The best attractions in Dallas to add to your bucket list

Would you like to see Dallas and beyond from above? The best place to enjoy panoramic views of the city is from the GeO-Deck, an observation platform located in the Reunion Tower of the Regency Hyatt Dallas. The GeO-Deck is 470 feet high. Look for special sky-high activities like sunrise yoga and painting with a view of the city.

Book top attractions in Dallas with a CityPASS.

The Dallas Arts District is the city's hub for performing and visual arts. The Dallas Museum of Art, the Nasher Sculpture Center and the Crow Collection of Asian Art are within yards of each other. Take a stroll along Flora Street and you’ll pass by the striking Meyerson Symphony Center, home of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra, the fabulous Winspear Opera House, the Wyly Theater and the undulating lines of the Moody Performance Hall. Keep an eye out for the public art along the way, especially the majestic Pegasus outside the Booker T. Washington High School and the KPMG Plaza at Hall Arts.

Learn about the JFK assassination on a Dallas tour.

Every school kid knows what happened in Dallas on November 22, 1963—and the majority of Americans (60 percent) still believe that Lee Harvey Oswald’s assassination of President Kennedy was part of a bigger conspiracy. If you’re one of them, you’re in the right place. The infamous Texas School Book Depository is now The Sixth Floor Museum, a world-class center dedicated to telling the story from every angle. Poke through 40,000 artifacts and stand at the exact window Oswald fired from, then head to the grassy knoll below to make up your own mind over the “second shooter.” Afterward board the JFK & Dealey Plaza bus tour to explore your theories first-hand, taking in key sites including the Texas Theatre, the art-deco cinema where Oswald was finally apprehended.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the hustle and bustle of the city? Head to the Arboretum. This urban oasis provides plenty of breathing space in a natural setting. Take a stroll around the different gardens, each with a different style. Take a moment for reflection in the beautiful Women’s Garden and enjoy the fantastic views of White Rock Lake below. The best times to visit the Arboretum are in the fall when the leaves turn all kinds of shades of russets, reds, yellows, and ochres; and the spring, when the Dallas Blooms Festival is in full swing with its vibrant colors.

The Dallas Museum of Art (DMA) is the cultural epicenter of the city. The permanent collections encompass the art of the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Europe, as well as contemporary art and design. The museum offers tours, gallery talks, workshops and lectures with renowned artists. Take a break at the  museum café. Don’t miss out on special events like murder mystery games and kids' nights.

Go on a Dallas Arts District scavenger hunt.

Victory Park is less of a traditional green space but more of an entertainment district, with The American Airlines Center at its core. AAC is home of NBA force Dallas Mavericks and local hockey team Dallas Stars. Concerts and other entertainment events also take place at the expansive venue throughout the year. Whilst here be sure to grab a snap in front of Texan artist Rob Wilson’s mural honoring Dallas’ greatest hits, which has recently become somewhat of a local ‘gram sensation.

Deep Ellum was established in 1873 as one of the city’s first commercial districts for African-Americans. Much of its early history is associated with trade and industry, but now it’s more famous for a number of things. First, music, from the jazz and blues of the 1920s to today’s booming music scene. Visual arts, a la murals and sculptures like The Traveling Man, a series of three sculptures in stainless steel ranging from 8 to 38 feet tall. And last but not least, the former warehouses have been converted into apartments, stores, restaurants and some of today’s hippest bars (you’ll find us at the Deep End and Trick Pony, FYI)

See Deep Ellum on this tour.

Let your inner child marvel at the interactive games and activities; look a T-Rex or the megafauna of the Ice Age in the eye; climb on an earthquake simulator or use brainwaves to move an object (a light one, though, like a ping pong ball.) The Perot Museum of Nature and Science opened in 2012 and it captures the spirit of scientific knowledge. The fantastic building is an ode to science; it’s sustainable, energy-efficient and the landscaping reflects a cross-section of the different landscapes of Texas. Take a minute to enjoy the views of Dallas from the windows on level four.

Save with the Dallas CityPASS

If you want to witness the true grit and skill of the Texan cowboy, head to Mesquite Championship Rodeo at Mesquite Arena. This facility, a 15-minute drive east of downtown, holds different events throughout the year, but July, August and September are the busiest rodeo seasons. It is exhilarating to watch each event, from team roping to steer wrestling and calf roping. Experience the speed and grace of the horses and the cowboys' skills with ropes and lassos; feel the sheer power of bucking broncs and bulls. (And, yes, you will feel for those poor clowns!)

If you are into historic means of transport, you’ll adore the McKinney Avenue Trolley. Streetcars were abandoned in 1956, but the McKinney Avenue Transit Authority non-profit has operated restored vintage streetcars since the 1980s. Rosie, the Green Dragon, Matilda, Petunia and Betty will happily take you from Uptown to the Dallas Arts District free of charge. They only ask for a small donation toward their maintenance. Look for the round maroon and white sign. As the trolley approaches, wave your hand out and the motorman will stop so you can hop on board. When you’re ready to hop off, just ring the bell.

AT&T Stadium is the state-of-the-art home of the Dallas Cowboys (although it’s owned by the city of Arlington). The facility was completed in 2009 and its most salient feature is the retractable roof. With 80,000 seats, it’s the fourth largest NFL stadium in the nation. Works of modern art, installations and murals adorn the stadium's six levels, which make for an art gallery inside of the magnificent sports venue. There are four types of tours: VIP tours, self-guided tours (only when there’s field availability), educational tours and art tours. The best part? You can go out on the field and pretend to be an NFL star.

Until 2012, the Woodall Rodgers Freeway split Dallas in two. Klyde Warren Park, built over the freeway between Pearl Street and St. Paul, now joins both neighborhoods. This beautiful park is a hub of activity. The property features a lending library with a reading area and board games, a children’s park, equipment for croquet, petanque and badminton, ping pong and foosball tables. There are all types of events during the week, from dancing lessons and concerts to tai chi and yoga. Looking for a bite to eat? The food trucks are very popular.

The best feature of the Nasher is the gorgeous garden, which provides a perfect setting for the sculptures by renowned international artists. Even though it’s in the heart of the city, the garden offers much-needed peace and quiet. The lovely café opens up to the garden. The permanent collection includes the biggest names in modern and contemporary art from Alberto Giacometti to Barbara Hepworth. The luminous and expansive building was designed by architect Renzo Piano and opened in 2003. The museum evolved from the personal collection of Raymond and Patsy Nasher, avid collectors and a prominent business family of Dallas.

Pioneer Plaza is undoubtedly one of Dallas’s most recognizable landmarks. The bronze sculptures recreate a herd of longhorn steers driven by three cowboys through a flowing stream, man-made cliffs and native plants. The sculptures commemorate the cattle drives along the trails that took them from South Texas to the railheads in Oklahoma, Kansas and Missouri. Pioneer Plaza is the biggest open space in downtown Dallas and draws many visitors. If you want to take pictures or have a quiet stroll among the sculptures, you may want to avoid the weekends when parents bring their children and quinceañeras do photoshoots.

Book a Dallas tour and see Founders Plaza, Deep Ellum, and more.

At less than one mile, the Dallas Farmers Market is a bracing walk away from Downtown, the ideal distance to work up an appetite. The Market, as the food hall is called, is a big shed that houses restaurants, along with artisanal and specialty food vendors. Expect communal seating areas for all except Mudhen, the stand-alone, farm-to-table restaurant. You’ll find it hard to choose one place to eat, with options including tacos, macarons, Neapolitan-style pizza and more. From Ruibal’s nursery, you can see the downtown skyline framing the potted plants and flowers.

Do a Dallas foodie tour.

