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MaggieSinead · 08-14-2010, 07:13 PM

I will be visiting Dallas again in aproximately 2 weeks, and as many of you may know, I visit places PRIMARILY to see THINGS (attractions and such).

So, I need some advice...

What tourist attractions should I see in Dallas?

Thank you for your help!!!

Maggie

Tara Evans · 08-14-2010, 08:02 PM

I would definitely check out the Dallas Aquarium. The place is absolutely amazing. And if you are a big fan of Italian, go to Campisi's off of Greenville and Mockingbird, yummy.

Dharma · 08-14-2010, 08:02 PM

I'll get the ball rolling for you, Maggie. Ft. Worth Stockyards, The Kimball and the DMA, The Dallas Museum of Asian Art and The grassy knoll.

ElisabethWhispers · 08-14-2010, 08:22 PM

Start early.

The Sixth Floor Museum is somewhat depressing but you should visit there at least once. Then walk across the street to Dealey Plaza and walk around.

Visit Thanksgiving Square and notice the message of the place.

Take a break and have lunch in the West End. I might suggest Dick's Last Resort. Something a little fun with flavor. Plus, it's close to the Sixth Floor Museum.

Go get a pass for both The DMA (The Dallas Museum of Art) and The Nasher Sculpture Center. You can get a ticket for both and then visit. Wait to buy souveniers until you get to the Crow Collection of Asian Art (the one Dharma mentioned above). It's very small and nuzzled a block away in the Trammel Crow building. You can do all three in an afternoon if you're sortof quick about it.

Now? You're tired. Go have a drink. What type of food do you like? You're close to the Oak Lawn area which isn't far from uptown (actually, it's kindof the same area). If you like to enjoy nightlife, then I'm sure others here know what to suggest ... I'm horribly out of touch with what's going on in terms of restaurants and bars.

That is a day!!!

Then for the next day ... visit Fort Worth. It's a cultural mecca. Go see the cattle drive and just enjoy the Kimbell, but there are also many museums there. The Cowgirl Museum is cool. The Museum of Modern Art.

Another thing to do is to go to Fair Park. The Woman's Museum is very nice. The African American Museum is there as well. There are five museums located at the fairgrounds which is also home to the greatest number of Deco buildings in one place in the United States. It's very safe to visit during the day and there is a day museum pass that you can buy.

Visiting the museums at Fair Park is really going to fill up your day as well.

Now. How many days do you have?

LOL. Enjoy yourself! (Lunch in Reunion Tower where the restaurant is kindof fun, too!)

eccienewbie · 08-14-2010, 10:45 PM

I highly recommend at least one day and evening in Tarrant County. Fort Worth offers a superior downtown night life experience, imho. Just head to Sundance Square and walk around. Very safe, well lit, and well patrolled by both FWPD and the Bass brothers own private police force (The Basstappo). The area is almost as "user friendly" as N'Orleans. There's also a tremendous cultural district just a couple miles up the road from downtown with 3 world class art museums (the Amon Carter for western art, The Museum of Modern Art for, well...., and the plum being the Kimball). At the opposite end of the spectrum, but maybe of more interest to some, are the Fort Worth Stock Yards a few miles to the north. It looks pretty much like it did in the 1890s, but, like downtown, is very user friendly. Lots of interesting saloons, and it has Billy Bob's (formerly the world's largest honky tonk), which may very well be playing host to a decent band on any given weekend (in fact, it usually is, and it's a rock act at least as often as a country act). Finally, check out the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington. You can have a complete tour (including the field and locker rooms) for under 20 bucks. You don't have to be a sports fan to find the tour worthwhile, as the stadium is an architectural marvel that can hold as many as 120,000 when fully expanded.

That should keep you busy, dear. I, like others in the thread, also highly recommend the Sixth Floor Museum. A very somber moment in our area's history, but one worth exploring. It's a very tasteful and fascinating exhibit -- they restored the Sixth Floor to the exact condition it was in on that horrible November day, and there are many other interesting aspects to the museum.

Have fun.

MaggieSinead · 08-15-2010, 04:01 PM

OH, Thank you ALL so much for your suggestions!!

I've definately got some things I can't pass up now!

Maggie

CoHorn · 08-15-2010, 09:23 PM

I agree with all the above... The Kimball Art Museum in Fort Worth, the Botanical Gardens in FW, the FW zoo is really a nice place. In Arlington, you also have 6 Flags and if you like baseball, the Rangers play there and they are in first place. Cowboys stadium is right next to the Rangers ballpark. Dallas has White Rock lake if you like to jog or walk around a lake.

I'm quite sure there would be plenty of volunteers to show you around if you need a guide.

cptjohnstone · 08-15-2010, 10:32 PM

there are some great strip clubs

pmdelites · 08-16-2010, 12:43 AM

elisabeth, most excellent ideas. you, like me, must have lived here quite a while to know these details.

maggie, if you do go to the DMA, and you give me advance notice, i would be glad to buy you lunch in either their atrium [beautiful george chihuly glass work] or their 1717 restaurant. i work across the freeway from the museum - 10 min walk. if interested, send me a pm from my profile.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElisabethWhispers

...
Go get a pass for both The DMA (The Dallas Museum of Art) and The Nasher Sculpture Center. You can get a ticket for both and then visit. Wait to buy souveniers until you get to the Crow Collection of Asian Art (the one Dharma mentioned above). It's very small and nuzzled a block away in the Trammel Crow building. You can do all three in an afternoon if you're sortof quick about it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElisabethWhispers

...Now? You're tired. Go have a drink. What type of food do you like? You're close to the Oak Lawn area which isn't far from uptown (actually, it's kindof the same area). If you like to enjoy nightlife, then I'm sure others here know what to suggest ... I'm horribly out of touch with what's going on in terms of restaurants and bars.

just a few corrections.
the DMA, the Crow Collection and the Nasher Sculpture center are all across from each other. to really visit the dma collections takes about 2 hrs or more. the nasher in an hr or so, ditto for the crow.

uptown and oak lawn are close to each other but are not the same area - different style of architecture, different ambiance, different clientele, different everything. uptown is just across the freeway from the museums. oak lawn is about 1-2 miles away; it's actually a street. it intersects cedar springs, which has a lot of gay and lesbian friendly, to say the least, bars, restaurants, shops, salons, etc. oak lawn/cedar springs used to have a "mary" thumb, but that grocery store closed down, leaving kroger to supply vittles to that neighborhood. oak lawn also intersects lemmon avenue which has lots of restaurants.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElisabethWhispers

...Another thing to do is to go to Fair Park. The Woman's Museum is very nice. The African American Museum is there as well. There are five museums located at the fairgrounds which is also home to the greatest number of Deco buildings in one place in the United States. It's very safe to visit during the day and there is a day museum pass that you can buy.

one of the nicest places in town for architecture and history.

also, tho it's not lake lady bird [i.e., town lake], white rock lake is very very nice - about 8 miles from downtown. w. lawther drive is open from north to south. e. lawther drive is barricaded - one cant drive from n. to s. there are walking & bike paths around the entire lake. lots of ducks, geese, pelicans, etc.

for some of the best views of the dallas skyline, go to the SE part of the intersection of mockingbird and buckner, or the bath house cultural center, or s. lake highlands drive south of buckner rd.

if you want more info, pm me.

Poppa_Viagra · 08-16-2010, 08:27 AM

Pappas Brothers Steak House. Dry aged prime beef, if you like red meat it's the primo.

ElisabethWhispers · 08-16-2010, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sancocho

Pappas Brothers Steak House. Dry aged prime beef, if you like red meat it's the primo.

What if a woman suggested that she adored well aged beef, of the two legged sort. Would that be offensive?

It would be nice if the OP suggested what type of food she liked. Because I'm always up for hearing of great Dallas restaurant suggestions!

