The Dallas Stars (professional ice hockey) play at American Airlines Center at 2:30 pm on Sunday. "Cheap seats" are $25 each. Just google "American Airlines Center" if you're interested.

Also, we brought up the Ft. Worth Water Gardens earlier in the thread. It reopened over the weekend.

I know a previous posted recommended attending a Dallas Mavericks basketball game. Along with Missy's Stars suggestion, I, too, recommend going to one of the Mavericks games. They play Friday night and, especially right now, the games are fun, fun, fun. You can look for tickets on the nba/mavericks website under Mavs Trading Post. That's where season ticket holders like us put their tickets for sale when they're not using them. It' a better buy than, say, stubhub.

Thanks for all your suggestions,just as a last resort which tv channels will be on in our hotel room?We have satellite at home with over 300 channels and still cant find anything to watch!!

You will have loads of American channels... local and 'cable'.
Maverick's game! Brilliant suggestion!
Try to do that!!!!
Go Mav's!

nobody ever asked if you are connecting anywhere on your way over here. if you have a connection in a cool place like NYC, DC, or Boston, it might be worth discussion your sightseeing options during the layover.

Abe
we fly to Chicago (O,Hare)first then connect to DFW,arriving at 6.30 pm

I know you're basing your vacation on Dallas, but converting 1 of your 5 days to a long layover in Chicago (excellent mass transit and cabs -- you could be dowtown from the airport in 15 minutes for $1.50) would be a nice way to cap your vacation.

It would involve asking your airline to bump you to a later Chicago - Dallas flight, which they are often willing to do.

That way, you could see one of our world class cities, in addition to the everyday Americana of Dallas.

Dabber, I leave this evening for Barcelona. I'm sure you're getting ready to leave, too. I wish you could have been in Dallas yesterday-the PERFECT weather. 75 degrees, with the trees all in bloom.

Remember that the time changes ("spring forward") on Saturday, so set your watch ahead another hour when you go to bed Saturday night.

Rain is in the forecast for Sunday. If it is really ugly and you get bored, take a cab to Northpark Mall. It's huge and recently remodeled; the owner is a collector of sculpture, so there are some decent sculptures there. It has lots of new restaurants and a movie theatre and every store you can think of.

It has been a lot of fun trying to see downtown Dallas through the eyes of one who has never been in the US before. Have a great trip and please write a trip report on your return.

Just finished packing the case for the trip,missypie hope you have a good time in Barcelona,looking at the weather forecast it will be in the low 60s,is it just a sightseeing trip??
Abe,I would love to see Chicago but I have paid for 5 nights at the Adolphus !!

I wish I knew your name, Dabber... I have friends at the Adolphus and could get you upgraded into a better room!
Oh well... you have fun!

Just come upon this thread--thank goodness! We're staying in Dallas for 5 nights from 8th July (traveling from NE England), and I've been searching for " to do's" for a while. I've saved all the info,and your trip report too. Also booked at the Adolphus and the Palomar ( both cancellable). We're planning on doing a few of the Gray Line tours ( don't fancy renting a car)--is the Adolphus better placed to be able to pick these up? Thanks in advance for any help.

Daiseegee, since you are used to driving on the same side of the road as those of us in Dallas, I do recommend that you rent a car. It will open up a lot more possibilities.

I'd probably pick the Palomar - based on location and ease of walking; although you will have to be careful crossing Mockingbird (it's a 6 lane busy street; use crosswalks). It's across the street from Mockingbird Station where you can catch the DART Rail.

Tell us - what you'd like to do in Dallas....

Thanks for the replies. I really don't want the car if at all possible and having read Dabbers posts, think we'll try without. A few GrayLine trips are on the board, including the one to Fort Worth. If needs be, we can get the train back there another day. The replies and suggestions that Dabber got have loads to interest us, so it looks like we'll be pinching a few of them. Now just the hotel to pin down. You suggested the Palomar over the Adolphus. The reason I had been leaning more towards the Adolphus was the ease of getting the tour buses. Is the Palomar better situated for evenings out?( for a couple who are by no means in their first flush of youth so a pub or two would be just fine!). Great forum this!

