They say everything is bigger in Texas. Stop by the annual State Fair and greet Big Tex, a 52-foot cowboy statue. The Dallas Children’s Medical Center lobby houses the largest permanent model train in the country and the Galleria Dallas mall boasts the country’s tallest indoor Christmas tree. When Cowboys Stadium closes its dome, the Statute of Liberty could fit inside. Dallas even claims America’s largest urban arts district. So if you’re planning to be in Dallas for an afternoon, get set for a big day. The choice of daytime activities is a large one.
Seeing Today’s Dallas From Yesterday’s Trolley Cars
- Four lovingly restored classic trolley cars on the M Line make a leisurely round trip starting at the Dallas Museum of Art downtown, uptown to Cityplace Station where they reverse course on a rotating stone turntable. Along the way, the trolley stops near restaurants, movie theaters, fashion boutiques and pubs, as well as the Winspear Opera House, Meyerson Symphony Center and other arts facilities. The cars — named Petunia, Green Dragon, Rosie and Matilda — date as far back as 1909 and vintage ads for $5 Kodak cameras and 12-cent cans of Campbell’s soup enhance the old time atmosphere. The trolley, which runs 365 days per year, is the best way to see Dallas — and the fare is free.
The Urban Outdoors: Walks, Hikes and Nature Watching
- For a major metropolitan area, Dallas is in tune with nature. Dallas has 21,000 acres of parkland. In the downtown area, Belo Garden, Main Street Garden and Klyde Warren Park are tree-lined spaces for a short, relaxing walk. For hardier hikers, the Trinity River Audubon Center features a variety of trails through its wildlife preserve where you’ll encounter 220 species of birds and 15 mammal species in the 6,000-acre Great Trinity Forest. There is a small fee to enter the center, but the third Thursday of every month is free.
Beat The Heat And Hunger — At The Same Time
- With an average high temperature of 76 degrees, Dallas can get awfully warm in the daytime. Maybe that’s why one of America’s greatest inventions came out of Dallas — the frozen margarita machine. Restaurateur Mario Martinez gets credit for coming up with the idea about 40 years ago, and while his original machine is on display at the Smithsonian, he’s still making the heat-battling beverage at Mario’s Hacienda. For a more organic exploration of the gastronomical delights of Dallas, the Dallas farmers market is open every day until 6 p.m. In the market’s 26,000-square-foot Shed 2, you’ll find numerous eateries and food vendors for a healthy lunch or a gourmet snack.
Historical Debate In Dealey Plaza
- The assassination of President John F. Kennedy occurred in Dallas on Nov. 22, 1963. The sixth floor of the Texas School Book Depository, where some allege the fatal shots were fired, is now a museum, aptly named The Sixth Floor Museum. Learn about the momentous event at the museum’s exhibits, or take a walking tour of Dealey Plaza and stand behind the wooden fence on the now-legendary “grassy knoll,” and decide for yourself if a gunman might have fired from there. There are always history buffs exploring the place, so a good argument over who shot from where will likely be easy to find.
