Dallas - Peoples Experiences

[tremonti]

Hi all,

In Feb I will be going to Dallas Texas, I was hoping some others could share some experiences about Dallas, must things to do,how you found Dallas and if its relatively easy to navigate there roads for a first timer driving on the wrong side.
Mind you i will be there for the peak event Super Bowl.

Thank you.

 

[NM]

Dallas is a big city. So the experience will vary depending on where about you will staying and driving.

The "freeways" are often very congested at peak times, especially LBJ (I635) which is effectively a ring road. Traffic is generally bad around north Dallas, right out as far as Richardson, Coppell etc. A GPS is handy for finding your way around.

Remember that Dallas/Fort Worth area really is a combination of two very different cities. Dallas is the big smoke with its big business and financial centre, and Ft Worth is the big country town with a rural feel. Dallas was the end of the railway line and thrived based on its transport connections. Ft Worth was built around the cattle stock yards as holding yards before be transported east by rail. So if you have time, a visit to Ft Worth could be interesting, especially an evening around the Stock Yards precinct where you will find some good steak houses (H3, Stockmans etc) and see plenty of cowboy boots and hats wandering around. If you are game, pop in to Billy Bobs for some boot scooting.

 

[Gold Member]

Definitely get a GPS if driving. Otherwise, Dallas city itself is very uninspiring. Big, boring corporate buildings everywhere, absolutely nothing to do in the city and everything shut on weekends. Still, Priceline hotels are dirt cheap there.

 

[Alanslegal]

do stand on the x spot where JFK was asasinated ... and quickly take a photo as u stand there.

have texas bbq at sonnys bryans bbq in downtown dallas

 

[drron]

Great shopping,great eating and just enjoyable.US drivers in general are much more polite than Aussies so driving I have never found a problem.And I have never needed a GPS getting around Dallas-or indeed anywhere in the USA-their road numbering system makes getting around easy.
Some ideas on Dallas in my last TR-
http://www.australianfrequentflyer....tos/drron-rambles-around-the-usa-25846-2.html
Dallas starts at post 41.

 

[tuapekastar]

A terribly general comment (and certainly not personally informed) from me, but when I visited friends in Houston a few months back, they were quite dismissive of Dallas (city rivalry perhaps?), but conversely quite positive about Fort Worth as a city.

 

[Lendav Orav]

Definitely one of the most unexciting US cities I've been to in terms of the downtown area. Still the JFK grassy knoll is a must-visit as is the aquarium - it's absolutely amazing (it's actually more of a Central American micro environment than just an aquarium - got to be seen to be believed!)

 

[burrco]

I spent four or five nights there late last year, stayed at the Le Meridian which isn't downtown but next to one of the big malls.

Largely just a typical big US city - the only must see for me was the JFK mueseum which was excellent. I didn't really like the downtown area but some of the suburbs were quite nice with plenty of restaurants and shopping etc.

The people are generally friendly, the roads can get extremely busy, but the drivers are better than Australia - so other than sheer volume - driving is a breeze.

If you are using a rental car - check the situation for tolls. They use an e-tag type system on some tollways and I got stung a hefty penalty as my car didn't have an e-tag.

However during superbowl - knowing what the local residents are like (and the love of football) Dallas would be amazing.

 

[blueflamenco]

Not much stood out to me in Dallas and I didn't have to drive while I was there (so I guess I have nothing useful to add!)... Are you going to the Super Bowl?

 

[docjames]

Just adding to the sentiment that I'd definitely make the effort to head over to Fort Worth - a great town and there's plenty to do there, and it has a whole different feel to Dallas.

 

[tremonti]

Not much stood out to me in Dallas and I didn't have to drive while I was there (so I guess I have nothing useful to add!)... Are you going to the Super Bowl?

lots of great feedback guys, looks like im going to be eating a lot of BBQ.
Yes I was very lucky to secure two tickets to Super Bowl XLV.
I am then continuing on via southwest airlines ( Dallas Love Field Airport ) to Vegas.
Very excited, and with this feedback, its sure going to help. heres hoping the roads arent icy or any freak conditions that will keep me indoors!
Best shopping locations in Dallas i heard Northpark or Galleria is that right?

 

[Skyring]

Looks like I'm jumping in late here. I very much prefer Fort Worth over Dallas - it has a lot more personality, with the Kimbell, the gardens, Sundance Square and especially the Stockyard District. Best steak I ever ate anywhere was at Riskies, just up from the station.

Dallas, well there's the grassy knoll and the chance to see where LHO made his fatal shots. And, um, there's a lot of skyscrapers. I staid at the Magnolia, middle of town, fine old hotel, might be a bit pricey if the city is crowded with sportsfen.

I love Texas. Fine, friendly, down to earth place. Good food, good beer, wide roads and open spaces. I might just be passing through DFW, but there's a smile a mile wide on my happy face.

I navigated through last October with a GPS. All them big highways all look exactly the same. Maybe the numbers are different, but it's bloody confusing unless you stop and grapple with a map. I just plugged in where I wanted to go and followed the voice. Most American cities are laid out on a grid system once you get off the freeways, so navigation isn't too hard. Just remember to keep the steering wheel in the middle of the road, and for turns: "left is loose, right is tight". You get to make a right turn on red after stopping just about everywhere, which is something we should do in Oz (for left turns, obviously).

The food is heavily based around meat and potatoes. I'm not a big vegetable eater, but after a week in the midwest, I was craving a decent salad and some honest green veges. A lot of the time you've got to order a side dish of healthy tucker to go with the delicious ribs and steaks and hog jowls.

If you hire a car, get something with some style. Most American cars are really horrible. If anyone offers me another Mercury, I'm going to be a dot on the horizon aimed at the rival company. Honestly, a supposed luxury car with a front bench seat???? Cripes.

A Mustang if you can get it, or a Chrysler 300C if you want room and a bit of gangster charm.

My report on my week Chicago to San Francisco via the heartland, with a couple of days in Dallas and Fort Worth is here. And some of the fine dining at hogjowls.com.

 

[NM]

Best shopping locations in Dallas i heard Northpark or Galleria is that right?

Depends on what type of shopping you are looking for.

For a large mall with lots of options, check out Grapevine Mills. Its close to DFW airport and considered on of the biggest and best in the metroplex.

If you are after electronics or computer bits, then check out Fry's at Arlington. Its huge with an amazing range and good prices.