Newly Remodeled Hotel a Few Blocks from Galleria Dallas

Entering the Sheraton Dallas Hotel by the Galleria can feel like walking into a modern-art museum. Features such as polished marble countertops, pillars carved from aged Vermont wood, and artwork resembling scrub and trees accentuate the lobby and other common areas. It’s the result of a $17 million renovation that transformed the hotel into a stunning example of Texas modern architecture, which typically emphasizes open floor plans and natural materials.

Guest rooms exhibit a similarly open and natural style. Downstairs, use your food and beverage credit at the hotel’s burger bistro, Front Yard, which serves “tipsy” adult milkshakes and build-your-own burgers with toppings such as chopped jalapeños, spinach, and red-onion relish. Its dining room also underwent renovations; minimalist high-top tables and wood accent walls give the space a natural, contemporary feel. In the morning, head to the lobby for a complimentary buffet with cereal, fresh fruit, and hot breakfast items.

During your stay, check out the nearby Galleria Dallas, where you can use your VIP coupon book at three levels of stores and restaurants. The building even houses a year-round ice-skating rink on its lower level. Sheraton Dallas runs a complimentary shuttle to and from the Galleria, but you can also walk there in about 10 minutes.

Dallas: Historical Parks and Rejuvenated Urban Districts in North Texas

Sheraton Dallas by the Galleria is about 13 miles north of downtown. Though many people know Dallas for the massive Cowboys Stadium (which is actually in Arlington), the city is also an enclave of arts and nature, overflowing with botanical gardens, art galleries, and live theater. Historical Main Street connects many of the city’s recently rejuvenated urban districts as well as the popular Main Street Garden, a block-long public park surrounded by architecturally significant buildings. Locals come here to picnic on the expansive lawn or watch a movie under the moonlight in the summer and fall.

A short walk from downtown Dallas, you’ll find horse-drawn carriages clopping along brick streets in the city's historic West End district, which dates back to the 19th century. The West End became especially notable when President Kennedy was assassinated at Dealey Plaza in November 1963. At The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, you can visit the sixth floor of the former Texas School Book Depository, where Lee Harvey Oswald is believed to have shot at Kennedy’s presidential motorcade.

Joggers and bikers can zip through the fashionable Turtle Creek neighborhood, located about 4 miles west of downtown, via the Katy Trail, which follows an old interstate railroad. Back near downtown Dallas, the 277-acre Fair Park houses North America's largest ferris wheel, seven museums, and four performing-arts centers, many located in art-deco buildings built for the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition.