My sister is going to be in the Methodist Medical Center in January for heart surgery. I would like to go stay with her for a while and would like information on temporary housing in the hospital area. Will I need to rent a car or can I get by with public transitt or is it available. Any information would be apreciated.

Methodist Medical Center is located in Oak Cliff, which is not in the nicest part of town. Personally, I would stay nearer to the central business district (aka downtown) and drive over to Methodist in order to be in a safer part of town at night. Public transportation is available, but I have no idea about the specifics on routes or schedules. You might try www.dart.org for more information. Good Luck!

Mary.did you contact the hospital about accomadations? Our hospitals around the Pittsburgh area help with housing for families...you would have to pay but it would be close and at a fraction of the cost of hotels..

I would listen to Christie about staying in Oak Cliff. Just rent a car at the airport, and stay either in downtown Dallas or a little bit north of it(right off of Hwy. 75--Central Expressway). Then you can use Mapquest to give you directions everywhere.

Mary, Christie has more than once put down an area of town in which I doubt she has been. Methodist is on the edge of Kessler Park, a very nice area with expensive homes & wonderful people. It is correct that there are not hotels in the area so downtown, I-35 or near so is necessary. You will need to rent a car. Getting to Methodist by bus is possible but not easily. The light rail line is nearby & you could walk across the viaduct to the hospital (Many people run that area during lunch so not scary). I would not walk it at night, however. There are areas of Oak Cliff as well as all parts of any big city that are not the best. But, I will bet, that some houses you will see on Colorado (street where Methodist is) are much larger than where Christie or Bernie live.

Linda, I HAVE been to Oak Cliff many times in the 25 years I have lived in Dallas! YES, some of the houses there are beautiful, but it is NOT the best part of Dallas as far as crime and neighborhoods go.

For your information, I live in the part of Dallas known as Lakewood, which is on the west side of White Rock Lake. Dallas' Mayor, Ron Kirk, also lives here. And the houses here are just as beautiful and sought-after as those in Kessler Park!

The issue here is where Mary should stay during her time in Dallas. I think we all agree that she'll need to rent a car and stay somewhere besides Oak Cliff.

Hmm...she also lives where The Oil Baron of Dallas has a family home. I'll leave him nameless, but Christie knows who I mean, and Linda I'm sure you do too.

Linda, Christie has a good point. She does not mean to smear Oak Cliff, but visitors to the area should be aware that much of it truly is not safe. You don't want to get lost south of town and to suggest otherwise does a great disservice to visitors.

I still recall my first week living in Savannah, having moved there from Dallas. A Chamber of Commerce type told me the whole area around the historic district and south was fine, all lovely old homes, though some in more need of repair than others etc etc. I do distance running and in a combination long run/tour, ran through the historic district and kept on going south, hearing her words...but my eyes were telling me otherwise. I later learned I'd run through one of the highest crime districts in the area. It wasn't just "down at the heels", it was dangerous. I should have known better, yes, but she DID know better and should never have advised someone new to it as she did.

In fairness, advice to strangers should be, "don't to venture into Oak Cliff unless you know exactly what the potential is and exactly where you are headed"!

Oak Cliff is not so tough...in fact, most parts are reasonably safe during the daytime...just don't get caught there after dark...

So that kind of eliminates staying in Oak Cliff unless you stay at one of the many national motel chains along the interstate...they're close to where you want to be and are pretty safe.

But I go down there all the time for business...and found it to be not nearly as bad as everyone says.

Now Live Oak St. near downtown...that's a WHOLE nuther story!