Dallas is one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States and one of the main drivers of the Texan economy. Best known as a business hub, it rarely tops the list of must-visit American city destinations – and that’s a shame. Beyond the glass towers of downtown, Dallas offers several surprising neighbourhoods, a rich and diverse art and music scene, and some of the best comfort food in the country.
Few American states evoke such clear-cut imagery as Texas. When thinking of the Lone Star State, vast open ranches come to mind, where John Wayne types wearing Stetson hats drive massive herds of longhorn cattle across endless plains. Revolvers casually holstered in their belts, they end the day with their cowboy boots up, smoking Marlboros in a dusty saloon, an American flag waving proudly from the porch.
While such classic movie stereotypes will surely still exist somewhere in Texas, I didn’t meet a single one during my stay. Instead, I discovered a very different side of the state – one shaped by rapid growth, cultural diversity and a booming urban lifestyle. Texas has become a popular relocation spot for Americans from all over the country, drawn by its economic momentum and the fact you don’t need to be a millionaire yet to live in the heart of a more or less pleasant big city.
The result is a collection of major cities that are surprisingly hip, vibrant and creative. The Texas you’ll experience in places like Dallas is far removed from the clichés. During a short trip through urban Texas, I explored three of its most interesting cities. This article zooms in on the first stop: Dallas – a business city at heart, but one with several unique neighbourhoods incredibly fun to explore.
Read more about the same trip in my Austin city guide, focused on music, food trucks and creative districts, and in my San Antonio city guide, where history, culture and the city’s biggest annual festival take centre stage.
Dallas at a glance: a business city with creative neighbourhoods
Dallas might be one of the most well-known cities in the US by name. Not necessarily because it’s one of the most visited – it’s not – but mainly because my parents’ generation spent most of 1980 wondering who the hell shot J.R. Ewing in the cult series of the same name. It remains one of the greatest cliffhangers in television history.
Anyone looking up the iconic intro on YouTube after landing in Dallas today, will most likely only recognise the tune. The Dallas skyline anno 2024 looks completely different. This happened because the Dallas-Fort Worth region (Fort Worth is where the cowboys are by the way) is bursting at the seams. Nearly eight million people live here, and in ten years it will be the third-largest urban area in the country after New York and LA.
Dallas is above all a business city. When the East Texas Oil Field was tapped in the 1930s, the city grew into the financial centre of the American oil industry. Nowadays, its economy has diversified. Many tech companies (including about two dozen Fortune 500 companies) have their headquarters here. As a result, Dallasites are sometimes seen as a bunch of arrogant yuppies by the rest of Texas. But as arrogant yuppies tend to do, they don’t really seem to care. Fortunately, there’s much more to do in Dallas than just business. There are several exciting neighbourhoods to discover, the art scene is rich and diverse and the local food is fantastic. Time for a closer look.
The best neighbourhoods to explore in Dallas
Unlike many major cities, downtown Dallas isn’t where most visitors will want to spend their time. The city’s most interesting neighbourhoods are located just outside or on the edge of the central business district. These areas are where Dallas really comes to life, with live music venues, independent shops, museums and some of the city’s best food spots.
Deep Ellum: Dallas’s wild rock ‘n’ roll district
The most unique neighbourhood in Dallas can be found just a short walk east of downtown. Deep Ellum was first settled in the late 19th century, around the intersection of two railway lines. This interesting location led to trade, immigration and a lot of comings and goings. It quickly turned into a notorious entertainment district, where jazz and blues legends like Blind Lemon Jefferson and Bessie Smith rose to fame.
After those early glory years, the neighbourhood fell into decline, but a cautious revival began in the 1980s. In the last fifteen years, Deep Ellum has thrived like never before. Since 2018, the district’s population has doubled (!!). Therefore, the old guard made it their primary mission to preserve the original atmosphere as much as possible. And that atmosphere is absolutely fantastic. Deep Ellum is a chaotic, colourful district. The old warehouses and commercial buildings now house bars and restaurants, independent shops (Jade & Clover is a great spot for souvenirs) and more than twenty-five live music venues.
It’s also heaven for street art lovers, with countless walls covered with often stunning murals. Deep Ellum is a neighbourhood after my own heart, and it turns especially vibrant in the evenings. In many smaller bars, audiences spill outside to watch the local band of the day, but in legendary venues like Trees, bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Tool have performed – even though only about 600 people can be accommodated. Want to go all out? Click here for a Deep Ellum pub crawl on a party bike.
Bishop Arts District: independent shops and laid-back nightlife
The Bishop Arts District is another interesting area in Dallas, a few miles from downtown (getting an Uber is recommended). Broadly speaking, this is a neater, more homely version of Deep Ellum. It’s a low-rise, pedestrian friendly neighbourhood (a rarity in American cities) with charming bars, independent clothing and trinket shops, art galleries, and a few venues for more intimate live music performances (Revelers Hall is recommended for jazz and blues lovers).
