one day in Dallas - need advice
 

we are flying into Dallas Monday evening in October and taking a plane out on Wednesday morning. Should we stay at the airport and take a taxi in for the day on tuesday or should we spend 2 nights in the city? What do you recommend seeing and doing? We are a couple about 60 in good shape.

The area around the airport is really dead... all strip malls and offices and hotels. If you don't have a car, your dining options are very limited.

If the hotels aren't too expensive, I think you'll enjoy staying in Dallas more, though you would still need a car for the most part just to get around. It is not designed for walking.

I like Dallas but I'm an even bigger fan of Ft. Worth. I like Ft. Worth because it's smaller than Dallas and I find it easier to navigate. Ft. Worth has great museums, a lovely botannical garden and a zoo. Here's a web page with some visitor info:

http://www.fortworth.com/

DFW airport sits between Dallas and Ft. Worth, and as yk said, you will need a car.

I'm from the area and I always tell people to go visit Ft Worth. It just has a Texas feel to it leftover from the cattle drive era. It also has world class museums and a wonderful downtown with a safe, lively nightlife. Dallas' downtown is just a business district and except for one small part, is dead at night.

There is one thing in Dallas you might enjoy and that's the 6th Floor Museum about the Kennedy assassination.

I forgot to tell you the main thing people go see in Ft Worth are the old stock yards that have been converted into a tourist area. They even heard real long horn cattle down the old main street (I think it is Exchange St.) twice a day. It's a fun area.

What dates in October? The Texas State Fair -- http://www.bigtex.com
runs from 9/26 to 10/19/08.

Yeah, okay, it may be a bit hokey, but I'm rather fond of the State Fair.

No, no, no, no -- do not stay at or around the airport. Big yawn.

does anyone know if Dallas/Ft Worth
has a sightseeing tour that covers both cities in one day?

I have never heard of anything like that. I am a big fan of tours when I'm in a new city (London, Paris, San Fran, NY), but honestly Dallas is so much smaller I don't think there is a need.

I would spend your time staying at a hotel in Dallas, either downtown or uptown. You will have many transportation options (walk, trolley, inexpensive cab) to see the nearby arts district, JFK museums, restaurants, State Fair etc. Taxis from the airport to downtown are about $50 each way, so you'd really be limiting yourself staying out there.

Out of genuine curiousity, what is there to see in Dallas besides the book depository? (I've been once and that was for a wedding, so I didn't see anything at all except a mall where my cousins and I spent the afternoon).

Its a fair question. Dallas is a nice place to live, but not exciting to visit, which I think is why everyone is steering towards FW. The Nasher Sculpture Center is cool, and there is excellent dining and shopping. The Katy Trail and White Rock Lake Park are nice for residents, but I wouldn't think worthy destinations for a trip.

The only thing worth seeing right near DFW Airport is downtown Grapevine! We have a historic Main Street with shops, restaurants, and two good bars.

I will second everyone else's recommendations for the Stock Yards in Fort Worth, and the Sixth Floor (JFK) Museum in Dallas. Both are very good. My parents have taken several visitors to the Sixth Floor and they are always impressed.

Barney18,

I, too, live in the area and I think we'd need a better idea about what you like. Hiking? Museums? Shopping? History?

I will also put in a plug for Fort Worth. It is the best kept secret in Texas. :)

The Kimbell Art museum (thru 11/2) has a large exhibit of Impressionist art on loan from the Art Institute of Chicago. The Amon Carter has the largest Frederick Remington collection, not to mention loads of other beautiful American works.

The "arts district" in Fort Worth has some great restaurants, boutique shopping and Bass Performance Hall is a "must-see". The Stockyards are not too far from the downtown area (Sundance Square).

Sundance Square is quite walkable. There are plenty of hotels in downtown, including The Ashton. Lovely boutique hotel:

http://www.theashtonhotel.com/about/index.cfm

There is also the Renaissance Worthington. Also a lovely hotel.

There are lovely walking/hiking paths and parks on the Trinity River. A fabulous zoo, great restaurants.

Please do consider staying in downtown Ft. Worth. I believe you can catch a bus/taxi to the TRE station just south of the airport and then take the train right into Ft. Worth. If you will have a lot of luggage, you might want to just taxi it into Ft. Worth. It is about 20 miles from the airport.

http://www.trinityrailwayexpress.org/

Have a wonderful time! This is a beautiful city if you just take a look!

http://www.fortworth.com/01visitors/01visitors.shtml

Paula

I work about two blocks from the Sixth Floor Museum (in the school book depository) and finally made it in there about a month ago. The exhibition has lots of videos and is very nicely done.

I'd highly recommend the state fair.

If you are big shoppers, you might want to stay in Grapevine and go to Grapevine Mills and the Bass Pro Shop.

For a good web site dedicted to al things DFW look here:

www.guidelive.com

You will find all sorts of attractions, shopping and dining info for the Dallas and Fort Worth area. Good luck.

missypie- it's a good thing Barney18 is coming in at the beginning of the week. Because any invite to the State Fair should have a caveat about the Texas-OU weekend. Like 'DON'T COME HERE THAT WEEKEND'!!! :-))