The Palomar is across the street from Mockingbird Station. There you will find restaurants, shopping, a theater, and a great Irish pub called Trinity Hall.
http://www.mockingbirdstation.com/index.aspx
You can catch the train here to take you downtown, so it would be convenient.
There is a really nice loung inside the hotel. Also, Trader Vic's, a fun place to eat or have drinks, is just next door.
http://www.tradervicsdallas.com/

The Adolphus is very nice, but downtown Dallas gets pretty dead at night (I live downtown). There are of course places to go, but most things close down.

Hope you have a good time!

Daisiegee writes, "
Just come upon this thread--thank goodness! We're staying in Dallas for 5 nights from 8th July (traveling from NE England), and I've been searching for " to do's" for a while. "

I hope you realize that you're coming in the middle of the heat of summer (think Seville, Spain during a summer heat wave but with humidity). Everything is air conditioned inside, but walking around outside will be very hot, even moreso for you because you are from a cool climate.

You may want to think about heading on down to Austin and San Antonio, where they are more equipped to handle the heat. Austin has many cool, spring fed creeks that are refreshing to swim in, and plenty of crystal clear lakes. San Antonio has great water parks and is close to Schlitterbaun, the best Water Park in the US.

Since you'll be here in mid-summer, you might as well take advantage of what central Texas has to offer. Being in the concrete jungle of Dallas in mid-summer will not be pleasant, but tubing on the Guadalupe River in the Hill Country would be fantastic.

Just some ideas...

Also, San Antonio has more historical sites than Dallas and the Riverwalk is pleasantly shaded (I've dined outside at noon in August and was comfortable under a shade tree by the river).

So, unless you are a JFK buff like dabber, Austin/San Antonio may fit the bill better.

My husband is indeed a history buff, hence the reason for the visit. Thanks for the advice re the heat --the water tips are great, except I don't do swimming etc( terrified of water!). We frequently holiday in the US in the summer months,and I'll ust have to grin and bear the heat so he gets his JFK fix. We were in NO 2 years ago in July ( fantastic holiday) and coped well with the humidity( we also go to NYC in the summer quite often). Oddly, the heat of Las Vegas combined with the dry made me ill! As I sadi, my husband is a big history man, and so we've also done DC twice in the depth of summer. I think I'm odd! I've gotten some great hints and tips from the forum about restaurants and tours, it's been really helpful.

Thanks for your advice. Wish I wasn't such a wuss so I could make some use of it.

The heat in Dallas will be drier than New Orleans, but hotter. It won't be as dry or hot as Vegas, but it could be as high as 105F (40C). Just drink plenty of fluids (water especially).

By the way, since your husband is a history buff, I'm sure he'd enjoy San Antonio and the Alamo. The history behind that place is fascinating, and there are many historical sites of Mexican/Texas/American history. There are more historical sites of interest in San Antonio than Dallas, so maybe you can tour both cities?

I can guarantee you that both you and your husband would love San Antonio, especially with your interests in history as they are.

By the way, the heat in Dallas will be worse than NYC or DC.

I have been in Dallas all my life and can tell you that the temperatures the first 2 weeks of July can range from the low 90's to 105... Last year I went to rodeo on July 4th and it was very nice (in the shade) at 93.
I always carry an umbrella and wear light, loose fitting clothes.

We booked the Adolphus as it is only a few minutes walk from Dealey Plaza,which was the purpose of the visit,the Grayline tours pick up from outside the 6th floor museum,the Palomar is 4 miles from downtown ,I would recommend the Adolphus,large comfortable rooms and helpful staff,the Grayline tour to Fort Worth is very good and highly recommended.

Thanks for all the help. I am so pleased that I found this post, and your trip report Dabber as they've been really helpful. Did you pre-book the GrayLine tour?

Yes,we did book the tour.you can access their site online and book,is your husband interested in the JFK stuff??The museum is worth a visit,make sure you take the audio tour,it does nothing to support a conspiracy though.
I can recommend the Fort Worth tour but the Southfork tour we decided not to do,we did the FW trip on a Wednesday and were the only 2 on the bus!!

Thanks for that dabber, I'll get onto it. We don't arrive till late afternoon on our first day and will have been up since around 2am so it might be better leaving the bus tour till our 2nd full day. Hope you don't mind us pinching your itinerary!