Personally, I found Wild Detectives to be a fantastic spot. It’s a mix of an alternative bookstore, a coffee shop and a craft beer pub. They often host performances and readings, and the staff are very friendly and helpful. The Bishop Arts District is ideal for those who want to shop or dine in a more relaxed setting. I had a lovely dinner at Stock & Barrel.
Dallas Arts District: culture on a city scale
Just north of downtown lies the Dallas Arts District: the largest urban arts district in the entire United States. Spread over nearly fifty acres, this area brings together museums, performance venues, public art and green spaces in a compact, walkable part of the city.
Even if you’re not planning to spend hours inside museums (we’ll talk about them later), the district is worth visiting for its atmosphere alone. This is one of the few areas in Dallas where everything can be comfortably explored on foot. The district also borders Klyde Warren Park: the perfect place to unwind after a day of cultural enrichment.
It was built over a recessed freeway and now offers more than two acres of green space to enjoy in the middle of the city. Various events and sports activities are organised every week, there’s free Wi-Fi, and several food trucks are on hand on the side of the park to satisfy the occasional craving. The surrounding skyline makes for a great and gleamy photo backdrop.
Downtown Dallas: worth a short detour
Dallas is a somewhat atypical city in several ways. For example: downtown Dallas is one of the less interesting areas for tourists – most hotspots are located just outside of it. Therefore, the city centre is sometimes overlooked. There are still a couple of interesting sights to discover in between the business towers though.
The AT&T Discovery District (everything seems to be a district here) is an innovative spot with a large LED artwork as a centrepiece. You’ll find plenty of restaurants, lots of public art, and regular events here. Pioneer Plaza features a massive sculpture of forty bronze longhorn cattle stampeding. The strangest piece of art downtown however, is the Giant Eyeball. This is a nine-metre-high, seemingly all-seeing eyeball that’s been left lying somewhere in front of a skyscraper. Slightly unsettling but certainly something you wouldn’t find anywhere else.
Museums and cultural highlights in Dallas
Dallas has a surprisingly rich museum scene for a business and finance city. From major international art collections to science museums and sites tied to pivotal moments in American history, the city offers a broad cultural mix. Many of Dallas’s most important museums are clustered in and around the Arts District, making it easy to combine several visits in a single day.
Dallas Museum of Art: the main museum in the Dallas Arts District
The largest museum in the Dallas Arts District is the aptly named Dallas Museum of Art. This is an enormous building with an almost unfathomable art collection. You’ll find works by many great names in American and European art history (from Warhol and Pollock to Van Gogh, Picasso, Mondriaan and Monet).
Additionally, entire wings are dedicated to art from around the world: ceremonial masks from Mali, sculptures from Indonesia, wood carvings from Papua New Guinea and numerous artifacts from various Native American tribes. To see everything, you’ll need more than a few hours. The permanent collection can be visited free of charge.
Other museums in the Dallas Arts District
It wouldn’t be called the Dallas Arts District if there was only one museum to visit. So here’s a list of other places to see in the same area.
–Nasher Sculpture Center: a somewhat smaller museum focusing on modern and contemporary sculpture. Many of the works are quite abstract, but you’ll find more fathomable sculptures by Rodin and (surprisingly: didn’t know he made them) Picasso. The large green garden is especially beautiful and serves as one of the best quiet spots in the city.
–Crow Museum of Asian Art: this museum showcases a rich collection of Asian art. Sculptures, textiles, ceramics and paintings from China, Japan, India, Korea, and many Southeast Asian countries. Admission is free.
–Perot Museum of Nature and Science: an interesting natural history museum on various topics from space exploration to the human body. The extensive collection of dinosaur skeletons, including a T-Rex and an Alamosaurus (one of the largest dinos ever discovered) is particularly impressive.
–AT&T Performing Arts Center: not a museum, but a stunning complex for performances and shows. It features a large opera house, two smaller theatres, and an outdoor plaza that can accommodate 2,500 spectators.
Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza: a retrospective on the JFK drama
It may be one of the greatest cliffhangers ever, but J.R. Ewing is only the second most famous person to be shot in Dallas. Unfortunately, the top spot goes to a non-fictional character. In November 1963, during a parade in Dallas, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated by Lee Harvey Oswald.
This happened at Dealey Plaza, and the two X’s that still mark the pavement (they could use a new coat of paint by the way) somewhat morbidly indicate the exact spots where the president got hit. Right nearby is the infamous “grassy knoll,” where several witnesses thought they heard a second shooter. Although Jim Carrey openly confessed to the act in one of his films, the presence of a second gunman was never proven.
On the floor of the building where the real shots were fired from, you can now visit the Sixth Floor Museum. It provides all details of what happened that day, tells you more about JFK’s life and accomplishments and delves into the investigations and conspiracy theories that followed the assassination. Unfortunately, it was closed during my time in Dallas, so you’ll have to get your inside pics somewhere else. You can discover the whole Kennedy story on a guided tour (museum entry included).
