River.
A system of cables connects the underside of the arch to the roadway and appears to intersect in various ways depending on your perspective. That arch can be seen for miles and stands out on the riverbanks, which have been mostly left undeveloped. The Trinity Skyline Trail follows the river below, and a great view can be found not far south at the Trinity Overlook Park off N Beckley Ave.
The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden
This beautiful garden is on 66 acres on the southeast shore of White Rock Lake. It displays fourteen world-famous seasonal flowers, trees, shrubs, and different kinds of plant collections. In addition, the Botanical Garden hosted open-air festivals, art exhibitions, and educational events. Despite being born in the early 1930s, this magnificent tourist attraction did not become a reality until 1984. It was built on the grounds of a mansion built-in 1939.
When you visit the Botanical garden also make sure to explore White Rock Lake Park. It is a huge lake park that covers over 1000 acres, surrounded by 10 miles of hiking trails. Moreover, the exquisite sculptures and fountains would increase your fun more. White Rock Lake Park is famous for its extraordinary bird and wildlife spotting. Don’t forget to visit there whenever you visit the Botanical Park.
Dallas Museum of Art
This museum is one of the top 10 largest museums in the US. It houses a collection of over 24,000 works from the Americas and around the world, ranging from ancient artifacts to modern art. Furthermore, it has a vast collection of classical arts and artifacts from Egypt, Rome, and Greece. It comprises Claude Monet from the European art gallery, numerous contemporary segments from Jackson Pollock.
Furthermore, the Wendy and Emery Reves Collection is a worthwhile art exhibit. Highlights include antique carpets, Chinese porcelain, and 17th-century European furniture housed in a recreation of the Reves Villa.
Deep Ellum
Deep Ellum is the best place to visit if you are out of the music, awesome food, great bars. It is on the other side of I-345 by Downtown Dallas. Since the 1880s, this has been an entertainment district, and blues legends such as Leadbelly, Bessie Smith, and Blind Lemon Jefferson all performed here in the 1910s and 1920s.
However, the list of clubs and live venues is too long to mention here. But Radiohead, Nirvana, Arcade Fire, and Pearl Jam have made performances to entertain viewers. There are several craft distilleries in the area, as well as the trailer park-themed Double Wide. During the day, you can explore the street art and eat ramen, tacos, sushi, and southern comfort food.
Fair Park
Fair Park is one of the most entertaining and attractive places for visitors. It comprises 227 acres of land on the right side of Downtown Dallas dates back to 1886 as a fairground. Moreover, it attracts many tourists to it and it organizes over 1,200 events per year. Architects George Dahl and Paul Cret have molded the Fair park into the exhibition of Art Deco design.
Fair Park is the venue for the Texas State Fair, led by iconic Big Tex. Around 2 million people attend this event each year. The annual college football game between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Texas Longhorns at the 92,100-capacity Cotton Bowl is one of the main events. The Texas Star, a Ferris wheel 65.8 meters tall with 44 gondolas, is a centerpiece of the fair.
Hence Dallas is the best exploring and entertaining city. It consists of incredible places for families as well as curious tourists. We have mentioned some places in Dallas, Texas which you can visit and explore in the best way.