I visited Dallas for three days and ate my way through this great town. Try Lefty's for some great food and ambience! Have fun!

I went to Lefty's for the first time a month or so ago.
Great Lobster and Lobster Bisque.
If they would only prohibit smoking in Addison, it would be perfect!
The Dallas area is perfect for people who like to eat. So many excellent choices!
There are more restaurants per capita than any other city in America.

Southfork tour is SUCH a rip-off. It's around $15 per person. None of the interior of the house was ever used in filming, and the farm buildings are nothing special. For free, you can have someone take your picture standing by the main gate and you'll have a good memento and not have wasted 2 hours of your vacation.

Daisiegee
you will probably get some people advising you to visit Austin or other places,I dont know if they are ashamed of Dallas,my wife and I found plenty to do and see in the downtown area.

Thanks for that advice re Southfork---might give that a miss then! Dabber, thanks for your comment. This is the first leg of our 3 week trip ( moving to Seattle next) and I think it might be nice to have a change of pace ( for us anyhow)and maybe slow it down for the first few days of the trip. The Adolphus looked a great deal for a good hotel.
I saw in your report that you went to the Corner Bakery---we've been to a one in Chicago and liked it. Is it close to the hotel?

I live just down the street from Southfork. I would not only suggest that skip the tour, but really it would be a waste of time to even make the trip out here for a photo from the road.
The house is small by today's rich-people standards and was made to look much larger on TV.
It's a long drive from Downtown to Murphy, Tx.
They have built a conference center at Southfork and it is a great place for a High School Prom... that's about it.

The Corner Bakery is on Market Street,about 10 minutes walk from the Adolphus,you can get a free downtown map from reception which has all the points of interest on .

Thanks dabber, you've been really helpful. What's the betting you're going to be really cheesed off with me before my trip comes round? ;-)

Not at all,feel free to ask anything that you want!!

My family and I are leaving this Sunday for a week or so in the Dallas area. This thread is going to be SO much help. I am going to pore over it and will be back later if I have any questions.

Thanks again to all posters!

The thing about Dallas/Fort Worth, is that in terms of sheer geographical size, it is the largest metropolitan DMA in the United States that is not bounded by a coastline.

So, its bigger than Chicago, Phoenix, Philadelphia, Minneapolis/St Paul, Kansas City,Atlanta, etc.

If youre not allowing yourself ample time, you really wont be able to take in a lot of the sights. Some of the sites mentioned are usual visitor staples, and are excellent recommendations.

My honest suggestion, would be to conduct your own research based upon the feedback youve recieved and info youve obtained, decide what appeals to you best and set out to explore those attractions.

Truly, a return visit may be needed to fill in the gaps of places you werent able to see on your initial visit.

Take lots of money if shopping is your thing, as DFW boasts 21 area shopping malls, more than any other metropolitan area in the United States.

mireaux7,

I totally agree with the geographical size of the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex.

Because it's not on a coast, it can sprawl in each and every direction. However, at this moment, it is really only sprawling northward, driven racially I suppose (that would answer why it isn't growing southwards).

Dallas is a huge mess of freeways, buildings, office parks, etc... like L.A. but without pretty hills, without a beautiful ocean, without good weather, and with much less infill.

driven "racially"??..dont you mean commercially?..economically, perhaps? only the northside is growing? ..theres a housing boom in southwest fort worth currently. the boom you are referring to has its epicenter in frisco, and sprawls out to plano, the colony, the 75 corridor and the 380 corridor.

there are pretty nice hills south on beltline and I-20 before you get to cedar hill.

the metroplex has one of the best designed highway systems in america, although congested at times. in comparison with cities with similiar populations, the traffic densities are not as bad in dallas as they could be if not for the ever-improving highway system.

the weather here is gorgeous. i will admit that a lot of transplants do complain about the humidity, cause it is a stark contrast in comparison with, say new england, for example.

That seems to be a post designed to bait the users of this board.

All I can say is in the last 20 years development in Dallas is damned if it does, damned if it don't.

Perhaps we should remind BkluvsNoLa that many more people move from LA to Dallas than the other way around.