Things to Do in Dallas

If any city is out to prove that, “everything’s bigger in Texas”, its certainly Dallas. Aside from being the nation’s largest metropolitan area without a navigable body of water, its home to the country’s tallest indoor Christmas tree and its largest model train exhibit. The city also boasts the largest urban artists district in the United States, and, when completed, its Trinity River Corridor Project––a network of wildlife habitats, parks, lakes, and trails––will be 10 times larger than New York’s Central Park. And while he’s currently being restored after a 2012 fire, no guide to Dallas would be complete without mentioning Big Tex. At 52 feet tall, he’s the world’s tallest cowboy and the official greeter of the Texas State Fair. Of course, not every thing in Dallas is valued for its square footage alone; the city boasts a multitude of attractions both large and small, ensuring you’ll find no shortage of things to do. Historic 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. Also on Main Street, visitors will find the country’s first Neiman Marcus store, its massive, traditional façade housing six stories of fashion’s trendiest items. Locals love to shop, and they have more to choose from than just couture. At Wild Bill’s Western Store, for one, patrons sip cold beer as they peruse the selection of tees, cowboy hats, and, of course, cowboy boots. A short walk from downtown Dallas, horse-drawn carriages clop along brick streets in the city's historic West End district, which dates back to the 19th century. This part of the city also contains Dealey Plaza. At The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza housed in the former Texas School Book Depository, you can visit the spot where Lee Harvey Oswald is believed to have shot at JFK’s presidential motorcade, along with a number of exhibits commemorating the life of John F. Kennedy. About 4 miles west of downtown, joggers and bikers can zip through the fashionable Turtle Creek neighborhood via the Katy Trail, which follows an old interstate railroad. Back near the city’s epicenter, the 277-acre Fair Park is the location of North America's largest Ferris wheel, seven museums, and four performing-arts centers, many of which are housed inside art-deco buildings built for the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition.