This is a little love letter to a city I love and a shout out to a sweet friend that just moved here! Every kid that grew up in DFW and moved away has had this exact conversation before:

“Hey! Nice to meet you. Where are you from?”

“I’m from the Dallas area”

“Me too! Which part?”

Anyone who has lived in DFW knows that it is huge and there are a million little cities that are apart of it. If you were to drive from one side to the other, expect two hours of driving or three with traffic! DFW is such a big area and has so much to do, but it has always had the reputation of being devoid of any type of culture. Just a soul-less city full of chain restaurants and soccer moms. And honestly, depending where you go, this can sometimes be true. Plano TX (where I am from) sometimes felt like this. But especially since I moved to Lubbock, I have really come to appreciate Dallas and what it brings to the table. There are so many areas to enjoy and beautiful enriching things to do! In this article, I hope to give you a few ideas of ways to enjoy the Dallas area and maybe even experience the true heart of Dallas! I love this city and it will always be home.

A Scavenger Hunt to Every BIG Sign:

Dallas has adopted the nickname “The Big D” (You can laugh, we know its funny), and all over Dallas in some of its most iconic locations are BIG signs (You stand in the middle and become the I). The signs move periodically, but you can google where they are currently located and go find each one! While the sign itself is cool, what is even cooler are all the places this little adventure will take you. If you are new to Dallas, this can help you visit some cool iconic spots all over the city!

White Rock Lake and Dallas Arboretum:

One big thing I have always heard from people is how difficult it can be to get outside in Dallas. While there is not tons of hiking like in the Austin area, Dallas does have a very large park called White Rock Lake. To walk all the way around the lake is 9 miles, there are marathons that happen yearly that go around it and tons of nature trails that shoot off from the lake.

Get outside and enjoy the lake and walking trails! Is it the summer and its just too hot? You can rent paddle boards at White Rock Lake as well! Take a dip and paddle with friends for a very reasonable rental fee.

Right next to white rock lake is the Dallas Arboretum and botanical Gardens! Ya’ll it is beautiful in here no matter what season you go. In the fall they have pumpkin mazes everywhere, in the winter they have large scale holiday displays, and in the spring all of the giant blooming plants! This is a can’t miss item.

Watch Some Sport Ball in Dallas, TX:

Dallas has a huge number of major and minor league sports, and many of the games are not crazy expensive to attend! Get a $15 dollar ticket to a Texas Rangers game, or hit up the minor league team in Frisco, the Rough Riders (There is a lazy river that goes around the out field that you can watch the game from!!).

The Dallas Stars Hockey games are a ton of fun to go to as well! Dallas Maverick Basketball happens in the AA Center and The Dallas Cowboys play at Cowboy stadium too (These tickets are much more expensive, but are so so fun!).

Take a Weekend Trip to Fort Worth:

Fort Worth is like Dallas’s more country cousin. Spend the day shopping and eating at Sundance Square then head over to the Fort Worth Stock Yards.

Wander the little country stores, eat some BBQ at Coopers, and go two stepping and see a country concert at Billy Bob’s (The worlds largest honkey tonk). Huge country stars like Willie Nelson play at billy bob’s regularly !

Don’t sleep on the art scene around Fort Worth either! The Kimbell Art Museum can’t be missed and the Fort Worth Water Gardens is free and beautiful!

Deep Ellum and The Dallas Farmer’s Market:

The Dallas Farmers Market is open everyday, but its at its BIGGEST on Saturday! Tons of vendors of everything from homemade candles to beef jerky. The venue is covered so it goes on rain or shine! There are also many places inside that are specialty food restaurants (we got crab cakes that were ah-mazing).

Just a few blocks from the Farmers Market is an up and coming neighborhood called Deep Ellum. This is probably one of my favorite areas downtown. Street murals and art on every corner, hole in the wall restaurants, the deep ellum brewery, vintage shops, and great music venues like the bomb factory! Deep Ellum in the 90’s was one of the most run down places in Dallas, but over the past ten years it has really developed a life of its own. You go Deep Ellum!

Klyde Warren Park and The DMA:

This combination is a winner. Klyde Warren is a small park built on top of a highway in the middle of the skyscrapers of downtown Dallas. This park is small but mighty!! Food trucks of all kinds, free games that can be played and rented as well as books and ping pong, a putting green, a play scape for kidos, and walking trails under beautifully lit trees and arches. Sometimes they even have free concerts or yoga in the park, so watch out for events!

Right next to Klyde Warren is The Dallas Museum of Art. Guys, it is FREE to go!! Stroll the rows and rows of art, or pay a small fee to attend one of the many traveling exhibits. The art ranges from medieval to modern with artists like Picasso and Monet.

Bishop Arts District:

In the heart of Oak Cliff is a sweet little area called Bishop Arts. Similar to Deep Ellum, the area around Bishop arts was so run down, but now it is full of thriving specialty shops and restaurants. Many artists sell there handmade art here, and don’t forget to grab a crackberry cider at the bishop arts cider brewery!

Lower Greenville and Uptown:

If you are looking for a good night out look no further than uptown and lower greenville! My favorite bar is Truck Yard, a large open air patio complete with an adult bar tree house, taco truck, and a stage for live music!

If you are feeling more like coffee, stop by Houndstooth Coffee for an incredible latte!

Fossil Rim Drive Thru Zoo and Dinosaur Valley State Park:

Both of these items are in Glen Rose, Texas making for a great weekend trip!

For me personally, animals in small enclosures make me depressed so I do not enjoy going to zoos, but this one is different! Fossil Rim is a giant open ranch where many exotic animals such as giraffes, rhinos, and emus live. Our climate and landscape is very similar to that of parts of Africa, so the animals can thrive in the climate and live happy healthy lives free from poaching but without being in cages. For a fee, you can drive through the ranch with a bag of food feeding the animals from your car along the way. I loved this as a kid and still love it now!

While you are in Glen Rose, stop on over at Dinosaur Valley State Park. Take a hike through a beautiful tree covered river valley and check out some genuine dinosaur tracks while you do it!

Katy Trail and Katy Trail Icehouse:

A run is always better when beer is at the end right? Break out the bikes and bring the dog, head to The Katy Trail! Miles of beautiful paved trails through trees, over rivers, and across multiple Dallas parks. At The end of the trail, stop at Katy Trail for a margarita and tacos (The patio is dog friendly and they bring your furry friend a doggy bowl!)

Music In Dallas TX:

The last item I have is just the variety of ways to see live music in the Dallas area. There are hundreds of venues and festivals that happen through out the year so get googling and see who is coming when! Broadway shows are always coming to either Fair Park or Bass Hall, catch the Dallas Symphony Orchestra at The Myerson, see a country artist at the Toyota music factory, and catch the biggest names in music like Taylor Swift at Cowboy Stadium. Music is everywhere, just be looking for it!

I am sure there are hundreds of other things to do in DFW, but thats what I have for you today! I love Dallas and its people, I hope this gave you a few ideas on how to spend a weekend in The Big D!