The House of Blues is one of the many concert venues in the city that gave Stevie Ray Vaughan to the world. It's not all about music though. There's also a bar and restaurant for pre-concert dinner and drinks. Remember to make a reservation. Catch free live music weekly, with show styles ranging from country and western to pop, jazz and electronic. One Sunday morning a month, local traditional and contemporary Gospel singers treat you to a wonderful show while you enjoy an all-you-can-eat buffet. It's a truly uplifting experience.

In the 1920s, the South Dallas neighborhood of Oak Cliff was a bustling commercial area with warehouses and stores. Nowadays, after experiencing a revival, it’s one of Dallas’s trendiest areas. New boutiques, bars, restaurants and smokehouses occupy those old warehouses, which lend the area a lot of character. Some old-timers survive for now, though. Colorful murals—some artistic, some depicting the past and present of Oak Cliff—add a feeling of vitality to the area. For a complete experience, take the free Dallas Streetcar outside Union Station in downtown Dallas to the Bishop Arts stop. The Texas Theater (where Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested) is a short walk away.

At Southfork Ranch, you can visit the home of one of TV’s richest and most complicated families, the Ewings. The property was a family home at the time of filming, but later became a conference center and event venue located less than 30 miles northwest of downtown Dallas. See how the other half lives during the tour, along with memorabilia from the series like Jock Ewing’s 1978 Lincoln Continental or the gun that killed JR. Tours start at 10:15am daily and run every hour. Alternatively, you can ride the trails at the ranch. The five daily rides are subject to weather and safety conditions.

McKinney is a beautiful historic commercial downtown located 37 miles north of Dallas. It’s a great place to spend a few hours away from the big city. Buildings from the late 1800s surround the main square and the historic courthouse, which is now the McKinney Performing Arts Center. Independent boutiques, antique dealers, coffee shops and restaurants line the leafy streets. Nearby, the historic village of Chestnut Square comprises six historic homes, the replica of a one-room school, a chapel and a store that together bring local heritage and history to life. 

Tour Southfork Ranch and more on a full-day tour.

Legacy West is the newest upscale lifestyle destination in the Dallas Metroplex. The development features the regional headquarters of some big companies, hotels, luxury retail shopping, restaurants, a food hall and apartments. Retailers include staple designers like Coach and J. Crew, along with eye-candy shops like the Tesla showroom. Dining options range from Shake Shack burgers and Italian food at North Italia and Taverna restaurants to superb steaks at Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House and French-inspired food at Toulouse. Meet friends for a drink at the upscale-meets-casual Earl’s Bar & Kitchen. 

The Dallas Zoo is the oldest and largest zoo in Texas. The 100-acre park is located 3 miles south of downtown Dallas. The zoo is divided into two areas joined by a tunnel: ZooNorth and the Wilds of Africa. ZooNorth includes the Koala Walkabout with animals from Australia, a tiger enclosure, the flamingo pond and birds from different countries, among many other species. On the other side of the park, the Wilds of Africa brings zoo-goers the giants of the savanna, a gorilla trail and large cats. Inside the zoo, you'll find three restaurants and food stands to fuel your journey through the wild. The zoo draws quite a crowd on weekends, so be sure to visit during the week if you can.

Note: This museum is temporarily closed.

The Old Red Museum tells the story of Dallas from prehistoric times to the modern day including artifacts used by the first settlers. The Trading Center gallery shows the transformation of a sleepy town into a thriving regional trade center while the Big “D” Gallery shows how Dallas became a nationally relevant city. Make sure to stop by the World Crossroads gallery to see Dallas’ many contributions to pop culture like J.R. Ewing’s Stetson hat and national history items like the handcuffs used on Lee Harvey Oswald.

Even though Dallas is miles away from the sea, you can still see interesting marine life from all over the world at the Dallas Aquarium. The exhibits are divided by region and include birds and reptiles. The aquarium is also involved in several conservation projects to protect endangered species like the Orinoco crocodile. Don’t miss the feedings and talks throughout the day. The aquarium occupies two warehouses built in the 1920s in a similar style to other Historic West End buildings.

You can also check out an aquarium in Grapevine.