Day trip from DFW
 

I arrive at 9:30am into DFW on Wednesday next week but my business meetings don't start until dinner time (back at a hotel near DFW)... Decided a direct early flight trumps longer travel time with a change of planes.

Any suggestions for a excursion into the Dallas-Ft. Worth area? I won't have a car. I enjoy shopping, walking, exploring, contemporary art, anything science related...

While I'm not that familiar with Dallas, I found this information on the DFW website. Looks like DART is your best bet for getting into Downtown Dallas:

https://dfwairport.com/transport/public/P1_007747.php

<< I won't have a car.>>

Well, that will suck for getting around DFW.

You could take the DART Orange Line to the West End and walk to the Perot Museum. You can also get to the Arts District from there by a short walk. The DART will take 50+ minutes from DFW to downtown Dallas and 55+ minutes from the Arts District to DFW. The Arts District is a 7-minute walk from the DART; the Perot Museum is closer to 15 min.

Getting to FW is no better - 15 min bus ride, 30 min train ride and you may have to go through half the airport to get the bus that connects to the commuter train. The train to DFW (the Trinity Rail Express) runs a limited schedule and is not AT the airport. And the museums in FW are not in downtown, unlike in Dallas.

If you just want to shop, go to Grapevine Mills for the outlets but you'll likely have to Uber back to the airport or call a cab, there are no hordes of cabs circling the mall.

What about renting a car for the day though you'd probably have to pay for parking too. If you go to downtown Dallas and are a history buff, go to the 6th floor museum.

Where are you leaving your luggage?

And the Nasher sculpture garden/ museum in the arts district is very good.

And there's the original Neiman Marcus in downtown Dallas

The Fort Worth stockyards is an option. Texas cuisine from BBQ to TexMex to fine steaks. Western wear and furnishing shopping. Daily cattle drive. Taxi or rental car.

I had not considered a rental car but no reason I can't do that.

I am supposed to have early check in at the hotel so I was planning to leave my luggage there.

Perot Museum and Arts District both look interesting! As do the stockyards .... Decisions decisions!

<<I had not considered a rental car but no reason I can't do that.>>

It's the only reasonable way to travel in the area. Reliance on public transport will just suck.

I'd tap the Perot, Arts District, and (if you have that morbid curiosity) the JFK assassination sites. The Stockyards are okay but there's more diversity of sites to meet your interest in downtown Dallas.