What to eat in Dallas: enjoy a Texas BBQ in style at Pecan Lodge
There are plenty of fantastic places to grab a bite in Dallas – both Deep Ellum and the Bishop Arts District are prime areas for this. Food in Texas as a whole is surprisingly great. Almost every dish in the Texan cuisine is pure and simple comfort food. There’s Tex-Mex and taco places everywhere (If I could take one Texas thing home with me, it would be breakfast tacos), and the average dessert is so rich here, eating it almost feels like committing a crime. Texan food will for sure not make you any slimmer, but it’s going to be incredibly tasty.
The Texas BBQ is one of the most famous ambassadors of the local food culture. Pecan Lodge – in Deep Ellum – is one of the best places in the entire state to try some. It’s an unpretentious restaurant slow-cooking entire herds of cows and pigs in huge closed barbecues for hours. This technique makes the meat so tender it will fall apart at the touch of a fork.
I ordered a brisket sandwich, and it was so succulent and sweet it nearly brought tears to my eyes. At lunchtime, the queue often stretches all the way outside. Your order is called out by a cheerful lady who makes you feel like you’ve just won the local bingo – and given the quality of the food, this is actually somewhat true. Great restaurant, and cheap as well. Aching for more tasty stuff? Book a Deep Ellum food tour.
Practical tips for visiting Dallas
**There are a couple of affiliate links to interesting activities or hotels in this article. These were personally selected to make sure they actually add value. If you’re already planning to book an activity or hotel in Dallas, consider doing so via one of my links. Doesn’t cost you an extra dime and I’ll get a small compensation for my efforts. Thank you in advance.**
Getting around Dallas
Dallas is a sprawling, car-focused city. While there is public transport, it’s quite limited and not very practical for reaching neighbourhoods like Deep Ellum or Bishop Arts. Uber and Lyft are often better options for short trips within the city. As we were on a longer road trip, we had our own car. If you’re not planning to stay in Dallas for the whole trip, this is by far the most convenient option. I usually book with DiscoverCars. Their platform allows you to compare local providers and find the best deals for every destination.
Where to stay in Dallas?
As said: Dallas is quite car-centred. So unless you want to take lots of Ubers, book your hotel near the place where you want to spend the most time. If you’re in Downtown Dallas, try to book as close to Deep Ellum or the Arts District as possible. Bishop Arts District is very cool and cosy, but you’ll have to go for a drive if you want to get to the city centre.
-I stayed at Lorenzo Hotel Dallas. This place is a short drive from downtown. It may look a bit old-fashioned from the outside, but inside everything is creatively furnished with some real out-of-the-box ideas. The rooms are huge, and the breakfast is top-notch. Great stay.
–Kimpton – Pittman Hotel by IHG: great and somewhat industrially styled hotel in the middle of Deep Ellum. If you want to be where the action is at night, this is the perfect place. Comes with a nice outside pool and a good restaurant as well.
–The Adolphus: gorgeous hotel in a historic building in the downtown (but close enough to the Arts District). Furnished as if you were walking into a fancy whisky & cigar bar in the 1920s. Luxury hotel so on the higher end of the price scale.
–SOVA Micro-Room and Social Hotel: hip little venue bordering Deep Ellum. Feels like a hostel but only offers private rooms. Very social space with a bar down below.
–Bishop Hostel: very well rated hostel in the Bishop Arts District. Comes with a fully equipped kitchen and within walking distance from all the cool spots in the neighbourhood.
Tours and activities in Dallas
If you want to explore Dallas with some local context, guided tours are a good addition to a short stay. Options range from food tours in neighbourhoods like Deep Ellum to visits to major sights such as the Dallas Cowboys Stadium or day trips to nearby Fort Worth, which has a very different atmosphere. Want to do something completely of the beaten path? Go for a fun nightly ghost tour.
GetYourGuide and Viator offer a plethora of options.
Practical Dallas travel tips
-Best time to visit Dallas: Spring and autumn are the most pleasant seasons, with warm but manageable temperatures. Summers can be extremely hot.
-Connectivity: You’ll need an e-sim with some mobile data to stay connected. I’ve been using Airalo for years. This is an app that lets you buy easy and cheap data in almost every country on the planet.
-Official resources: For up-to-date events, exhibitions and neighbourhood tips, the official tourism websites for Dallas and Texas are useful starting points.
More Texas Trips
Dallas works well as part of a broader city-focused road trip through Texas. From here, it’s easy to continue to Austin, known for its music scene and creative energy, or San Antonio, where history and large-scale festivals take centre stage. Each city has a distinct character, making them ideal to combine in one itinerary.
If you’re interested in some other road trips around the globe, read my pieces on Eswatini, Malawi, the Black Forest, Scotland, Croatia and Crete.
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