Some mentioned the botanical gardens in Fort Worth and the Dallas Arboretum is really a more polished garden ... BUT, The Japanese Gardens that are adjacent to the Botanical Gardens in Fort Worth is just one of the most wonderful places to visit! You would really enjoy that. I'm completely sure of it! (I forgot to mention it above!)

Elisabeth

MaggieSinead · 08-16-2010, 02:36 PM

Oh! I'm sorry, Elizabeth!
I'm not from America, so I'm still learning good, solid American cuisine.
(I learned what soul food was last week...its delightful!)

I will say, however, that Mexican, or Texican food isn't for me.
I do enjoy sushi, japanese cuisine. And LIGHT authentic Thai or Indian food (of which I'm having trouble finding in America).

OH!! An SPANISH food would be fun to find!!
I love Spanish food! (not just tapas).

knowshisstuff · 08-18-2010, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElisabethWhispers

Start early.

The Sixth Floor Museum is somewhat depressing but you should visit there at least once. Then walk across the street to Dealey Plaza and walk around.

Visit Thanksgiving Square and notice the message of the place.

Take a break and have lunch in the West End. I might suggest Dick's Last Resort. Something a little fun with flavor. Plus, it's close to the Sixth Floor Museum.

Go get a pass for both The DMA (The Dallas Museum of Art) and The Nasher Sculpture Center. You can get a ticket for both and then visit. Wait to buy souveniers until you get to the Crow Collection of Asian Art (the one Dharma mentioned above). It's very small and nuzzled a block away in the Trammel Crow building. You can do all three in an afternoon if you're sortof quick about it.

Now? You're tired. Go have a drink. What type of food do you like? You're close to the Oak Lawn area which isn't far from uptown (actually, it's kindof the same area). If you like to enjoy nightlife, then I'm sure others here know what to suggest ... I'm horribly out of touch with what's going on in terms of restaurants and bars.

That is a day!!!

Then for the next day ... visit Fort Worth. It's a cultural mecca. Go see the cattle drive and just enjoy the Kimbell, but there are also many museums there. The Cowgirl Museum is cool. The Museum of Modern Art.

Another thing to do is to go to Fair Park. The Woman's Museum is very nice. The African American Museum is there as well. There are five museums located at the fairgrounds which is also home to the greatest number of Deco buildings in one place in the United States. It's very safe to visit during the day and there is a day museum pass that you can buy.

Visiting the museums at Fair Park is really going to fill up your day as well.

Now. How many days do you have?

LOL. Enjoy yourself! (Lunch in Reunion Tower where the restaurant is kindof fun, too!)

Everytime I drive back from my sisters apt on Commerce, I always drive the way Kennedy did and see people taking pictures. There is a part of my brain that will never be able to grow up like the rest of me did. This part thinks... hmmm act like you're going to drive up on the curb and scare the s*** out of them. Yes, I realize that is mean spirited, and childish. But it amuses the hell out of me, so I wanted to share it with the rest of class.

caliente · 08-18-2010, 08:00 AM

pmdelites: Thank you for mentioning the Nasher... I love it and i think it really is special...

for food Dallas is great shy from NYC, San Francisco and Chicago.

Spanish food try Si Tapas in routh street i think, good fabada, chorizo and paella.

agree with pappas........ wine.....

beachcomber · 08-18-2010, 02:20 PM

http://urbanodallas.com/

http://www.mapleandmotor.com/

Here are two dining selections from very different parts of town with very different vibes. I love 'em both.

Urbano is a take your own wine restaurant that is very hip and very delicious (see menu @ their site). Make a reservation and take a friend and a bottle and inhale the fabulous smells from the kitchen (you can watch them cook your dinner if you like).

Maple and Motor has the best hamburgers I've had in 30 years and it's not from the lack of trying. Great onion rings too. "Grease stained tribute..." says it all. You can watch them cook too if you don't get in the way. Usually a line out the door at lunch hour.

Have a great stay and don't miss the Nasher Sculpture Garden. Order an iced tea and sit at one of the outside tables to really enjoy the place and the people. I hope that "Walking to the Sky" is back up.

Beach